Explaining Comfort With Homosexuality Among Social Work Students: The Impact of Demographic, Contextual, and Attitudinal Factors

An Evaluation of Gay/Lesbian and Heterosexual Adoption

“…Logan and Kershaw (1994) found that social work education contains a heterosexist bias. Swank and Raiz (2007) discovered that having a class that explicitly explores homophobia cultivated a greater acceptance of gays and lesbians for social work students. In particular, schools of social work and even more specifically child welfare courses should prepare potential foster child and adoption workers to properly assess and advocate for gay and lesbian adoptive parents.…”

Attitudes Toward Gay Men and Lesbian Women Among Heterosexual Social Work Faculty

“…Specifically, those who hold sexist beliefs also tend to have higher levels of sexual prejudice in non-social work samples (Davies, 2004;Whitley, 2001). In social work student samples, those who hold sexist beliefs are also more likely to have increased prejudice (Black et al, 1998) as well as those who hold traditional gender beliefs (Swank & Raiz, 2007). Similarly, Green (2005) found a positive correlation between accepting views of gay and lesbian people and gender equity among practitioners.…”

“…While understanding the role between sexism and sex-specific sexual prejudice is important, future research with faculty should examine views about gender roles as such measures would address both male and female roles. Earlier research has found that individuals who adhere to beliefs reinforcing traditional gender roles tend to express more biases against same-sex sexuality (Alden & Parker, 2005;Black et al, 1998;Swank & Raiz, 2007).…”

U.S. Graduate Social Work Faculty's Attitudes Toward Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People

“…The few studies conducted with either practitioners (Green, 2005) or students (Black et al, 1998;Swank & Raiz, 2007) focus on attitudes related to gender and race and have found these variables to be positively associated with attitudes toward gay and lesbian people. The link between attitudes about other oppressed groups and sexual minorities has not been considered, nor has the link with broad critical consciousness.…”

“…In comparison to studies with social work educators, the views of social workers (Berkman & Zinberg, 1997;Crisp, 2007;Green, 2005;Krieglstein, 2004) and social work students (Black, Oles, Cramer, & Bennett, 1999;Black, Oles, & Moore, 1998;Cluse-Tolar, Lambert, Ventura, & Pasupuleti, 2005;Cramer, 1997;Logie, Bridge, & Bridge, 2008;Newman, Dannenfelser, & Benishek, 2002;Swank & Raiz, 2007) concerning sexual minorities, in particular gay men and lesbian women, have received considerable empirical attention. Consistent with a large body of research involving the general population, these investigations have examined the effect of sex, age, race, religious affiliation, and religiosity (i.e., importance of religion) in relation to attitudinal outcomes.…”