COURSE AND CONTACT INFORMATION
Course: PSYD 6201.20 Multi-disciplinary LGBT Health
Semester: Summer, 2015
Dates: June 22-August 8, 2015; In-person session July 12-18, 2015
Location: Blackboard
INSTRUCTOR
Name: Alyssa Zucker, Ph.D.
E-mail: azucker@gwu.edu
Office hours: email to set up a time
TEACHING ASSISTANT
Colin Davis
cjdavis_gw@gwmail.gwu.edu
COURSE DESCRIPTION
We will study LGBT health and well-being from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including
medicine, public health, psychology, and women’s studies. We will examine: (1) mechanisms by
which social mistreatment of LGBT people “gets under the skin” to affect health behaviors and
health outcomes; (2) how the healthcare setting improves and detracts from LGBT health at
population and individual levels, and how providers can improve in this domain; and (3) specific
illnesses and medical processes that concern members of these groups (e.g., HIV/AIDS, cancer,
substance use, gender transition). Although the focus of this class is on people who identify as
LGBT, those identities do not exist in isolation. Thus we will adopt an intersectional analysis of
sexual orientation and gender identity with race, social class, and other important social
identities whenever possible within our analysis.
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
As a result of completing this course, students should be able to:
1. Recognize and discuss physical health challenges and disparities faced by the LGBT
populations in contrast to the heterosexual and cisgender populations.
2. Analyze how social and environmental factors create, contribute to, and exacerbate health
challenges for LGBT people.
3. Compare and contrast the health issues and healthcare challenges faced by each of the LGBT
populations, as stand-alone groups.
4. Evaluate how multiple identities shape individuals’ experience of the world and impact their
health.
5. Advocate for policies and processes that enhance the health of LGBT populations.
TEXTS
The following two texts are the only materials that can be purchased. The rest of the course
readings are available in Blackboard in the weeks or under Electronic Reserves.
Eliason, M. J., Dibble, S. L., DeJoseph, J., & Chinn, P. (2009). LGBTQ cultures: What health care
professionals need to know about sexual and gender diversity. Online: Lippincott
Williams & Wilkins. [Referred to as LGBTQ Cultures throughout the course.] This book is
available in e-book format only. You can download it to an e-reader and also download
PDFs of the chapters. You may purchase this book by going to
http://www.nursingcenter.com/lnc/journalarticle?Article_ID=870947 ]
Makadon, H. J., Mayer, K. H., Potter, J., & Goldhammer, H. (Eds.). (2015). Fenway guide to
lesbian gay, bisexual, and transgender health (2nd edition). Philadelphia: American
College of Physicians. [Referred to as Fenway throughout the course.] Although I am
only assigning three chapters from this book, it will be one of the texts in other courses
as well. It is available on Amazon and other online retailers.
The remainder of course readings are available for download on Blackboard.
Bowleg, L. (2013). “Once you’ve blended the cake, you can’t take the parts back to the main
ingredients”: Black gay and bisexual men’s descriptions and experiences of intersectionality.
Sex Roles, 68 (11-12), 754-767. DOI 10.1007/s11199-012-0152-4
Burke, P. (2013, May 3). Jason Collins is out. But in professional sports, ignorance is still in play.
The Washington Post.
Dubois, L. Z. (2012). Associations between transition-specific stress experience, nocturnal
decline in ambulatory blood pressure, and C-reactive protein levels among transgender
men. American Journal of Human Biology, 24, 52-61. DOI 10.1002/ajhb.22203
Goins, E. S., & Pye, D. (2013). Check the box that best describes you: Reflexively managing
theory and praxis in LGBTQ health communication research. Health Communication, 28 (4),
397-407. DOI:10.1080/10410236.2012.690505
Halkitis, P. N., Wolitski, R. J., & Millett, G. A. (2013). A holistic approach to addressing HIV
infection disparities in gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. American
Psychologist, 68 (4), 261-273. DOI:10.1037/a0032746
Herrick, A. L., Stall, R., Chmiel, J. S., Guadamuz, T. E., Penniman, T., Shoptaw, S., Ostrow, D., &
Plankey, M. W. (2013). It gets better: Resolution of internalized homophobia over time and
associations with positive health outcomes among MSM. AIDS and Behavior, 17, 14231430. DOI 10.1007/s10461-012-0392-x
Logie, C.H., James, L., Tharao, W., & Loufty, M. R. (2012). “We don’t exist”: A qualitative study
of marginalization experienced by HIV+ lesbian, bisexual, queer and transgender women in
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
2
Toronto, Canada. Journal of the International AIDS Society, 15, 1-11.
