Gay and Lesbian Youth


Book Description

Here is a pioneering volume that explores adolescent homosexuality around the world. Social scientists examine the personal experiences of gay and lesbian teenagers from culture to culture and address the problems and obstacles these young people face. The changing contexts, values, and goals of societies worldwide are affecting how these adolescents adapt to being homosexual, and this compelling book gives keen insight into how changes in the United States contrast with changes elsewhere. A unique and thorough description of the identities, situations, and relationships of homosexual teens in many societies, Gay and Lesbian Youth will help social scientists, health care professionals, counselors, gay teenagers, and their parents to better understand the similarities of the problems facing these youth, while recognizing the minor differences in their social and personal situations. How do the personal experiences of gay and lesbian teenagers vary from culture to culture? Here is the best, most complete description of the identities, situations, and relationships of homosexual teens in many societies. The changing contexts, values, and goals of societies worldwide are affecting how these adolescents adapt to being homosexual, and this compelling book gives keen insight into how changes in the United States contrast with changes elsewhere. Social scientists, health care professionals, counselors, gay teenagers, and their parents will better understand the similarities of the problems facing these youth, while recognizing the minor differences in their social and personal situations. These differences must be understood by interpreting the adaptations of gay and bisexual teenagers around the world.




The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People


Book Description

At a time when lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals-often referred to under the umbrella acronym LGBT-are becoming more visible in society and more socially acknowledged, clinicians and researchers are faced with incomplete information about their health status. While LGBT populations often are combined as a single entity for research and advocacy purposes, each is a distinct population group with its own specific health needs. Furthermore, the experiences of LGBT individuals are not uniform and are shaped by factors of race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, geographical location, and age, any of which can have an effect on health-related concerns and needs. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People assesses the state of science on the health status of LGBT populations, identifies research gaps and opportunities, and outlines a research agenda for the National Institute of Health. The report examines the health status of these populations in three life stages: childhood and adolescence, early/middle adulthood, and later adulthood. At each life stage, the committee studied mental health, physical health, risks and protective factors, health services, and contextual influences. To advance understanding of the health needs of all LGBT individuals, the report finds that researchers need more data about the demographics of these populations, improved methods for collecting and analyzing data, and an increased participation of sexual and gender minorities in research. The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People is a valuable resource for policymakers, federal agencies including the National Institute of Health (NIH), LGBT advocacy groups, clinicians, and service providers.




Gay And Lesbian Students


Book Description

In an average US secondary school 10% of the student population is homosexual, yet only a small number of American school districts have taken positive steps to address the problems associated with gay and lesbian students in the predominantly heterosexual educational setting. This book aims to raise awareness of the problems encountered by these adolescents in schools and of the effects of these problems on the dropout rate, academic achievement, substance abuse, AIDS, teenage pregnancy, school violence and suicide.; Designed to promote understanding and dispel myths about gay and lesbian tennagers, the volume also makes curriculum suggestions to advocate self-acceptance and tolerance and to reduce homophobia among heterosexual teenagers. It seeks to explain how institutional homophobia has affected the belief system and behaviour of a large segment of the American population. Various themes concerning the origins of sexual development are discussed, as is information concerning students who are children of gay and lesbian parents.




School Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Youth


Book Description

School Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Youth: The Invisible Minority shows teachers, youth advocates, administrators, and academic researchers how to embrace the needs of sexual minority students. Through research and case studies, this book explains the ways in which schools are failing the vulnerable population of gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths. This text shows you how to take responsibility for recognizing and protecting the rights and needs of gays and lesbians and ridding schools of discrimination, harassment, and violence.As School Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Youth illustrates, the consequences of the cognitive, social, and emotional isolation that sexual minority youths experience as a result of homophobia and heterosexism can be devastating. With this book’s helpful suggestions, provocative insight, and open challenges, you can help gay and lesbian youths develop feelings of self-worth as well as positive aspirations for their futures. Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Youth will help social workers, psychologists, academics, counselors, and other professionals understand: the dearth of role models in the career development of lesbian and gay youths how to integrate sexual orientation into career counseling how to incorporate the topic of homosexuality into educational curricula forms of homophobia (from the victim’s and the agressor’s points of view) and heterosexism in the high school environment how to open discussions about gay and lesbian issues at school the importance of having visible lesbian, gay, and bisexual staff who can provide support for sexual minority youthSchool Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Youth also informs you on the experiences gay and lesbian adults who attended high school five to fifty years ago, as well as college students who have reported incidents of homophobic behavior in high school. In addition, this text discusses teachers’fears of being fired as a result of talking about sexual minority issues and how school environments can lead students to become drop outs. Experiences of Gay and Lesbian Youth will inform you on the issues facing gay and lesbian youth and provide you with suggestions on how to make the classroom a welcoming environment, regardless of sexual orientation.




