a woman and a man (in the Defense of Marriage Act) to popular love songs and Valentine’s Day greeting cards offering only heterosexual options. Heterosexism is the pervasive yet sometimes subtle social view or force that reinforces heterosexuality as the only “normal” and therefore “acceptable” sexual orientation; this force becomes very important to LGB youth, as this course will later discuss. Homophobia is prejudice and/or discrimination toward individuals based on their perceived or actual sexual orientation. Such homophobia is grounded ultimately in fear of this social subgroup and it reinforces heterosexism at the societal level. A number of issues that LGB youth experience relate to coming of age in a world where homophobia is still fairly pervasive and threatens their well-being and sense of safety. Internalized homophobia is an intrapsychic barrier and a task to be surmounted by youth who are coming to terms with their uncertainty or shame about their LGB identity. The closet is the dynamic in which homophobia or internalized homophobia prevents an individual from recognizing her or his nonheterosexual orientation. Coming out is the process by which an individual acknowledges to himself or herself, and to the people in their lives, that they are not heterosexual. It is important to note that they may also identify as questioning or queer , or choose not to identify. Assuming any one of the “labels” that have been discussed in this section is an extremely complex process. It is during this important process that behavioral health professionals can often be helpful, although the youth’s journey and self-identification likely began long before discussing it with anyone. While this course focuses on youth with LGB sexual orientations and their families, it is important to note that the concept of gender identity is, at times, confused with sexual orientation. Gender identity is separate from sexual orientation and refers to an individual’s internal sense of femaleness or maleness (which encompasses any gendered thought and/or behavior). Individuals who feel that their sense of gender “matches” their biological sex can be referred to as cisgender . Conversely, individuals who feel some incongruence with the sex with which they were born and with their inner sense of maleness or femaleness may identify with the opposite gender. This is referred to under the umbrella term of transgender , commonly abbreviated as “T” (Mallon, in press). Individuals who are transgender express their gender identity in a variety of ways, including occasionally dressing as a member of the opposite gender, living as a member of the opposite gender, and sometimes physically changing their anatomy through an operation or operations. Gender identity issues are largely misunderstood by society, and this lack of understanding has led some people to alienate and feel hateful toward youth who are transgender. Transgender individuals can also face prejudice and/or discrimination called transphobia .
The development of gender identity and sexual orientation may at times overlap. A youth may articulate gender identity concerns (“I should have been a girl”), which during the development process can continue into a transgender identity but may also often transition into an LGB sexual orientation. It is important for clinicians to remember that although these concepts are related and overlapping, they are distinct. Not all individuals who are transgender are LGB, and not all LGB people are transgender. One’s inner sense of maleness or femaleness is quite different from the object of one’s romantic or sexual attraction. Although these two groups often share an experience of being stigmatized because their life experiences are challenging to traditional notions of gender, sex, and sexuality (and this may create affinity), these two groups are in fact so different that some LGB individuals exhibit prejudice toward those who are transgender. The reason that individuals who are LGB and those who are transgender are considered together is more for increased visibility in society and the advancement of civil rights than because of any other affiliation. LGB youth and individuals in general will identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual; however, others may identify as questioning or queer (Q). Thus, when this population is referred to with a Q in the label, it pertains to questioning – in which case the youth is wondering about his or her sexual orientation but has not come to a conclusion, or queer – in which case the youth is using, through reclaiming, a previously homophobic term. Still other youth wish not to identify with any of these labels because they perceive sexual orientation as being fluid. One of the most important and difficult issues for sexual minority youth is that they must develop a healthy identity in the midst of great stigma. Therefore, the difference between how they label themselves versus how others label them is an integral part of this process of healthy development. The uses of Q can be meaningful because youth eventually get to claim or reject labels as they see fit. One of the most fundamental and powerful things a professional can do for youth is to create a space where they are allowed to explore identity without forcing any labels. At times the clinician might also encounter the acronym “LGBTQQIS.” Aside from the aforementioned definitions, the I refers to intersex (youth who are born with genitalia of both genders and are typically raised as females), and the S refers to straight (heterosexual allies – those heterosexual individuals who advocate for greater acceptance for this population). From a cultural perspective, some males, particularly in African American and Hispanic communities, might state they are on the “down low” and, while having same-sex behavior with males, do not identify as gay or bisexual. Finally, Two Spirit is a term specific to the Native American community in which some individuals believe they are born with and thus embody both genders. Table 1 presents, for reference, some of the core definitions that have been described.
Table 1: Definitions Bisexual ("B")
A term used by some individuals to describe their sexual orientation and attraction to both sexes.
Cisgender
A term used to describe individuals who feel some congruence with the gender with which they were born (assigned gender) and their inner sense of maleness or femaleness. The process by which individuals acknowledge to themselves and to the people in their lives that they are lesbian, gay, or bisexual. They may also identify as questioning or queer, or choose not to identify. A term used by many males to describe their sexual orientation and attraction to other males. Some females also utilize this word.
Coming Out
Gay ("G")
Gender Identity Heterosexism
An individual's internal sense of femaleness or maleness.
The pervasive yet sometimes subtle social view or force that reinforces heterosexuality as the only "normal" and therefore "acceptable" sexual orientation.
Heterosexual
Individuals whose sexual orientation is attraction to the opposite sex.
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Book Code: PYCA1423
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