lgbt reflection essay

Reflections on LGBTQ Rights

Steps forward, vulnerability to human trafficking, and challenges ahead..

Posted June 30, 2017

By Paola M. Contreras, PsyD, guest contributor

The LGBTQ community has much to celebrate this Pride month; the right to marry, first across multiple states and now recognized federally, has continued to provide securities that until recently only heterosexual couples enjoyed. The arts, mainstream media, politics , academia, the sciences, sports, and many other forms of social and cultural expressions led by LGBTQ persons are ever growing. However, there is still much to be done as the LGBTQ community continues to meets considerable rejection and opposition. One highly alarming consequence of the marginalization of LGBTQ individuals is vulnerability to human trafficking.

Research shows that LGBTQ youth are disproportionately vulnerable to the lures of sex traffickers, be it in the United States or other countries[1]. In the U.S., the route into trafficking for an LGBTQ minor typically begins with a fear of, outright rejection, or violence by the youth's primary caregivers that leads to that person running away. Once he/she/they is on the streets and homeless, the trafficker takes advantage of the young person's unmet basic needs (food, place to stay) and most disturbing, the youth's emotional needs for love and acceptance. The trafficker promises to meet these needs in a feigned supportive relationship — friendship , a romantic partner, a surrogate parent, etc. The colloquial term for this phase of trafficking is “grooming.” Once the young person feels attached to the trafficker and is more trusting, the trafficker then forces the target into trading sex for money.

A similar pattern into trafficking occurs for many of the transgender individuals I have evaluated, who were trafficked from countries in Central America. Often, lacking any chance of formal employment or access to higher education , they began to prostitute in their country of origin. Most were lured by traffickers while prostituting and offered ideal job opportunities—along with the promise of an accepting and open society towards their LGBTQ identity in the United States.

One of the findings[2] from a meta-analysis of human trafficking studies found that a need for love, acceptance and ambition were among the main risk factors why people were vulnerable to exploitation. It is an interesting finding for several reasons. The need for love, acceptance, and ambition are desirable and even necessary human traits. Traffickers exploit these fundamental human needs when societies fail to meet them. As an example, Megan[3], a young woman I worked with in psychotherapy , told me she knew she was different from an early age but wasn't sure how she was different. "It didn't occur to me that I was attracted to women until a guy that I met told me," she said. He was the first person who appeared to understand and accept Megan. At age 16, she ran away from home with him. He promised Megan a place to stay and a brotherly relationship, but it soon turned exploitative.

Megan's "friend" was a trafficker who sold her online for sex for several years. She said he convinced her that selling herself for sex was the only way to make a living because nobody would accept her because she was gay. Megan's yearning for acceptance, as well as her fears of rejection were exploited by the trafficker. Most concerning was that Megan carried well-founded fears as several systems had already failed to support her in a manner that could have prevented her trafficking.

I opened this reflection by talking about the many steps forward for the LGBTQ community. I stress that these feats have been significant for many reasons, but I end with a message to those of us who work with LGBTQ individuals —we cannot slumber. There is still much work to be done. At William James College , the needs of the LGBTQ community are present in our curricula, the professors who identify with the LGBTQ community, and in our ever present activism. The future psychologists and counselors that we train, both LGBTQ and heterosexual, learn through self-reflective work, diversified curricula, and sustained exposure to LGBTQ issues – all of which provide the deep listening, understanding and healing that the LGBTQ community has a right to experience in the clinical services it receives.

All of us who care and feel connected to the LGBTQ community need to keep pushing forward messages that communicate to those in the most vulnerable situations that they matter. If you are an educator, compel yourself to pull aside a young and possibly struggling LGBTQ person and offer support. If you work in any sector of human services, make it a routine to ask questions that may help LGBTQ people navigate their identities, and be prepared to listen with curiosity and openness to their responses to these deeper questions about identity.

I want to close with words from Rigoberta Menchú, a Nobel laureate acclaimed for her work on the rights of indigenous people in Guatemala. "We may be only a small grain of sand, but it is one which will prove important for the challenges Humankind must face in the next millennium.[4]"

If we all lend a grain of sand, over time, it will generate a resilient shoreline that can hold and give us a space to work through the overwhelming seas of resistance that we face.

Paola Michelle Contreras, PsyD is an Assistant Professor at William James College where she leads the Human Trafficking Community Research Hub that studies how to provide effective clinical services to people who have experienced exploitation.

[1] Stransky, M., & Finkelhor, D. (2008). How many juveniles are involved in prostitution in the U.S.? University of New Hampshire, Crimes Against Children Research Center. Retrieved from http://www.unh.edu/ccrc

[2] Reid, J. A. (2011). An exploratory model of girls’ vulnerability to commercial sexual exploitation in prostitution. Child Maltreatment, 16(2), 146-157.

[3] Identifying information has been modified to protect the patient’s confidentiality.

[4] Retrieved from http://www.dadalos.org/int/vorbilder/vorbilder/rigoberta/interview.htm

Robert Dingman, Ed.D., is an Associate Professor and Director of the Military and Veterans Psychology Concentration and Train Vets to Treat Vets program at William James College.

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Home Essay Samples Sociology

Essay Samples on LGBTQ

Lgbtq rights: navigating equality and inclusivity.

LGBTQ rights have emerged as a significant social and legal issue, challenging societies worldwide to confront questions of equality, discrimination, and inclusivity. This essay delves into the multifaceted landscape of LGBTQ rights, examining the historical context, legal advancements, challenges, and the ongoing journey towards achieving...

• Human Rights

LGBTQ Rights: An Argumentative Landscape

The rights of the LGBTQ community have emerged as a crucial and contentious issue in today's society. This essay undertakes an in-depth analysis of the argumentative discourse surrounding LGBTQ rights, scrutinizing the diverse perspectives, presenting evidence, and providing critical commentary on this complex matter. By...

Persuading for Equality: Embracing LGBTQ Rights

LGBTQ rights have become a pivotal social issue, demanding our collective attention and action. This persuasive essay aims to advocate for the full acceptance and legal protection of LGBTQ individuals, emphasizing the importance of equality, the negative consequences of discrimination, and the societal benefits of...

