3. PREMISES OF WEBINAR
1) GLBTTIQQ persons exist and are your clients.
2) Homophobia/Heterosexism exists in society and
within our organizations.
3) GLBTTIQQ clients have a right to access services
from respectful, competent staff and volunteers.
4) GLBTTIQQ employees and their families have a right
to be treated with dignity and respect.
4. Cultural Competency Definition
Gaining cultural competence is a long term process of
expanding horizons, thinking critically about issues of
power and oppression, and acting appropriately.
Culturally competent individuals have a mixture of
beliefs, attitudes, knowledge, and skills that help them
establish trust and communicate with others.
University of Oklahoma, National Resource Center for Youth Services, Tulsa, OK
5. 5 Steps Toward Competency
1. General Awareness & Acceptance of Differences
How accepting am I of others?
2. Self-Awareness Regarding Population
What are my issues w/this population? (Pro & Con)
3. Dynamics of Differences/Inter-Cultural Work
Historical Distrust for Minority Pop. w/Majority & Authority/Not Easy
4. Knowledge of an Individual’s Culture
Within Group Variations
5. Adaptation of Skills
What skills do I have/need to develop? (Communication/Practice?)
Terry Cross, Portland State University, OR
6. Four Areas of Competency-Based
Services to GLBTTIQQ
1. Creating Intentional Invitations
Conversation, attitude, and environment.
2. Triage, Assessments, Counseling
Best practices.
3. Advocacy
Giving voice & support!
4. Referrals
When I’m not the one to help, who is?
7. Agency Readiness
Leadership
Policies & Procedures
Human Resources
Knowledge & Development
Climate & Environment
Practices
Community Relations
8. GLBTTIQQ Statistics
Prevalence
5-20% + of your clients are gay, lesbian, bi, or two-spirit
1-10% of clients are transgender
1 in 2,000 newborns have ambiguous genitalia (inter-sex)
100-200 surgical reassignments annually; no surgeries prior to 1950
Prejudice and Discrimination (one national study reported)
Rejection by family – Average of 34%
Lesbians – 50%; Gay Men – 32%; Bi – 26%
75% of GLBTTIQQ report prejudice or discrimination
32% have been targets of physical violence to person/property
Youth on the streets report higher rates
10. Challenges, Cont.
These issues can put these youth at higher risk for:
Homelessness
Self-Harm, including suicide
Substance Abuse
Promiscuity, including human trafficking
Etc.
11. GLBTTIQQ Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Ethnic Community LBGTQQ Community Mainstream Society
Acceptance/validation
Acceptance/validation National identity
of ethnic identity
of LBGTQQ identity Access to multiple
Family & community
social & cultural
support
Access to community groups
Positive Buffer for racism &
support Access to resources
discrimination
(e.g. education,
experienced in
Access to information employment, health &
mainstream society &
& LBGTQQ resources mental health services)
LBGTQQ community
Denial of Racism & Racism &
homosexuality discrimination discrimination
Homo/Trans phobia Homo/Trans phobia
Negative Rejection based on Rejection based on Rejection based on
sexual orientation or ethnic/racial identity ethnic identity & sexual
gender identity orientation/gender
Invisibility Invisibility Invisibility
12. Religious/Faith Issues
Explore own issues
Expect faith issues
Find out/explore concerns
Acknowledge this isn’t your expertise (if isn’t)
Provide alternative views within their own faith
Ask families & friends to
resist “reacting”
discuss consequences of any actions
Be an alternative voice
GLBTTIQQ PEOPLE OF FAITH HAVE NOT ABANDONED THEIR FAITH
13. Resources for Dealing with Religious
Issues
Is the Homosexual My Neighbor
by Scanzoni & Mollenkott
PFLAG (Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and
Gays) – religious materials: www.pflag.org
14.
15. Language
Words/Labels are powerful (Positive & Negative).
Some youth self-identify, use their words.
Language changes often, go with the flow/Get comfortable
with the words.
Ask when you don’t know what something means.
ALWAYS CONFRONT NAME-CALLING/BULLYING!!!
16. Attitude/Willingness is Everything
Heterosexist Assumption
Historical Distrust/Impact of “Ism’s”
Know your Values & Biases
Readiness/Timing on their part
Be Comfortable w/being Uncomfortable!
Transference/Counter Transference – ours/theirs
22. Protecting Confidentiality
Avoid pathologizing/DSMR…
Strategize with Client (or your co-worker)
Understand Insurance Impact
HIPPA/Privacy vs. Inclusion/Documenting
23. Adjustment Counseling
Validate the “Coming Out” Process
Developmental Delays
Dealing with Stigma/Rejection
Internalized Homo/Trans Phobia
Risky Behaviors/Healthy Decision-Making
Redefining/Adjusting Expectations
Issues in Relationships with Family, Partner,
Friends, Employer
24. No data demonstrates that reparative or
conversion therapies are effective and in
fact, they may be harmful. NASW and
most other professional associations do
not support these programs.
