Sexual Minorities: Carl Lukes And Helen Land

Carl Lukes and Helen Land through this article seek to explain the socialization process of “sexual minorities” in hope of aiding social providers in understanding how to effectively assist sexual minorities so they may function to their full potential in society. The authors suggest bicultural theories can explain the how sexual minorities perceive and come out about their self-identity. In general, minorities identify with two environments, “their own minority culture and that of mainstream society.” Although a complex process, bicultural theory suggest how culture influences the socialization and evolution of identity by two cultures; a minority and a majority culture. Biculturality can occur when an individual understands how to function

Many come from different socioeconomic statuses creating different socializations. Although there is not a distinct culture, some may become closer to a gay community rather than their own culture that has rejected them. Even though there is not a distinct culture for sexual minorities, the authors support the idea of understanding them from a cultural context. Lukes and Land write, “In the process of accepting a homosexual identity one is socialized into a new set of norms and values.” Like the biculturality of minorities, the socialization of one’s sexual orientation affects “the evolution of self-concept.” As previously mentioned, sexual minorities may be rejected by their own native culture; not based on ethnicity or race, but based sexual identity. Understanding this rejection and how to effectively help those who face this rejection can help social providers in assisting and supporting sexual

The first step for minorities involves “acculturation experience” in the native group. Then exposures the majority culture creates new norms and values through media and public institutions. For sexual minorities they tend to go through this process first before they can determine their sexual identity and understand themselves. There are three types of people who can support and help sexual minorities through this process; Cultural translators, mediators, and models. Cultural translators can help sexual minorities learn to communicate efficiently with members of their cultural or family. The authors describe it a “dual socialization.” The ability to talk and appease those in their culture without sacrificing their own identity. Mediators can be teachers, counselors, or social workers that provide guidance to services. They can connect sexual minorities to gay communities, support groups, or other organizations. It is important for a mediator to not be homophobic and misinformed about the communities or services because it could hinder the bicultural socialization process. Models are individual who act as guides or examples for others. This could be hard to provide considering it may be hard to determine who is a guide if one is not notably open about it. The media does not help either because there is not enough successful representation; however, this has changed in