Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth Avery Miller Department of Social Work, University of North Texas SOWK 3000: Foundations of Interviewing and Interpersonal Skills Dr. Karla Horton October 20, 2023 1 Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth 2 Introduction to Culture Culture is a broad term that can be described in a multitude of ways. It can be composed of material objects, behaviors, ideas, beliefs, and so much more, depending on the person you ask. Many people view culture in terms of ethnicity, gender, age, religion, and sexual orientation, but it can also be seen through things like food, music, stories, and the way people dress (Horton, 2023). Most importantly, culture brings people together by allowing individuals to relate to each other through their similar views and shared ways of living. LGBTQ+ Youth LGBTQ+ youth are an extremely vulnerable part of the population because of the unique adverse experiences and trauma they go through based solely on how they identify. This group requires a significant amount of support because, while they are already struggling with the challenges of adolescence, they also have to navigate the challenges that come from how and what they identify as. According to The Trevor Project, “73% of LGBTQ+ youth experienced discrimination due to their gender expression or sexual orientation” (Menhinick & Sanders, 2023). This discrimination happens throughout all aspects of everyday life, some of which include the family, religious spaces, school, healthcare, and the government. The family aspect can be the key to the success or failure of how a member of this community lives. This is because rejection of the family towards LGBTQ+ youth can lead to risks such as “food insecurity, homelessness, victimization, self-harm, suicidal ideation and attempt, and a range of mental health disorders” (Menhinick & Sanders, 2023). These findings show that LGBTQ+ youth need some type of support system to survive and cope with the stress and trauma they may experience. Working with LGBTQ+ Youth Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth 3 It may be challenging to work with LGBTQ+ youth because of the specific challenges they face. These challenges can be explained through Erikson’s developmental stages (Horton, 2023). In this period of their lives, LGBTQ+ youth are going through the identity vs. confusion stage. A part of this stage includes adolescents exploring who they are and how they identify, and this critical part of their development can be harmed by any external factors such as discrimination that they may encounter. Discrimination and prejudice from their peers and adults can affect how they view themselves and can lead to mental health problems. This is evident, as one study found that poor mental and behavioral health outcomes are most likely to occur when LGBTQ+ youth are surrounded by environments that do not affirm their sexual orientation or gender identity (Center for the Study of Social Policy, 2016). Cross-Cultural Issues Between LGBTQ+ Youth and Social Workers A cross-cultural issue that may occur between a member of the LGBTQ+ youth community and a social worker is the age difference. Adolescents are already in a period of development where they may think that nobody, especially adults, can understand what they are going through. By combining that with the fact that members of this population are going through challenges specific to their identity that many adults can’t relate to, it becomes even more tricky. There is also the fact that LGBTQ+ youth may be hesitant to share their trauma and how they truly feel because they may fear all people hold the same biases and prejudices against them. This is evident, as some youths have reported that they don’t feel safe telling their social workers about having same-sex attractions or questioning their gender identity (Center for the Study of Social Policy, 2016). This feeling of mistrust towards social workers is an issue because it can prevent LGBTQ+ youth from receiving services and resources that could help them. On the other side of things, social workers may intentionally or unintentionally reveal their own Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth 4 biases, assumptions, stereotypical generalizations, and attitudes about this group of individuals, which can be very harmful for members to hear. Doing so can lead to the quality of case management and treatment planning for LGBTQ+ youth being significantly compromised as they lose a sense of trust in their social worker. (Center for the Study of Social Policy, 2016). Addressing the Issue One way for social workers to address this cross-cultural issue is by expanding their cultural knowledge and awareness of the LGBTQ+ youth culture (Horton, 2023). It is extremely helpful for social workers to have an idea of the type of stigma members of this community face, so they are better able to understand what members are going through and provide them with resources to help them. Cultural knowledge allows social workers to have knowledge not only of the experiences they go through but also of the terminology of the culture. This is important because “youth often use language pertaining to sexual orientation and gender identity that may be unfamiliar to health care providers” (Hadland, 2016). It is essential for a social worker to understand or be open to learning about the terminology their client is using so they can provide help for the client. Another way to address the cross-cultural issue is for social workers to recognize their biases and preconceived notions (Horton, 2023). Due to the potential mistrust LGBTQ+ youth may have against social workers; it is imperative that any biases and negative beliefs or values social workers have about this community be left at the door when working with this population. Doing things like using inclusive language, asking open-ended questions about preferred pronouns and gender identity, and assuring confidentiality can allow clients to know that their social worker fully accepts who they are (Hadland, 2016). Overall, social workers have the ability to create safe spaces for their clients to openly discuss the difficulties they have been through and allow them to create strategies to cope and Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth thrive better. By addressing the cross-cultural differences between LGBTQ+ youth and social workers, members are able to receive the necessary support needed to successfully handle the struggles they encounter. 5 Cross Cultural Paper: Working With LGBTQ+ Youth References Hadland, S. E., Yehia, B. R., & Makadon, H. J. (2016). Caring for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning Youth in Inclusive and Affirmative Environments. Pediatric Clinics of North America, 63(6), 955–969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pcl.2016.07.001 Horton, K. B. (2022). Cross-cultural interviewing [Powerpoint slides]. Canvas. https://unt.instructure.com/courses/94130/files/22867908?module_item_id=5716448 Horton, K. B. (2022). Applicable Theories [Powerpoint slides]. Canvas. https://unt.instructure.com/courses/94130/files/22867891?module_item_id=5716453 Center for the Study of Social Policy. (2016, May). Out of the Shadows: Supporting LGBTQ Youth in Child Welfare Through Cross-System Collaboration. Cssp.org. https://cssp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Out-of-the-Shadows-Supporting-LGBTQyouth-in-child-welfare-through-cross-system-collaboration-web.pdf Menhinick, K. A., & Sanders, C. J. (2023). LGBTQ+ Stress, Trauma, Time, and Care. Pastoral Psychology, 72, 367–384. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-023-01073-z 6
