Coming Out and Being Out as Activism: Challenges and Opportunities for Mental Health Professionals in Red and Blue States

SUMMARY

As professional organizations have begun to incorporate expectations for addressing social justice and advocacy in competency standards for mental health professionals, they are challenged to stretch their limits and define their personal and professional boundaries. For LGBT professionals, the act of coming out or being out is a basic form of activism. In the context of environmental pressures that professionals come out or be out, it is important to acknowledge both the potential for this basic form of activism to reduce prejudice, and the risk individual's may be taking. It is important to recognize and support professionals in their decisions about when to come out or be out in the same manner that one supports clients in similar situations.

KEYWORDS:

• Activism
• bisexual
• coming out
• ethics
• gay
• homosexuality
• lesbian
• mental health professionals
• self-disclosure
• training