Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/questioning Research Articles

Validation of the Alcohol-Related Sexual Consequences Scale in Swedish University Students.

Alcohol-related sexual consequences are common in college students. A newly developed 41-item Alcohol-Related Sexual Consequences Scale has recently been evaluated in at-risk young adults in the U.S. The current study aims to validate the Scale in Swedish college students. The occurrence of alcohol-related sexual consequences was assessed by birth gender, relationship status, gender identity/sexual orientation, and age. Negative binomial regression was used to assess convergent and divergent validity. On average, 5.4 (SD 5.1) alcohol-related sexual consequences were experienced past three months. Greater scores were reported in singles, LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning), and younger students. All sex-related covariates showed robust associations with alcohol-related sexual consequences while most alcohol-related covariates were not associated (e.g., convergent validity). All alcohol-related covariates showed robust associations with alcohol consequences while most sex-related covariates were not associated (e.g., divergent validity). In the full model predicting alcohol-related sexual consequences, being a woman, single, and younger were identified as independent predictors. This newly developed scale assessing alcohol-related sexual consequences could be used in both epidemiological studies and intervention studies targeting at-risk students.

Diversity, equity and inclusion: a survey of pediatric radiology fellowship graduates from 1996 to 2020.

Understanding the sociodemographic diversity and the experiences of trainees is imperative for developing an inclusive pediatric radiology workforce and improving patient outcomes. To describe the sociodemographics of a pediatric radiology fellowship program over 25 years and examine potential associations with (a) a trainee's sense of inclusion and belonging during training and (b) graduates' ultimate choice/type of practice, progression to positions of leadership and mentorship of others. We designed and administered an online survey of sociodemographic diversity to graduates of one of the largest pediatric radiology fellowship programs in North America who graduated over the last 25 years. Respondents answered questions regarding (a) racial/ethnic identity, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability and other sociodemographics; (b) their sense of inclusion and belonging during fellowship training; and (c) their current type of practice, leadership and mentorship of others. Univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests determined whether sociodemographic background was associated with inclusion/belonging during training, and with current type of radiology practice, leadership and mentorship. We assessed associations with covariates of interest and current leadership and mentorship roles using chi-square or Fisher exact tests. A heat map assessed individual and overall Likert scores across covariates. Seventy-six graduates completed the survey (46% response rate). Three percent of respondents identified as Black/African American, 7% as Latino/a/x, 45% as female, 4% as LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) and 5% as living with a disability at the time of fellowship. Graduates of international medical schools (P = 0.09) and osteopathic medical (DO) schools (P = 0.09), first-generation college graduates (P = 0.023), those with a first language other than English (P = 0.02) and U.S. military veterans (P = 0.048) reported significantly lower feelings of inclusion and belonging during training. Gender identity and sexual orientation did not correlate with feelings of exclusion or inequity.Graduates between 1996 and 2010 were significantly morelikely to have filled a leadership rolethan those graduating after 2011 (P = 0.004) and were also significantly more likely to have mentored individuals underrepresented in medicine/pediatric radiology than those who graduated after 2011 (P = 0.04). None of theother sociodemographic variables demonstrated an associationwith leadership or mentorship, although 92.3%of those with a first language other than English served as amentor compared to 68.2% of native English speakers (P = 0.097). Efforts to promote a more diverse and inclusive workforce in pediatric radiology should be directed toward increasing numbers of fellows who are underrepresented in medicine (Black/African American, Hispanic/Latino/a/x) and providing a more inclusive training environment for first-generation college graduates, graduates of international and DO medical schools, fellows whose first language is not English, and veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces.

"No one size fits all" A Multi-Method Survey of Oncology Allied Health Professionals Experiences with Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender/Queer Questioning Adolescent, and Young Adult Patients with Cancer and Reproductive and Sexual Health".