The Complexity of LGBTQ Identities: A Personal Opinion

LGBTQ identities constitute a rich tapestry of human diversity that has gained significant visibility and recognition in recent times. This opinion essay aims to provide a personal perspective on the multifaceted nature of LGBTQ identities, acknowledging their significance, challenges, and the evolving societal attitudes that...

LGBTQ Discrimination: Overcoming Prejudice and Fostering Inclusion

LGBTQ discrimination has been a persistent issue, characterized by inequality, prejudice, and systemic biases. This essay delves into the multifaceted nature of LGBTQ discrimination, exploring its origins, manifestations, impact on individuals and society, as well as the efforts to combat it and foster a more...

• Discrimination

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The Argumentative Discourse Surrounding LGBTQ

The discourse surrounding LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer) rights has been a prominent and contentious topic in contemporary society. This essay aims to delve into the argumentative nature of discussions about LGBTQ issues, examining the diverse perspectives and providing an analysis of the...

The Argument for LGBTQ Community Empowerment

The LGBTQ community has been at the forefront of a societal revolution, advocating for rights, recognition, and acceptance. This argumentative essay delves into the essential reasons behind supporting and empowering the LGBTQ community, exploring the quest for equality, the promotion of diversity, and the imperative...

Accepting the LGBTQ+ Community: Inclusivity and Equality

In today's global society, acceptance and understanding of diverse identities, particularly those of the LGBTQ+ community, are vital to fostering environments where every individual feels valued and safe. Historically, LGBTQ+ individuals have faced prejudice, discrimination, and significant challenges, but a shift towards inclusivity and equality...

Best topics on LGBTQ

1. LGBTQ Rights: Navigating Equality and Inclusivity

2. LGBTQ Rights: An Argumentative Landscape

3. Persuading for Equality: Embracing LGBTQ Rights

4. The Complexity of LGBTQ Identities: A Personal Opinion

5. LGBTQ Discrimination: Overcoming Prejudice and Fostering Inclusion

6. The Argumentative Discourse Surrounding LGBTQ

7. The Argument for LGBTQ Community Empowerment

8. Accepting the LGBTQ+ Community: Inclusivity and Equality

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Coming Into Myself as LGBTQIA+: A Personal Essay on Queer Invisibility

October 12, 2020.

That 6-year relationship with my first ever partner turned into a marriage, which only lasted one year, but is something I’ll always treasure. She recently came out as trans, which made me further realize there’s always been glimpses into my queerness and my own transness. Neither of us were in a safe enough headspace to discover we were in a t4t marriage all along. 

After a lot of grieving and repeatedly playing the saddest Morrissey songs I could find, I met my now-partner and fell in love.

Society can make us feel like we have to be sure before coming out. If I, as a person in a long-term relationship with a man, identified as straight, no one would demand to know whether I was 100% certain I’d never be attracted to another gender. But bisexual and pansexual attraction is so stigmatized and erased, that we’ve created a social narrative where you have to be incredibly secure in your identity, and have overcome hardships in its name, to claim it.

The act of coming out to myself is validating and affirming, coming into alignment with who I really am and finding ways to honor that. My coming out is also paired with the understanding of the privileges that come being a white person in a straight-passing partnership. I would like to remind myself and others that we should be asking ourselves daily: are Black, trans women and femmes being centered? What can we be doing to amplify their voices? For me, I can redirect people with my words and actions to center Black trans femmes.

posted in: Education tagged with: coming out , LGBTQIA , nonbinary , pansexual , queer , queer invisibility , sexuality , transness

February 3, 2021

Thank you for this. I’m in exactly the same situation, grappling with my sexual identity, only being in a long term marriage with a cis/het male partner, feeling invisible. It’s so nice to know that I’m not alone.

March 25, 2021

You absolutely are not alone. Here to listen. Thank you for sharing with me, it can be really tough feeling invisible like that.

Thank you so much for sharing your story! I related to so much of this and it is so validating to hear that I am not alone. I have only had two serious relationships in my life both with cis/het males and the second one is with my now husband. I feel like I have always known that I am bi/pan but I finally felt comfortable with telling my husband and closest friends this year. I am proud of myself for sharing this part of me and still coming into my queerness, but reading about similar experiences allows me to feel even more valid in my identity. Thank you for being you!

Thank you for sharing this as well! It can be an isolating experience. You aren’t alone in it and your identity is completely valid and worthy of celebrating. We totally need to hang out one day, I feel like we have a lot in common!

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20 Must-Read Queer Essay Collections

Laura Sackton

Laura Sackton is a queer book nerd and freelance writer, known on the internet for loving winter, despising summer, and going overboard with extravagant baking projects. In addition to her work at Book Riot, she reviews for BookPage and AudioFile, and writes a weekly newsletter, Books & Bakes , celebrating queer lit and tasty treats. You can catch her on Instagram shouting about the queer books she loves and sharing photos of the walks she takes in the hills of Western Mass (while listening to audiobooks, of course).

View All posts by Laura Sackton

I love essay collections, and I love queer books, so obviously I love queer essay collections. An essay collection can be so many things. It can be an opportunity to examine one particular subject in depth. Or it can be a wonderful messy mix of dozens of themes and ideas. The books on this list are a mix of both. Some hone in on an author’s own life, while others look outward, examining current events, history, and pop culture. Some are funny, some are very serious, and some are decidedly both.

In making this list, I used two criteria: 1) queer authors and 2) queer content. There are, of course, plenty of wonderful essay collections out there by queer authors that aren’t about queerness. But this list focuses on essays that explore queerness in all its messy glory. You’ll also find essays here about many other things: tornadoes, step-parenthood, the internet, tarot, activism, online dating, to name just a few. But taken together, the essays in each of these books add up to a queer whole.

I limited myself to living authors, and even so, there were so many amazing queer essay collections I wanted to include but couldn’t. This is just a drop in the bucket, but it’s a great place to start if you need more queer essays in your life — and who doesn’t?

