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Multicultural counseling, diversity counseling, counseling diverse populations, APA references.

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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, …show more content…

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

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