Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) youth face significant barriers to basic needs such as educational opportunities, housing, food, medical care and access to mental health services. Due to the additional stressors they face LGBT youth are in greater need of these services than other youth. In fact, the numbers are staggering. Forty percent of homeless youth identify as LGBT. LGBT youth are also more likely to encounter a hostile school environment, which ultimately leads to an increase in truancy and a reduction in educational aspirations and achievement. Of all the client populations that Social Workers serve, LGBT youth are among the most marginalized and vulnerable.
According to the Center for Disease Control, LGBT youth are also at increased risk for suicidal thoughts and behaviors, suicide attempts, and suicide. A nationally representative study of adolescents in grades 7–12 found that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth were more than twice as likely to have attempted suicide as their heterosexual peers. Overall, the stresses experienced by LGBT youth also put them at greater risk for mental health problems, substance use, and physical health problems.
Table of Contents
Language Matters 4
Reflections on Serving LGBT Youth Within the Context of the NASW Code of Ethics 6
Cultural Competence 7
Managing Issues Around Consent 7
School Related Risk Factors 7
Working with Families 9
In Conclusion 9
Resources 10
Language Matters
The authors propose that a first priority for Social Workers serving LGBT youth is to become familiar with language that is relevant to the LGBT community. Social Workers should be educated about the potential negative and as well as potential affirming impact of words. We can choose avoid the use of stigmatizing language and can instead opt for words that convey respect and help to establish rapport. Learning the definition and usage of terms and language also helps social workers become more knowledgeable about the LGBT community and the issues facing the community.
With regard to the following definitions please keep in mind that language is dynamic and constantly changing. It’s also important to remember that there are many communities represented on this list. Not everyone will agree with the definitions provided here, and many people will use words not included on this list to describe their experiences. There is no “right” definition to these words, but there are many different definitions. The best way to learn about the language of any community is by listening to its members speak about their experiences.
v LGBT: the acronym for “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender”. While this acronym is relatively short and easy to remember, it leaves out a number of identity groups, which are sometimes included in a longer acronym, often affectionately referred to as the “alphabet soup.”
v Ally: Any member of a privileged identity group who actively works to fight the oppression from which they benefit. This includes white people who work against racism, straight people who work to fight homophobia, or cisgender people who struggle against transphobia.
It is important to remember that, no matter how dedicated a person is to fighting oppression, having privilege means benefiting from that oppression. To be white is to benefit from racism; to be straight is to benefit from homophobia, to be cisgender is to benefit from transphobia—regardless of whether or not a person “wants” to have that privilege. For this reason, some people feel that the term “ally” causes more harm than good, since it implies that someone can undo the harm caused by their privilege by taking a few small steps. Taking steps to fight oppression (like educating yourself about your privilege, consuming media made by oppressed people, or speaking out when you see or hear an injustice) are important actions Social Workers should all take—but exercise caution when claiming the label of “ally,” and remember there’s always more work to be done!
v Bisexual: a person who tends to form significant romantic, emotional, physical and/or sexual attractions to two genders. While some bisexual people truly are attracted to only two genders, many people use this term incorrectly. They use the term, “bisexual,” to describe themselves because they have not considered the fact that there are more than two possible genders to which they might be attracted. These people are more accurately referred to as “pansexual.”
v Pansexual: A person who has the capacity to be attracted romantically, physically, emotionally, and/or sexually a person of any gender.
v Coming out: coming to terms with one’s sexual or gender identity, and then choosing if, when, how, and with whom a person shares this information.
v Gay Man: a man whose primary romantic, emotional, physical and/or sexual attractions are to other men.
v Gender Identity: how one thinks of one’s own gender. A gender identity is your sense of self, as it relates to your gender.
v Genderqueer: An identity label that describes someone who feels the terms “male” and “female” to be inaccurate or incomplete descriptions of their gender.
v Gender-neutral: Anything that does not imply a specific gender is gender-neutral. Some people adopt gender-neutral pronouns, instead of "he" and "she," which are usually associated with either male or female genders. Many progressive parents strive to provide their children with gender-neutral clothing, toys, and activities, in order to foster self-determination at an early age. Being gender-neutral should not be confused with the terms, "agender," or "genderless." Not specifying a gender does not imply that no gender exists -- simply that no information about gender has been provided.
v Gender Expression: Gender expression describes the way a person displays their gender identity to the world. Gender expression can include clothing choices, makeup (or lack thereof), speech patterns, hair style/length, or any other conscious decisions someone makes, in order to portray their gendered self. Gender expression is the concept many gender theorists reference when they note "gender is what you do."
v Heterosexism: This is the system of oppression that suggests that everyone is “straight until proven otherwise.” Because we live in a heterosexist society, being straight is considered normal (which is why people rarely have to “come out” as straight—it’s just expected).
v Heterosexual: a person who tends to form their strongest emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to members of the “opposite” gender.
v Homophobia: negative feelings, attitudes, actions or behaviors towards anyone who is not straight, or towards anyone who is perceived to not be straight. Institutionalized homophobia refers to homophobic laws, policies, and positions taken by social and governmental institutions.
v Homosexual: A person whose primary romantic, emotional, physical, and/or sexual attractions are to members of the same gender. Many people consider the term, “homosexual” to be offensive, as it pathologizes people with these experiences, and was once labeled in the DSM as a mental illness.
v Lesbian: a woman whose primary romantic, emotional, physical and sexual attractions are to other women.
