Racist and Homophobic Bullying in Adulthood: Narratives from Gay Men of Color in Higher Education

Abstract

Bullying is a serious problem in contemporary American society. Many adults are now suffering from bullying, which has conventionally been thought of as a childhood behavior. While a general form of bullying has been focused on by contemporary scholars, specific types of bullying (racist bullying and homophobic bullying) have not well been studied. Furthermore, no study on the intersection of racist and homophobic bullying exists at this point. This article examines how racist‐homophobic bullying is manifested in adulthood in the context of higher education. First, some concepts of general forms of bullying and bullying based on race and sexuality are stated. Then, narratives from two gay male college students of color are provided as examples to conceptualize racist‐homophobic bullying. Last, implications for adult educators and Human Resource Development (HRD) practitioners are provided to lead anti‐bullying initiatives in learning and workplace environments.