Introduction to Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services

As the new Editors-in-Chief of Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services, we are delighted to share our vision for the Journal and to report several exciting developments and forward momentum.

As social work scholars whose research agendas embrace global perspectives, we view the future direction of the field as continuing to encompass the expansion of self-identifications and conceptualizations that comprise sexual and gender diversity, while recognizing the historical sociopolitical underpinnings and diverse lived experiences of those who exist under this broad umbrella. Guided by our focus on the utility for “real world impact” in the social service sector, some of the core threads of this expansion include the following:

• Advancement of perspectives and social services informed by intersectionality, sociocultural diversity, global dynamics, and differences across the lifespan;

• Addressing the dynamic impacts of structural and social contexts on individuals, families, and communities, including human rights, political and economic inclusion, and stigma, discrimination, and violence;

• Recognizing and supporting individual and community agency and strengths in responding to and challenging social-structural constraints; and,

• Forging innovations in practice, policy, and social work education that address the ascendant role of technology and social media in our lives, different needs within sexually and gender diverse populations, and cutting-edge sociopolitical challenges for advancing inclusion and human rights.

We envision an expansion of Journal content across the sexual and gender minority spectrum, including intersectional identities based on race/ethnicity, culture, religion, disability, age/life stage, socioeconomic status, and others, with the goal of advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in content, authors, reviewers, and the editorial board. We would like to explore possibilities for expansion around different article types, which might include high-profile commentaries, and community- and practice-based research that integrates quantitative and mixed methods approaches. We also invite scholarship that challenges our understanding of sexual and gender diversity, and effective responses to stigma and social exclusion, as well as evidence to support structural change. To that end, we are thrilled to report the following developments:

First, as of June 2023, we (Peter A. Newman: https://socialwork.utoronto.ca/profiles/peter-a-newman/ and Shelley L. Craig: https://socialwork.utoronto.ca/profiles/shelley-l-craig/) have assumed our roles as Co-Editors-in-Chief. We would like to acknowledge the tremendous work and dedication of Dr. Melanie Otis who led the Journal over the past 14 years! Dr. Otis is an incredibly committed scholar who has been the backbone undergirding the Journal’s growth and ascendancy, and has served as a generous and supportive resource during the recent transition.

Second, from January 1, 2024, the journal’s name has been officially changed to Sexual and Gender Diversity in Social Services (formerly, Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services). This change has been a long time in the works, and we thank Dr. Otis, our publisher, and all of you who have contributed along the way to make this a reality. We believe the new name to be a significant step in better reflecting the breadth of the Journal’s aims and scope, as well as a catalyst for our commitment to increasingly embrace and represent the many facets of diversity among our communities across multiple marginalized demographic intersections.

Third, and of importance to many of us—particularly those moving toward tenure and promotion in an increasingly competitive and not always 2SLGBTQIA+-affirmative academic climate—we are thrilled to report that the Journal now has an impact factor! As the Editors, this sets a new benchmark for ensuring excellence and impact moving forward; as readers, authors, reviewers, and the Editorial Board, this sets a new bar for continually increasing the quality and reach of the Journal’s content. Overall, this better positions all of us to contribute more effectively and impactfully to the development of public and social policy, programs and services, and social work practice related to sexual and gender minorities and their social environments.

Fourth, our new Editorial Board is now being established, to be reflected in upcoming Journal issues and the website. We recognize that the success of any journal rests, in large part, on the support of its Editorial Board members who contribute their time and intellectual energy to the review process. There has been a substantial increase in the number of submissions to the Journal during the past few years, and we are sincerely grateful to the Editorial Board, past and present, and the many reviewers who contribute their time and expertise to ensure the quality and impact of the Journal. As we further develop the Journal to meet the needs of our scholarly and social service communities, we will need the continued guidance and appraisal skills of our reviewers and Editorial Board.

In closing, in these unprecedented times, immediately post-pandemic, and amid escalating social and political threats to sexually and gender diverse people and communities—in North America and globally—we take seriously our collective responsibility to support our communities by promoting key research that can benefit sexually and gender diverse populations and fill extensive gaps in data and evidence-informed practice and policy moving forward.

Stay tuned for more exciting developments!