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.
After reviewing the NASW’s Position Statement of Gays and Lesbians, I found that “NASW supports laws and rights as it pertains to the rights of gays, lesbians, bisexual, and transgender or the LGBT (NASW, 2004).” Moreover, the position statement identifies that homosexuals should be seen as equals and be given the right to such issues as same-sex marriages, adoptions, joint tax returns, shared health insurance, parenting, and bereavement leaves. As social workers we should not try to change a person’s beliefs about their sexual orientation in anyway, but seek to gain education concerning human sexuality, human sexual development, and a high degree of comfort and communication skills when responding to such issues (Haldman, 1994).
Before I penetrate any further into this paper, I would like to point out that it is important for people (especially social workers), to know what the meaning of heterosexism is to truly understand the concept of the NASW...
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...eflects my own views and experiences concerning LGBT group as it relates to the NASW position on Gays and Lesbian. It is because I am a social work student that I celebrate and support this statement.
Works Cited
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National Association of Social Workers. (1999). Code of ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Washington, DC: Author.
National Association of Social Workers. (2003). Lesbian, gay, and bisexual issues. Social work speaks: National Association of Social Workers policy statements, 2003–2006 (6th ed., pp. 224–235). Washington, DC: NASW Press.
Walter R. Schumm 2010: The Other Story about Same Sex Parenting, www. schumm@ksu.edu, Retrieved March 4, 2012
www.eReference.com/reference/dictionary/entry/heterosexism
First, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Code of Ethics Preamble (2008) states, “The primary mission of the social work profession is to enhance human wellbeing and help meet the basic human needs of all people.” In RCT, the goal is also to enhance wellbeing through the basic need for connection and growth-empowering relationships which is based on mutual empowerment for all people (Banks, Jordan, & Walker, 2011). Further, the NASW (2008) lists their core values to be: “service, social justice, dignity and worth of the person, importance of human relationships, integrity, and competence.” All of these values define RCT, because it emphasizes human relationships and the “five good things” (Jordan, 2008, p.2) that promote authenticity, respect, self-esteem, dignity, equality, and acts that promote relationships that empower others for an inclusive society (Banks, Jordan, & Walker,
The Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) Code of Ethics (2010) proposes three core values of Social Work, respect for persons, social justice and professional integrity (pp.12). These core values establish “ethical responsibilities” for the social worker (AASW, 2010, pp.12), specifically, the value of respect for persons, which sustains the intrinsic worth of all human beings as well as the right to wellbeing and self determination consistent with others in society (AASW, 2010,p.12). This Code of Ethics stipulates the duty of care a social worker must provide, a...
National Association of Social Workers [NASW]. (1998). The New NASW Code of Ethics Can Be Your Ally: Part I. Retrieved from: http://www.naswma.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=96
A client may expect a social worker of the same gender to agree with their own perspective. For example, in a couple going to marriage counseling with a female social worker, the wife may expect the social worker to take her side, while the husband may expect to receive little support. A social worker could also push how they feel about their gender on a client. For example, a female social worker may not approve of how a female client dresses and expect the client to dress the way she does or did at that client’s age. A client who is from the same culture as the social worker may expect the social worker to follow cultural norms, even if those norms are not in line with the NASW’s Code of Ethics. A social worker with a similar cultural background as a client may only offer certain resources, assuming the client will only accept resources that fit into the culture. Clients in the same age bracket as a social worker may feel the social worker is more of a friend and the social worker may find it difficult to earn the respect of a
Gays in today’s society face many problems not only with the Media’s eyes, but also on college campuses. Young adults who self-identify as lesbian, gay or bisexual experience major stresses in managing their sexual orientation.
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers. Washington DC: Author.
Wilson, K. et al. al., 2011 - p. 78. Social Work: 'Introduction to Contemporary Practice'. 2nd ed.
Same-sex marriage is now legal, spouses now have rights to pension benefits, continued insurance coverage, immigration laws are applied, as well as the right to tax filing status. Most people are allowing themselves to be more educated when it comes to homosexuality. Nurses who are more empathetic and compassionate tend to be those who work among PLWHA, or people living with HIV and AIDS, and are associated with lower feelings of psychological distress. There are also several studies that depict the more negative attitudes of health care providers towards patients with HIV/AIDS for reasons such a general fear of working with the terminally ill, perceptions of personal risk, being professionally adjudicated upon, fear of contracting the disease, and the unwillingness to work with patient populations including but not limited to homosexuals and intravenous drug users. These findings are consistent with Allport’s social psychology theory of intergroup contact (SOURCE), a theory that describes a weakened prejudice caused by increased contact with “an out-group” leading to a more positive attitude toward that group. In regards to nurses, it was found that the perception of stigma related to HIV influences their job satisfaction significantly. Research has also shown that
Reamer, R.G. (2006). Social Work Values and Ethics . 3rd ed. New York: Colombia University
I have a strong work ethic and I have respect for my parents and elders. I think that everyone is shaped from their family and what their family has as child rearing practices. Walker quotes, “Parent’s influence on children’s moral development [was strong], given their position of authority within the family” (Walker 1999). As a social worker, everyone has to be open to their clients, especially if clients have a different belief than you. I know growing up in the south, I was taught that gay marriage was wrong and you have to be who you were born to be. I have also been taught that it is wrong to be interracial married. Now times have changed and these things are acceptable. As a social worker, I will meet with people who are different than me and believe different things than me. I can run into a gay person, or someone who is interracial married. Being a social worker, you have to be comfortable with other people; you cannot let them affect who you are. I might not believe in certain things, but it does not mean that I will not help them. I will put my cultural identity behind me and I will help my client. It might be hard to do, but I can go talk to my supervisor if I feel like the difference would interfere with how I would help my
National Association of Social Workers. (2016). Code of Ethics of the National Association of Social Workers Retrieved
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