4-H State Leaders’ Readiness to Support Lesbian and Gay Youth-Assessing Leaders’ Lesbian and Gay Knowledge, Homophobic Attitudes, and Best Practice Implementation

This study builds upon Cooperative Extension’s diversity efforts by considering 4-H state leaders’ readiness to support lesbian and gay youth. Forty-seven (64%) of the 74 addressees on a national list of 4-H state leaders responded to a questionnaire on leaders’ knowledge of lesbians and gays, homophobic attitudes, and practices regarding lesbian and gayyouth. The majority of respondents were middle-aged, highly educated, white professionals who had substantial longevity in their positions. The largest group (40.4%) grew up on farms. Leaders’ scores on a gay and lesbian knowledge test, adapted from Sears, showed substantial variability (17 possible; µ=10.34; SD=3.9). Low correct scores on specific questions indicated a lack of knowledge that could lead to practices which would undermine sexual minority youth development. Leaders’ scores on the Morrison & Morrison Modern Homonegativity Scale were normally distributed (range=12-60; µ=30.83; SD=8.37), with 55% of state leaders scoring below the mean (less homophobic). Leaders’ scores on a researcher-designed best practices for working with lesbian and gay youth checklist were normally distributed (8 possible; µ=3.79; SD=2.03). Leaders almost unanimously (90%) reported that anti-discrimination polices that protect lesbians and gays were highly visible in their organizations, and almost all leaders (81%) recognized that youth who identified as lesbian or gaywere harassed in school settings.