25. “Reparative” Programs/Therapy
If a client decides to try one of these programs, stay in
contact and monitor their feelings, behaviors – overall
mental health. Most individuals fail in these programs
and can become more at risk of self-harm. A few
people use these programs to improve their overall
functioning, but do not claim that their “gayness” ---
sexual orientation is changed, it’s just not lived out.
*Be ready to step back in to assess and/or
provide services.
26. Trauma Issues
Abuse Victimology: Child, Sex, Substance
Dysfunctional Families
Domestic Violence
Impact of Risk Behaviors
Dealing with a History of Rejection
27. Coming Out/Counseling
with Families
34% of GLBTTIQQ persons are rejected by their
families
Explore each members individual/personal issues:
grief, “loss of dreams,” fears, etc.
Help them adjust/redefine their expectations &
use coping skills to deal w/anxieties, fears, beliefs,
“hiding”
Explore consequences of any actions
Work for acceptance/Find common ground
Your goal is to keep family talking/connected.
28. Transgender Issues – FTM/MTF
Sexual Orientation Vs. Gender Identity
Housing
Developmental Delays
Transphobia & Internalized Transphobia
Relationship Issues – who will love me?
Personnel Practices/Harry Benjamin Standards
Stages of Transition
Life After Surgery
29. Inter-sexed Issues
We are beginning to see/become aware of youth
dealing with issues of gender identity, sexual
orientation, sexuality, etc. who were born with non-
descript or multiple genitilia. Perhaps they were
surgically changed at birth, perhaps not.
And there is a growing network of these individuals
who are advocating for non-surgical approaches until
the child can make their own decisions.
30. INTERSEXED ISSUES
Identity at Birth
Surgery at Birth
Prepare for Possible Stigmatization
Later in Life Identity/Surgery?
Work with this group in the same ways: assess, triage,
counsel, support, advocate, network, etc.
31.
32. Effective Advocacy
Arm Yourself – Policies/Procedures w/in
Agency/Professional Org., & Laws
Be Willing to Advocate/Speak Up
Look for “Blind Spots”/In Competencies
Educate Those Around You
Advocate for your GLBTIQQ Colleagues
33. Advocacy- What can you do?
Agency/Company Readiness Checklist
How ready is our agency/state Professional organizations?
Educate colleagues, friends and family.
How often do Professional Asso. host trainings on these topics?
Does our local Association have training?
Check your local library
Donate books related to GLBTIQ issues.
Does our college campus library have any books or
journals on GLBTIQ issues?
“52 things you can do for transgender equality.”
Advocate for local, state and national legislation for equality.
34.
35. Timely & Appropriate Referrals:
Who, When, Where
Build Your Professional Network
Contact GLBTTIQ Community Centers
If you don’t know, don’t refer. Check out a therapist or
program yourself first.
Asso. policies state that as a licensed therapist it is
unethical to refer clients to therapists who participate
in “reparative therapies or conversion programs.”
36. Additional Resources
Kaiser Permanente – Health Protocols
PFLAG (national and local chapters)
Child Welfare League of America
National Association of Social Workers
Gay and Lesbian Student Alliance Network (safe zone
stickers)
COLLAGE (for youth whose parents are GLB)
39. TRANSGENDER PROTOCOLS
Sample Policies
Hayworth House Emergency Shelter
Boston
1. Allows individuals to self-identify and staff strive
to not make assumptions based on appearances.
2. If staff members are unsure of what pronoun
(he, she) to use with a resident they will ask that
person how they identify.
40. Hayworth House model policy
3. Trans residents will not have any additional
clothing requirements imposed upon them
different than other residents (e.g. wearing
makeup or particular clothing.)
4. If a person does not have identification,
staff will not refuse the person.
5. If the person uses a different name than on
their identification, both names will be noted,
and the preferred name will be used.
41. Hayworth House model policy
6. If the person identifies as particular sex or
gender and presents or lives as that sex or
gender, they will have access to the dorms of
that sex/gender, or the dorm the individual feels
most safe in.
7. If there are concerns about the safety of a
resident (such as a transgender person) those
who are threatening the safety of the resident
(through intimidation, threats, violence, or other
forms of unacceptable behavior) will be
approached.
42. Hayworth House model policy
8. Hayworth House addresses behavior issues,
not identification issues. If someone breaks the
rules of the shelter that behavior will be
addressed.
9. Residents who harass, abuse, assault, or
discriminate against other residents will be dealt
with based upon the suspicion of guideline
violation. Heyworth House recognizes that
harassment based upon sex or gender identity is
discriminatory behavior and will be treated as
such.
43. Hayworth House model policy
Training:
All staff working at Heyworth House are
required to go through training regarding trans
issues within 6 months of commencing work at
the shelter.
There will be regular training for residents
regarding trans issues (at least three times a
year.)