Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
homosexuality from sociological perspective
research on homosexuality
homosexuality and its impact
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Recommended: homosexuality from sociological perspective
Introduction
It is the duty of social workers to advocate for vulnerable and oppressed groups. Becoming aware of the life span development of various cultures, nationalities, ethnicities, social classes, and diverse forms of families enables social workers to identify areas that are unique and require further research. Learning about the unique aspects of various cultures and social classes also provide social workers with an enhanced understanding and ideas for social work implications on a micro and macro level in efforts to improve the wellbeing of the clients. This paper serves as a written analysis of homosexuality as a social class and discusses unique aspects of development, transition markers for various life stages, and implications for further research and social work practice.
Homosexuality
Homosexuals consist of gay males and lesbian females who prefer same-sex relationships. Homosexuality goes against all cultural beliefs, gender, and family roles that society values. As a direct result of going against social norms homosexuals experience a lot of backlash that impacts their quality of life and development throughout their lifespan.
Gender Differences
Gender differences among homosexual males and females are unique aspects of development. When it comes to sexual orientation, society associates gender differences such as masculinity with men and femininity with females (Lippa, 2008). However in the social class of homosexuals, character associations with gender tend to be nontraditional. According to Lippa, most gay men believe that they are more feminine and less masculine in comparison to most heterosexual males while lesbians describe themselves as extremely masculine and less feminine in comparison to ...
... middle of paper ...
...n childhood gender nonconformity and adult masculinity- femininity and anxiety in heterosexual and homosexual men and women. Sex Roles 59, 684-693.
Muraco, A., LeBlanc, A. J., & Russell, S. T. (2008). Conceptualizations of family by older gay men. The Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 20(2), 69-90.
Ryan. C., & Futterman, D. (1998). Lesbian and gay youth: Care and counseling. New York: Columbia University Press.
Skidmore, W. C., Linsenmeier, J. A. W., & Bailey, J. M. (2006). Gender nonconformity and psychological distress in lesbian and gay men. Archive of Sexual Behavior, 35, 685-697.
Swank, E. & Raiz, L. (2010). Predicting the support of same-sex relationship rights among social work students. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 22, 149-164.
Taylor, H. (2000). Meeting the needs of lesbian and gay young adolescents. Clearing House, 73(4), 221-224.
Mercer, L. R. & Berger, R. M. (1989). Social service needs of lesbian and gay adolescents. Adolescent Sexuality: New Challenges for Social Workers. Haworth Press.
Throughout research, there is an understanding of the possibility of there being a relationship connection between past traumatic events of adolescents to changing their life style from heterosexual to homosexual. What is considered an adolescent for this study are adolescents between the ages of 13-17 because once you are the age 18 you are considered a legal adult in the United States. The study will take place looking at the age bracket of adolescents, which live in the United States. In this, the research will be looking at th...
Tori, DeAngelis. "New data on Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Mental Health." www.apa.org/monitor/feb02/newdata.aspx . N.p., 12 february 2002. Web. 9 Apr 2014.
Although homosexuality is not a mental disorder in and of itself, gay men and other men who have sex with men can present with poorer mental health outcomes as a result of social discrimination, rejection, isolation and marginalization.3 4, 5 According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gay men and other MSM are at increased risk for major depression, bipolar disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder, the common basis of which is likely homophobia.6 Sustained stress from this can also lead MSM to contemplate suicide or cope through substance use.7 Although providing appropriate mental health support for gay men and other MSM from a clinical perspective is similar to treating anyone else with mental challenges, it is critical to recognize the role that structural and social barriers play in exacerbating negative mental health outcomes among these individuals.
Homosexuality is a trending topic especially with the issue of gay marriage in Utah. As a heterosexual college woman, I have received negative and positive messages about homosexual orientation. Large amounts of adverse criticism concerning the issue began in my town and school. Most supporting messages came later in life, specifically attending college and moving to Salt Lake City. And while there seems to be a shift in societal views towards positive connotations regarding gay and lesbian, some negatives still hold power. Particularly, homosexual relationships and people are bad.
Perrin, Ellen C., and Benjamin S. Siegel. "Promoting the Well-Being of Children Whose Parents Are Gay or Lesbian." Pediatrics 131.4 (2013): 1374-383. PDF file.
There are many issues that interfere with the health and happiness of those within the Gay and Lesbian community. The National Association Position Statement on Gays and Lesbians is as attempt to abolish such issues within the social work practice. One place that individuals of any sexual orientation practice should feel safe is with those who have chosen the field of social work as a means to helping the oppressed. Social workers must be aware of their own personal beliefs and values when it comes to the fear of and the misrepresentation of working with this divers group. The consequences of not dealing with such issues and may have a latent manifest in dealing with the Gay and Lesbian population, and if not addressed prior to working in this field, maybe devastating to a client.
Note: This paper has a very long Annotated Bibliography. In recent years, same-sex relationships have become more encompassing in US society. State legislation is changing such as accepting gay marriages, enforcing anti-discrimination laws, and legal gay adoptions; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community is becoming public. Gay-headed families, like heterosexuals, are diverse and varying in different forms.
This paper has effort to generally show youths growing up gay. A number of issues have been presented involving gay identity formation, parental interaction, and disclosure. Homosexuality is a very controversial subject. By no mean does this paper try to say that it is “totally correct.” However, the paper does examine logical theoretical ideas of what gay adolescents endure, using and combining research and reports of other gay studies.
Kelleher, C. (2009). Minority stress and health: Implications for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) young people. Counselling Psychology Quarterly, 22(4), 373-379. Retrieved April 21, 2014, from http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09515070903334995
Gender is a socially constructed phenomenon, and how acceptable one’s relationship is determined by society’s view of gender roles. Because the majority of the population is characterized as heterosexual, those who deviate from that path are ...
Oliver, M. B., & Hyde, J. S. (1993). Gender difference in sexuality: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 29-51.
In order to discuss the biology of gender identity and sexual orientation, it is necessary to first examine the differences between multiple definitions that are often mistakenly interchanged: sex, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity. Sexual orientation is defined by LeVay (2011) as “the trait that predisposes us to experience sexual attraction to people of the same sex as ourselves, to persons of the other sex, or to both sexes” (p. 1). The typical categories of sexual orientation are homosexual, heterosexual and bisexual. Vrangalova and Savin-Williams (2012) found that most people identify as heterosexual, but there are also groups of people that identify as mostly heterosexual and mostly gay within the three traditional categories (p. 89). This is to say that there are not three concrete groups, but sexual orientation is a continuum and one can even fluctuate on it over time. LeVay (2011) also defines gender as “the ...
Gender roles and identity are constantly shifting throughout different societal generations. Men and woman both have notable similarities and differences in genders and they each contribute to their personalities and actions. In the past men have been viewed as a more dominant sex in society over women, both in careers, home life, and sexually, however, today women have bridged many of the gaps and society is accepting a more equal view of genders. The following examines the similarities and differences between men and woman by looking at biological characteristics, gender roles, and sexual responses.
Huegel, Kelly. GLBTQ: The Survival Guide for Queer and Questioning Teens. Vol. 1. Free Spirit Publishing, 2003. 1 vols.