Queer Adolescence


Book Description

Find out what it’s like to go through puberty as a lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, or asexual teen. What do you do when Mom says, “You’re a woman now!” but you know you’re not a woman? Or when Dad keeps asking when you’re going to bring a girlfriend home, but you’re not interested in girls? Puberty is an awkward and confusing time for anybody, but for queer youth, feelings of social and physical discomfort can be heightened. Adolescence should be a time for making social connections and exploring new ideas, but many queer youth must also wrestle with complicated identity questions, familial and social bigotry, and difficult decisions about whether to be safe or authentic. In this accessible book, personal accounts mingle with factual information and sensitive analysis to provide a snapshot of the joys and concerns of American lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual adolescents. Whether you’re a parent, a clinician, a teacher, or a queer person, this book will answer many questions and offer a way forward. Includes: Personal narratives and discussion about the unique challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ youth in adolescence Concrete action plan for parents, teachers, and clinicians to better support the queer youth in their lives Vital glossary of up-to-date LGBTQIA+ and puberty terms Highly recommended queer-inclusive sex education materials




Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Youth, An Issue of Pediatric Clinics of North America, E-Book


Book Description

The Guest Editors of this issue have come together with the goal of producing a useful, basic guide on this population for pediatric primary care clinicians. Topics in this issue address: Caring for LGBT Youth & Families in Inclusive and Affirmative Environments; Mental Health and the Development of Sexual Orientation and Gender in Children and Adolescents; What the Primary care Pediatrician Needs to Know about Gender Variance in Children and Adolescents; Clinical Implications of Stigma, Minority Stress, and Resilience as Predictors of Health and Mental Health Outcomes; LGBT Youth and Bullying; LGBT Youth and Family Acceptance; HIV, Other Sexually Transmitted Infections, and Sexual Health in LGBT Youth; Substance Abuse Prevention, Assessment & Treatment for LGBT Youth; Body Image and Disordered Eating among LGBT Youth; and Sociocultural Factors and LGBT Youth’s Health-related behavior. Pediatricians will come away with a solid understanding of recognizing and communicating with LGBT children and adolescents.




LGBT Youth in America's Schools


Book Description

Jason Cianciotto and Sean Cahill, experts on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender public policy advocacy, combine an accessible review of social science research with analyses of school practices and local, state, and federal laws that affect LGBT students. In addition, portraits of LGBT youth and their experiences with discrimination at school bring human faces to the issues the authors discuss. This is an essential guide for teachers, school administrators, guidance counselors, and social workers interacting with students on a daily basis; school board members and officials determining school policy; nonprofit advocates and providers of social services to youth; and academic scholars, graduate students, and researchers training the next generation of school administrators and informing future policy and practice.




Helping Gay and Lesbian Youth


Book Description

This pioneering book brings together for the first time the most up-to-date information and thought on gay and lesbian youth in America. Gay adolescents need much more attention than they have been getting from social service providers, and social workers have an ethical obligation to try to meet the service needs of this population. Helping Gay and Lesbian Youth is rich with insight into how gay and lesbian adolescents develop and learn to cope with the problems attendant on growing up different. Shedding new light on this previously underdefined and underserved population, the book addresses social policy issues as well as practical, hands-on counseling issues, and presents a state-of-the-art look at the literature to date. As gay and lesbian youth come out at younger and younger ages, it will be necessary for agencies to do more long-range planning as to how best to meet these adolescents’different needs. Helping Gay and Lesbian Youth alerts agencies that not only are these youth among their target population, but they require special services. Throughout this book, readers can see the importance of long-range planning to meet the service delivery needs of gay adolescents and also the merits of recruiting more gay and lesbian staff to help in policy development and program design. Specific topics related to gay and lesbian adolescents that the book addresses are: legal issues--analyzes the feasibility of minor youth to become empowered through the court and legal systems suicide--challenges previously held beliefs about the suicidality of this group and calls for funding for major research in this area social policy--traces the history of policies typically guiding actions on behalf of gay and lesbian youth and offers guidelines for significant changes in the policy arena development--traces the developmental stages of gay and lesbian youth to navigate adulthood successfully service organizations--lays out models for developing programs throughout the country HIV--assesses levels of risk of HIV infection for this population and describes ways to avoid it Readership should be widespread and varied and include parents trying to understand their gay child; counselors who work with families, children, or adolescents; youth workers and child care staff; foster parents; individuals working in group homes, residential treatment centers, and psychiatric hospitals; and instructors and students in counseling, social work, psychology, child development, and law.




Pride & Prejudice


Book Description

"'Pride and prejudice' is a critical resource for professional who work with adolescents of all kinds. The book is a thorough course in lesbian, gay and bisexual youth issues, as well as a practical guide about how to help. It will be especially useful in working with youth with specific challenges: those dealing with HIV/AIDS, homelessness, and youth who are victimized by others as a result of their sexuality. Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth deserve informed and compassionate care, and this book will be a great asset toward that goal." -- from Tony D'Augelli's rear cover blurb.




Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identities and Youth


Book Description

The essays in this volume focus upon the psychological dimensions of lesbian, gay and bisexual identities from puberty to adulthood.