lgtbq+ (lecture 4) Flashcards
what is sex
a person’s biological status that is typically categorized as male, female or intersex (combination of features that usually distinguish male from female). Indicated by chromosomes, or external genitalia
what is gender
the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex. Can be compatible with societal expectations: Gender-normative, or incompatible: gender non-conformity
what is gender identity
one’s sense of male, female or transgender
what is gender expression
ways in which a person acts to communicate gender in a given culture
what is sexual orientation
refers to the sex of those to whom one is sexually and/or romantically attracted
what is coming out
refers to the process in which one acknowledges and accepts one’s gender or sexual minority status
what is sexual stigma
negative beliefs and feelings about sexual minorities that are held by greater society
what is internalized homophobia
refers to the negative self-views that are internalized as result of being socially stigmatized
what is internalized transphobia
refers to the negative self-views that are internalized as a result of being stigmatized for a transgender identity.
what is non-binary
spectrum of identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine
what is lesbian
a woman attracted to the same sex
what is gay
a man attracted to the same sex, can also be an umbrella term inclusive to sexual minorities
what is bisexual
a person attracted to another person of either binary gender (Dated Definition)
what is transgender
a person whose personal identity and/or gender does not correspond with their assigned sex at birth
what is queer
umbrella term for sexual or gender minorities who are not heterosexual or are not cisgender (i.e. gender non-binary)
what is questioning
uncertainty surrounding their orientation
what is intersex
born with both male and female biological characteristics
what is pansexual
sexual, romantic or emotional attraction towards people regardless of gender identity or sex (i.e., gender-blind)
what is 2Spirited
common in North American Native people that describe individuals that fit a third gender, a hybrid of both
what is asexual
a lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent desires for sexual activity with a partner
what is ally
a person (often with more privilege) that supports LGBT+ social movements
explain all the orientations
a-Does not experience attraction to anyone
gray- rarely experiences attraction to anyone
demi- experiences attraction towards someone only after developing a strong bond
hetero- attraction to genders other than own
homo- attraction to same gender
bi- attraction towards same and other genders
pan- attraction to all genders
poly- attraction to multiple but not necessarily all genders
brief history of lgbtq
- LGBT seen in many ancient civilizations, these cultures had various reactions to LGBTQ+ individuals
- Middle Ages began to condemn homosexuality using various religious documents, the Renaissance brought some visibility to these individuals (Da Vinci, etc.)
- Psychology initially labeled homosexuality as a disorder (DSM-II). Evelyn Hooker (1957) completes landmark study which begins the movement to remove homosexuality from DSM
- Realized there was not much difference between gay people and straight people, maybe there is not a difference
- Persecution in the Holocaust
- The Stonewall Riots 1969, raid on a gay bar turned violent and spread throughout Greenwich Village, protest in Central Park inspired the first “Pride” Parade
- 1994 LGBTQ History Month began in the U.S. (October)
- 2015 the Supreme Court Struck down all State Bans on same-sex marriage formally legalizing it in all 50 states.
why do labels really matter
- common terminology is helpful in generating funding
- creates a sense of community
- terminology provides room for education and research
- easier to communicate identities to the public
explain the controversial flag
all of the colors on the rainbow flag represent something, but a lot of people feel that it is not representative of them so there are a lot of different flags
a few general demographics about lgbtq
Generally, LGBTQ+ populations mirror the diversity of the general population except (caveat needed):
- More trans individuals are people of color
- LGBTQ+ have higher education
- LGBTQ+ higher incarcerations and incidences of gun and other violence experiences
- LGBTQ+ more likely to adopt child with diverse needs
- LGBTQ+ more likely to be paid less and underinsured
take aways from demographics
- More diversity than typically visible
- More potential and actual disadvantages(e.g., access and protections)
- Much of these are rooted in the perpetuation of heteronormativity
what is heteronormative
Denoting or relating to a world view that promotes heterosexuality as normal or preferred sexual orientation
what is heterosexism
The societal/cultural, institutional, and individual beliefs and practices that privilege heterosexuals and denigrate LGBTQ people
what is homophobia
Fear, hatred, or intolerance of people who identify or are perceived to be lesbians or gay men, including the fear of being seen as lesbian or gay yourself.
