Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and MH Flashcards
Sex
assigned at birth, biological construct based primarily on physical attributes such as chromosomes, genital and reproductive anatomy and hormones
Intersex
a general term used for a variety of conditions n which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male
Gender Identity
a person’s internal identification or self-image as male, female, something in between, or outside of the male/female binary
may or may not be consistent with sex assigned at birth
does not define sexual orientation or sexual behaviour
List of Gender Identities
a. trans man or woman
b. transgender
c. transsexual
d. two-spirit
e. cis-gender
f. gender queer/fluid
g. male/masculine
h. female/feminine
i. intersex
Transgender
describes a person whose gender identity and sex assigned at birth do not match
transgender person may know their gender identity at a very young age, 2-3 years old
transgender people may be straight, lesbian, gay, bisexual or asexual
Transsexual
term used by medical community to describe individuals who wish to alter their bodies to align with their gender identity
Gender Expression
how individuals communicate their gender to others
can be fluid or even situational
Gender Non-conforming
a person who does not subscribe to the gender expression or roles imposed by society
Sexual Orientation
an intrinsic part of one’s self-identification with regards to emotional, physical, romantic, sexual and spiritual attraction, desire or affection for another
- falls on a spectrum
- asexual: people who are not attracted to men or women
- sexual orientation does not equal sexual practice or behaviour
List of Sexual Orientations
a. homosexual
b. heterosexual
c. bisexual
d. gay, lesbian
e. pansexual
f. demisexual - attracted to personality and emotional connection
g. queer
h. fog, dyke
SOGIE Scale
- Sex assigned at birth
- Gender Identity
- Gender Expression
- Sexual Orientation
The Importance of Gender Pronouns
“What pronouns do you go by?”
- avoid making assumptions based on gender expression
- respect gender identity
- when wrong pronouns are used, individual may feel disrespected, invalidated, dismissed and alienated
- if mistake is made, acknowledge, apologize and move on
Discrimination and MH
- heterosexism values heterosexuality as superior
- encourages prejudice, discrimination, harassment and acts of violence
- can be expressed at individual, organizational and program level of health service delivery
Homophobia
Biphobia
Transphobia
irrational fear of or aversion to homosexuals, bisexuals and trans people
often expressed in negative attitudes and behaviour ranging from subtle exclusion to violence
Coming Out
ongoing process by which LGBTQ+ individuals acknowledge and disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity to themselves and others
not a linear process, occurs in different stages
Gender Transition
period during which trans people begin changing their appearance, names and/or bodies to match their internal identity, no single journey, no end goal
Implications of Coming Out and Gender Transition
increased risk of
- drug and alcohol use
- feelings of suicidality, anxiety and depression
but emotional health may improve for some people who feel more of who they are
the process is complicated and long
Supporting LGBTQ+
- provide information about community resources and groups to connect with others
- recognize that not all clients can/want to stop, harm reduction for addiction
- normalize difficult feelings or confusion
- help identify alternative ways to cope
Health disparities for LGBTQ+ individuals
- depression, anxiety
- suicide, violence
- cancer, CVD, obesity
- substance abuse, STIs, HIV/AIDS
- homelessness
- stigmatization, marginalization, discrimination
- homophobia in healthcare system
- pathologizing identity
- time with HCP reduced due to need of educating HCP
Acceptance and Commitment Training (ACT)
intervention to address stigma at the intrapersonal and interpersonal levels
uses acceptance and mindfulness strategies to increase psychological flexibility and foster self-awareness, compassion for self and others
Contact-based Empowerment Education (CEE)
addresses social stigma through critical dialogue and collaborative learning to improve knowledge about mental health and illness, reduce stigma and promote community engagement
involves direct encounters with people living with MI and caregivers, interactive learning that facilitate deeper understanding of the issues
Basic Learning Sequence
A set of interrelated skills used to achieve 3 overarching goals
- To obtain an overall summary and understanding of the client’s presenting issue
- To identify the key facts of the client’s situation
- To identify the core emotions and feelings the client is experiencing
Skills include:
a. open questions
b. encourager - build on positive and strengths
c. paraphrase - confirm understanding
d. reflect feeling - validate experience, proof that we are listening
e. summary - clarity or take conversation in a different direction
