HHS320 Ashford Political Social & Cultural Factors of Gender Inequality Paper Focus of the Research Paper For your Research Paper, select one aspect of cul

HHS320 Ashford Political Social & Cultural Factors of Gender Inequality Paper Focus of the Research Paper
For your Research Paper, select one aspect of cultural diversity from the following list that you would like to study:
* (For improved memory and increased awareness, remember the mnemonic, GARREACS.)

Gender
Age
Race
Religion
Ethnicity
Ability
Class
Sexual Orientation

Once you have chosen one aspect of cultural diversity to study in depth, prepare a Research Paper with the following components:

Summarize the pertinent historical, political, social, economic and cultural factors related to your chosen aspect of diversity.
Consider and summarize any relevant developmental theory models related to your chosen aspect of diversity.
In regard to your chosen aspect of diversity, identify and evaluate the relevant laws or programs that have either helped or restricted access to care and support.
Evaluate how your chosen aspect of diversity, in combination with two other aspects of diversity, can lead to increased needs or issues. For example, if someone is female, African American, and lesbian, will there be additional challenges? Select any combination of 3 aspects of diversity to discuss.
Describe at least two resources currently available in your area for someone needing special services related to your chosen aspect of diversity.
Explain how your personal characteristics will either complement or conflict with this diversity issue. Consider your own biases and prejudices or those of your family of origin.
Discuss relevant concerns, cautions or insights necessary for you to be a culturally competent human service professional.

Writing the Research Paper
The Research Paper:

Must be eight- to ten double-spaced pages in length, and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a title page with the following:
Title of paper
Student’s name
Course name and number
Instructor’s name
Date submitted
Must begin with an introductory paragraph that has a succinct thesis statement.
Must address the topic of the paper with critical thought.
Must end with a conclusion that reaffirms your thesis.
Must use at least seven scholarly sources.
Must document all sources in APA style, as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
Must include a separate reference page, formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

