For this week you can choose 1 gender-focused reading and 1 article focused on practice with
LGBT people and communities. Use the guidance in the syllabus to guide your choice.
Choose 1 from this list
Chapter 9 in Diversity, Oppression, and Change Textbook:
A note on terms: There may be some new terms here, so use the glossary at the end of the
chapter to support you. I will review these terms and a few others in class. However, one that is
not reviewed but used in the text is the word “Hegemonic” regarding masculinity specifically.
Hegemony (or its adjective form hegemonic) means “leadership or dominance, especially by
one country or social group, over others.” It is slightly different from patriarchy which sort of
describes any male as powerful in interpersonal situations and then of course in systems.
Hegemonic masculinity specifically describes a powerful social construction of the idealized
performance of masculinity, which – unlike the way the word patriarchy is used – excludes
many men. Read more in the chapter!
1. Define and discuss the differences between sex, gender, gender roles, and gender
identity.
2. Has sexism been addressed in the United States? How do you know? Use evidence
from the text to support your answer.
From Abortion Rights to Reproductive Justice: A Call to Action
- Briefly summarize the “pillars of the reproductive justice movement”
- This article was published shortly before the Dobbs decision. Reading the article and the
calls to action from our current policy landscape, what do you think about the call to
action? To what extent do you see professional organizations and members committing
to these? What else might need to be done to pursue Reproductive Justice?
Justifying Sex: The Place of Women’s Sexuality on a Social Justice Agenda
- To what extent have you thought about sex and sexuality as an area of practice in your
work? Briefly reflect on that.
- How does Dr. Bay-Cheng apply intersectionality in this article?
- What does Dr. Bay-Cheng encourage practitioners to do to engage women’s sexuality in
practice?
Choose 1 from this list
Chapter 10 in Diversity, Oppression, and Change Textbook:
1. A common theme in discussions of the origins of sexual orientation – in popular
thinking, social science theory, and law – is the debate over the role of choice in
sexual orientation. Do people have a choice to be or not be gay, lesbian, or bisexual?
Explain your answer using evidence from the text or other resources.
2. What is the purpose of including the ‘heterosexual questionnaire’ in Box 10.1 on
page 212?
3. Describe minority stress theory.
A conceptualisation of equitable social work practice with transgender and gender diverse
communities
- Define “equitable social work”
- Describe how the social work profession has contributed to the marginalization of trans
and gender diverse people.
- What do the authors, informed by their research participants and analysis, recommend
to provide equitable social work practice to trans and gender diverse people and
communities?
Breaking Barriers and Building Bridges: Understanding the Pervasive Needs of Older LGBT
Adults and the Value of Social Work in Health Care
Note if you are less familiar with the history and current complexity of social problems facing
older adults, particularly from oppressed group, this article has a very useful background
section!
- Describe some of the intersections of identity and social determinants of health that are
important to consider when working with older LGBT adults.
- What do the authors suggest are best practices for working with this population?
Transgender and Gender Diverse Children: Considerations for Affirmative Social Work
Practice
- Describe the barriers that these children can face to care.
- The author suggests that the gender binary is a particularly problematic, even irrelevant,
construct for TGB youth. Briefly describe her argument. (see section: Transgender and
Gender Diverse Identities in Childhood)
- What does the author suggest are best practices for working with this population?
