Social Work Practice With Lesbian, Term Paper

" (Neville & Henrickson, 2005)

Additionally stated by Neville and Henrickson (2005) is the fact that: "Despite an apparent acceptance of LGB people in recent times, there is a continuing and underlying stigma associated with living a non-heterosexual lifestyle (Dean et al. 2000). Consequently, a pervasive and often covert level of homophobia, heterosexism and violence continues to be promulgated which directly affects the health and well-being of these diverse communities." (2005)

III. SOCIAL WORKERS SUPPORT LSB ISSUES in LEGISLATION

The American Civil Liberties Union in the work entitled: "Social Workers Come Out in Support of Marriage for Same-Sex Couples" states in a Press Release of August 2004 that the NASW in a 'friend of the court brief' in support of the ACLU's lawsuit in support of allowing marriages between same-sex couples in New York supports this initiative stating: "Lesbian and gay people are capable of being perfectly fine parents, and their families need the same protections and safeguards that the families of different-sex couples receive through marriage," said Robert Schachter, DSW, Executive Director of the New York City Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers, which includes 10,000 professional social workers. "It's time that we put aside our outdated ideas about marriage and recognize that allowing same-sex couples to marry will only strengthen families and benefit children." (2004) the ACLU notes that the brief which relies on "decades of social science research" showing that gay couples are "just as capable of being good parents as straight couples..." (2004)

IV. CENTER for WORKFORCE STUDIES

The National Association for Social Workers 'Center for Workforce Studies' is committed to conduction of current studies of the work labor force and as well information is gathered in implementation of a clearinghouse source for "educators, policy makers, social workers, and public and private workforce planners." (2007) Studies conducted by this center for research include the lack of healthcare coverage for same-sex couples due to restrictions on insurance for partners who are not a 'married couple' or indeed are not allowed to claim the same status under job benefits are traditional couples.

SUMMARY & CONCLUSION

Cleary, there is a gap in legislative appropriations in terms of standard benefits available to life partners in the LGB group, which results in poor healthcare and likely poor health outcomes for LGB individuals. While many children remain homeless or in short-term foster-care situations these individuals are refused the right to adopt children, even when those individuals are exemplary individuals meeting all other possible criteria for adoption standards and laws. For whatever reason that the LBG group exists within society the social worker must immerse themselves in a reflective day-to-day reality of the LGB individual and through the social work practice diligently seek to assist the LGB individual group in overcoming inherent slights of legislation and societal standards when appointing sexual-orientation as the sole-basis for due acknowledgement in basic human rights.

Bibliography

Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues (2007) Social Works Speaks Abstracts National Association of Social Workers. Online available at http://www.socialworkers.org/resources/abstracts/abstracts/lesbian.asp

Appleby, G.A. And Anastas, J.W. (1999) Not Just a Passing Phase: Social Work with Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual People. New York: Columbia University Press.

Neville, Stephen and Henrickson, Mark (2005) Perceptions of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual People of Primary Healthcare Services. Issues and Innovations in Nursing Practice. 17 December 2005. Online available at http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1365-2648.2006.03944.x?cookieSet=1

Social Workers Comes Out in Support of Marriage for Same-Sex Couples. 14 Aug, 2004. ACLU. Online available at http://www.socialworkers.org/pressroom/2004/081704.asp

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