what is cisgender
Cisgender or Cissexual is a description of a non-transgender or non-transsexual man or women. Their gender identity is congruent with their sex and gender designated at birth.
what is cissexism
Discrimination and invisibility experienced by TG people who do not conform to a binary gender, body concept, or anatomy that matches their sex designation at birth.
explain isms within an ism in the lgbtq community
- Do not underestimate the impact of dually stigmatized identities
- Difficult to research since it is difficult to separate identities
- Sexual minority people of color who are victims of hate crimes struggle with understanding the reason for their victimization.
- Sexual minority people of color are more likely to attempt suicide, or self injury than white sexual minority individuals
There is also a “pecking order” within the LGBTQ+ group
- Think about visibility (feminine gay men, and masculine lesbian women)
- Bisexuality?
- Transgender people are becoming increasingly more visible
-Racial Discrimination within the community
explain label selection
-It is becoming slightly more common to forgo mainstream labels
- Women are more likely to use non-traditional labels
- Gender Socialization
- Some individuals prefer to be unlabeled
- Avoiding a reductionist view
More common is “mostly straight”
- Political Attraction
- Physical attraction
- Sexual Attraction
- Romantic Attraction
apa clinical guidelines of working with lgbtq
- Strive to understand the effects of stigma and how it may manifest
- Understand that lesbian, gay, bisexual orientations are not mental illnesses, and mental illnesses may not stem directly from these identities.
- Distinguish issues of sexual orientation from those of gender identity (a transgendered person may have to come out as another identity).
- Treat LGBT+ families as their desired titles
- Be aware of intersectionality (age, race, disability, etc.)
- Be mindful of the potential influence of religion and spirituality on the lives of LGBT+ people
what are the two models of coming out
stage and milestone models
pros and cons of stage models
pros: easy to use and learn
cons: does not account for intersectionality
pros and cons of milestone models
pros: account for intersectionality and allow flexibility in use
cons: harder to empirically validate, and a little more complicated to use
explain the cass model stages
1) Pre-Stage: assume they are heterosexual, and perceive being lesbian or gay as undesirable
2) Identity Confusion: attempt to integrate societal views of lesbian or gay individuals with their own personal values “How can I be a good person and also be gay or lesbian?”
3) Identity Comparison: individuals begin to grapple with what it might be like to join a stigmatized group
4) Identity Tolerance: relinquish attempts to rationalize their same-sex attraction using heteronormative values, feel less interested to conform to the interest of heterosexual peers
5) Identity Acceptance: begin to accept their lesbian or gay identity, begin to disclose to others, and seek out associations with other lesbian or gay individuals
6) Identity Pride: fully expresses a gay or lesbian identity, consequent devaluing of heteronormative standards and behaviors
7) Identity Synthesis: integrate other aspects of their identity with their sexual identity.
explain bisexual identity development
1) Identity Confusion: conflict between one’s gender role and one’s sexual feelings towards both men and women
2) Finding and applying the label: discovers the label and begins to apply this label to their feelings and behavior
3) Settling into the identity: seek out a supportive network to settle into their identity so that they can begin to learn how to define this new label
4) Identity Maintenance: the individual decides to retain the label or abandon it for one that is more salient.
examples of bisexual bias
- Bi-erasure: The practice or excluding bisexual and other non-monosexual people.