Personal Queer Essay Collections

How to Write An Autobiographical Novel by Alexander Chee

It’s hard for me to put my finger on the thing that elevates an essay collection from a handful of individual pieces to a cohesive book. But Chee obviously knows what that thing is, because this book builds on itself. He writes about growing roses and working odd jobs and AIDS activism and drag and writing a novel, and each of these essays is singularly moving. But as a whole they paint a complex portrait of a slice of the writer’s life. They inform and converse with each other, and the result is a book you can revisit again and again, always finding something new.

I Hope We Choose Love by Kai Cheng Thom

In this collection of beautiful and thought-provoking essays, Kai Cheng Thom explores the messy, far-from-perfect realties of queer and trans communities and community movements. She writes about what many community organizers, activists, and artists don’t want to talk about: the hard stuff, the painful stuff, the bad times. It’s not all grim, but it’s very real. Thom addresses transphobia, racism, and exclusion, but she also writes about the particular joys she’s found in creating community and family with other queer and trans people of color. This is a must-read for anyone involved in social justice work, or immersed in queer community.

Here For It by R. Eric Thomas

If you enjoy books that blend humor and heartfelt wisdom, you’ll love this collection. R. Eric Thomas writes about coming of age as a writer on the internet, his changing relationship to Christianity, the messy intersections of his queer Black identity. It’s a lovey mix of grappling and quips. It’s full of pop culture references and witty asides, as well as moving, vulnerable personal stories.

The Rib Joint by Julia Koets

This slim memoir-in-essays is entirely personal. Although Koets does weave some history, pop culture, and religion into the work — everything from the history of organs to Sally Ride — her gaze is mostly focused inward. The essays are short and beautifully written; she often leaves the analysis to the reader, simply letting distinct and sometimes contradictory ideas and images sit next to each other on the page. She writes about her childhood in the South, the hidden and often invisible queer relationships she had as a teenager and young adult, secrets and closets, and the tensions and overlaps between religion and queerness.

I Can’t Date Jesus by Michael Arceneaux

This is another fantastic humorous essay collection. Arceneaux somehow manages to be laugh-out-loud funny while also delivering nuanced cultural critique and telling vulnerable stories from his life. He writes about growing up in Houston, family relationships, coming out, and so much more. The whole book wrestles with how to be a young Black queer person striving to make meaning in the world. His second collection, I Don’t Want to Die Poor , is equally wonderful.

Tomboyland by Melissa Faliveno

If you’re wondering, this is the book that contains an essay about tornadoes. It also contains a gorgeous essay about pantry moths (among other things). Those are just two of the many subjects Faliveno plumbs the depths of in this remarkable book. She writes about gender expression and how her relationship with gender has changed throughout her life, about queer desire and family, about Midwestern culture, about place and home, about bisexuality and bi erasure. Her far-ranging essays challenge mainstream ideas about what queer lives do and do not look like. She asks more questions than she answers, delving into the murky terrain of desire and identity.

Something That May Shock and Discredit You by Daniel M. Lavery

Is this book even an essay collection? It is, and it isn’t. Some of these pieces are deeply personal stories about Lavery’s experience with transition. Others are trans retellings of mythology, literature, and film. All of it is weird and smart and impossibly to classify. Lavery examines the idea of transition from every angle, creating new stories about trans history, trans identity, and transformation itself.

Brown White Black by Nishta J. Mehra

If there’s one thing I love most in an essay collection, it’s when an author allows contradictions and messy, fraught truths to live next to each other on the page. I love when an essayist asks more questions than they answer. That’s what Mehra does in this book. An Indian American woman married to a white woman and raising a Black son, she writes with openness and curiosity about her particular family. She explores how race, sexuality, gender, class, and religion impact her life and most intimate relationships, as well as American culture more broadly.

Blood, Marriage, Wine, & Glitter by S. Bear Bergman

This essay collection is an embodiment of queer joy, of what it means to become part of a queer family. Every essay captures some aspect of the complexity and joy that is queer family-making. Bergman writes about being a trans parent, about beloved friends, about the challenges of partnership, about intimacy in myriad forms. His tone is warm and open-hearted and joyful and celebratory.

Forty-Three Septembers by Jewelle Gómez

In these contemplative essays, Jewell Gómez explores the various pieces of her life as a Black lesbian, writing about family, aging, and her own history. Into these personal stories she weaves an analysis of history and current events. She writes about racism and homophobia, both within and outside of queer and Black communities, and about her life as an artist and poet, and how those identities, too, have shaped the way she sees the world.

Pass With Care by Cooper Lee Bombardier

Set mostly against the backdrop of queer culture in 1990s San Francisco, this memoir in essays is about trans identity, being an artist, masculinity, queer activism, and so much more. Bombardier brings particular places and times to life (San Francisco in the 1990s, but other places as well), but he also connects those times and experiences to the present in really interesting ways. He recognizes the importance of queer and trans history, while also exploring the possibilities of queer and trans futures.

Care Work by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

This is a beautiful, rigorous collection of essays about disability justice centering disabled queer and trans people of color. From an exploration of the radical care collectives Piepzna-Samarasinha and other queer and trans BIPOC have organized to an essay where examines the problems with the “survivor industrial complex,” every one of these pieces is full of wisdom, anger, transformation, radical celebration. It challenged me on so many levels, in the best possible way. It’s a must read for anyone engaged in any kind of activist work.

I’m Afraid of Men by Vivek Shraya

I’m cheating a little bit here, because technically I’d classify this book as one essay, singular, rather than a collection of essays. But I’m including it anyway, because it is brilliant, and because I think it exemplifies just what a good essay can do, what a powerful form of writing it can be. By reflection on various experiences Shraya has had with men over the course of her life, she examines the connections and intersections between sexism, transmisogyny, toxic masculinity, and sexual violence. It’s a heavy read, but Shraya’s writing is anything but. It’s agile and graceful, flowing and jumping between disparate thoughts and ideas. This is a book-length essay you can read in one sitting, but it’ll leave you with enough to think about for many days afterward.

