Perception of LGBTIQ+ Students at the Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica

Abstract

This article, based on research conducted at the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (ITCR) in 2021, examines the gaps identified by the student community regarding sexual orientation and gender identity, as well as the affirmative actions implemented by the institution. The theoretical framework combines the perspectives of Pierre Bourdieu and Judith Butler. Bourdieu argues that the gender order subordinates women and establishes hierarchies based on biological differences, naturalizing these power relations through his concept of habitus. However, this approach is limited by its binary perspective. Butler expands this analysis by asserting that gender and sex are socially constructed and performative categories, thereby challenging the cisheteronormativity that privileges heterosexual and cisgender identities. The findings reveal that, despite the progress made by ITCR in promoting human rights, the student community continues to face discrimination based on gender and sexual identity. This discrimination predominantly affects women, trans women, and trans men within the LGBTIQ+ community, who continue to be the primary targets of institutional discrimination