Objectives: To assess training needs for providers who care for adolescent and young adult (AYA) lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender/queer questioning (LGBTQ) cancer patients, we conducted a mixed-method survey. During their cancer care experience, AYA cancer patients experience physical, psychosocial, and reproductive health challenges. In addition to these challenges, AYA LGBTQ individuals are a diverse and medically underserved population who experience unique challenges and disparities in medical care. Methods: Health care providers (n = 351) who participated in our reproductive health in cancer training program completed a survey with 28 quantitative items and 4 open-ended items assessing knowledge, confidence discussing reproductive health, and confidence in knowledge specific to reproductive needs and general health needs among AYA LGBTQ patients. Results: Confidence discussing and confidence in knowledge of reproductive and general health needs are lower regarding transgender and nonbinary patients. Nearly half of providers (45%) demonstrated low knowledge, while 38% and 17% demonstrated moderate and high knowledge, respectively. Open comments indicated providers desired more training around the needs of Trans and nonbinary patients, and creating welcoming environments. Conclusions: The majority of our participants demonstrate low or moderate knowledge regarding factors that can influence AYA LGBTQ patient care, suggesting that this is a key area for improvement. Furthermore, improving provider knowledge may subsequently improve confidence in general and reproductive needs of LGBTQ patients, resulting in improved patient-centered care. Improving provider knowledge and confidence may then ultimately help reduce disparities in cancer care among this patient population.

Bridging the Gap in Graduate Medical Education: A Longitudinal Pediatric Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning Health Curriculum.

Despite known health disparities, there is limited training in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) health, particularly in pediatric graduate medical education (GME). We aimed to develop a longitudinal LGBTQ curriculum for a pediatrics residency program tailored to the needs and interests of our trainees. We developed a year-long curriculum based on a formal needs assessment and evaluated changes in provider knowledge, comfort, and self-reported clinical impact through pre- and postsurveys. The needs assessment was completed by 78 out of 110 providers (70.9% response rate); 60 (54.5%) and 70 (63.6%) completed the pre- and postcurriculum surveys, respectively. Postcurriculum implementation, there was an increase in mean comfort level asking about sexual orientation (4.1-4.5, P < .01), gender identity (3.5-3.8, P=.02), and sexual practices (3.4-3.8, P < .01), psychosocial screening (3.2-4.2, P < .01), applying medical/preventive screening guidelines (2.4-3.6, P < .01), and medically managing transgender patients (1.9-3.1, P < .01). Knowledge-based assessments increased from 25.2% correct to 38.5% (P=.01). Faculty felt significantly more comfortable teaching this material to trainees (21.7-70.0%, P < .01). Providers reported high scores regarding impact on clinical practice (4.0 of 5), intent to change practice (4.5 of 5), importance of (4.8 of 5) and satisfaction with (4.5 of 5) the curriculum. There is a need to incorporate formal LGBTQ health training in GME. Our curriculum improved provider knowledge, comfort, self-reported clinical practice, and faculty preparedness to teach this material. It can serve as a framework for other pediatric programs to develop their own curricula.

An unmet need for paediatric LGBTQ training.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth have increased health risks, exacerbated by discrimination and lack of provider training. Currently, no graduate medical education requirements address the need for LGBTQ health training, particularly for paediatric providers. We aimed to perform a needs assessment of provider knowledge, comfort and awareness of community resources regarding LGBTQ youth. We administered two anonymous surveys from May to October 2017. The first survey of 73 residents assessed awareness of community resources and comfort providing referrals. A second survey of 110 trainees and faculty assessed comfort and knowledge regarding paediatric LGBTQ health. In the first survey of residents regarding community resources (n = 30, 41% response rate), most did not know where to refer LGBTQ patients for mental health care (67%), transgender care (73%), support groups (87%), emergency shelters (86%) or family resources (87%). Ninety-seven per cent would refer to the social worker. In the second survey of trainees and faculty (n = 78, 71% response rate), most had little or no knowledge regarding pre-exposure prophylaxis (60%), post-exposure prophylaxis (54%), strategies for coming out (68%), homelessness/environmental risks (59%), gender dysphoria (63%), puberty blockade (77%), hormonal (78%) and surgical (81%) transitioning, domestic violence (58%), EMR logistics (89%) and community resources (80%). Only 33% felt very comfortable eliciting a history about sexual orientation, 13% about gender identity and 14% about sexual practices. There is a clear need and desire for dedicated paediatric LGBTQ health training in graduate medical education. Residents and faculty need resources and training to better care for LGBTQ youth.