Gender Failure by Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon

In this collaborative essay collection, trans writers and performers Ivan E. Coyote and Rae Spoon play with both gender and form. The book is a combination of personal essays, short vignettes, song lyrics, and images. Using these various kinds of storytelling, they both recount their own particular journeys around gender — how their genders have changed throughout their lives, the ways the gender binary has continually harmed them both, and the many communities, people, and experiences that have contributed to joyful self-expression and gender freedom.

The Groom Will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile

Matt Ortile uses his experiences as a gay Filipino immigrant as a lens in these witty, insightful, and moving essays. By telling his own stories — of dating, falling in love, struggling to “fit in” — he illuminates the intersections among so many issues facing America right now (and always). He writes about the model minority myth and many other myths he told himself about assimilation, sex, power, what it means to be an American. It’s a heartfelt collection of personal essays that engage meaningfully, and critically, with the wider world.

Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby

I’m not a big fan of humorous essays in this vein, heavy on pop culture references I do not understand and full of snark. But I absolutely love Irby’s books, which is about the highest praise I can give. I honestly think there is something in here for everyone. Irby is just so very much herself: she writes about whatever the hell she wants to, whether that’s aging or the weirdness of small town America or snacks (there is a lot to say about snacks). And whatever the subject, she’s always got something funny or insightful or new or just super relatable to say.

Queer Essay Anthologies

She Called Me Woman Edited by Azeenarh Mohammed, Chitra Nagarajan, and Aisha Salau

This anthology collects 30 first-person narratives by queer Nigerian women. The essays reflect a range of experiences, capturing the challenges that queer Nigerian women face, as well as the joyful lives and communities they’ve built. The essays explore sexuality, spirituality, relationships, money, love, societal expectations, gender expression, and so much more.

Untangling the Knot: Queer Voices on Marriage, Relationships & Identity by Carter Sickels

When gay marriage was legalized, I felt pretty ambivalent about it, even though I knew I was supposed to be excited. But I have never wanted or cared about marriage. Reading this book made me feel so seen. That’s not to say it’s anti-marriage — it isn’t! It’s a collection of personal essays from a diverse range of queer people about the families they’ve made. Some are traditional. Some are not. The essays are about marriages and friendships, parenthood and siblinghood, polyamorous relationships and monogamous ones. It’s a book that celebrates the different forms queer families take, never valuing any one kind of family or relationship over another.

Nonbinary: Memoirs of Gender and Identity Edited by Micah Rajunov and Scott Duane

This book collects essays from 30 nonbinary writers, and trans and gender-nonconforming writers whose genders fall outside the binary. The writers inhabit a diverse range of identity and experience in terms of race, age, class, sexuality. Some of the essays are explicitly about gender identity, others are about family and relationships, and still others are about activism and politics. As a whole, the book celebrates the expansiveness of trans experiences, and the many ways there are to inhabit a body.

Moving Truth(s): Queer and Transgender Desi Writings on Family Edited by Aparajeeta ‘Sasha’ Duttchoudhury and Rukie Hartman

This anthology brings together a collection of diverse essays by queer and trans Desi writers. The pieces explore family in all its shapes and iterations. Contributors write about community, friendship, culture, trauma, healing. It’s a wonderfully nuanced collection. Though there is a thread that runs through the whole book — queer and trans Desi identity — the range of viewpoints, styles and experiences represented makes it clear how expansive identity is.

Looking for more queer books? I made a list of 40 of my favorites . If you’re looking for more essay collections to add to your list, check out 10 Must-Read Essay Collections by Women , and The Best Essays from 2019 . And if you’re not in the mood for a whole book right now, why not try one of these free essays available online (including some great queer ones)?

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Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community Essay

Introduction, lgbtq as a community, challenges in the community, benefits of the community.

A defining characteristic of human beings is that they are social creatures. As such, relationships play a crucial role in the lives of all individuals. In most cases, people with some similarities group together and form an entity known as a community. By definition, a community is a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals.

Every person has a strong need to belong to a community. We all desire to be accepted by the people around us. As a human being, I desire a relationship with people who have attitudes, interests, and goals similar to my own. I have found this relationship in the LGBTQ community, which I am a member of.

The LGBTQ is a community since it bares some of the defining characteristic of a community. Brown and Hannis (2012) document that a community possesses attributes that easily distinguish it from the rest of the society.

The distinguishing attribute of LGBTQ people is that they have non-heterosexual sexual orientations. Another community characteristic of members of the LGBTQ is that they share in a belief, which is that people should not be discriminated against because of their sexual preferences. In addition to this, the LGBTQ is a community since it is made up of a relatively small segment of the society.

There are a number of challenges to being a part of the LGBTQ community. To begin with, this community still exists in an environment where discrimination based on sexual orientation persists. While the society is today more accepting of LGBTQ lifestyles than in the past decades, there is still significant contempt and negative pressure for LGBTQ members. Fetner, et al. (2012) reveal that once a person is involved in the LGBTQ community, he/she becomes easy to identify by the rest of the society.

This can provoke a backlash and make visible some of the hostilities to LGBTQs that remain hidden so long as the LGBTQ people are not identifiable. Being a member of the community therefore exposes me to being targeted by intolerant people who have strong anti-gay sentiments. If I was not a member of the society, I might have been able to go undetected by such people and therefore avoid discrimination.

Within the community, there is a lot of dispute and infighting. At times it feels like the LGBTQ is made up of five separate communities that have been bundled together but do not share goals or interests. People in the LGBTQ are likely to gravitate to the individuals who most closely share their identity and experiences (Nash, 2011). Lesbians therefore form a sub-community within the LGBTQ and so do gays, bisexuals, transgender and queers.

In addition to this, there is a tendency of the gay and lesbian members to isolate the transgender from their social life (Nash, 2011). This is based on the perception that transgender is not a matter of sexual orientation and as such, the issues affecting this group are different from those of the lesbian, gay and bisexual peoples’. This affects the overall cohesion of the group making it harder to tackle the important issue of obtaining justice in the society.

In spite of the challenges experienced by the LGBTQ, this community imparts a sense of positive identity and belonging to its members. Fetner, Elafros and Bortolin (2012) confirm that the LGBTQ community is a form of social support for individuals who are likely to feel isolated in the wider society because of their sexuality.

