Course Description

Students will learn about and interact with issues and theories in social work practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) persons. Students will gain knowledge about empirically grounded explanatory theories about sexual orientation and gender identity. Students will be able to identify situations that are challenging to LGBTQ persons across their life course, on both a micro and macro level, and demonstrate an ability to advocate on behalf of clients against oppression and discrimination. Students will critically reflect on their own identities and consider the intersectionality of identity. Students will learn about clinical and macro interventions that are useful when working with LGBTQ persons. Students will examine their own biases about sexual orientation and gender identity. The course is appropriate for a clinical or SWAPPP track social work student. Prerequisites for the course include successful completion of the foundation year curriculum.