LGBT psychology

is a field of psychology of surrounding the lives of LGBTQ+ individuals, in the

particular the diverse range of psychological perspectives and experiences of these
individuals. It covers different aspects such as identity development including
the coming out process, parenting and family practices and support
for LGBTQ+ individuals, as well as issues of prejudice and discrimination involving
the LGBT community
DIFINITION
LGBTQ psychology stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer psychology.
This list is not inclusive to all people within the community and the plus represents
other identities not covered within the acronym. In the past this field was known as
lesbian and gay psychology.[4] Now it also includes bisexual and transgender
identities and behaviors. In addition, the "Q" stands for queer which includes sexual
identities and behaviors that go beyond traditional sex and gender labels, roles, and
expectations.[5]
The word "queer" was historically a slur used towards people within the community.
Those who identify as queer today have reclaimed this label as self-identification.
However, due to the traditional use of the word, many people in the LGBT
community continue to reject this label.[6] Some of the identities that fall under the
term queer are aromantic, demi-sexual, asexual, non-
binary, agender, genderfluid, genderqueer, pansexual, intersex, genderqueer, etc.
The names for this field are different in different parts of the world. In the UK and US,
the acronym LGBTQ+ is widely used. The terms 'lesbian', 'gay', 'bisexual', 'trans' and
'queer' are not used all around the world and definitions vary.
Apart from the terms above, there are other words and phrases that are used to
define sexuality and gender identity. These words and phrases typically come
from western cultures. In contrast, in non-western cultures, the range of sexual and
gender identities and practices are labelled and categorized using different
languages, which naturally also involve different concepts compared to Western
ones.
It is concerned with the study of LGBTQ individuals' sexuality – sexual
identities and behaviors – thereby validating their unique identities and experiences.
This research focus is affirmative for LGBTQ individuals, as it challenges prejudiced
beliefs, attitudes, and discriminatory policies and practices towards the LGBTQ
community.
It also includes the study of heterosexuality – other-sex romantic attraction,
preferences and behaviors, as well as heteronormativity – the traditional view
of heterosexuality being the universal norm. This line of research aims to
understand heterosexuality from a psychological perspective, with the additional goal
of challenging heterosexuality as the norm in the field of psychology and in society
as a whole.
The overall goal of LGBTQ psychology is to raise awareness of LGBTQ issues in
scholarly work and psychological research. In raising this
awareness, LGBT+ psychology aims to be one of the fields in which inclusive, non-
heterosexist, non-genderist approaches are applied in psychological research and
practice.[3] These approaches reject the notion that heterosexuality is the 'default'
and acknowledge a spectrum of genders outside of the traditional binary, allowing for
more inclusive and accurate research. In line with LGBTQ psychology being an
inclusive field of study and practice, it welcomes scholars or professionals from any
branch of psychology with an interest in LGBTQ research.

Umbrella Terms
The 'Q' in LGBTQ is an umbrella term for identities or sexualities that do not fall
within lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender identities. For example, the term non-
binary is used to house many identities within the LGBTQ community. Non-binary is
a term that is used to define identities that do not fall within the traditional gender
binary. This means that any identities that do not classify as male or female would
technically fall within the non-binary umbrella term. Identities that are usually
associated with the non-binary umbrella term are genderqueer, agender, intersex,
etc. Transgender is also an umbrella term for any identities that do not identify as the
genders that they were assigned at birth. Non-binary can also be used within the
transgender umbrella term.

HISTORY

Sexology
Sexology is a part of the historical foundation upon which LGBTQ psychology was
built.[5] The work of early sexologists, in particular those who contributed to the
establishment of sexology as a scientific field of sexuality and gender ambiguity, is
highly relevant and seminal to the field of LGBTQ psychology.
As previously mentioned, sexology is a scientific field of study focusing
on sexuality and gender identity. In the field of sexology, a broad classification
spectrum known as inversion, is used to define homosexuality. On this spectrum,
early sexologists included both 'same-sex sexuality' and 'cross-gender identification'
as belonging to this all-inclusive category. More contemporary sexology researchers
conceptualize and categorize sexuality and gender diversity separately. In terms
of LGB sexualities, this would fall under sexual diversity. As for transsexuality, this
would be placed under gender diversity.[3] Important figures in this field
include Magnus Hirschfeld and Karl-Heinrich Ulrichs.