While in this society, I feel empowered by being surrounded by people who share my values and attitudes. In addition to this, I am able to gain knowledge and skills from more experienced people in the community. The LGBTQ is a place for sharing experiences and learning from other members who have faced challenges that I am going through in life. By listening to other members, I am able to obtain important life lessons that I can apply in my life.

The LGBTQ community creates a space that is free of the prejudices and discriminative attitudes that are commonplace in the greater society. In this space, I am able to express myself without fear of being judged. Being in a place where I am understood and accepted is emotionally beneficial.

Without the safe environment provided by the community, LGBTQ individuals are at greater risk of a host of social problems including depression, suicide, and drug use (Fetner, et al., 2012). The LGBTQ plays a positive role by creating a safe environment for its members.

Membership to the LGBTQ community is optional and a person has to make an individual choice to join the community. A lot of people who are eligible for membership to the community due to their sexual orientation have not joined since they fear the stigma attached to being an LGBTQ.

My decision to be a member of the LGBTQ was based on my belief that there should be more advocates for the issues that the group currently faces. By being a member of the community, I can make a positive contribution and therefore play a part in bringing about complete equality for the group.

Being a member of the LGBTQ community provides me with the opportunity to access a number of facilities specially created for my community. On of these facilities is the 519, which is a community center that plays a major role in my community. This 519 was created to serve the LGBTQ community in the Toronto area. It offers space for my community to interact and form greater ties. There are a lot of activities that can be engaged in at this space including promoting awareness of LGBTQ issues.

The Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto (MCC) is a Toronto based church that is welcoming to the LGBTQ community. While the church also has a heterosexual membership, it openly affirms the LGBTQ people and advocates for sexual equality in spite of a person’s orientation (MCC, 2014).

While I am a Muslim, I regularly volunteer at the MCC church. I feel that this church plays a major role for member of my community. It provides spiritual nourishment to a community that is otherwise ostracized by the mainstream churches. For this reason, I feel that it is my duty to contribute to the church by providing my services through volunteering.

Belonging in a community is important for the healthy social functional of an individual. Through this paper, I have discussed my membership to the LGBTQ community. For me, being a member of the LGBTQ is not only a positive experience but a beneficial one. This community provides me with a sense of belonging and acceptance that cannot be obtained in the larger society.

Brown, J. D., & Hannis, D. (2012). Community Development in Canada. (2nd ed.). Toronto: Pearson Canada.

Fetner, T., Elafros, A., & Bortolin, S. (2012). Safe Spaces: Gay-Straight Alliances in High Schools. Canadian Review of Sociology, 49 (2), 188-207.

MCC (2014). The Metropolitan Community Church of Toronto: Mission Statement. Web.

Nash, C. J. (2011). Trans experiences in lesbian and queer space. Canadian Geographer, 55 (2), 192-207.

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IvyPanda. (2022, May 2). Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lgbtq-community/

"Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community." IvyPanda , 2 May 2022, ivypanda.com/essays/lgbtq-community/.

IvyPanda . (2022) 'Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community'. 2 May.

IvyPanda . 2022. "Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community." May 2, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lgbtq-community/.

1. IvyPanda . "Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community." May 2, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lgbtq-community/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Defining Characteristic of LGBTQ Community." May 2, 2022. https://ivypanda.com/essays/lgbtq-community/.

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Argumentative Essays on LGBT

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Same-sex Marriage: Weighing The Arguments for and Against

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LGBT is an initialism that represents the diverse identities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender individuals. This term, along with its commonly used variations, serves as an umbrella term encompassing a range of sexual orientations and gender identities. It acknowledges and respects the experiences and diversity within these communities. The initialism LGBT provides a concise way to refer to these groups, promoting inclusivity and recognition of the unique challenges and contributions of individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

Starting around 1988, activists in the United States began adopting the initialism LGBT. It wasn't until the 1990s that the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities within the movement started receiving equal recognition. While the LGBT community has faced challenges and debates over the acceptance of various groups within it, the term LGBT has come to symbolize inclusivity and has had a positive impact. It serves as a unifying symbol for individuals of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, reflecting the ongoing progress towards equal respect and understanding. The evolution of the term LGBT highlights the collective efforts of activists and serves as a reminder of the continued work needed to achieve universal acceptance within the community.

Ellen DeGeneres: A well-known comedian, actress, and talk show host, DeGeneres came out as a lesbian in 1997, making a significant impact on mainstream visibility and acceptance of the LGBT community. She has been an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights and has used her platform to promote inclusivity and understanding. Sir Ian McKellen: A renowned British actor, McKellen has been openly gay and a prominent advocate for LGBT rights. He has used his platform to raise awareness, challenge discrimination, and promote inclusivity in the entertainment industry and beyond. Ellen Page (Elliot Page): Page, a Canadian actor, came out as gay in 2014 and later as transgender in 2020, changing his name to Elliot Page. He has been vocal about his experiences and has become an important advocate for transgender rights and representation in the media. Janelle Monáe: An American singer, songwriter, and actor, Monáe has identified as pansexual, openly expressing her attraction to people regardless of their gender. She has used her artistry and platform to promote LGBTQ+ visibility and empowerment. Billy Porter: A multi-talented actor, singer, and fashion icon, Porter is openly gay and has been a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. He has made a significant impact through his activism, while his unique style and presence challenge traditional gender norms.

Public opinion regarding the topic of LGBT has undergone significant transformations over time. While societal attitudes towards the LGBT community have become more accepting and supportive in various regions, it is essential to acknowledge that perspectives can vary widely based on cultural, religious, and individual beliefs. In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend towards increased acceptance and inclusivity towards LGBT individuals. Many individuals now recognize the importance of upholding equal rights and protections for people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. This shift can be attributed to factors such as heightened visibility of LGBT individuals in mainstream media, educational initiatives, and the tireless activism of the LGBT rights movement. However, it is crucial to note that not all individuals hold positive views towards the LGBT community. There are still pockets of resistance and discrimination, often rooted in deeply ingrained biases and misconceptions. These differing opinions contribute to ongoing debates and discussions surrounding issues like same-sex marriage, transgender rights, and the need for anti-discrimination measures.

