N. Eugene Walls

Gay–Straight Alliances and School Experiences of Sexual Minority Youth

Recent findings on the impact of gay—straight alliances (GSAs) on the school experiences of sexual minority youth have demonstrated that numerous positive outcomes are associated with attending schools that have such student organizations. Some research attributes the positive impact to shifts in campus climate resulting from recognition and legitimization of GSAs, whereas other research suggests the influence is primarily because of the increased social support that sexual minority youth experience. This study examines how GSAs affect sexual minority youth by comparing school experience variables of three discrete groups of sexual minority students: (a) those who attend schools without GSAs, (b) those who attend schools with GSAs but are not members, and (c) those who attend schools with GSAs of which they are members. Findings suggest that the presence of the GSA positively affects more school experiences than whether or not the sexual minority youth is an actual member of the group.

Correlates of Engaging in Survival Sex among Homeless Youth and Young Adults

Using a sample of 1,625 homeless youth and young adults aged 10 to 25 from 28 different states in the United States, this study examines the correlates of having engaged in survival sex. Findings suggest that differences exist based on demographic variables (gender, age, race, and sexual orientation), lifetime drug use (inhalants, Valium™, crack cocaine, alcohol, Coricidin™, and morphine), recent drug use (alcohol, ecstasy, heroin, and methamphetamine), mental health variables (suicide attempts, familial history of substance use, and having been in substance abuse treatment), and health variables (sharing needles and having been tested for HIV). In addition to replicating previous findings, this studys findings suggest that African American youth; gay, lesbian, or bisexual youth; and youth who had been tested for HIV were significantly more likely to have engaged in survival sex than White, heterosexual youth, and youth who had not been tested for HIV, respectively. Implications for interventions with youth and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Differentiating the Social Service Needs of Homeless Sexual Minority Youths from those of Non-homeless Sexual Minority Youths

While homeless youths and sexual minority youths are at greater risk for negative life experiences, and homeless sexual minority youths are at greater risk than homeless heterosexual youths, little is known about the differential risks for homeless sexual minority youths compared to non-homeless sexual minority youths. Using a sample of 187 sexual minority youths from a community-based social service agency in Denver, Colorado, the findings of this study suggest that homeless sexual minority youths are at greater risk for victimization, mental health issues, substance abuse, and illegal or dangerous activities than their non-homeless counterparts. Implications for social work practice and social service provision are discussed.

Religion and Support for Same-Sex Marriage: Implications from the Literature

This article examines the existing scholarship on the relationship between various religion-related concepts and support for same-sex marriage. From this literature, this paper argues that research examining the influence of religion on attitudes about same-sex marriage must attend not only to religious tradition and religiosity, but also to the everyday theologies (Moon, 2004) that people of faith use to construct their understanding of issues related to homosexuality, including attitudes about same-sex marriage. Failure to understand the complexity of these underlying religious themes has the potential to obscure important within-group differences potentially leading advocates of same-sex marriage to write off the support of certain religious communities based on the erroneous assumption that members of those communities necessarily embrace the doctrinal stand of their denomination or faith tradition.

Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence and Subsequent Police Reporting Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Adults in Colorado Comparing Rates of Cisgender and Transgender Victimization

Research indicates that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals are at high risk of victimization by others and that transgender individuals may be at even higher risk than their cisgender LGBQ peers. In examining partner violence in particular, extant literature suggests that LGBTQ individuals are at equal or higher risk of partner violence victimization compared with their heterosexual peers. As opposed to sexual orientation, there is little research on gender identity and partner violence within the LGBTQ literature. In the current study, the authors investigated intimate partner violence (IPV) in a large sample of LGBTQ adults (N = 1,139) to determine lifetime prevalence and police reporting in both cisgender and transgender individuals. Results show that more than one fifth of all participants ever experienced partner violence, with transgender participants demonstrating significantly higher rates than their cisgender peers. Implications focus on the use of inclusive language as well as future research and practice with LGBTQ IPV victims.

