HOMOPHOBIC BULLYING AMONG NIGERIAN SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: IMPLICATION FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION

Abstract

People who engage in same-sex acts or who don't fit the stereotypical ideas of gender and sexuality face a great deal of prejudice and social marginalization worldwide; Nigeria is no exception. LGBT people relate personal stories of being marginalized because of their gender identity and sexual orientation, which present many difficulties. Homosexuality is still illegal in Nigeria, which further marginalizes LGBT people and creates more obstacles to their access to public services and ability to reach their full potential. The worst situation involves teenagers enrolled in school who experience the same attack while they are still there, and the involved parties continue to believe that bullying of this kind does not still occur. Thus, this article highlights the condition of homophobic bullying in Nigeria. It also examines how homophobic bullying affects the bully, the victim, onlookers, and the general atmosphere of the school. Finally, it discusses potential implications for psychological interventions aimed at managing homophobic bullying in secondary schools.

Keywords: Homophobic bullying, LGBT, students, psychological intervention.