The historical emergence of 'gay affirmative' psychology

Gay affirmative psychology was first established in the 1970s. It was founded with
the mission of 1) challenging the idea and view of homosexuality as a mental
illness and 2) affirming the normal and healthy psychological functioning
of homosexual individuals by dispelling beliefs and attitudes
of homosexuality being associated with mental illness There has been a lot of
stigma surrounding the LGBTQ community which may result in feelings of
self-hate. Gay affirmative therapy has been implemented with the purpose of
combatting the influence that LGBTQ oppression may have had on the individuals in
the community.
Following this field's mission, most of the research conducted in this area has
naturally looked at the pathologization of homosexuality. In relation to this, much
attention has also been placed on heterosexual and cis-gender (i.e. non-trans)
individuals' lived experiences.
In the 1980s, the name gay affirmative psychology changed to lesbian and gay
psychology to denote that this branch of psychology spanned both the lives and
experiences of gay men and lesbian women. Later on, additional terms were
included in the name of this field. Variations of LGB, LGBTQ, LGBTQ+ or LGBTQIA+
are used to refer to the field of LGBTQ psychology.
Due to the variation in the terminology to define this field, it has led to significant
discussion and debate regarding which term is the most inclusive of all individuals.
Though there continues to be ongoing debate surrounding the terminology used to
define the field of LGBTQ psychology, this in fact highlights the field's concern over
the diversity in human sexuality and gender orientation. Further, the various letters
within the LGBTQ acronym indicates the diversity and variation in the scope of
research that is conducted within the field – namely the types of research questions
and the types of methodological approaches used to address these questions.
Traditionally, LGBTQ psychology has largely focused on researching the
experiences of gay men and lesbian women meeting the following criteria:

1. Young
2. Caucasian
3. Middle-class
4. Healthy
5. Residing in urban areas
Individuals may benefit from gay affirmative therapy if their therapist shares the
same experience as them, but there may be a bias alongside having a therapist that
is a part of the LGBTQ community. Heterosexual therapists may also hold stigma or
not have the knowledge to be able to properly handle a client that belongs to
the LGBTQ community.
The scope of research within the field of LGBTQ psychology has been somewhat
lacking in breadth and diversity due to most of the observations regarding LGBTQ
psychology to be based in behavioral research. In the past, a majority of the
research done on LGBTQ psychology used physical observations and has since
expanded to include psychological research. Recently, sociocultural psychologists
such as Chana Etengoff, Eric M. Rodriguez and Tyler G. Lefevor have begun to
explore how sexual and gender identities intersect with other minoritized identities
such as religious identities (e.g., LDS, Muslim, Christian). Mitchell L. Walker[19], Don
Kilhefner and Douglas Sadownick seem to do it too.
Overall, LGBTQ psychology is a sub-discipline of psychology that incorporates
multiple perspectives and approaches regarding the populations of study, topics of
research, and the theories and methodologies that inform the ways in which this
research is carried out.

Mental health
LGBTQ individuals experience a significant amount of stigma and discrimination at
various stages of their lives. Often this stigmatization and discrimination persists
throughout their lifetime. Specific acts
of stigmatization and discrimination against LGBTQ individuals include physical
and sexual harassment. Hate crimes are also included. These negative experiences
put LGBTQ individuals' physical and emotional well-being at risk. As a result of these
experiences, LGBTQ individuals typically experience a higher frequency of mental
health issues compared to those who do not belong to the LGBTQ population. More
than half of the LGBTQ+ community have depression and a little less than half have
PTSD or anxiety disorder
The following list shows the different mental health issues that LGBTQ
individuals may experience:

 Anxiety
 Depression
 Obsessive-compulsive disorder
 Phobic disorder
 Trauma
 Substance abuse
 Self-harming behaviors
 Suicidal tendencies and suicide
The coming out process involving LGBTQ individuals can also create a lot of added
pressure from family, peers and society. This process is about LGBTQ individuals
openly proclaiming their sexual orientation and/or gender identity to others.[22] In
addition, LGBTQ individuals also experience other negative outcomes, for example:
Sexual orientation and/or gender transition Internalized oppression of sexual
orientation and/or gender identity

 Exclusion and ostracization

 Removed or reduced family or social support
 Facilitating mental health well-being for LGBTQ individuals is a highly pertinent
matter.
The main factors in promoting positive mental health for LGBTQ individuals
are as follows:

 Presence of family and peer support

 Community-based and workplace support
 Understanding, appropriate and positive feedback provided during the coming
out process
 Defining, assessing and handling the social factors
influencing LGBTQ individuals' health outcomes

Gender
In the past, a lot of LGBTQ studies were mainly based around the idea of sexuality,
but more recently there have been more studies around the gender binary. As the
community has become more inclusive and understanding of different identities over
time, there has been an addition to the focus of LGBTQ psychology surrounding
queer gender identities.[32] Identities such as non-binary, transgender and gender
queer may have different experiences in their coming of age and may need guidance
or therapy based in those specific experiences. People that have queer identities
have different experiences than people who are of homosexuality and need
resources that pertain to their specific issues or needs. For example, transgender
people may go through hormone therapy or face oppression that is not the same as
misgendered people who are a part of the LGBTQ community.