State LGBTQ policies and binge drinking among sexual minority youth in the US: a multilevel analysis.

Though higher rates of binge drinking have been reported among sexual minority (lesbian, gay, and bisexual) youths compared to their heterosexual peers in the United States, questions remain about which specific structural factors drive these inequities. We test whether state LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) policy climate is associated with youth binge drinking, as well as whether that association is unique to sexual minority youth. We use LGBTQ policy scores compiled by the Movement Advancement Project in 2017 and analyze 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data (126,432 youths living in 24 states). We fit multi-level logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios for binge drinking with state-level LGBTQ policy scores. More progressive state-level overall LGBTQ policies were associated with lower odds of binge drinking among sexual minority youths (interaction term OR = 0.990, CI 0.984-0.996, p = 0.0009), but not among heterosexuals (OR = 1.001, CI 0.992, 1.009, p = 0.881). For sexual minorities, living in the most LGBTQ-affirming state was associated with a probability of binge drinking 27% lower than that of those living in the least LGBTQ-affirming state. In sensitivity analyses, policies specific to LGBTQ youth (opposed to general LGBTQ people) were even more strongly related to sexual minorities' binge drinking (interaction term: state-level youth policy score × individual-level sexual identity-of OR = 0.949, CI 0.927-0.971, p = 0.00001). In sex-stratified models, associations with overall LGBTQ policy scores were significant only for girls (OR = 0.986, CI 0.979-0.993, p < 0.001), not boys (OR = 0.997, CI 0.986-1.008, p = 0.551), while associations with youth-focused LGBTQ policies were significant for both sexual minority girls and boys. Our findings point to state-level LGBTQ policy climate as a potential social determinant of binge drinking problems among sexual minority youths.

"The Message Is You Don't Exist": Exploring Lived Experiences of Rural Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) People Utilizing Health care Services.

BackgroundLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) people experience significant health inequities with well-documented negative health impacts due to their status as a sexual and gender minority population. Insensitive or discriminatory attitudes toward LGBTQ people within the health care system have negatively impacted access to health services and the overall physical and mental health and well-being of this at risk population. Few studies of LGBTQ populations in rural areas have been conducted, with even fewer in the Canadian context. Rural areas often create greater visibility for LGBTQ persons, contain fewer supports and alternatives in the face of discrimination, and are often are less accepting of LGBTQ populations due to increased stigma and social isolation.ObjectiveThe purpose of this study is to examine the lived experiences of LGBTQ people utilizing health care services in rural Manitoba.Method12 individuals who self-identified as LGBTQ who had accessed health care services in Manitoba were recruited. Using qualitative methodology, interviews were recorded and analyzed for themes.ResultsAnalysis revealed themes including stigma and discrimination, judgments and assumptions, gender identities, lack of knowledge, limited access/systemic barriers, rural considerations, and recommendations for changes to address the gaps in health care services and barriers to access.ConclusionsThis study of the LGBTQ community provides an expression of their opinions and experiences, but also provides a voice to this underserved population. The findings of this study provide a better understanding of the unique health needs and experiences of LGBTQ people in rural Manitoba, creating opportunities for meaningful change in health care delivery

Is the Blood Donation Deferral Policy a Reflection of Anti-LGBTQ Institutional Bias? Community Perceptions Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic

As part of its responsibilities to protect the safety of the American public, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates activities associated with blood donation. One FDA policy concerns the deferral period of blood donation by men who have sex with men (MSM), and their sexual partners. The policy risks reinforcing stigma against people in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community. The 2019 novel coronavirus pandemic created an urgent need for blood products; hence, the FDA shortened the deferral period for MSM and their sexual partners. Yet, the public’s support of the deferral policy remained unclear. U.S. community adults (N = 829, Mage = 46.83, 50.3% women, 9.5% lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) individuals) rated their approval of the FDA’s deferral policy and attitudes toward blood donations from people across various sexual orientations and gender identities. Approximately 78% of participants reported positive attitudes toward receiving blood from heterosexual donors, whereas 54% reported positive attitudes toward receiving blood from LGBTQ donors. Participants were inclined to believe that the 2020 policy revision was motivated by an increased demand for blood donations amid the coronavirus pandemic rather than an intent to reduce discrimination. Relative to LGB participants, heterosexual participants were less willing to receive blood from LGBTQ donors, more likely to endorse the FDA’s deferral policy, and less likely to consider this policy to be discriminatory. Grounded in a minority stress framework, understanding public opinion can contextualize the possible negative impact on LGBTQ health and inform future FDA policies.

