GLBT Youth
Presented by: Ashley, Brent, Nichole
and Emily
GLBT Youth and Family
• Parenting styles have a strong impact
on child and adolescent development.
The amount of love and acceptance
given by parents has been founded to
relate to their children’s self concept
and self esteem.
While working with GLBT youth
and families it is important to:
• Create a open, understanding and
accepting environment
• Examine language, biases and
methods
• Move from less sensitive (Tell me
about your living situation) to more
sensitive topics (Are you sexually
active)
Impact of Families
Recent studies have shown that
families are very influential in how
their child will survive after they
disclose their sexual identity.
• Unsupportive families affect the coming out
process for their child and lessen the
chance for a positive outcome.
• Supportive and caring families aid in
positive personal growth
Negative Experiences of Youth
 Many teenagers fear rejection
 Experiences of stigmatization and disapproval
 Increased levels of stress, isolation, anxiety,
depression, suicidal feelings, substance abuse
 56% of families use anti-gay expressions to
their child
 61% of youth experience violence in the home
 Believe they are bad, shameful or unworthy of
love
GLBT and Homelessness
Many GLBT are thrown out of their
homes or runaway from home,
because of conflict between their
parents in regards to their sexual
identity.
 73% of youth leave home
 18% of parents do not believe it is
due to their child’s sexual identity
Homeless, cont.
 With the increased number of homeless
GLBT teenagers, there is also an increase
in:
 Sexual favors in exchange of food, clothing
and shelter
 Sexually transmitted diseases
 Unplanned pregnancies
 Suicide attempts
 Depression
 Sexual victimization
 Use of drugs and alcohol
Working with GLBT Youth
 Professionals who work with GLBT youth
believe the most important needs they
have are:
 Acceptance
 Support
 Validation
 GLBT youth who develop within a
supportive environment present no more
mental health problems than their
heterosexual peers.
Micro Social Work
 Professionals must understand that in
addition to normal developmental
challenges, sexual minority youth face:
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Reactions of parents, family, peers, school
community and society
Navigating intimate same-sex relationships
Making sense of their homosexual feelings
Loss of Friendships
GLBT youth are seeking for similar things
from their heterosexual peers
 Identity
 Belongingness
 Intimacy
 The difference is the world denies
GLBT relationships and disbelieves
their ability to develop romantic
relationships with partners of the
same sex.
 It is crucial to understand the
additional stress these teenagers
face often interfere with:
 Self and relationship development
 Process of learning
 School socialization
 School success
 While working with GLBT youth and families
it is important to:
 Create a open, understanding and
accepting environment
 Examine language, biases and methods
 Move from less sensitive (Tell me about
your living situation) to more sensitive
topics (Are you sexually active)
Macro and Mezzo Social Work
• It is important for social workers to educate
other professionals, the community and
individuals about the needs and issues
GLBT struggle with.
• It is also important to ask GLBT youth what
they want and need.
• P-FLAG is an agency that social workers
utilize A number of communities are
seeking ways that families can support gay
and lesbian teenagers in a positive way.
P-FLAG
 In 1972, Jeanne Manford started an
international movement when she
marched with her son in the New
York’s Gay Pride Parade. She carried
a sign that said, “Parents of Gays:
Unite in Support of Our Children.”
 She started support groups, which
lead to the beginning of P-FLAG.
What P-FLAG does
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Supports parents of homosexual teenagers
Encourages and helps families remain united
Helps families discuss their child’s sexual identity
Educates families and society
Advocate to end discrimination
Fight for equal civil rights
Aim to create a society that is healthy and respectful
of human diversity
8. Promote the health and well being of GLBT people and
their families and friends
What You Can Do NOW!
• Bringing Home the Message 2006
1. Identify your elected officials
 www.smart-vote.org
2. Make the Call to meet
3. Do your homework
 Learn about the official
 Develop an agenda
 Create clear goals
4. Make the visit
 Be clear, concise and appropriate
 Know your agenda and stick to it
 Personalize and Localize the issue
 Ask questions
 End on a positive note
5. Follow-up
 Send a thank you, restate any requests
Location
 Over 500 National Chapters
PFLAG Duluth
2310 E 4th Street
Duluth, MN 55812
218.728.4405
Responsibilities of Social
Workers
 Become educated about the developmental
needs of GLBT and questioning youth
 Respond to these needs with understanding and
support
 Examine attitudes and beliefs about
homosexuality
 Be informed about issues related to
homosexuality
 Advocate
Understanding GLBT Youth in
Schools
~Attitudes towards homosexuality in Schools
~Homophobia
~Statistics (Youth Risk Surveys)
~Factors
~Reality within our Schools
Historical Issues
 Silence
-School Curriculum
-GLBT Communities
-Youth Focused
 Safety
-Key Events
-Booklet sent to all
School Districts
Implications & Barriers
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-Education about GLBT in schools
-Restrictions
-Funding
-Uncomfortable about sexuality
-Curriculum
Social Work Practice within
Schools: Creating CHANGE!
