Mentoring LGBT Students: Perspectives from Volunteers at a Taiwanese Buddhist University.

Abstract

An increasing number of studies related to LGBT inclusion on university campuses have emerged over the past few years. While a number of these studies address complex challenges encountered in Western religious universities, very little research has investigated religious universities in Eastern, Sinophone communities. This study sheds light on a mentor system at a prominent Buddhist university in Taiwan to investigate mentors' understandings of and interactions with LGBT students. Through the use of both qualitative and quantitative measures, the researchers found very few mentors were even aware of interactions with LGBT students. A thematic analysis of focus group data found the mentors' understandings and attitudes could be classified into three distinct categories ranging from very supportive to unintentionally discriminatory. Overall, it seems Confucian values, rather than Buddhist doctrines, is a far more influential factor on mentors' understandings and attitudes toward LGBT individuals. In particular, conflicts between Confucian thought and LGBT inclusive practices may arise when individuals concurrently display a strong desire to help, Confucian understandings of "family," and very little understanding of gender or sexuality. Finally, this study offers recommendations for future research and universities.