Addressing LGBTQ Student Bullying in Massachusetts Schools: Perspectives of LGBTQ Students and School Health Professionals.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth face disparities in bullying victimization are associated with higher rates of physical injury, psychological distress, and even suicide. Innovative strategies to address bullying victimization are needed to prevent adverse physical and mental health outcomes, including those engaging school health professionals (SHPs; school nurses, psychologists). This mixed-methods study sought to identify factors that facilitate or impede SHPs' reporting and responding to LGBTQ bullying in Massachusetts from the perspectives of LGBTQ students and SHPs. Between August 2017 and July 2018, asynchronous online focus group discussions and a brief survey were conducted separately for 28 LGBTQ students and 19 SHPs in Massachusetts (9-12 participants per group; n = 47 enrolled). Focus groups probed on bullying experiences. Rapid qualitative inquiry was used for thematic coding of facilitators and barriers to address LGBTQ student bullying described by youth and SHPs. Facilitators and barriers largely coalesced around the social ecological model. Youth and SHPs identified factors at multiple levels of the social ecological model: (1) individual (knowledge, skills, attitudes); (2) interpersonal (trust and follow-through, confidentiality and fear of being "outed," close relationships, champion SHPs); and (3) structural (school buy-in, time, reporting and protocols, staff roles, resources, and school culture of inclusivity). LGBTQ students expressed a need for an intersectional lens for SHPs when addressing LGBTQ student bullying. Interventions that help SHPs overcome multilevel barriers and leverage facilitators are needed. Consideration of intersectionality will better equip SHPs to support LGBTQ students and address disparities in LGBTQ student bullying that confer health risks.

An Exploratory Study of Single and Coupled Lesbian Mothers' Experiences with Social Support

This exploratory interview study reveals ten lesbian mothers’ experiences with different forms of social support. Ten lesbian mothers, five single and five who were part of couples, all with young children and living in southern Ontario, discussed their experiences with emotional, instrumental, and informational support from family, friends and neighbours, the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) community, support groups, day cares and schools, health care providers, and online and print resources. Most women had largely positive experiences with family and friends but experienced more variability in the other domains. The mothers’ perceptions of potential support sources’ acceptance of diversity and efforts at inclusivity particularly influenced their willingness to access organized forms of support. The single lesbian mothers’ experiences differed from the coupled lesbian mothers’, although there was overlap. Organizations, service providers, and authors providing assistance and information to prospective and current parents are encouraged to continue to increase their awareness of and efforts at including all families.

Heterogeneous Perspectives in Coalitions and Community-Based Responses to Sex Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation: Implications for Practice

ABSTRACTDespite increases in community-based coalitions to address sex trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation (CSE), and the coinciding ideological debates surrounding sexual commerce, few studies have examined the dynamics between and perspectives among coalition members. This paper aims to explore 1) coalition members' perspectives on religion, politics, feminism, sex trafficking/sex work, neoliberalism/neo-abolitionism and 2) the impacts of such perspectives on coalition members' anti-trafficking/CSE work. Drawing from a larger qualitative study, 24 in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with current and former coalition members in an urban Midwestern city. Findings suggest varied religious identities, which challenged some providers in coordinating services for the lesbian gay bisexual transgender queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community or women with a history of or considering abortions. Providers generally identified as democrat as well as feminist in some way, but had conflicting views of sexual commerce. These competing ideologies created challenges for cohesive coalition action. Consequently, it may be essential to facilitate intergroup dialogues addressing diverse perspectives, come to consensus on goals, or develop subgroup goals in order to create a functioning inter-agency response. Future studies should explore such dynamics across multiple coalitions nationwide and the impact such perspectives may have on survivors engaging in services.

