by Deana F Morrow
page 1-16
This article asserts that social work education programs continue to perpetuate bias and discrimination in their curricula in the form of heterosexism. CSWE and NASW statements regarding social work education and practice with lesbian and gay individuals are reviewed. The prevalence of heterosexism in social work education is examined, and an ad hoc survey of gay and lesbian content in social work textbooks is discussed as one means of identifying heterosexism in curricula. Suggestions are made for minimizing heterosexism and including gay and lesbian content in social work education.
by Romel W Mackelprang, JoAnn Ray and Maria Hernandez-Peck
page 17-31
Many practitioners who work with gays and lesbians have graduated, and will continues to graduate from accredited Social Work programs. Beginning in July, 1995, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) implemented a new Curriculum Policy Statement (CPS) that requires social work education programs to provide content on gay and lesbian persons in their curricula. This study examined the efforts of social work programs relative to gays and lesbians under the old CPS which required programs to address ethnic minorities of color and women but not gays and lesbians. Social work directors were queried about their efforts to hire faculty, recruit students, and provide content in their curricula about diverse groups. Gays and lesbians received relatively little attention. thus, the study supports the need for increasing the emphasis on sexual orientation in social work education and provides baseline information for future comparison. Suggestions are provided to help ensure the future curriculum efforts are productive.
by Lacey Sloan and Tonya Edmond
page 33-52
Agencies that serve survivors of sexual violence have frequently failed to make services accessible to lesbians and gay men. Similarly, agencies serving lesbians and gay men have frequently overlooked the problem of sexual violence in this community. One hundred forty-five lesbians, gay men and bisexuals responded to a survey about their knowledge of services for survivors of sexual violence, the services they need and want, their perceptions of sexual violence in the gay and lesbian community, and the extent of sexual victimization in the gay and lesbian community. Forty-one percent of respondents reported that they had been sexually victimized, and the majority believed that education programs were the most important service needed.
by Katrice Jackson and Lester B Brown
page 53-67
This study explored the coming out experiences of black lesbians in the heterosexual (straight) black community. This study also explored the coping mechanisms of those who experienced isolation and the methods of avoiding isolation, for those who stated that they did not experience it. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed at a national black gay and lesbian conference held in 1993 in southern California. Twenty-five women completed and returned questionnaires. Results indicated that the majority of respondents had experienced some form of isolation form the straight black community as a result of self-disclosure about their sexual orientation. A variety of coping mechanisms were used to overcome the problem of isolation for those who experienced it.
by Phil Meyer, Elizabeth Karen Tapley and Mohsen Bazargan
page 69-85
This study examined the prevalence and correlates of the depression in a sample of 96 gay men and bisexual HIV symptomatic men at a large urban AIDS service organization. Of the sample, 69.5% scored in the depressive range according to the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. Impaired social functioning, poor general health, limited social support, disability, younger age and previous mental health treatment were all found to be significantly correlated with higher depression scores. Other variables commonly associated with depression (ethnicity, income, education, and living arrangement) were not found to be statistically significant. The implications of these findings are discussed. Social workers and AIDS service organizations are encouraged to develop programs which target and treat those most at risk for depression in this vulnerable population.
page 87-97
page 99-106
Transcribed by Kirsty A Smith
22 January 1997