- Bisexuality is seen as a “stepping stone” identity that gay, and lesbians use to ease into their full identity
- Bisexuals are more likely to cheat, confused or afraid of commitment
…or they are overly sexualized.
transgender emergence
1) Awareness: experience distress due to feeling disconnected from their cisgender peers
2) Seeking Information/Reaching Out: Look for information about transgenderism
3) Disclosure to significant others: can include spouses, family members, and/or peers
4) Exploration-Identity and Self-Labeling: explore a range of identities and labels to determine which label fits them best
5) Exploration-Transition Issues/Possible Body Modification: Involves exploring options for transition, presentation of gender, and body modification
6) Integration-Acceptance and Post-Transition Issues: Synthesize and integrate various identities
identity milestones in being trans
Feeling different (having interests that are different from same gender peers), awareness of same sex attraction, labeling feeling (specifically romantic or sexual feelings, can be rationalized in various ways), labeling oneself, disclosure
myths and legends in lgbtq
- Lesbian utopia: women are so kind and supportive they must get along so well in romantic relationships
- Hegemonic masculinity: gay men are constantly in a power struggle on who is the man
- Bisexuality myths: bisexuality is a phase or that they are frequent adulterers
- Mutual battering: in a gay couple both people must be fighting, there isn’t a victim here
common clinical errors
- Be aware of heteronormative statements (e.g. do you have a girlfriend?)
- Disregard for their sexual orientation (colorblind approach)
- Assuming their issues are rooted in their sexual minority status
outing
-Can result in loss of job, or loss of housing
-Keep in mind geography and religion
-Loss of family or friends
-Keep Safety in mind
-Aware of Biases
Outing Communities of Color
-Greater Stigma in some cultures
-Can lead to dually stigmatized identities
violence and discrimination
- LGBTQ+ individuals were twice as likely to experience lifetime, recent, or day-to-day discrimination when compared to their heterosexual counterparts (controlled for age, sex, gender identity, race, income, and marital status).
- LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to be bullied or harassed compared to heterosexual peers
- Higher rates of depression, anxiety, PTSD, anorexia, bulimia, substance abuse
- Rates of hypervigilance and discrimination can impact physical health as well
- Higher rates of high blood pressure, asthma, headaches/migraines, heart disease, and some forms of cancer
ways to come out
1) Pre-Planned Conversations
2) Emergent Conversations
- Sort of just happens
3) Coaxed Conversations
- Parents ask
4) Confrontational Conversations
- Mom and dad find something on phone that is a little concerning and call you out on it
5) Romantic/Sexual Conversations
6) Educational/Activist Conversations
7) Mediated Conversations
average age of coming out is now 14, used to be 20
benefits of coming out
- Increased Self-Esteem
- Decreased Anxiety
- Improved Work Satisfaction
- Enhanced Resilience
- These effects can be moderated by gender
- Men who have recently come out are at higher risk for MDD, and GAD
- Women who have recently come out report lower depression but this depression may increase later in life.
typically the process of coming out
peers are told before family
Siblings are told before parents
Moms are told before Dads
Mothers seem to be more accepting of gay sons than fathers
Fathers seem to be more accepting of lesbian daughters than mothers
reaction of first person can have strong effects
what impacts disclosure
- The quality of the relationship
- Degree of anticipated support
- Families can have various reactions: Joy, pride, shock, embarrassment anger, rejection, etc.
- Negative parental reactions can impact the well being
- Increases risky behavior, lowers feelings of self-acceptance, risky behavior, depression, suicide
- Positive reactions can buffer and negate many of these effects.
factors impacting family response
cultural heritage, political ideology, presence of other sexual minorities in the social network, strength and stability of existing familial relationships
parent reactions
- Awareness- a suspicion of their gender or sexual minority identity
- Knowing with certainty-parents may struggle with the confirmation of these beliefs.
- Emotional Detachment-homophobic attitudes colliding with loving feelings of their child
- Fear of Estrangement-fear of losing their child to the gay world, related to weakening parenting strength
- Adjustment and Education- Increased confidence in their ability to parent their child effectively helped parents to adjust to their child’s disclosure.
ways to understand family reaction
stages of grief, social cognitive behavioral model, family stress theory
general helpful clinical tasks
- Acknowledge the potential role of oppression/marginalization on the family
- Provide affirmation
-Ensure the assessment is thorough and incorporates assessment areas relevant to queer communities
- Create space
- Explore and make meaning of multiple identities
- Psychoeducation can be helpful to dispel myths and stereotypes here
-Facilitate dialogue around presenting problem(s)