LGBTQ identity development in youth

There is an increasing trend of LGBTQ youth coming out and openly embracing and
establishing their sexual or gender identities to people around them. Since 2000, the
average age of coming out was around 14. This age compared to the average age of
16 recorded between 1996 and 1998, and 20 during the 1970s, shows
that LGBTQ youth are comfortably recognizing their sexual or gender identities at an
earlier age. Based on the large aggregate of research on identity development, in
particular sexuality and gender identity, it appears that young people have an
awareness of their LGBTQ identity from an early age. This awareness can be
observed starting in childhood, specifically the feeling of being different from their
peers and having non-normative appearances, behaviors and interests.
During adolescence, there are gradual shifts in young people's attitudes and
behaviors regarding themselves and others. At the beginning of adolescence, young
people are more aware of, and concerned about how they and others present
against gender and sexuality norms. In the middle of adolescence, young people
tend to hold more biased, stereotypical attitudes and show more negative behaviors
towards LGBTQ individuals and topics. It is clear that the early adolescence years
make it easy for LGBTQ youth who have come out to have negative or unpleasant
social experiences. These experiences could involve peers intentionally excluding
them from friendship groups, peers engaging in persistent, harmful acts of bullying,
and more.
While there appears to be more and more LGBTQ youth coming out about
their sexual and gender identities, there are also youth who do not come out and are
against the idea of coming out. Thus far, psychological theory
surrounding LGBTQ identity development suggests that individuals who do not come
out, or are against the idea of coming out are either in denial about their identity or
wish to come out but are unable to. Aside from the fact that LGBTQ youth are more
vulnerable to experiencing negative social reactions and treatment as a result of
coming out, there may also be other reasons for this. Firstly, the higher visibility of
diverse sexualities and gender identities could influence young people in becoming
more reluctant towards concretely defining their sexuality and gender identity (Savin-
Williams, 2005). Young people are turning away from these types of labels in
opposition of social identity labels, demonstrating the importance of
their sexuality and gender identity within their personal identity. As
well, LGBTQ individuals from ethnic and cultural minority groups often refrain from
using sexual identity labels, which they see as westernized concepts that do not
relate to them.