The depiction of LGBT individuals in media has undergone significant changes, reflecting the evolving attitudes and increasing visibility of the LGBT community. In recent years, there has been a notable shift towards more authentic and diverse portrayals, highlighting the complexities and experiences of LGBT individuals. Television shows such as "Pose" have gained acclaim for their authentic representation of the transgender community and the ballroom culture in the 1980s and 1990s. This series not only features transgender actors in prominent roles but also explores the challenges and triumphs faced by the characters, providing a nuanced portrayal. Another example is the film "Moonlight," which received critical acclaim for its poignant depiction of a young, gay African American man navigating his identity and relationships. The film's exploration of sexuality and race resonated with audiences and contributed to important conversations surrounding intersectionality. Furthermore, the Netflix series "Orange Is the New Black" introduced a diverse range of LGBT characters, portraying their stories with depth and complexity. By showcasing the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women in a prison setting, the series shed light on the intersection of sexuality, gender, and incarceration.

The topic of LGBT is important because it encompasses the rights, experiences, and identities of a significant portion of the population. Recognizing and understanding the diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities promotes inclusivity, equality, and social justice. It is crucial to address the unique challenges and discrimination faced by LGBT individuals to foster a society that embraces everyone, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. By raising awareness, promoting acceptance, and advocating for equal rights, we can create a more inclusive and supportive environment where individuals can express their authentic selves without fear of discrimination or marginalization. Embracing the topic of LGBT is a step towards building a more compassionate and equitable society for all.

The topic of LGBT is worth writing an essay for students because it provides an opportunity for education, awareness, and personal growth. Engaging with this topic allows students to develop a deeper understanding of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, fostering empathy and acceptance. Exploring the challenges faced by LGBT individuals, such as discrimination and social stigma, encourages critical thinking and empathy-building skills. Additionally, studying the history and achievements of the LGBT rights movement can inspire students to become advocates for equality and inclusion. By addressing the topic of LGBT, students gain valuable knowledge that is relevant to today's society, helping to create a more inclusive and respectful environment for all individuals.

1. A significant portion of the LGBT community (42%) indicates residing in unwelcoming environments, while a substantial number of gay and lesbian youth (80%) experience severe social isolation. 2. Workplace discrimination remains a concern, with 35% of LGBT staff concealing their sexual orientation or gender identity due to fear of discrimination. 3. The majority (90%) of LGBT teens choose to come out to their close friends, highlighting the importance of supportive social circles.

1. Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.). LGBT Issues. Retrieved from https://www.hrc.org/resources/topic/lgbt-issues 2. American Psychological Association. (n.d.). LGBT Resources. Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/topics/lgbt 3. GLAAD. (n.d.). About GLAAD. Retrieved from https://www.glaad.org/about 4. Lambda Legal. (n.d.). Impacting Policy. Retrieved from https://www.lambdalegal.org/issues 5. National LGBT Chamber of Commerce. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from https://www.nglcc.org/ 6. Williams Institute. (n.d.). Research. Retrieved from https://williamsinstitute.law.ucla.edu/research/ 7. The Trevor Project. (n.d.). About. Retrieved from https://www.thetrevorproject.org/about/ 8. Transgender Legal Defense & Education Fund. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from https://transgenderlegal.org/ 9. Center for LGBTQ Economic Advancement & Research. (n.d.). Home. Retrieved from https://lgbtq-economics.org/ 10. Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD). (n.d.). GLAAD Media Reference Guide - 10th Edition. Retrieved from https://www.glaad.org/reference

Relevant topics

• Sex, Gender and Sexuality
• Media Analysis
• Effects of Social Media
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• American Identity
• Social Media
• Sociological Imagination
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• Social Justice

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Critical reflections and reflexivity on responding to the needs of LGBTQ+ youth in a global pandemic

The global community has been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 global pandemic. LGBTQ+ (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc.) youth may face increased stressors amidst the pandemic given their significant mental and sexual health disparities, pervasive rejection — including quarantining in homes with heightened risk of abuse and victimization, and a lack of access to essential resources. Responsive supports are needed at this time for vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth, particularly tailored mental health supports. This critical reflexive paper will highlight, as qualitative social work researchers and practitioners, the swift response to the needs of vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth across Canada during this pandemic. We provide a transparent account of how we have utilized critical reflexivity, cultivated through qualitative research, to support LGBTQ+ youth. This article will elucidate the importance of critical reflexivity in effectively transitioning essential offline mental health services for LGBTQ+ youth to a technology-mediated mental health affirmative intervention. The aim of this paper is to provide qualitative researchers and practitioners practical direction through important insights gleaned by supporting marginalized LGBTQ+ youth during particularly trying times such as a global pandemic.

COVID-19 has greatly impacted the global community in unprecedented ways. There have been countless news stories of great panic, calamity, and fallout; as well as courage, hope and inspiration. We have witnessed brave front-line social workers offering critical support and strength to communities, and the wielding of collective action and opportunities to advocate for important social changes (e.g., universal basic income; racial justice efforts) and access to essential resources. LGBTQ+ (i.e., lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, etc.) communities across the globe, particularly those most marginalized members, may face unique and disproportionate physiological, psychological, social, and financial challenges amidst this global pandemic (Human Right Campaign Foundation; HRCF, 2020a). For instance, recent research in the US reveals that LGBTQ+ communities are more likely to have experienced a cut in work hours compared to the general population, and are twice as likely to believe their finances will be worse off in one year compared to the general population (HRCF, 2020b).

LGBTQ+ youth may face heightened stress amidst the COVID-19 pandemic given their well-documented mental and sexual health disparities (e.g., depression, suicidality), familial and peer rejection, and a lack of access to resources due to their age and pervasive discrimination ( Meyer, 2003 ; Russell and Fish, 2016 ; Taylor et al., 2011 ). For instance, while it is estimated that 7% of youth in the US are LGBTQ+, 40% of homeless youth are LGBTQ+ identified ( Fowlkes, 2020 ; True Colors United, 2020), making it extremely difficult to protect themselves (e.g., via social distancing, personal protective equipment) from COVID-19. Additionally, LGBTQ+ youth may need to quarantine in hostile family situations where they may experience abuse and victimization due to their sexual and gender minority identities (HRCF, 2020a). All of these factors may disproportionately impact the wellbeing and mental health of vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth across the globe.