v Privilege: Privilege is the set of cultural advantages that someone gets, without having to do any work, simply because of a fundamental part of who they are. Privilege is often described as an “invisible knapsack” of helpful resources—things you benefit from, that are “invisible” to you, because they’re considered normal in our society. Some privileges are: white privilege, straight privilege, cis privilege, able-bodied privilege, etc.
v Oppression: Oppression is the opposite of privilege. This is the set of cultural disadvantages someone has to deal with, because of a fundamental part of who they are. Because our society thinks of certain identities and experiences as normal and good, people who have different identities or experiences must struggle to exist in a world that sees them (at best) as different or (at worst) as bad. Some oppressed people include fat people, poor people, people of color, people with disabilities, and LGBT people.
v Queer: A person who is not heterosexual may identify as queer. Originally used as a derogatory slur, this is both a re-claimed term of empowerment and a new identity label designed to be more all-inclusive than other terms.
v Sexual Identity: how one thinks of oneself in terms of to whom one is sexually or romantically attracted.
v Sexual Orientation: A person’s tendency towards being romantically or sexually attracted to one or more genders of people. Sexual orientation describes attraction—not experience—so it has nothing to do with the genders of a person’s sexual partners.
v Transgender: An umbrella term that refers to people who do not conform to society’s expectations about gender. Transgender people can include transsexual men (assigned female at birth) and women (assigned male at birth), cross dressers, feminine men, or masculine women—to name a few. This is a self-identified term. A person must claim the label “transgender” in order for it to be appropriate.
It is estimated that between two to five percent of the population is transgender. Transgender citizens are 28 percent more likely to experience physical violence than others. One in six transgender people have been incarcerated and 41 percent have attempted suicide.
For transgender persons of color the statistics are even bleaker. Transgender women of color are disproportionately targeted for transphobic violence, and many anti-trans hate crimes are carried out under the guise of seeking revenge for the trans victim's "deception."
v Transsexual: A transsexual person is someone who feels that the choice to alter their body with hormones, surgery, or other medical procedures would make them feel more comfortable with their gender. Transsexual people can have a range of identities and experiences – they are not just trans men and women.
v Transvestite: This is a term that describes a person who cross dresses to receive sexual gratification. It is often used, incorrectly, to describe all cross dressers. Most cross dressers do not receive sexual gratification from cross-dressing, and in most situations, this term is considered to be out-dated and offensive.
Reflections on Serving LGBT Youth Within the Context of the NASW Code of Ethics
As social workers the NASW Code of Ethics which calls upon us to abide by the core value of social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity and competence. Social workers should take personal inventory of their personal values, faith traditions and social and cultural beliefs so that each practitioner can increase his or her personal awareness. It is incumbent on the social worker to “check their baggage” at the door so that any potential bias does not impede the social worker’s ability provide services in an affirming and non-judgmental manner.
Social workers and human service organizations need to be certain to project a welcoming atmosphere to LGBT youth. This can be accomplished in many ways. The agency should use affirming language in their literature and forms. Agency forms should not assume a heterosexual norm and gender-neutral pronouns should be included as options. If your agency forms do not offer this type of affirming indicators it is appropriate for the social worker to advocate from within for these changes.
In addition to agency forms the organization should advertise in LGBT oriented magazines and web sites and should support and sponsor LGBT community events such as Pride events and the Transgender Day or Remembrance. It goes without saying that welcoming brochures, posters and artwork should be visible throughout the agency or organization and most certainly within the social worker’s office.
Cultural Competence
A social worker who is unfamiliar with the needs and experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender youth should take steps to become further educated about the day-to-day challenges of the LGBT youth. However, don’t use the client’s time in session with you to gain this knowledge and insight. Remember, this is the youth’s opportunity to address their personal issues, thoughts and concerns - NOT your opportunity to educate yourself as a professional about basic facts about your client’s identity. Using the client’s time to educate oneself about LGBT issues is a form of exploitation of the client. Exploring client issues related to their LGBT status is always appropriate. Social workers need to ask themselves: “Am I addressing this topic to advance the youth’s issues and goals?”. If the answer is, “Yes” then the social worker can feel confident proceeding in this direction with the youth.
Managing Issues Around Consent
When obtaining consent from a minor’s parent or guardian be careful to avoid sharing any information about the youth’s status as LGBT unless the youth had given you their express permission to do so. Some youth may be at risk of being pushed out of the familial home as a result of their LGBT identity.
“Coming out” to parents and extended family members is an appropriate treatment goal to negotiate with the youth, utilizing role-play and letter writing, among other strategies. The youth needs to be control of the management of this issue, with social worker serving as consultant/facilitator. Remember, for many youth “Coming out” is a process and support given over time is appropriate.
School Related Risk Factors
School issues are a common factor among LGBT youth. School based stressors have been shown to adversely influence the LGBT youth’s academic standing and overall mental health. On occasion the social worker, in consultation with the youth and with parent consent in the case of a minor, may decide to attend a student case conference at the school to discuss a youth’s concerns. The purpose of such a meeting would be to advocate for the youth and to collaborate with school staff for services and interventions that would be provided at school.
Before making any school overtures the social worker must be sure to obtain a signed release form permitting the reciprocal sharing of information between the social worker and the school. The social worker will also want to discuss the exact information that will be shared with school personnel with the youth. The youth should have the final word on the extent of disclosure. Keep in mind that is reasonable a youth may feel reluctant to share his or her information on one occasion and may choose, in time to share this information more broadly. The critical factor here is that decision belongs to the youth, not the social worker.