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About
Us
Addiction Technology
Transfer Center of
New England
Brown University
Box G-S121
Providence, RI 02912
Email: ATTC-NE
Phone: 401-863-6486
FAX: 401-863-6697
Director:
Dan Squires Ph.D. MPH
Associate Director:
Stephen Gumbley MA, LCDP
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>>Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgendered (LGBT) Issues
So often, we hear people question whether there is any need for ongoing exploration of the interests and concerns of the LGBT population. It is worth noting the many undue social pressures on members of this group, and their potential danger of adapting negative coping responses. In addition to the meanness of total strangers, LGBT persons are often subjected to cruelties from the very communities that would ordinarily be expected to shelter them. Families, churches, schools, and even medical providers have increased the pain of rejection for many LGBT individuals.
My hope for this web page is to provide a visible support for the concerns of the LGBT population; including spiritual, legal, ethical, and social support among others. While I am well aware that there are people who have strong feelings about the morality and validity of sexual issues, my role is to promote respect and tolerance for individual and group differences. To that end, I attempt to provide the reader with some sources of insight and thought provoking self-analysis.
First of all, let's define the terminology. The first five definitions listed below are from the Parents, Friends, and Families of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). Barbara Warren, Director of Mental Health and Social Services Programs, contributed the last four definitions for the Lesbian and Gay Community Services Center of New York City.
- Heterosexual, or straight, refers to people whose sexual and romantic feelings are mostly for the opposite gender: Men who are attracted to women, and women who are attracted to men.
- Homosexual, or gay, refers to people whose sexual and romantic feelings are mostly for the same gender: Men who are attracted to men, and women who are attracted to women.
- Lesbian refers to women who are homosexual.
- Bisexual or "bi" refers to people whose sexual and romantic feelings are for both genders.
- Transgender is an umbrella term that encompasses a diversity of gender expression including drag queens and kings, bi-genders, crossdressers, transgenderists, and transsexuals.
- Transvestites are people who like to dress like members of the opposite sex.
Source: Retrieved from the World wide Web, on June 11, 2002, @ http://www.health.org/features/lgbt/whoisgay.htm
For adolescents, the issues facing the LGBTQQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, Queer, Questioning) community are especially compelling. As if it is not difficult enough to cope with the emotional, psychological, and physical demands of this stage of development, the rigors of being different, especially in the sexual arena, can be overwhelming. The teasing, bullying, ostracizing, and other objectionable behaviors are tolerated in too many communities. We don't have to rack our brains to think of cases where people have been harmed, or even killed, because of hatred of differences. I hope the information presented on this page will help make our world a kinder, gentler place.
The following sites are devoted to LGBT youth: http://mm.race.tripod.com/homeless_queer_youth.htm. Is a web site that addresses the needs of homeless youth, who are also LGBTQQ. http://www.outproud.org/ (The National Coalition for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Youth)
http://www.tenpercentbent.com/ (E-zine for LGBT youth)
Lest you think that only the radical left, or feckless youth, are members of the LGBT group, take a look at the following site: http://www.lcr.org/ (Lesbians and Gays in the GOP)
If you think all LGBT people are damned, check out the following site: http://www.whosoever.org/ (An On-line Site for LGBT Christians)
If you think LBGT persons are an unemployed, antisocial lot, check this site: http://www.american.edu/glbta/resources/workplace.html
If you want to get active in the legal issues of LGBT persons, check the following sites: http://www.aclu.org/issues/gay/hmgl.html (Lesbian and Gay Rights) sponsored by the ACLU http://www.aclu.org/gayrights/workplace_policies.html (Actions to enact fair workplace policies)
For those of you who are afraid that your parents or grandparents will stumble across you while you are reading this page, estimates of the number of Americans 60 years of age or older who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender range from 1.75 to 3.50 million. With a population that is continuing to age, these numbers should increase during the next 30 years. For more information on this segment of the LGBT population, visit the following site: http://seniorhealth.about.com/library/news/blles.htm?iam=dpile_1&terms=LGBT+issues (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Older Persons)
For additional reading on this topic, the following sites are recommended:
http://www.ramapo.edu/content/student.resources/gayPeer/lgbt_issues.htm (Great informational college sponsored site)
http://www.ramapo.edu/content/student.resources/gayPeer/gay_ushistory.htm (Excellent historical perspective located in above site)
http://www.qworld.org/friends/Tworld/tw3.htm (Transgendered resources)
http://www.symposion.com/ijt/ijtc0405.htm (The Standards Of Care For Gender Identity
Disorders)
http://www.iglss.org/iglss/ (Institute for Gay and Lesbian Strategic studies) This think tank for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender policy is a marvelous, research-based, and informative site. A must see!!!
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