Not Just a Passing Phase: Social Work with Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual People

This comprehensive textbook helps social workers understand and meet the needs of lesbian, gay, and bisexual people. It outlines approaches to a range of everyday problems associated with issues of oppression, family acceptance, shame, identity development, HIV disease, and addiction.

The first of the book's three sections provides an overview of what it means to be gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and locates the text within the ecological model of social work on individual, interpersonal, and institutional levels of intervention. This section includes definitions of sexual orientation, forms of heterosexism and homophobia, and issues of community among gay, lesbian, and bisexual people. The second section covers life transitions, including childhood, adolescence, and late life, as well as sexual relationships, parenting, and life in the workplace. The last part covers the special issues and challenges of mental health, substance abuse, violence (both "gay bashing" and domestic violence), and HIV disease. The final chapter pulls together the practice concepts introduced in the book and provides a blueprint for knowledge development and dissemination in the field.