The Hidden Minority
Upon hearing multicultural counseling, culturally diverse counseling, or counseling of diverse populations most people may think of groups that differ from the dominant culture in our society, such as, race, culture, ethnicity, etc. Many people do not think beyond these categories to consider a second tier of diversity, for instance, age, disability, sexual orientation, etc. What is the dominant culture? In most references the comparison is associated with the White Euro-American norms. The basic assumption that heterosexuality is the only normal path of all human beings creates a need for counseling trainees to consider the hidden minority group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues (GLBT).
In general,
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The GLBT community views individuals exhibiting these behaviors as homophobic.
Homophobic Attitudes
Within families, homophobia can appear in the forms of verbal abuse, physical threats, or physical attack. In a survey of GLBT teens in Rhode Island, 58 per cent of GLBT females reported experiencing these three types of victimization committed by their mothers, 34 per cent by their fathers, 24 per cent by their brothers, and 15 per cent by their sisters. In the same survey, GLBT males accounted 30 per cent victimization by their mothers, 23 per cent by their fathers, 43 per cent by brothers, and 15 per cent by their sisters. The most significant predictors identified as a risk factor of GLBT teen suicide is negative family interactions (Quinn, 2002).
Nearly 26 per cent of GLBT youth are forced to leave their homes due to disputes concerning sexual orientation. This leaves the youth feeling isolated and unaccepted by the family. Often, teens believe running away is the only option. It makes teens feel like they have some control of their situation (Quinn, 2002). If GLBT teens seek refuge in a shelter will they meet the same discrimination and rejection they initially were trying to escape? Counselors at shelters need to be prepared to protect, and not perpetuate, these GLBT teens from further victimization.
Social groups, tremendously have an impact during the teenage years, GLBT teens may miss out
Case Study 14.1: David’s coming Out Process 1. What are the developmental challenges for sexual minority youth, as articulated in David’s story? David’s story points out the complicated lives that LGBTQ youth experience, youth who identify as transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual, or queer are more than twice as likely to attempt suicide, and studies show that that higher risk stems from their experiences of discrimination and victimization. David’s journey as a gay teen reveals the challenges some young people face just for being who they are.
Each client is influenced by race, ethnicity, national origin, life stage, educational level, social class, and sex roles (Ibrahim, 1985). The counsellor must view the identity and development of culturally diverse people in terms of multiple interactive factors rather than a strictly cultural framework (Romero, 1985).
I believe another key characteristic trait of a counselor is one who is culturally responsive to the diverse needs of the individuals we serve. The counseling profession would be inadequate if there were a lack personal awareness of the diverse multicultural groups that create the communities in which we live in (Brinson, J. A., & Lee, C. C., 2005). To be a competent counselor, a person must possess the ability to be nonjudgmental and communicate positive unconditional regard both on a cultural and personal level that is understandable to the individual. A culturally responsive counselor is cognizant of how his or her values, biases, and assumptions may impact a person's counseling experience of diverse cultural backgrounds. In that regard, an effective counselor is able to be cognizant of
LGBTQ adolescents, also called sexual minority youth, have a higher risk of developing mental and emotional problems than heterosexual youth, and also face more bullying, harassment, and victimization due to homophobia (Craig, Austin, & McInroy, 2014). In order to address their needs, the researchers used group therapy that was based on
Support groups will help lower the risk of suicide. (Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006) Having parental support will tremendously help with the LGBT youth's self-confidence. The primary step for this recommendation is to make sure there is counselling when needed. Teachers and parents can help counsel the teen with all the support they can give. (Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006) This approach draws from the social-cultural perspective. Having a family connection helps with lowering the risk of suicide; the more your family supports you, the less you think of suicide. (Eisenberg & Resnick, 2006) It'll become easier to push aside the bullying as well when they feel rejected at their school. (Husted,
Counseling has impacted the well-being of cultural diverse populations by increasing growth in ethnical and minority groups. Cultural diverse has influence counselors to work together as one, empower skills to meet the challenges and demands of diverse client groups (Hays, 2016). Counselors utilize interventions focused on client’s needs to assess cultural concerns. These techniques establish the significant collaboration of the counsel/ client relationship, promote clients awareness to their limitations and provide imperative ethical guidelines. Counselors are skilled in their practices to facilitate productive healing in mild to serve cultural population. Counselors develop an empathic understanding and support with their clients. They are encouraged to elevate cultural knowledge, self-awareness and stress-less experiences.