Proactive responses are required to support LGBTQ+ youth during COVID-19. Specifically, tailored mental health supports may provide a foundation to adequately address the needs of the most vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth during a pandemic. As social work researchers and practitioners, who were already responding to the needs of LGBTQ+ youth offline in the community through the implementation of affirmative cognitive-behavioral group interventions (i.e., AFFIRM) (Craig et al., 2019) , we decided to swiftly respond to the needs of vulnerable youth by offering AFFIRM online to LGBTQ+ youth across Canada.

While this response came with much anxiety, given the difficult reality of the newly announced pandemic, we knew that responding to the needs of vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth would be worth grappling with the uncertainty and extra work that this approach would bring. In doing so, we have been able to mitigate the risks of discontinuing essential mental health services to vulnerable youth who would otherwise potentially find themselves in dire circumstances (e.g., extreme isolation, suicidality). In our team discussions at the beginning of the pandemic, we discussed the risks and benefits of providing a familiar service, with an unfamiliar online platform. We were grappling with many of the same challenges faced by LGBTQ+ youth (e.g., uncertainty about the future, isolation), and it was together that we could discuss those feelings and experience support. It has been profoundly meaningful to support LGBTQ+ youth through a research project evaluating a technology-mediated mental health group intervention, AFFIRM (Craig et al., 2019). This approach has resulted in improved mental health and coping skills, and an increased sense of social support among LGBTQ+ youth (Craig and Austin, 2016). As LGBTQ+ identified social work clinician-scholars, we have utilized reflexivity skills cultivated through qualitative research during this pandemic, as we have been challenged to be reflective in our support of our communities. Ultimately, we felt that the benefits of providing an immediate service greatly outweighed the potential risks of meeting with youth online while they were quarantining. In demonstrating the value of reflexivity in effectively transitioning AFFIRM to an online platform to support LGBTQ+ youth, the following sections aim to provide important insights that we have gleaned from supporting a particularly marginalized population globally, LGBTQ+ youth.

Working through feelings of helplessness

There have been times during self-isolation where our desires and efforts to help ourselves were thwarted by extreme anxiety; these experiences at times eroded our sense of efficacy in being able to best support LGBTQ+ youth. Our desire to support LGBTQ+ youth was strong, but often imbued with a sense of felt helplessness, given the barriers they faced both during the quarantine and as a marginalized group (e.g., not being out at home, experiencing crises, intrafamilial victimization). We knew through countless prior clinical assessments and research activities that the youth we worked with presented with many psychosocial risks. We felt that we had to process our reflections, which we did in our meetings, in order to funnel our feelings towards meaningful action, and attempt to be helpful and present for the LGBTQ+ youth we served. Although we all felt apprehensive, we were also confident in our abilities, and steadfast in our need to respond.

Skillful reflexivity necessitates practice ( Markham, 2017 ). Thus, critical reflexivity was fostered by carving out a regular time in our day to ask ourselves difficult questions about our work with LGBTQ+ youth during a pandemic. We asked ourselves: How do we stay grounded in this work while supporting youth?; Were we making a difference?; How do we know they are truly supported and safe?; How do we stay motivated when we are dealing with our own stressors and anxiety? Additionally, we carefully considered whether we were going to be able to effectively mitigate the risks of providing mental health services to a youth population with many risk factors (e.g., elevated levels of suicidality), particularly when the literature calls for offline approaches when working with high-risk populations. How will we manage our own human reactions, including stress and fear? What practices did we need to engage in to feel regulated? These, and many more related questions created much stress — and increasing clarity — as we moved through our decision-making process and weighed the benefits and risks.

What we discovered as we established this reflexive stance was that we needed to muster up the courage and strength to respond to the emerging needs of the youth we serve. We needed grit, tenacity, and compassion — for ourselves and for LGBTQ+ youth — to move past fear and apprehension and show up as supportive social work professionals. Ultimately, it took a combination of critical reflection, meditation, clinical consultation and deepened communication to finally tap into an inner source of energy to be present for the LGBTQ+ youth that we wanted to support through this pandemic.

Positionality and social locations

In reflexively practicing qualitative social work inquiry, it is critical to identify how our frame of reference is situated (i.e., within a particular local, political, and historical context) ( Probst and Berenson, 2014 ). This approach is important in helping us determine how our social positions, identities, places of privilege and disadvantage impact the work we do with LGBTQ+ youth. A critical piece in doing this work, moving all mental health services online to support young LGBTQ+ folks, required revisiting our positionalities within the context of a global pandemic. How am I, coauthor GI, located and positioned within various social, historical, political contexts that inform how I am affected by the pandemic? How do my social locations (GI) as a white, cisgender, male-identified, queer person, that conducts social work research and practice impact my various privileges and buffer against stressors in this situation? How do my cultural experiences being a child of immigrants who fled precarious situations, post-World War II, contribute to my hypervigilance during this time and my ability to be present and support vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth? I continue to grapple with these questions. What has been interesting though, since moving all services virtually, is that deep relationships have formed among LGBTQ+ youth AFFIRM participants, and the feared risks of not being able to effectively support vulnerable youth on a virtual platform, in a pandemic, were unfounded. In fact, I (GI) pleasantly discovered rich and durable displays of youth participants’ resilience in this pandemic, leaving me completely amazed in witnessing the power of the human spirit to overcome adversity.