http://dx.doi.org/10.7448/IAS.15.2.17392
Meyer, I. H., & Frost, D. M. (2013). Minority stress and the health of sexual minorities. In
Patterson, C. J., & D’Augelli, A. R. (Eds.). Handbook of Psychology and Sexual Orientation.
New York: Oxford University Press.
Morrison, S., & Dinkel, S. (2012). Heterosexism and health care: A concept analysis. Nursing
Forum, 47 (2), 123-130. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-6198.2011.00243.x.
Poteat, T., German, D., & Kerrigan, D. (2013). Managing uncertainty: A grounded theory of
stigma in transgender health care encounters. Social Science & Medicine, 84, 22-29.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.02.019
Simoni, J. M., Smith, L., Lehavot, K., Fredriksen-Goldsen, K., & Walters, K. L., (2013). Lesbian and
bisexual women’s physical health. In Patterson, C. J., & D’Augelli, A. R. (Eds.). Handbook of
Psychology and Sexual Orientation. New York: Oxford University Press.
COURSE STRUCTURE
The class will meet online for weeks 1-3 and 5-7. Week 4 is the program’s summer residency
and there will be opportunities to discuss aspects of this course during that time. The Schedule
below an overview of the types of work required, and due dates, for the course. Within each
week’s section, there is a detailed, sequential list providing the readings, media and activities
for that week. As much as possible, please try to complete work in the order in which it is
presented.
While online, we will be completely asynchronous. This means that you can do your work
(reading, viewing, posting, etc.) at any time, as long as you complete it by the due date. It is
important to note that the weekly schedules always list the final date and time that work is due.
Please plan your work schedules accordingly to meet those due dates. All work is due by 11:59
p.m. Eastern time, and it is your responsibility to adapt to Eastern time if you are working from
a different time zone.
ASSIGNMENTS
Discussion Posts
Because we will be meeting online (rather than in person) for most of the semester, the
discussion boards are a major way that we communicate our thinking with each other.
For each topic, you must post at least twice to the relevant discussion board forum on
Blackboard. Beyond this minimum, please comment as often as you like. In your first
posting, you respond to the question prompt provided. Strong first responses are those
that
o Demonstrate that you have read and viewed the weekly course content
o Reference more than one assigned source (from the given week or a previous
week)
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
3
o Compare and contrast evidence
o Present original thinking
Posts do not need to do all of the above to be considered successful; these are some
ideas for what I will be looking for.
In terms of length, consider writing approximately a paragraph. A good standard to
follow is to make it so that you don’t have to scroll down to read the whole posting.
The second and subsequent responses are comments to your fellow classmates. Please
respond thoughtfully.
I have created a grading rubric that I’ll use to evaluate your discussion board posts. You
can see it by clicking into a forum on Blackboard, then choosing Grading Information
and View Rubric.
Journal Entries
At several points throughout the course, I will ask you to write in the Journal area of
Blackboard to contemplate and analyze your personal response to some of the issues
we are studying. For instance, there will be journal assignments to forward our learning
goal on advocating for policies and processes that enhance the health of LGBT
populations via being an effective ally. I will also ask you to use the journal feature to
track changes in your thinking over the course of the class. Unlike discussion posts,
journal posts are private and can only be viewed by you and me as your instructor.
Knowledge check-ins
Because we are meeting at a distance, I will be using knowledge check-ins as a way to
gauge your comprehension of the reading, focus our understanding of the material, and
know if there are places I need to clarify information. Check-ins consist of a few short
quiz-like questions that will be graded on a pass/fail basis.
