SocW 514
Social work empowerment practice addressing gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation

Instructors for Autumn 2007:

• Scott Winn*

Course description

Through an anti-oppression lens, this course focuses on social work practice with lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit, intersexed and queer communities. Emphasis in the course is placed on the cultural, social, and political context within which such practice occurs as well as an examination of the diversity and heterogeneity within these communities. Students will acquire micro and macro practice skills regarding identity development, coming-out, and working with LGBTTSIQ youth, elders and families, queer social movements and policy organizing. The course will examine the role of multiple social identities as well as multicultural and multigenerational life span development. The course will provide the knowledge and skills necessary for affirming, empowering, and effective practice.

Course objectives

By the completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Articulate personal, cultural and societal attitudes impacting health disparities and social work practice within culturally diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit and intersexed communities.
• Understand and define the components of effective anti-oppression social work practice with LGBTTSIQ individuals, families and communities.
• Understand the complexity and reciprocity of multicultural and multigenerational dynamics across different populations within LGBTTSIQ communities.
• Develop the ability to bring a multigenerational, multicultural lens to their assessment of the strengths and challenges facing LGBTTSIQ individuals, families and communities.
• Demonstrate appropriate assessment skills necessary for working effectively with LGBTTSIQ transgender individuals, families and communities, within a multicultural, intersectional and multigenerational framework.
• Articulate major ethical issues relevant to developing and maintaining empowering relationships with these communities.
• Demonstrate the ability to advocate for the needs and liberation of LGBTTSIQ individuals and communities in the health and human services and society.