Abstract
This paper examines various opinions regarding the topic of gay and lesbian parenting. It illustrates clearly that gays and lesbian parents are mentally and emotionally stable enough to provide their children with love, support and attention that they require for success in all areas of life. The commons myths are addressed in this paper and are dispelled as being groundless in fact. This paper also discusses several court rulings concerning this issue.

From the Paper
"The Courts in the United States have tried repeatedly to provide children with a family setting which is recognized by American Family Law. Even the societal changes, which are currently taking place in family structures, the society itself and the legal system of our country have failed to see beyond the myths and misconceptions associated with alternative family structure. Millions of gays and lesbians are now trying to become parents through adoption, insemination and surrogate procedures. No matter which method is finally chosen, it has been repeatedly proven by researchers and pediatric professionals that gay couples are absolutely capable of providing love, support and moral values required for healthy mental and emotional development of children. "

Tags:prejudice, society, family, stability, sexual, emotional, gender

Abstract
This paper sets out to research the social work practice with lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals with specific focus on the special population in relation to the problem that the social worker faces in assisting these individuals. Two social agencies and the problems that they encounter on a daily basis in dealing with these individuals are reviewed as well as the national and legislative actions relative to the problems.

Objective
Introduction
National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Standards
Factors Identified by other Professionals
Social Workers Support LSB Issues in Legislation
Center for Workforce Studies
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper
"The work of Appleby and Anastas entitled: 'Not Just a Passing Phase: Social Work with Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual People" relates that a range of everyday problems for gay, lesbian and bisexual people exists including oppression, family acceptance, shame, identity development, HIV disease and addiction. (1999)
"The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) "believes that the same-gender sexual orientation should b afforded the same respect and rights as other-gender sexual orientation." (2007) Furthermore, NASW holds a commitment to working to eliminate prejudice and discrimination based on an individual's sexual orientation inside and outside the social workers profession."

Tags:population, legislative, respect, orientation

Abstract
This paper is an in-depth study of the topic of identity formation and how a non-traditional sexual orientation, such as being gay or lesbian, changes the development of one's identity. The paper examines the complex process of choosing a non-traditional sexual orientation. This includes the detailing of the many stages that the individual must face, and the many years that are often involved in the search for one's identity. The author looks at many different factors in society that affect the search for identity, including family life, friends, work and employment situations, age, environment and how they can have a negative or positive affect on the individual's lifestyle choice. The role of the social worker in helping the person deal with the problems that the individual faces in both their personal and professional life is also examined in great detail.

From the Paper
"Considering general social and cultural attitudes about homosexuality, and the persistent view that the gay or lesbian identity is "abnormal", social workers must always be aware that many parents of homosexual individuals will feel a degree of shame at producing and rearing a "faulty" homosexual child. This is closely linked to the pressure of societal attitudes and concern with how others perceive their parenting, resulting in many parents becoming labeled with a similar socially stigmatized identity to that of their homosexual child. The social worker's role is to understand that many of these parents are likely to be concerned with feelings of guilt and self-blame, such as "Where did I go wrong?" or "If I had done this differently, then ... ", rather than with attempting to understand and empathize with their child's situation (Armesto, 2001). A great deal of this reaction is rooted in the family's racial, ethnic, religious, or cultural backgrounds, which often increase the family's anxiety and stigma with their disapproving and "sinful" view of gays and lesbians and the mythical beliefs that they promote as the causes of homosexuality. On the issue of self-acceptance, many studies indicate that it is the individual's network of friends, rather than the family, that plays the most significant role in gay and lesbian identity formation, indicating that the empathic understanding and support that is offered by members of the same sexual minority group, who have "walked the way", is a particularly influential and valued source of social support."

Tags:social, workers, bisexual, adolescent, stages, relationship, clients, professional, empathy, pride, acceptance, synthesis, homosexual

Abstract
This paper discusses the phenomenon that while gays and lesbians are an integral part of the work force today and their numbers are growing, they still exhibit symptoms of minority stress at the workplace. The paper defines minority stress and studies the reasons behind this persistent problem. It looks briefly at what can be done to reduce minority stress for gays and lesbians.

From the Paper
"While it is easy to bring a lawsuit against a firm that engages in discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, it is not exactly the route that most workers would opt for. For this reason, it is important to discuss the issue of sexual orientation openly and make it clear that none would be discriminated against on this basis. Some firms train their employees to handle diversity in the form of religious and ethnic backgrounds. The same needs to be done to handle issues arising out of sexual orientation. Gays and lesbians must also be allowed to openly discuss their problems in complete confidence with the HR department. This could help in reducing minority stress and might help gays and lesbians interact better with their colleagues."

Tags:discrimination, culture, homosexual, heterosexual

Abstract
This paper studies the sexual revolution of the 1960s, which laid the groundwork for changes that were to influence fundamental ideas about intimate behavior in the late 20th century. Yet, while delivering the message of "sexual freedom," the Revolution failed to address specifically homosexual concerns, and thus failed to include a whole portion of the sexually active population of America. The author also studies the simultaneous political organizing of the gay and lesbian communities in America and Australia. The paper conclude that the rights of gays and lesbians were not protected until the 1970s, when laws began to change.

