SOCIAL-WORK WITH GAY AND LESBIAN ADOLESCENTS

Gay and lesbian adolescents are a socially oppressed group discriminat ed against by a heterosexist and homophobic society. Because of the ne gative stigma society places on lesbian and gay adolescents, they face numerous difficulties that require social support and intervention. I ssues pertinent to social work with lesbian and gay adolescents are ex amined in the context of three main social institutions: the family, t he social culture, and the educational setting. Suggestions are made f or improving intervention with this population, including increasing p ersonal awareness of one's own homophobia and heterosexist bias in wor king with client groups; educating oneself and client groups about hom osexuality, establishing positive social support programs to serve les bian and gay adolescents; advocating for sanctions to end gay and lesb ian harassment in the educational system; supporting the hiring of ope nly gay and lesbian teachers to serve as positive role models; and adv ocating for the inclusion of sexual orientation information in school sex education curricula.