Moving Counseling Forward on LGB and Transgender Issues

Abstract

Using a case example, the authors explore how the counseling field’s participation in the discourse of heterosexist dominance fosters microaggressions toward sexual and gender-transgressive minorities. Specifically, the authors deconstruct four linguistic assumptions of the discourse of heterosexist dominance: (a) the sex/gender binary, (b) decontextualized disposition language of homophobia, (c) hierarchical disposition language of affirmation, and (d) gendered pronouns. The authors will also examine how these assumptions influence egalitarian, well-intended counselors and counseling psychologists to engage in microinvalidations of LGB and transgender clients. Implications regarding more effective practice, training, and research will be discussed.

Applying gender-based analysis plus to Employee Assistance Programs: A Canadian perspective

“…There are many training resources in the literature to draw upon, covering topics such as LGBTQ (American Psychological Association, 2020; B.C. Partners for Mental Health and Addictions Information, 2010;Human Rights Campaign Foundation, 2018;McIntyre et al, 2011;Rutherford et al, 2012;Smith, Shin, & Officer, 2012;Strauss & Killion, 2010), working with diverse women (Ancis et al, 2008;Ward, Clark, & Heidrich, 2009), working with men (American Psychological Association Boys and Men Guidelines Group, 2018; Ogrodniczuk et al, 2016;Wilkins, 2015), intimate partner violence (Pollack et al, 2010), cultural competency and cultural safety (Collins & Arthur, 2010;Haring, Hudson, Erickson, Taualii, & Freeman, 2015;Southwest Ontario Aboriginal Health Access Center, 2014;Wabano, n.d.). Enhanced training could help EAPs better meet accreditation standards which currently require EAP personnel to be competent in the provision of services that are "culturally responsive," including to sexual orientation and gender identity (Council on Accreditation, 2018).…”

Epistemic Injustice: Towards Uncovering Knowledge of Bisexual Realities in Social Work Research

“…Microagressions, regarded as common slights and insults, drive and maintain oppressive discourses (Smith, Shin, & Officer, 2012) and have been shown to have very significant consequences for sexual minorities. Sue (2010) posits that microaggressions are "the brief and commonplace daily verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative racial, gender, sexual orientation, and religious slights and insults" (p. 5).…”

Ethical Issues Raised by CACREP Accreditation of Programs Within Institutions That Disaffirm or Disallow Diverse Sexual Orientations

“…This is because the institutional codes of conduct and policy manuals that are cited throughout this article specifically target sexual minority identities and are silent regarding gender identities that do not conform to the traditional gender binary. This decision is also grounded in the call by diversity scholars to complicate and expand the field's conceptualization of sexuality and gender identity, in part by recognizing that an individual's sexual orientation is distinct and not necessarily tied to gender identity and expression (Mallinckrodt, 2009;Moradi, Mohr, Worthington, & Fassinger, 2009;Smith, Shin, & Officer, 2012).…”