GENDER IDENTITY AND SEXUAL ORIENTATION RESEARCH
Misconceptions and stereotypes abound with regard to gender and sexuality. This is due to many factors, including media portrayals of LGBTQ individuals, outdated understandings, and socialization within the family and culture. Social workers must strive to avoid these misconceptions and remain bias-free while also making the best possible client decisions. By surveying evidence-based research, you can remain current with best practices and ensure you are using the most up-to-date language and methods with the LGBTQ population.
For this Assignment, you search for and analyze a peer-reviewed research article on gender identity or sexual orientation, consider what you have learned, and apply your findings to practice.
TO PREPARE:
Conduct a search in the Walden Library to identify at least one peer-reviewed research article that addresses gender identity or sexual orientation in young or middle adulthood.
Select an article that you find especially relevant to you in your role as a social worker.
Consider how you might apply the findings from both the research article and the Learning Resources to social work practice.
A summary of your findings regarding gender identity or sexual orientation and its impact on life span development. This should include information from the Learning Resources and from the journal article(s) you selected during your research.
An explanation of how you might apply your findings to social work practice.
Make sure to provide APA citations and a reference list.
LEARNING RESOURCES
Required Readings
Zastrow, C. H., Kirst-Ashman, K. K., & Hessenauer, S. L. (2019). Understanding human behavior and the social environment (11th ed.). Cengage Learning.
Chapter 13, “Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity” (pp. 604–639)
Fabbre, V. D. (2017). Agency and social forces in the life course: The case of gender transitions in later life.Links to an external site. The Journals of Gerontology: Series B, 72(3), 479–487. https://doi.org/10.1093/geronb/gbw109
Ferguson, A. D., & Miville, M. L. (2017). It’s complicated: Navigating multiple identities in small town America.Links to an external site. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 73(8), 975–984. https://doi.org/10.1002/jclp.22507
Greene, D. C., Britton, P. J., & Shepherd, J. B. (2016). LGBTQ aging: Mental health at midlife and older adulthood.Links to an external site. Journal of LGBT Issues in Counseling,10(4), 180–196. https://doi.org/10.1080/15538605.2016.1233839
Hereth, J., Pardee, D. J., & Reisner, S. L. (2020). Gender identity and sexual orientation development among young adult transgender men sexually active with cisgender men: ‘I had completely ignored my sexuality … that’s for a different time to figure out.’Links to an external site. Culture, Health, & Sexuality, 22, 31–47. https://doi.org/10.1080/13691058.2019.1636290
Human Rights Campaign.Links to an external site. (n.d.). Glossary of terms. https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms
Walden University Library.Links to an external site. (n.d.). Subject research: Social work. https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/subject/socialwork