Inside the homeless youth population, youth who are lesbian, gay, cross-sexual, transgender or addressing (LGBTQ) are at significantly expanded hazard for building up a psychological wellness disorder (Forge, 2014). Reports in discrete studies that adolescent who are According to Hirsch, homeless and LGBTQ youth are at the most astounding danger and in basic need of wellbeing and emotional wellness administrations (Forge, 2014). A connection has been recognized between family dismissal and negative emotional wellness results for youth who are LGBTQ with more than 40 percent of white and Latino lesbian, gay and bi-sexual youth endeavoring suicide at any rate once in their lifetime (Hirsch, 2014). While family dismissal is one connection to psychological
Culturally competent counselors are aware that clients from European American backgrounds come from a heterogeneous culture. Therefore, it is important for us to be aware of ways to increase multicultural competence when working with European American clients. Essentially, it is important for me to understand that the differences of how a client views their ethnic identity, cultural values, and other personalized beliefs will allow me to best serve European clients as individuals (Hays & Erford, 2014).
The purpose of this review is to show that the LGBT community is at higher risk for mental health disorders and psychological distress. This review will show that discrimination among the LGBT community is linked to the risk of mental health disorders and psychological distress and also demonstrate that lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth have high levels of emotional distress. This paper will investigate mental health and discrimination focusing on
The L.G.B.T. community is not being treated fairly and are not being accepted by their families . Moreover, this issue could have several causes L.G.B.T teens are commiting suicide due to surmising that they are left alone and have no aid from the people they love the most. Another reason they are not being accepted is due to religious beliefs which view being homosexual as a sin. Parents do not realize that they’re harming their child's mental health by setting religion before their children.“Positive parenting practices, such as having honest and open conversations, can help reduce teen health risk behaviors.” In addition, parents conjecture that their parenting will be judge upon due to having a gay child. Causing parents to be shameful
Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual transgender, and queer identified (LGBTQ) runaway and homeless youth are of the most vulnerable groups in this country. Homelessness, particularly among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, queer youth is an enduring example of a social problem in our society. The LGBTQ youth faces an increasing number of challenges. In disclosing their sexual orientation family conflict arises and plays a huge role in the issue of homelessness among the LGBTQ youth. They face forms of stigma and marginalization that position them as needing not only critical but immediate support from the community; however, communities are not aware of the real issue that these youth face day to day with their struggle in trying to survive on the streets.
From above paragraphs we have seen that lesbian, gay, bisexual youth face discrimination and marginalization fostered by the social systems that serve them.
In the beginning of the course I had very little knowledge about the theories in multicultural counseling. I knew that it was centrally focused around social justice and equality but I didn’t know there were theories that pertained to specific ethnic minorities. I also learned that there isn’t a one size fits all theory. What I learned was that each model needs to be unique to the client and very well rounded; it should include a specific goal(s), describe the process, “have both aspects of cognition and emotion, and include justice and equity as well.” (Jun 2010) I have learned that as a multicultural counselor you have to be very aware and mindful of your thoughts and actions. I learned that there is a lot that is integrated into multicultural counseling and it isn’t cut and dry. There are varieties of concepts, such as being aware of oppression, continuous self-reflection, awareness of impact that a multicultural counselor can have on an individual, etc. (Jun, 2010)
“As the Equity Project points out, heterosexism and homophobia can have disastrous results for lesbian, gays, bisexual, transgender youth” (Bates & Swan, Pg. 155). In this week’s journal, the question arises. Looking back over the course of your teenage and childhood years, what are some ways that can now recognize as heterosexism and/or homophobia affecting young people? More so my middle school years, teens who were heterosexism and homophobia tended to be isolated from the big group of kids. Further, they were segregated from the popular clique and were looked at as the “weird” kids. Being labeled as the weird kids, they frequently tried to cope things out with drugs and alcohol. Like the article states, “LGBT youth often become homeless
The article describes the phenomenon of peer victimization and also those who have been targeted with homophobic language understand the user’s purpose; whether they feel being stigmatized will influence changes into their lives. After, the authors explain how peer victimization has various mental health outcomes in LGB youth. They found that when controlling for previously reported levels of each psychosocial outcome variable that homophobia victimization anticipated concern, misery and lowered sense of school belonging in boys and extraction in girls. After this finding, it indicates that homophobic victimization had a great mental health impact on sexual minority youth more than the heterosexual peers. In addition, the authors discuss that in the Netherlands, 13-15-year-olds found that who have same-sex most likely to get negative treatment by other students than those without same-sex. In the Netherlands in which the social expectations for women and men are very similar than different. Therefore, where homosexuality is less stigmatized and the gender roles are less strictly observed.