Sexual and Gender Minority Issues Across NCCN Guidelines: Results From a National Survey.

Background: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) population is at higher risk for multiple types of cancers compared with the heterosexual population. Expert NCCN panels lead the nation in establishing clinical practice guidelines addressing cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment of cancer sites and populations. Given the emergence of new data identifying cancer disparities in the LGBTQ population, this study examined the inclusion of medical and/or psychosocial criteria unique to LGBTQ within NCCN Guidelines. Methods: Data were collected for 32 of the 50 NCCN Guidelines. Results: NCCN panel members reported that neither sexual orientation (84%) nor gender identity (94%) were relevant to the focus of their guidelines; 77% responded that their panels currently do not address LGBTQ issues, with no plans to address them in the future. Conclusions: Greater consideration should be given to the needs of LGBTQ patients across the cancer care continuum. Given that research concerning LGBTQ and cancer is in its infancy, additional empirical and evidence-based data are needed to bolster further integration of LGBTQ-specific criteria into clinical care guidelines.

Towards a new specialization in health librarianship: LGBTQ health

In 1964, Canadian gay activist Jim Egan and Maclean’s journalist Sidney Katz decided to kick-start a revolution [1]. Katz’s two-part article “The Homosexual Next Door: A Sober Appraisal of a New Social Phenomenon,” published by Maclean’s in February and March of that year [2, 3], was the first positive portrayal of homosexuality to appear in the Canadian mass media [4]. Katz had worked closely with Egan on the milestone article, later recognised as lending critical mass to the nascent Canadian gay liberation movement. In the same year, Canada’s first homophile organisation Association for Social Knowledge (ASK) was founded [5], and the gay community magazines Two and Gay were launched in Toronto [6]. There are various comprehensive accounts of the history of the struggle for LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) equality in Canada [7, 8], and the pages of JCHLA/JABSC are not the place to provide a further one. Indeed, readers of this article might be asking themselves what connection there is between Canadian gay activism and Canadian health librarianship. Our answer: because of a history of stigma and discrimination that may discourage them from accessing library services, LGBTQ health information seekers frequently have different information-seeking behaviours from their heterosexual peers. This includes LGBTQ health professionals [9, 10]. In our view, it is impossible to understand these differences in information-seeking behaviour, or to respond appropriately, without understanding the corresponding history of discrimination that many LGBTQ people have experienced. The current context for LGBTQ people, with dramatic improvements in civil rights and in public opinion, would be unimaginable to an LGBTQ person from 1964. However, many challenges remain such as ongoing workplace discrimination [11] and barriers to healthcare [12]. Here, we argue that the time has come for medical librarianship to engage more fully with the area of LGBTQ health and with potential LGBTQ users through visible demonstrations of support, the development of specialized training, and through the broadening of the evidence base for this area of our profession.

Abstract A20: LGBTQ self-disclosure in healthcare: The need for providers to discuss LGBTQ-specific cancer education