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Individuals
School-Wide
Policy Options/Change
Programs
(GLSEN Safe Space)
Harvey Milk School
 Harvey Milk was
the first openly gay
city supervisor of
San Francisco
 Assassinated by
Dan White
 Served only 7
years
 Viewed as martyr
for gay rights
movement
Transgender: Description of
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Established in 1980’s by men
that did not feel term
transvestite adequate in
describing their desires
Used as an umbrella term
because not all people do not
want to reconfigure their bodies
which falls under the term
transsexual.
Studies have found that between
3-5% of the population are fall
under the transgender umbrella.
Gender Identity Disorder
 Manifest between the ages of two and four
 Diagnosed in children that do not follow
societal gedner norms. Ie: boys playing
house
 Five times more boys than girls referred to
therapy.
 Symptom in adults is falling under the
umbrella of transgender
 Not a term that is viewed positively in
transgender culture, not a disorder
History
 Face discrimination, oppression and
marginalization in many aspects of
life
 Often civil rights have not covered
transgender youth
 Minnesota, California and New Jersey
are the only states that protect
transgender students
At a local level…
 In 1993 Minnesota was the first state
to extend its human rights to cover
transgender population in areas of
employment, housing, education and
public accommodations
Consequences of oppression
1. Issues in achieving healthcare and
resulting HIV issues
2. Foster Care settings and
homelessness
3. Violence
Healthcare
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Lack of sensitivity from providers
Past discrimination against transgender individuals
Health care plans rarely cover costs relating to one’s
gender
May place people at risk by accessing unsafe methods
(sharing needles, buying hormones off the street)
Studies have found in LA, Chicago, San Fran that over
20% of transgender are HIV+ vs. .3 of general US.
Standards of Care imposed are authoritative
Standards of Care
In 1979, Harry Benjamin introduced
Hormones or Surgery
Receive counseling
Get a letters of recommendation
from mental health professionals
4. Live as their desired gender for a
year
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1.
2.
3.
International Bill of Gender Rights
• Granted freedom from psychiatric
diagnosis and treatment
• Do not have to conform to the
standards of the medical and
psychiatric fields.
• Looked more at individuals defining
themselves rather than professionals
being the gatekeeper.
Foster Care
 Often face rejection, abuse from
foster care providers
 Study suggested that average
placements is 6.35
 The result is that youth do not feel
safe, or cared about, run way and
end up homeless.
 Child welfare workers need to be
aware of placements and monitor
Violence
 100% of respondents to a survey
stated that they were verbally abused
in foster setting.
 Often at risk of rape and physical
abuse
 Research has suggested that abuse
results in inappropriate coping of
using alcohol and drugs
History in psychiatry
History being viewed as transgender
people
Either-or messages
Counseled out of procedures because
they did not have appropriate body
types, or facial characteristics.
Often pressured to “come out”, but
counselors are not aware of the
repercussions.
Special areas of knowledge
pertaining to work with this group
Language
 Social workers need to be aware that
terminology is constantly changing
 Social workers need to be careful not
to use of pronouns. A transsexual
person may become very offended if
the wrong pronoun is used.
 One article, summed it up by simply
stating that we should refer to people
by their name to avoid such issues.
Passing
• In terms passing may be easier
because if they are on hormones
and/or have had surgery
• Others may not because
1) Operations are costly
2) Too painful
3) Body morphology makes it difficult
Alexander Pangborn
Female-to-male
Lives in Mass.
Married partner
Hormones have impact
on body and youth
often access them
illegally
 Struggle with
accessing public
restrooms
 Media: Maury Povich
show
 Parents joined P-FLAG
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http://ftm.phoenixrisingftm.net/
Implications for social work practice
at the individual, organizational and
community level
Individual level: Person-Centered
Approach
• Emphasizes notion of self-concept.
• Realizes that self-esteem may be low
from being stigmatized
• Positive self regard and focus on
positives
• Safe environment and allow for inner
exploration rather than education
• Used in counseling terms, but
broaden to all social work aspects
Organizational level
• Add transgender to antidiscrimination
policies
• Protect by not forcing people to
disclose their transgender status
• Do not impose arbitrary dress codes
• Support services need to be offered
at youth level
• Foster support groups and role
models
Support Groups
 Need to be aware of where supports are
located, including support groups.
 Collective organizing has been found to
raise self-esteem
 Gay and lesbian community and
transgender sometimes have uneasy
alliance
 Under the umbrella we also must note that
groups are often divided and have different
goals.
 Together for Youth- GLBT support
group that meets Wednesday, from 46.
Gloria Dei Lutheran Church
219 6th Avenue East
Duluth, Minnesota 55806
Community level: Trans-affirmative
approach:
Eliminate transphobia
Advocate for equal rights
Fight for policies
Educate others through biographies,
novels and films. Much of the trans
movement has been led by
autobiographies.
 As already mentioned be an ally
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Special skills pertaining to being
culturally sensitive
 Understand that transgender
individuals can vary among different
social categories
 Allow them to define their own
gender, do not identify for them
 Acknowledge that society puts them
at risk for discrimination
 Last but not least, treat with dignity
and respect
How do we learn about transgender
youth and individuals?
1. Read scholarly journals and books to
educate ourselves about research
done in area
2. Read autobiographies/ personal
websites/ organizational websites
3. Interview professionals
4. Attend community events, speakers,
ect.