SCHOOL

Current data regarding LGBTQ families and their children show an increasing
number of such families, as in the United States of America, and suggests that this
number is continuously increasing. Children of LGBTQ parents are at risk of being
the targets of discrimination and violence against LGBTQ individuals in the education
system. School has become such an unsafe place for certain LGBTQ individuals that
absences have skyrocketed due to not feeling safe from violence and verbal
harassment. These attacks at their identity can lead to chronic sadness and
thoughts of suicide. The abuse that many LGBTQ+ students face has led to thoughts
of feeling like there is something wrong with them. Therefore, this is an important
issue that must be addressed to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of
children from LGBT families. Apart from children of LGBT families having negative
school experiences, LGBTQ parents also face challenges with regards to anti-LGBT
bias and related negative behaviors that are often a part of the school climate.
LGBTQ parents can refer to the following strategies to facilitate a more safe, positive
and welcoming experience in interacting with schools and school personnel: school
choice, engagement, and advocacy. Many schools are not particularly inclusive
of LGBTQ individuals, as anti-LGBT language is often used and cases
of harassment and victimization with regards to sexual orientation or gender
identity often occur. Therefore, parental choice of the school in which their child
enrolls is crucial. As far as parents are able to select a school for their child,
selecting a school that is inclusive of LGBTQ individuals is one way to ensure a more
positive school experience for themselves and for their children. Parental
engagement with schools in terms of volunteering and other forms of involvement,
such as being on parent-teacher organizations, allows LGBTQ parents to be more
involved in issues which may concern their child. Parents can access resources that
provide information on how parents can facilitate dialogue and collaboration with
teachers and schools, enabling them to become proactive advocates of their child's
education and school experience.
Workplace Discrimination
People that identify as a part of the LGBTQ+ community often face adversity
and discrimination in the workplace. In an experimental study entitled, "Documented
Evidence of Employment Discrimination & Its Effects on LGBT People," conducted
by Brad Sears and Christy Mallory of the UCLA School of Law, resumes that
associated applicants with a gay organization and ones that did not mention anything
about the LGBTQ+ community were both sent to potential employers. Individuals'
resumes that were associated with the LGBTQ+ community were less likely to
receive an interview. Individuals that are able to receive an interview and get the job,
furthermore, are susceptible to discrimination during work. LGBTQ+ individuals are
more likely to experience discrimination in their place of work than someone who has
not identified their sexuality. Discrimination often leads to health problems whether
that be mental or physical. Someone who is frequently discriminated against is most
likely to not show up to work, quit their job, and not put their effort into the tasks they
are given due to their state of mind and the health issues that arise. [51] To avoid
workplace discrimination, many individuals will hide who they are by changing their
overall appearance and keeping their sexuality a secret.
Pride
Pride celebrations allow the LGBTQ+ community to celebrate their identity. It is a day
where LGBTQ+ individuals and allies come together to look back on the history and
how far the community has come. They celebrate the pain that they experienced and
continue to experience and they feel surrounded by people that love them for who
they are. A feeling of connection and validation is important for good health and
Pride is the place for people of all identities to connect. People are more likely to
attend pride if they feel as though their sexual identity makes up a major part of who
they are as a person. Pride is an important way to normalize being a part of the
LGBTQ+ community and to make society more accepting, but there are still other
ways to show that being a member of the community is not shameful.

Types of applications outside the theoretical perspective

Effective treatment methods
Expressive writing
Research has found that writing about traumatic or negative experiences (known as
"expressive writing") can be an effective way to reduce psychological stress that
stem from such events. When youth engaged in expressive writing on issues related
to their LGBTQ identity, their mental health well-being improved. This improvement
was especially significant in youth who did not have much social support, or who
wrote about more serious topics, as well as in individuals who were less open about
their sexualities or had not come out. Expressive writing interventions have been
shown to produce positive emotional outcomes for a variety of issues, including
illness, childhood trauma, and relationship stress. Writing therapy is the use of
expressive writing along with other methods in a therapy setting

Cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) – Effective Skills to Empower Effective

Men (ESTEEM)
Cognitive-behavioural therapy focuses on changing thoughts and feelings that lead
to negative behaviors, into more positive thoughts, feelings and behaviours. This
treatment method is effective for a variety of mental health issues, including those
related to LGBTQ identities.[57] CBT can help reduce depression and anxiety and
promote healthy coping mechanisms within LGBTQ youth. The ESTEEM program
targeted stress-related thoughts and feelings that result
from LGBTQ discrimination and stigma. Individuals who participated in the ESTEEM
program experienced fewer depression-related thoughts and feelings and they also
consumed less alcohol
Parent and family-based LGBT treatment and education
Many LGBTQ youth may receive backlash from their families due to their sexuality or
sexual identity. This may result in mental health issues such as suicide or
depression. The unacceptability of an LGBTQ youth's sexuality within a household
may result in mistreatment or in more severe cases, removing said person from the
home. Family members not accepting their child for who they are has made it three
times more likely that as an adult they will partake in the use of illegal drugs. Due to
these factors, an average of 28% of LGBTQ youth have suicidal thoughts and 15%-
40% make suicidal attempts each year

Noneffective Treatment methods

Conversion therapy (CT)
Conversion therapy focuses on altering homosexual and/or transgender individuals
to heterosexual and cis-gender identities. Conversion therapy consists of a variety of
approaches ranging from aversion and hormonal therapy, to religious-based
techniques such as threats of eternal damnation or use of prayer. Little empirical
evidence exists for CT, as most evidence is anecdotal or lacks acknowledgement of
participants potentially faking or experiencing dissonance-induced rationalization.
Long-term effects of CT, such as decreased overall sex drive, shame, fear, low self-
esteem, and increased depression and anxiety have been observed in individuals
that participated in CT programs. Due to the lack of scientific support, association
with psychosocial health problems, and rejection of the practice by organizations like
the American Psychiatric Association (APA), use of conversion therapy is often
considered ethically problematic. Given the above concerns, there are multiple
countries and various U.S. jurisdictions banning conversion therapy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_psychology