Abstract Background: The lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community represents a growing and medically underserved population in the US. The LGBTQ population faces significant documented clinical health disparities and barriers to healthcare, including access to LGBTQ-specific cancer risk education and preventative cancer screenings. The goal of this project was twofold: to identify LGBTQ community perceptions of cancer risk education, screening and prevention, and their experiences with healthcare providers, knowledge, attitudes, and cultural competency towards LGBTQ patients. Methods: A 41-item survey was administered to attendees at two community events: the Tampa PRIDE Parade and the Moffitt Cancer Center Men's Health Forum via a hard copy and web-based format, respectively. The survey contained 5 domains: demographics, including sexual orientation and gender identity, cancer screening and prevention use, general healthcare experiences, perceptions of physician knowledge, attitudes, and competency, and an open comments sections. Summary responses are reported for respondents who self-identified as belonging to the LGBTQ population. Content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative comments. Results: Of the 174 participants who completed the survey, 120 (69%) self-identified as belonging to the LGBTQ population. Among this population: 86% believed LGBTQ patients have different health concerns and cancer risks compared to straight patients and 86% of those who reported disclosing sexual orientation to a healthcare provider perceived the provider did not offer education in terms of LGBTQ-specific health risks, cancer risks, and screenings. 82% had a usual place to receive routine healthcare; 88% believed disclosing sexual orientation to a provider is an important aspect of healthcare; additionally, 64% reported having rarely or never been asked by their healthcare provider about sexual orientation. Thirty-five percent reported a negative reaction from office staff or a healthcare provider pertaining to their LGBTQ status and 52% feared a negative reaction if they came out as LGBTQ. Open-ended responses suggested a need for LGBTQ cultural competence training to improve healthcare providers' knowledge about and attitudes toward their LGBTQ patients. Conclusions: Results indicate the cancer risk education and screening and prevention needs of the LGBTQ community are not being met. Experiences and perceptions of LGBTQ individuals revealed knowledge gaps, lack of awareness, and irresolute attitude among healthcare providers regarding the LGBTQ population. These perceptions indicate a need for additional training and education regarding the LGBTQ population including increased interpersonal interactions and communication. Results from the members of the LGBTQ population highlight the need for examination of medical school curriculum, hospital policies, and improved cultural competency for health care professional and those working in a healthcare setting. Citation Format: Lauren E. Wilson, Ivana Sehovic, Julian A. Sanchez, Steven K. Sutton, Peter A. Kanetsky, Vani N. Simmons, Susan T. Vadaparampil, Matthew B. Schabath, Gwendolyn P. Quinn. LGBTQ self-disclosure in healthcare: The need for providers to discuss LGBTQ-specific cancer education. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr A20.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) Perceptions and Health Care Experiences

The goal of this study was to explore attitudes, health knowledge, and experiences with health care setting and providers among lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) individuals and to identify areas for improvement. Members of Equality Florida™ residing in the five counties of the Tampa Bay region were recruited through e-mail invitation to complete a 60-item questionnaire assessing demographics, attitudes, and experiences with health care providers (HCPs). Additional open-ended questions focused on experiences with HCPs and suggestions for ways to improve HCPs' cultural competency. A total of 632 respondents completed the survey of which 41% were gay men and 29% were lesbian. The majority of participants were White, non-Hispanic (93%), married/partnered (78%), and had health insurance (88%). The majority (67%) reported they always or often disclosed their sexual orientation/identity to an HCP and few had negative reactions in the health care setting (<10%). Health care settings with equality signs and gender-neutral language were perceived as safer. Participants' responses suggested need for policy changes and improved cultural competence among HCPs. Results show high rates of sexual orientation disclosure, greater acceptance from providers of LGBTQ status, and the need for examination of hospital policies and improved cultural competency.

From the Guest Editor for the December 2014 Issue of Sexuality and Disability: The Emerging Intersection of Sexuality and Disability in the Profession of Social Work

Welcome to this special theme issue on The Intersection of Sexuality and Disability: Implications for the Social Work Profession! I am proud, excited, and grateful to introduce scholars, practitioners, and intellectuals to emerging ideas, conceptions, research, and directions centered on a typically marginalized and overlooked topic in social work— sexuality and disability. Let me begin by providing the context to which this special theme issue originated, what you will encounter in intellectual and practical knowledge from the articles herein, and the potential roadmap of this area of inquiry. I am a councilor on the Council on Disability and Persons with Disabilities (CDPD) of the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE). I have been part of CDPD for the past 2 years and during that time have recommended topics to address in presentations, trainings, and curriculum within the social work profession. One such topic that I felt strongly about is how social workers are taught and trained in the area of intersectionality research, with a focus on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ) individuals with disabilities. Intersectionality is a concept that I encountered as part of doctoral research, but never once heard in graduate classes in social work, nor in the field. As social workers, who attend schools accredited by the CSWE, it is mandatory that we attend the traditional diversity survey course in which learning is focused on identities, but they are conceptualized and understood as separate rather than as intersecting. This situation creates a place where and how social workers begin to make sense of the lived experiences of people’s identity categories, while accounting for power, privilege, and oppression at the institutional level. The CSWE [1] has emphasized in its Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS) that accredited schools are required to teach students about the dimensions, variability, and intersectionality of identities and the application of social justice. However, when one looks for research in this area, a gap

The Use of Popular Opinion Leader (POL) Groups and the Reduction of “Gay Bullying” in Middle School: A Case Study Inquiry of Group Leader Experiences

This study is a qualitative investigation of the experiences of group leaders facilitating popular opinion leader (POL) groups in middle school to reduce LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning) aggression. Using a case study design, the author sought to understand the experiences of group leaders in a 4-week POL group based on the Diffusion of Innovations theory (Rogers, 2003). The author presents findings, implications for future research, practice, and advocacy related to group workers using POL groups in middle school to address the issue of LGBTQQ aggression.