Coauthor RP, as well, wondered how my privileges and disadvantages played a role in my approach to offering support for LGBTQ+ youth during the COVID-19 pandemic. As a white, queer, ciswoman with straight privilege, in academic research and social work clinical practice positions, I had to grapple with what support I could offer vulnerable youth during this time. I (RP) have also recognized that my own anxieties and my family’s cultural history of intergenerational trauma, which included facing antisemitism and searching for safety after World War II in Canada, have affected me during this pandemic. At times, my hypervigilance and awareness of danger were not wholly attributed to the present situation, but rather the real dangers that my family experienced and the fear that was passed on to me. As the pandemic continued and I continued to facilitate groups, I noticed strengths and tensions arise in the context of online groups. As a social worker, I felt it was important to help all group members, but soon learned that the online modality was not suitable to everyone who expressed interest. This allowed me to practice letting go, and come to terms with the fact that I cannot help everyone expressing interest in AFFIRM at this time. Like my cofacilitator (GI), I was also pleasantly surprised that online therapy reportedly was effective, and the same experiences of connection, community, and support experienced when groups are offered in person were still shared by the members of the groups during their final sessions. As well, I was pleasantly surprised by the glimpses into the group members’ homes and lives. What I would previously consider disclosures of my life, such as my cat walking across the screen, became moments of shared humor and deeper connection, eliciting sharing of pets, panel shots of group members’ bedrooms, and demonstrations of meaningful trinkets.

As a white, cisgender lesbian academic with decades of experience working with LGBTQ+ youth, that is also the PI on the AFFIRM study, this coauthor (SLC) balanced anxiety with pragmatism. She was fearful of the impact that COVID-19 was having on our LGBTQ+ participants, yet recognized that we had to be nimble and immediately respond to provide support. The concerns were exacerbated when she recognized that utilizing a new technology to engage youth in crises would contribute to additional stress on the AFFIRM facilitators, and she struggled with whether she was providing enough support to facilitators. She was also worried that her grasp of the technology would hamper her support of the facilitators. In addition, she had to consider ways to integrate the new reality of the pandemic into the research, while maintaining the study quality and minimizing participant stress. These critical reflections/questions generate an awareness that can inform the way we work with youth and allows for a critical analysis in our practice that contributes to our growth as researchers.

As social work professionals, being ‘reflexive’ is not necessarily about specific activities but rather an attitude and openness to maintain “self-awareness and agency within that self-awareness… to think about our thinking and our feeling, to have a feeling about a feeling, to have a desire about a desire, and that this self-awareness flows into action” ( Rennie, 2004 : 183). As illustrated below, we have integrated the knowledge gained through our reflexivity into actions to better support LGBTQ+ youth in a pandemic.

Showing up and being effective with LGBTQ+ youth during a pandemic

Meeting where they are at.

We have found that in order to delve deeper into any challenge youth were experiencing (e.g., unsafe living conditions, suicidality) we needed to support them to practice self-reflection before problem solving and taking action steps. An important element of this work with LGBTQ+ youth first involved supporting them where they are at in terms of any immediate stress and anxiety they were experiencing. For instance, while AFFIRM consists of planned check-in questions/activities, we needed to adapt our check-ins and take more time to process their pandemic-related stressors. Additionally, we needed to utilize increased grounding approaches (e.g., deep breathing, mindfulness) to support meeting the goals for the session. Once we have engaged youth in grounding and processing, we move to remind them of previous session content and skills, current session materials, and begin to adequately respond to their overall needs.

Transparency and vulnerability

An interesting element of this work involves the explicit and increased use of self and vulnerability. As social work professionals, we are not immune to pandemic-related stressors. We have found it helpful to increase personal transparency to normalize and validate the youth experience. For example, in response to youth’s struggles with regulating their sleep schedules, finding the motivation to do schoolwork, and losing touch with once close friends, we responded with empathy and useful therapeutic self-disclosure around our own struggles with the same issues. We have seen the value of vulnerability, as queer people ourselves, in sharing with younger people in our community the sense of shared humanity. They may see that, as queer people, we are struggling with stress and also finding ways to cope and be resilient in the face of uncertainty and disruption. We believe the extra vulnerability also contributes to the lessening of power differentials (e.g., inherent researcher-participant and client-therapist power imbalances), which has been very well received among youth whose marginalized identities renders them with less power in many social contexts.

Going the extra mile

We have also had to offer wraparound support to LGBTQ+ youth while they participate in AFFIRM online. For instance, we have extended our scope of support to offer case management, referrals (housing, food banks, legal), as well as additional text/phone crisis support. Typically, these extra supports would be provided by the collaborating agency in which AFFIRM would be held. As a geographically-diverse research project, we have partnered with various agencies to provide LGBTQ+ youth local resources in addition to effective mental health treatment offered through AFFIRM. Additionally, we have aimed to support one another as LGBTQ+ social work researchers and clinicians. For instance, our communication and consultation with one another has significantly increased (e.g., increased processing and debriefs post-session; greater online social time and informal text-messaging) to ensure that we remain reflexive in this important work, and are providing the best possible service to LGBTQ+ youth.

As LGBTQ+ researchers and clinicians, we have been profoundly moved by the need among vulnerable LGBTQ+ youth during the pandemic We have responded by offering support during a difficult, uncertain and unprecedented time. While we may regard this period as a global health crisis, for marginalized communities such as LGBTQ+ youth, the crisis is significantly more extreme given the real intersectional mental health, social, cultural, and institutional barriers they regularly face in society. LGBTQ+ youth have reported to value our vulnerable support. By responding to LGBTQ+ youth’s desire for immediate and comprehensive support during our research projects, and offering them the space to process difficult emotions, we have cultivated our own reflexivity and contributed to our own wellbeing as well as that of our LGBTQ+ youth participants.

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the AFFIRM participants and to Andrew Eaton, Vivian Leung and Nelson Pang for their work as members of the AFFIRM team. We thank Cheryl Dobinson and Planned Parenthood Toronto for their partnership and the Public Health Agency of Canada for their support of the AFFIRM intervention. Dr. Craig is the Canada Research Chair in Sexual and Gender Minority Youth.

Declaration of conflicting interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding: The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD: Gio Iacono https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5285-7020

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Home / Essay Samples / Sociology / LGBT / LGBTQ+ Rights: Navigating Society’s Challenges

LGBTQ+ Rights: Navigating Society's Challenges

• Category: Sociology , Social Issues
• Topic: Community Violence , Gender Discrimination , LGBT

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