Increasing Social Work Students' Awareness of Heterosexism and Homophobia—A Partnership between a Community Gay Health Project and a School of Social Work

Abstract

This article discusses the importance of educating social work students to increase their awareness of heterosexism and the impact that this can have on lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people, with a view to fostering a LGBT affirmative practice. It describes a unique partnership between a gay men's health project and a school of social work in developing a training module for both undergraduate and postgraduate social work students. The article gives an outline of the training provided with feedback from students and recommendations for developing this area of work further.

Keywords:

• Social Work
• Education
• Heterosexism
• Homophobia

Acknowledgements

Thanks go to Michael Barron, National Development Coordinator, BeLonG To Youth Project, and Ruth Torode, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College, Dublin for their helpful contributions to the article, as well as to the student social workers who have taken part in the workshops to date.

Notes

1. An American comedy show from the 1980s.

2. An English television drama.

3. BeLonG To Youth Project is Ireland's only designated youth service for LGBT young people. It provides direct youth work, advocacy and a campaigning voice on issues such as bullying, body image and suicide, as they are experienced by LGBT youth.