Term paper
Your major writing assignment will be an 8 – 10 page research paper on a topic
pertaining to LGBT health that interests you. There are three parts to submit: (1) paper
proposal, (2) rough draft; (3) final paper. A submission schedule is provided below. You
may choose a topic covered together in class, or something entirely different (if you
have concerns about whether your topic is appropriate, please contact me). I expect
that you will bring your particular interests and training to this paper; any topic can be
approached from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The format you choose for
your paper should also fit what you hope to accomplish. Two formats to consider are a
literature review or a report on data you have collected.
Sources
 You should cite a minimum of 8 references in your paper.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
4
 Use mostly scholarly work (both theoretical and empirical). If, additionally, you
analyze news stories, blogs, etc., be clear when you are doing so.
 The resources of GW's Gelman library are available to you as a student in this
course. For basic library access, visit http://library.gwu.edu/ .
 You may find the Medline and PsycINFO databases to be particularly helpful in
identifying sources. See the Term Paper link on Blackboard for help with accessing
and using these databases.
Writing Style and Format
 It is fine to use the first person (e.g., I think…) in your writing. However, please be
consistent throughout the paper.
 Please pick a citation style and use it consistently throughout your paper for both intext citations and the reference section. Although I am partial to the Publication
Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th Ed), I am not opposed to
other styles.
 Additionally please type, double-spaced, in 12 point font. Margins should be 1-1.25
inches all around.
Expectations
 Your paper should be framed in a way that matches what you hope to learn. For
instance:
o You may frame this paper as a literature review, reporting on the state of the
field in terms of existing research and providing a unique analytical/critical
perspective on the literature.
o You do not need to collect and analyze empirical data. However, if you have an
existing dataset that you would like to utilize, that is fine. In that case you could
write up the paper as a research report, which would include a literature review
(with hypotheses), method, results, and discussion sections.
 You should incorporate some of the core theory/concepts from class content (e.g.,
how discrimination affects health) into your paper
 You should address the intersectionality of identity statuses (e.g., gender, race, class,
etc.) in some way. For example, if you are writing about bisexual people and STIs,
include an analysis of how “bisexual” is not a monolithic category.
 It is fine (but not required) to propose concrete solutions for change on your topic.
Evaluation
I provided grading rubrics on Blackboard (click on the Term Paper link). Checking
these rubrics in advance will give you more information on how I will evaluate your
paper. Aim to get full credit by addressing everything under the Proficient column.
Iterations
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
5
The paper is due in parts so that you have multiple chances to get feedback on your
project, and to be able to create an improved end-product through revisions of
earlier drafts.
Steps
Paper Proposal
-general statement of topic
-preliminary reference list (formatted in
APA or your preferred style; do not just
list hyperlinks)
-more detailed outline (optional)
Due Date
July 9
Rough Draft
-complete draft of your paper
July 26
Final Draft
-final version of your paper, incorporating
earlier comments
August 8
COURSE GRADING
Assignment
Discussion Posts
Journal Entries
Knowledge check-ins
Paper Proposal
Paper Draft
Paper Final
Point value
4
2
2
5
17
30
Number
8
4
4
1
1
1
Total points
32
8
8
5
17
30
CLASS POLICIES
Communication policy:
 There is a Q&A discussion forum on Blackboard, which is an excellent way to ask for
help from the instructor, TA, and other students. I prefer that you use this discussion
forum if you think others might share your question (e.g., clarifying a homework
assignment). I will check the board daily. (Hint: you can subscribe to this discussion
board so that you are notified by email whenever someone posts to it).
 I will respond to email within 24 hours on weekdays and at least once on weekends.
Please use email instead of the Q&A board for personal questions (e.g., asking for an
extension).
 I will be communicating with you through Blackboard, which is linked to your GW
email account. Therefore you must either a) check your GW email on a daily basis or
b) forward your GW email to another address that you check daily.
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
6
Late work: Students should meet due dates for all assignments. If you are not able to meet a
due date, please email me (in advance if possible) to inquire about an extension. I will consider
extensions on a case-by-case basis. Unexcused late work may be graded down up to 5% for
each day that it is late.