From the Paper
"The organizations had their roots in the 1950s, when Senator Joseph McCarthy carried out the most famous modern witch-hunt in America. McCarthy strove to persecute homosexuals since many of the gay civil rights' founders were formerly Communist radicals - notably Harry Hay, who was a Communist Party leader of 20 years and who made the first call for a gay civil rights movement in 1948. [Heidendry, 103] In response to the climate of persecution, in 1950 Hay founded the "Mattachine Society" in Los Angeles, and in 1953 W. Dorr Legg founded "One, Inc." Both these groups were determined to "aid in the social integration and rehabilitation of the sexual variant" - fancy parlance for making homosexuality acceptable in the eyes of most Americans. [ibid, 103] In 1955, the first lesbian activist group, "the Daughters of Bilitis," was founded in San Francisco by Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin. [ibid., 105] The FBI harassed all three groups and accused them of being communist fronts, while the Post Office was barred from circulating the literature of "One, Inc." by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. [ibid., 104]"

Tags:homosexual, lesbian, San, Francisco, U.S., American, Australia

Abstract
This paper discuses issues relevant to the identification and counseling of gay and lesbian high school students. It looks at the importance of counselors and teachers understanding the unique stressors of gay and lesbian students and an often unsupportive, unacccepting, hostile school environment. The paper conducts a research study of high school gay or lesbian students who have been subject to harassment, violence and verbal abuse.

Tags:gay adolescents, counseling

Abstract
This paper is a study for understanding whether there is a need to legalize gay marriages. The paper is divided into three sections arguing three thesis statements. The first thesis statement argues that marriage is a civil right of every individual, as it is essential for the emotional well-being of individuals and denying it to the gay community is discriminatory. Hence, the study begins with a discussion of the argument that denying the civil rights of marriage is discriminatory. The second thesis statement asserts that gays are denied the rights which are associated with marriage and that denying these rights is a violation of their civil rights and therefore a need exists to legalize gay marriages. By way of this thesis statement, the paper offers an understanding as to the rights which are associated with marriage but which are denied to gay couples and discusses whether there is a need to legalize gay marriages taking this perspective into consideration. The third thesis statement argues that legalizing gay marriage is necessary for the security and well-being of the children that gay couples are caring for. Herein, the paper attempts to analyze whether children of gay couples would entail the security required if gay marriages are legalized. Thus, on the basis of the above three thesis statements, the paper tries to formulate an understanding of whether denying marriage to homosexual couples leads to denial of civil rights to the gay community and whether there is a need to legalize gay marriages.

Table of Contents
Introduction
First Thesis Statement
Second Thesis Statement
Third Thesis Statement
Conclusion

From the Paper
"Whether the US community is prepared to permit people to marry without the consideration of gender is gaining our notice daily. Religion and civil marriage are two clearly different entities. Certainly this is completely fitting. Certainly, the state must not have the right to order for whom religious organization might carry out marriage services --- akin to the fact that religions institutions must not set terms regarding who might get a license for civil marriage from the state. Latest census data show that the number of faithful same-sex couples in the US has been mounting, as also the number of same-sex couple's upbringing children. Accordingly recognition in the eyes of law is crucial to safeguarding the emotional and financial health of these families. Besides, legal approval should be on a same footing with that of heterosexual marriage ---'separate but equal' is by no means equal."

Tags:fundamental, legal, social, structure, family, gay, lesbians, equal, supreme, court

Abstract
The writer maintains that gays and lesbians are not allowed to get married because of their gender preferences. Some of the fierce advocates of the concept of marriage do not believe that gays and lesbians should be allowed to get married or adopt children. The writer looks at the aspect of children being brought up by a gay couple and studies the question of such a marriage. This paper looks at the argument of legalizing gay marriages and discusses the hypocrisy and prejudices involved in this matter.

From the Paper
"Gay people are not allowed to be married because the community feels that they cannot bring up children they way that non-gay parents could. We are all aware of the day to day sorrows and joys, pains and achievement that we all face as human beings, as friends and as parents. To judge the capability of a parent by the structure of their family is not only wrong it goes beyond and above all the researched that have been done on successful parenthood. It does not matter what the structure of the family is as long as it is built with emotions of devotion, obligation, selflessness, and love in the family. Not a single research or study has proven that a gay or lesbian couple cannot provide the same kind of harmony and love in the structure as a non-gay couple (David, 2003)."

Tags:gender, equality, behavior, love

Abstract
This paper looks specifically at comparisons between the psychological effects of bias crimes and non-bias crimes, the role of the media, prevention and the role of the justice system using two specific case studies. It examines two high-profile murder cases-those of Matthew Shepard in 1998 and Danny Overstreet in 2000.

From the Paper
"In a study comparing the psychological distress suffered by victims of hate crimes and of unbiased crimes, evidence was found to the effect that the former were more likely to suffer greater psychological distress than the latter (Herek, Gillis and Cogan, 1999). Approximately two-thousand subjects from Sacramento, California, participated in the research and the sample included equal numbers of men and women. After a period of five years, victims of hate crimes reported greater levels of anxiety, anger towards the attacker, depression, and traumatic stress. They were also more likely to "regard the world as unsafe" (p. 949)."

Tags:crimes, criminology, forensics, victimology, matthew, shephard, danny, overstreet

Abstract
Various factors contribute greatly to suicide in GLBT youth. This paper discusses various sociological pressures placed upon this demographic and provides overviews of various studies that have been done.

From the Paper
Whether we like it or not, gender roles are inescapable realities of a social schema. Over time society forms a definition of what it is to be male and female, and in many instances (such as our own in the United States), this definition is unrealistically rigid. Concepts of gender in American society revolve around maleness as a mythical but nonetheless actualized and perpetuated norm. Inherent in this male-centric modality is the assumption of heterosexuality. When someone functioning in this schema fails to meet the male heterosexual classification, they are labeled as the "other" and must then deal with a cavalcade of implications reinforced by society's expectation and demands. How does a population branded as the "other" function and cope in society? This paper will examine specifically if social constructs of homosexuality,particularly in homosexual youth, have higher risk factors for suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.

Tags:sociology, homosexual, sexuality