M6 Discussion Responses

Please respond to each classmate's posts. Please use the course reading as a source. Cultural Diversity: A Primer for the Human Services by Diller, Jerry V. 6th Edition 1. Rebecca Studer posted: When it comes to the LGBTQ community especially in the south, they face so many issues and roadblocks throughout the years. Some of these concerns are the fact that they have very little support from the community. We know that the south is a very religious area and due to the religious beliefs, they are not as accepting of the LGBTQ. This makes it hard for people who grew up in the churches because they have been taught that being gay is a sin. Some people have even lost their jobs when they became openly gay to their community. The hurdles they had to jump through to get married were huge struggles prior to it becoming accepted federally. When it came to same sex couples wanting to have children, adoption agencies did not make it easy for the couple. They said the couple would need to be married, but that couldn’t always happen depending on where they lived. Or then they wouldn’t accept same sex marriages, parents needed to be one male and one female. These all made things so much harder for the people who just wanted to be accepted, and this is where another huge struggle was. People are not accepting in all areas, the south being some of the hardest areas to be accepted. When someone does not have the acceptance that they need they tend to keep their sexuality to themselves, or the only people they can trust. One of the most important strategies to working with the LGBTQ community would be to get to know the community and their beliefs before you take on a case. Make them feel accepted and relaxed with you. Another thing you need to do is leave your personal bias at the door, you need to come into a case with acceptance and love. When it comes to supporting the LGBTQ in cases especially when it comes to adoption you need to make sure you know the laws in the area that you are working in. Make sure that you are open and honest with the birth family and address any of the concerns that the family may have, so that they are comfortable with the fact that a same sex couple is applying to adopt their child. You don’t want to get a couple excited about an adoption just to have the family refuse to allow it because the family is same sex. But another important thing to do would be to really make sure you explain to older children who are looking to be adopted that the couple or even the person adopting them possibly has openly come out as LGBTQ. Older children understand or could have some understanding of how this could affect their lives. Sadly, there could be so many different types of traumas that they could face, from being bullied because they are different from others, or they are sinful. These trauma’s could even be generational and passed down because they have seen how family members have been treated. I was shocked to see a woman throwing “holy water” on a teenager who was waiting at a bus stop for school near my home, all because he had no problem expressing his feelings towards men and expressing himself openly. I think the biggest and most important skill or attitude a person should have while working with the LGBTQ community is acceptance. People need to be more accepting of everyone. People are allowed to be different. We as human service professionals need to accept everyone for who they are. If people can be more accepting, then we might be able to make changes in the world for the better and not for the worse. 2. Jessica Kloster posted: The top five (5) most detrimental issues faced by the LGBTQ community that were discussed and are faced are when people which you have known your entire lives including family members will distance themselves. An individual is different than everyone else, they seem to stand out and are not accepted this was extreme in the south. Same sex marriages were not allowed or even noticed by the community or church. In some areas same sex adoption was denied this was just by reason of same gender relationships raising the child. Individuals were fired from their jobs with no explanations, but this action took place after the individual made an announcement that they were attracted to the same gender. Churches will not accept the LGBTQ community which in most cases one has been a part of the church family their entire life. At this point one must choose to continue to live a lie or be free and leave everything they know. (Prideland | an Openly Gay Pastor’s Journey to Acceptance in the South | Episode 2 | PBS, 2020) Another major concern is that is in the health service field you stand a chance of being denied services as identifying with LGBTQ. (Prideland | Out, Proud & Southern: Dyllon Burnside’s Story | Episode 1 | PBS, 2020) What are the five (5) most effective strategies for working with the LGBTQ community, reach out to other members or individuals that are a part of the LGBTQ for more resources. Think of this as a new beginning and experience to your new life. Start a new group to advocate or join a group to educate individuals so communities understand, knowledge is power. Speaking and teaching pronouns asking people I am close to- co-workers, neighbors if it is alright if I discuss my life choice with them so they are comfortable to know me. (Prideland | Out, Proud & Southern: Dyllon Burnside’s Story | Episode 1 | PBS, 2020) What types of traumas might you identify within the LGBTQ community and how would it affect individuals? Complex trauma is one of the LGBTQIA+ community’s biggest challenges – it affects LGBTQIA+ people at a higher rate than the population as a whole, for reasons including discrimination, bullying, abuse, and isolation. over 40% of LGBTQIA+ people meet the criteria for a diagnosis of PTSD at any point. It’s important to consider other causes of complex trauma, that may intersect with the complex trauma LGBTQIA+ individuals are more likely to experience. For example, an LGBTQIA+ person of color may develop complex trauma from racism as well as homophobia or transphobia, and the idea that being cisgender and heterosexual is ‘normal’ or ‘correct’. This is a form of cultural violence – but anti-LGBTQIA+ cultural violence is almost unique in that it often comes from places like the family and, LGBTQIA+ people who experience rejection from their family are more likely to be at higher risk of homelessness, self-harm, suicide, and various mental health conditions. Substance abuse. What would be a key skill and attitude you could have as a human service professional working with the LGBTQ community? It is important to respect diversity and differences, to have social and self-awareness, be up to date on what is happing out in the community and the world. Always working on having clear communication skills is a plus. When an individual comes into ask for assistance that is usually an indication that they have no one else to ask, this is our job to show some empathy and compassion while staying focused on setting goals.