University Policy on Religious Holidays:
1. Students should notify faculty during the first week of the semester of their intention
to be absent from class on their day(s) of religious observance [for this hybrid course, let
me know if you need any extensions due to holidays];
2. Faculty should extend to these students the courtesy of absence without penalty on
such occasions, including permission to make up examinations;
3. Faculty who intend to observe a religious holiday should arrange at the beginning of
the semester to reschedule missed classes or to make other provisions for their courserelated activities
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
I personally support the GW Code of Academic Integrity. It states: “Academic dishonesty is
defined as cheating of any kind, including misrepresenting one's own work, taking credit for the
work of others without crediting them and without appropriate authorization, and the
fabrication of information.” For the remainder of the code, see:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ntegrity/code.html
SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
DISABILITY SUPPORT SERVICES (DSS)
Any student who may need an accommodation based on the potential impact of a disability
should contact the Disability Support Services office at 202-994-8250 in the Marvin Center,
Suite 242, to establish eligibility and to coordinate reasonable accommodations. For additional
information please refer to: http://gwired.gwu.edu/dss/
UNIVERSITY COUNSELING CENTER (UCC) 202-994-5300
The University Counseling Center (UCC) offers 24/7 assistance and referral to
address students' personal, social, career, and study skills problems. Services for students
include:
- crisis and emergency mental health consultations
- confidential assessment, counseling services (individual and small group), and referrals
http://gwired.gwu.edu/counsel/CounselingServices/AcademicSupportServices
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
7
Calendar
Mon
June 22-28
Reminder: All
elements are
due by 11:59
pm Eastern
Time
June 29 –
July 5
Tues
POST one
response to
Discussion
Board:
Introduce
Yourself
Wed
Thurs
READ Fenway (ch. 1)
LGBTQ cultures ch. 2 (can skim) &
ch. 7
VIEW “To treat me, You have to know
who I am”
READ Goins & Pye (2013)
LGBTQ cultures ch. 9
Morrison & Dinkel (2012)
WRITE Journal 1: Initial Impressions
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 2:
Providers
VIEW Discrimination and Health
POST Response 2 to Discussion Board 3
READ Meyer & Frost (2013)
Dubois (2012)
VIEW Intersectionality interview
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 3:
Discrimination and Health
POST
Response 2
to Discussion
Board 4
Sun
POST Response 2 to Discussion Board 1
COMPLETE Knowledge check-in 1
July 6-12
Sat
VIEW Welcome/Overview
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 1:
Health Disparities
POST
Response 2
to Discussion
Board 2
Fri
READ LGBTQ cultures ch. 4
Burke (2013)
Straight for Equality in Healthcare
READ Fenway (ch. 3)
Bowleg (2013)
VIEW I AM: Trans people speak
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 4:
Intersectionality
POST Response 2 to Discussion Board 5
WRITE Journal 2: Being an ally
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 5:
Effective allies/advocates
WRITE Paper proposal
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
8
July 13-19
July 20-26
SUMMER RESIDENCY ALL WEEK!
WRITE
Journal 3:
Response to
residency
VIEW Bisexual women health video
READ Simoni et al. (2013)
Logie et al. (2012)
COMPLETE Knowledge check-in 2
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 6:
Lesbian and bisexual women
July 27-Aug 2
Aug 3-8
WRITE Paper rough draft
READ Halkitis et al. (2013)
Herrick et al. (2013)
POST
Response 2
to Discussion
Board 6
POST
Response 2
to Discussion
Board 7
COMPLETE Knowledge check-in 3
VIEW Meeting the healthcare needs of
transgender people
READ Fenway (ch. 17)
Poteat et al. (2013)
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 7:
Gay and bisexual men
POST Response 2 to Discussion Board 8
WRITE Paper final draft
Journal 4: concluding thoughts
COMPLETE Knowledge check-in 4
POST Response 1 to Discussion Board 8:
Transgender people
MULTI-DISCIPLINARY LGBT HEALTH
9