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Experiences of Discrimination in Accessing Health Services Among Transgender People in the United States

ABSTRACT Transgender/gender-nonconforming (GNC) individuals experience discrimination at high rates, including 19% in one study who reported having been refused medical care based on the their transgender/GNC identity. These individuals may also experience a lack of respect from medical personnel, a dearth of culturally competent knowledge and medical information around their medical needs, and concerns with safety when accessing medical care. Additionally, people of color experience higher levels of discrimination in health care than their White counterparts. This study examines the prevalence of discrimination faced by transgender/GNC people and compares by race/ethnicity those rates of discrimination when accessing medical services such as emergency rooms, doctors/hospitals, and ambulances/emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Data indicate that while a significant number of transgender/GNC individuals of all races/ethnicities experience discrimination based on transgender/GNC identity, when accessing medical services, transgender/GNC people of color experience higher levels of antitransgender discrimination, including in emergency rooms (χ2[1, N = 6,454] = 31.018, p < .001), with doctors/hospitals (χ2[1, N = 6,454] = 32.831, p < .001), and with ambulances/EMTs (χ2[1, N = 6,454] = 40.523, p < .001). Significant differences by region were found regarding discrimination when individuals attempted access to doctors/hospitals, (χ2[1, n = 4,823] = 20.72, p ≤ .001). Implications of the findings and future research are suggested.

Evaluation of Smoking Cessation Classes for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the effectiveness of a smoking cessation course tailored to meet the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. Of the 44 individuals who participated, 36 were in attendance in the final class, and 88.9% of those had successfully quit smoking. The study found an increase in importance to having cessation classes in gay-identified contexts, high ratings of the cultural appropriateness of the course content, and decreasing anxiety across the classes. Participants’ assessment of their health shifted differentially based on whether they were successful at quitting.

Student School Engagement Among Sexual Minority Students: Understanding the Contributors to Predicting Academic Outcomes

ABSTRACT Hierarchical multiple regression is used to examine whether student school engagement predicts grade point average (GPA) and fear-based truancy among 315 sexual minority youth aged 13 to 24 years. Results indicate that student school engagement is a significant predictor of GPA, and this relationship is strongest in the presence of a gay–straight alliance. Having an adult ally at school is associated with a decrease in fear-based truancy, while student school engagement predicts a decrease in fear-based truancy only for youth who have higher levels of subjective fear at school. Implications for future research and for practice among school-based helping professionals are discussed.

Culturally educated questioning: Toward a skills-based approach in multicultural counselor training

Abstract Increased resources are being committed to the multicultural training of counselors. Despite these gains, training continues to focus almost exclusively on the acquisition of cultural awareness and culture-specific knowledge. Valuable though they are, awareness and knowledge, the authors argue, do not necessarily result in effective multicultural counseling skill. Therefore, it is recommended that current training models be modified to include techniques through which cultural knowledge can be synthesized into effective counseling interventions. Specifically, it is suggested that programs stress the need to conduct cultural assessments of clients using what the authors term “culturally educated questioning”: empirically rooted inquiry designed to elicit from clients clinically relevant cultural data. The benefits of culturally educated questioning, including its safeguards against cultural stereotyping, are discussed.

PERSON–ORGANIZATION INCONGRUENCE AS A PREDICTOR OF RIGHT-WING AUTHORITARIANISM, SOCIAL DOMINANCE ORIENTATION, AND HETEROSEXISM

Using a sample of 124 incoming social work graduate students, we examined whether levels of perceived incongruence with social work values and the perceived culture of a graduate social work program significantly correlate with social psychological constructs. The social psychological constructs are associated with maintenance and support for social stratification in general and with prejudicial attitudes based on sexual orientation more specifically. Results suggest that higher levels of cultural incongruence are associated with significantly higher levels of right-wing authoritarianism, social dominance orientation, hostile heterosexism, aversive heterosexism, and paternalistic heterosexism. Nonsignificant results emerged for amnestic heterosexism and positive stereotypic heterosexism. Implications for social work education and future research are discussed.