SOCW 3001 Walden Microaggressions Through Lens of the LGBTQ Population Discussion

Discussion 1 (a): Microaggressions – Through the Lens of the LGBTQ Population

What pronouns do you prefer to use? Asking this question of all clients signals a safe space for a LGBTQ person. Many people often assume an individual is heterosexual and cis-gender until told otherwise. To counteract this bias, a best practice for social workers is to simply ask all clients how they identify and never assume the gender of a client’s sexual partners.

A common microaggression related to the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning) community is excluding issues related to transgender individuals and focusing only on sexual orientation. Sexual orientation and gender identity are two different constructs that are not necessarily related. Transgender individuals may identify as heterosexual, lesbian/gay, bisexual, or queer. This is one reason you discussed transgender experiences in Week 3 when considering the social influence on gender.

This week, you discuss the impact of microaggressions on LGBTQ population and how a social worker may respond to the situation.

Post your response to the following:

• Identify three specific examples of microaggressions that the LGBTQ population may experience.
• Explain the impact on the individual of experiencing microaggressions. Be sure to use the literature (in the learning resources) to support your thoughts.
• Explain why some people may speak or act in ways that could be considered a microaggression.

• Discussion 1 (b): Impact of Race in Worker-Client Relationships – Through an African American Lens
  How might you respond to a white social worker who states, “I’m not racist. In fact, I don’t see race. I treat everyone the same”?
  Recall from Week 2 that some people attempt to create an equalized environment by dismissing group level differences, instead focusing on individual-level uniqueness and universal-level similarities. This color-blind ideology can actually cause harm because not acknowledging group-level differences ignores the fact that people of color are treated differently based on their perceived membership with a racial group. Failure to acknowledge racial differences may perpetuate inequalities.
  How would you address race when working with a client? Would it matter if the client was from the same or a different racial group? Considering the Racial/Cultural Identity Development Model, how might the stage of both the social worker and the client affect the interaction? In this Discussion, you examine those ideas.
  Post your response to the following:
• Explain how you might address race when working with an African American client.
• If you are African American, respond from your perspective of sharing the race of your client.
• How might the ways in which you perceive, understand, or experience race affect your work with an African American client?
• Explain how race affects access to services.
• Describe two strategies to prevent or respond to the microaggressions your colleague identified.