A queer geography of a school

What does it mean to queer a schooled space? When queers are physically visible in schools, how does that change the power relations and relationships within it? Researchers in the field of Human Geog-raphy have explored physical spaces that are “queered” – the gay ghettos – such as the gay bar, neighborhood, or city. While celebrating these gay spaces, and markers such as the safe space triangle sticker that allies in schools in the USA utilize to mark their offices as places where LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning) students can “go” to feel comfort-able, or at least not bullied, that does not always mean that queers feel safe(r) in those spaces. Also, if one space is marked safe, what happens to the other unsafe spaces? Do they stay intact, and if so, is that to the detriment of all students? Therefore, it is imperative also to define what a safe or safe(r) space is, and then why they should exist at all. According to a recent nationwide survey conducted by Joseph Kosciw, Emily Greytak, and Elizabeth Diaz, nine out of ten LGBTQ-identified youth state they have been harassed and bullied in their schools. This is unacceptable.&#x0D; One option in particular for queer subjects is to construct, live, and utilize these “queered” cities, neighborhoods, and schools. A physi-cally separated “gay space” could be a countersite for other, more privileged landscapes and narratives. For example, geographer Dereka Rushbrook takes Michel Foucault’s idea of “heterotopias” and defines it as “places that hold what has been displaced while serving as sites of stability for the displaced”, which I will use as a framework in this article. Much of the literature on queer geography has been on isolated or commercialized spaces, neighborhoods, cities, workplaces, bath houses, media, drag shows, sex workers, and more recently on immigration, transnational politics, public health, and globalization. The level of inclusivity of a school, for example, is traditionally a space that holds potential economic and social power for underrepresented students, including but not limited to queer-identified individuals.

LGBTQ Youth + Video Artivism: Arts-Based Critical Civic Praxis

In 2005, digital media artist/activist Liv Gjestvang founded a nonprofit organization, Youth Video OUTreach (YVO), to teach lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) youth skills to create a documentary about their lives that could serve as a centerpiece for outreach and advocacy efforts by/for LGBTQ youth. While adult-initiated, the youths primarily drove the organization’s direction, goals, and outcomes. Youth Video OUTreach has combined key dimensions of critical civic praxis with artivism, primarily in out-of-school contexts, as strategies to create and capitalize on community resources and effect positive community change. Combining two concepts—Ginwright and Cammarota’s (2007) critical civic praxis and Sandoval and Latorre’s (2008) artivism—this article provides a framework for constructing collective, creative projects that challenge sociocultural inequities. In particular, marginalized youth have found artivism a powerful tactic for reaching broader audiences with narratives, experiences, and perspectives that contradict and complicate dominant ones.

Transgender Youth of Color and Resilience: Negotiating Oppression and Finding Support

This qualitative study explored the resilience of 13 transgender youth of color in the southeastern region of the U.S. The definition of resilience framing this study was a participant’s ability to “bounce back” from challenging experiences as transgender youth of color. Using a phenomenological research tradition and a feminist, intersectionality (intercategorical) theoretical framework, the research question guiding the study was: “What are the daily lived experiences of resilience transgender youth of color describe as they negotiate intersections of transprejudice and racism?” The researchers’ individuated findings included five major domains of the essence of participants’ daily lived experiences of resilience despite experiencing racism and transprejudice: (1) evolving, simultaneous self-definition of racial/ethnic and gender identities, (2) being aware of adultism experiences, (3) self-advocacy in educational systems, (4) finding one’s place in the LGBTQQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning) youth community, and (5) use of social media to affirm one’s identities as a transgender youth of color. Implications for practice, research, and advocacy, in addition to the study’s limitations are discussed.