Contesting Sexual Prejudice to Support Sexual Minorities: Views of Chinese Social Workers

Abstract

Professional development has been recognized as one of the strategies to effectively combat sexual prejudice and negative attitudes against lesbian, gay, bisexual, questioning/queer (LGBQ+) individuals and sexual minorities. Nevertheless, studies related to LGBQ+-inclusive training are rarely found in the Chinese Hong Kong context, where sexual prejudice still prevails without the establishment of antidiscrimination law. Sociocultural considerations, such as religious and parental influences, are obstacles to discussing the reduction of sexual prejudices, both within wider society and social work organizations, without institutional support. This paper aims to understand social workers’ perspectives on prejudice reduction training themes and perceived cultural barriers through qualitative in-depth interviews with 67 social workers. Qualitative thematic analysis yielded the following themes: (1) understanding sexuality; (2) initiating training legitimately; (3) contesting religious and cultural assumptions; (4) resolving value and ethical dilemma; (5) selecting relevant knowledge; (6) implementing diverse training strategies. The study suggests that social workers and service providers need to understand how sexual prejudice is manifested in Hong Kong through unique cultural forces. LGBQ+-inclusive content, addressing updated concepts and prejudice-free language, should be incorporated into the training curriculum. Intergroup contact, professional reflection, and experiential learning are suggested as training strategies (190).

Male Adolescents' Early Sexual Initiation in the Context of Gender Diversity

“…A study that corroborates the findings and addresses the way in which the family reacts in relation to the revelation of the adolescent's gender orientation is dissonant from the cisheteronormative standards, generating often violent experiences with behavioral repression, persecution and even expulsion from the family. Situations of psychological violence were reported as a modality adopted by the family, in order to "readapt" male adolescents to hegemonic sexual norms, generating situations of psychological distress, uncertainties and fears, with harmful repercussions for the integral development of adolescents 27 .…”

Iniciação Sexual Precoce De Adolescentes Masculinos Em Contexto De Diversidade De Gênero

“…Um estudo, que corrobora com os achados, e que aborda o modo como a família reage em relação à revelação da orientação de gênero do adolescente é dissonante dos padrões cis heteronormativos, gerando vivências muitas vezes violentas, com repressão comportamental, perseguição e até expulsão do seio familiar. Situações de violência psicológica foram relatadas como modalidade adotada pela família, no intuito de "readaptar" os adolescentes masculinos às normas sexuais hegemônicas, gerando situações de sofrimento psíquico, incertezas e medos, com repercussões danosas ao desenvolvimento integral do ser adolescente 27 .…”

Chinese Sexual Minority Students Experiencing Microaggressions: Implications for Sexuality Education

“…They hesitated to consider the students’ best interests when facing opposition from parents and school administrators, particularly opposition from school and parent groups with Christian affiliations [ 1 , 2 ]. Besides educators, other support professionals, such as social workers, also described facing difficulties when openly supporting sexual-minority clients, partly due to the religious affiliations of the schools or opposition from parents [ 6 , 28 ].…”