I would Like to discuss age, gender and sexual orientation. I have attached a paper that was done for me on sexual orientation so that portion is pretty much covered. Running Head: SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY 1
Research Paper: Sexual Orientation Outline and Annotated Bibliography
Ashford University
Chellbee I. McKnight
05/13/19
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2
Outline
Introduction
Sexual orientation is one of the aspects of diversity in the current world. It refers to one’s
sexual preferences either to members of the opposite sex or same sex or even both. It is because
of this diversity that people have coined the terms heterosexual to refer those who are attracted to
the opposite sex, homosexual to those attracted to same-sex partners and bisexual referring to those
who are attracted to both male and female sex partners. Sexual orientation has received a growing
controversy from religious, cultural, and political among other social perspectives. The debate on
LGBT has become common in the current world due to the increased quest for recognition among
these members of society. In this paper, an evaluation of the historical, political, social, cultural
and economic factors that relate to sexual orientation will be provided. Relevant developmental
theories, programs, and laws that have been developed to address the issue will be also be
discussed.
Historical evidence indicates that social concerns and movements revolving around the
rights and acceptance of people who identify themselves as LGBT began as a form of response to
the persecution of these individuals by the state, church and medical authorities over centuries.
The controversy surrounding the issue of sexual orientation began a long time ago. In the majority
of societies and nations, homosexual activity or any noticeable deviance from the recognized
gender roles and mode of dressing was banned by traditional customs or by law (Nadal, 2014).
Public, religious messages, exile, public trials, and medical warnings have continued to be
used in condemning those who showed unaccepted sexual behavior. This condemnation seemed
to bear fruits as it created homophobia for many centuries. However, it also alerted the entire
members of the society about the existence of sexual orientations different from the conventional
opposite-sex attraction. Those who shared these identities were therefore at risk, and they could
not dare to express themselves to seek change and tolerance until the political and scientific
revolutions in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries (Bailey, Vasey, Diamond, Breedlove, &
Vilain, 2016)
According to Bailey, Vasey, Diamond, Breedlove, & Vilain (2016), it due to the growth of
the mass media and human rights ideals that activists from all classes of life started to express
themselves. These social movements drew strength and courage from banned literature, medical
studies which proved to be sympathetic, research on sex which was emerging and climate of a
better democracy. A movement that recognized lesbians and gays had already been formed by the
twentieth century which was assisted by the new appreciation of diversity and the feminism
climate. However, despite that activists and other individuals who identify them as gender activists
continued to push for acceptance in society, it was realized that their theories were not
representative of the varying range of national, class and racial identities thus resulting in the
complication of the sexual orientation aspect. Ever since this time, sexual orientation was a matter
that received attention from religious and cultural beliefs and norms. Most religions and cultures
view those who practice other sexual relationships apart from with opposite-sex partners as wicked
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
3
and violators of cultural norms. Political environments have even become tense when the topic of
legalizing homosexual and bisexual orientations (Nadal, 2014). Social settings from the past have
been against homosexual and bisexual practices where individuals who identify as LGBT face a
lot of stigmatization even in workplaces.
It was in the 1970s when a new era in sexual orientation research on identity development
emerged in the United States. Theoretical models that described the stages involved in identifying
an individual as homosexual emerged this time. The main focus of these models was addressing
the internal conflict resolution that was associated with identification as gay or lesbian providing
information about the coming-out process. The models were based on the perspective that for
individuals to identify as non-heterosexual, they go through a process of identity stages of
development which usually happen during their teenage or early twenties stages of their life. It
was established that these stages vary in number and names across different theories. However,
they all share characteristics that are common (Sung, Szymanski, & Henrichs-Beck, 2015).
Usually, the majority of these stage models start with a stage that makes individuals to
develop numerous defense strategies towards blocking recognition of individual feelings of
homosexuality. Secondly, individuals tend to maintain these defense strategies for a time period
that cannot be specified with an effort to reduce their feelings of same-gender. The third common
stage is a period of both behavioral and emotional experimentation of homosexuality. Lastly,
individuals end up beginning to accept their feelings of being non-heterosexual where the identity
being gay or lesbian becomes integrated internally and begin to view their sexuality as a positive
aspect in their life. One of these development models is the Vivienne case homosexual identity
model which is a six-stage model involving identity awareness, comparison, tolerance, acceptance,
pride, and synthesis (Sung, Szymanski, & Henrichs-Beck, 2015).
The second development model is the Anthony D’Augelli homosexual lifespan
development model in which an individual can experience the process at different times of their
life. Its process includes exiting the heterosexual identity, developing an individual LGBT status,
developing a LGBT social status, claiming LGBT offspring identity, developing a LGBT intimacy
status and finally entering a LGBT community. The other developmental models recognized are
McCarn-Fassinger Lesbian Identity Development and the Arlene Istar Lev Transgender
Emergence Model which tend to follow almost similar processes. The models include an
awareness process, exploration, deepening and commitment and finally internalization and
synthesis (“Theories on LGBTQ Development”, 2017).
Non-heterosexual people in the majority of the states in the United States have often faced
barriers and challenges in accessing essential health services. The challenges include
discrimination, stigma, rejection by community and family and violence. The barriers include
inequality in health insurance services and workplaces, denial of care or receiving substandard
care because of their sexual orientation and identity. However, with the government in the past
one decade recognizing sexuality as a diverse aspect law have been enacted to protect the non-
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
4
heterosexual identities. The approval of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has expanded the access
to health insurance plans to Americans including the LGBT population. The ACA act contains
protections that are specific to gender identity and sexual orientation (Dawson, Kates, & Damico,
2018).
Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the programs that seek to
ensure low-income households can afford nutritious and healthy food every. Since the majority of
the non-heterosexual communities are low-income individuals, they are supported by this program.
Another organization that has been in support of non-heterosexual individuals’ health is IMPACT.
This program collaborates with communities and other organizations to conduct translational
research towards improving the health of the LGBT individuals in the community (“About
IMPACT”, 2019).
Sexual orientation couple with race and religion raise more problems to them in most
societies in the United States. Research suggests that Asian-American LGBTQ individuals face a
lot of discrimination in society such that they find it difficult to access healthcare services. One of
the areas in which they struggle a lot in society when seeking mental health services since the
available professions tend to harass them instead of addressing their needs. It is because of these
challenges that these individuals end up avoiding to seek medical care thus worsening their
situations. Additionally, non-heterosexual from the Asian-American community who are Muslims
tend to receive more discrimination than their counterparts who are non-Muslims. This shows that
religion due to the stereotypes among people that people who practice Muslim religion are violent
and terrorists are used to discriminating them and deny then essential needs and services like
medical care. As a result, many Asian-American LGBT community members tend to prefer
keeping their sexual orientation as a secret to avoid stigma in their families and communities
(Sung, Szymanski, & Henrichs-Beck, 2015).
Non-profit organizations have played a key role in providing and supporting nonheterosexual members in society. The two identified resources are all centers which are established
under non-profit organizations. One of the resources available for individuals to get special service
is APICHA Community Health Center in New York City. This center has been focusing on
improving healthcare services extended to LGBTQ communities in the United States. The center
advocates for both government and private sectors to partner in providing new approaches and
funding initiatives to the prevention of HIV/AIDS among LGBT individuals who are prone to
infection. In the center in New York City, the APICHA Community Health Center has established
a clinic that provides healthcare services to the LGBT identities who can access these services
from other centers in the state due to discrimination (“LGBT Center in NYC: APICHA Community
Health Center”, 2019).
The second resource is the FIERCE center in New York City that has been focusing on
uplifting youth of color who are LGBT community in the United States. This facility develops
programs that will help these youths to acquire leadership skills. These skills will help the youth
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
5
of color to learn how to address problems that the LGBT communities have been experiencing.
One of the essential services provided in the facility is counseling to help these youths to handle
stigmatization that has been hard to cope with in their lives (“FIERCE: What we do”, 2019).
Having grown in a family that believes in Christianity, we view individuals who are
lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender as wicked. Heterosexual sex is what our religion teaches
as the right sexual relationship and any other type of sexual orientation is believed to be unnatural.
I also tend to think non-heterosexual individuals can change their sexual orientations upon
undergoing therapy. I have the perception that these individuals are suffering from some mental
disorders which affect their sexual orientation (Sung, Szymanski, & Henrichs-Beck, 2015).
As a human service professional, it is important to acquire the necessary competence and
knowledge about different sexual orientations and avoid stereotyping the diversity aspect. Also, it
is a concern that children with non-heterosexual orientations are suffering from depression and
anxiety. Most of cultural practices and traditions have made non-heterosexual people appear as
rejects in our communities. Lack of counseling services and education on this issue is creating this
problem. It is therefore for human service professionals to take the initiative to study these cultural
diversities and find ways how the issue can be addressed so that levels of children who are
suffering from self-stigmatization can be reduced.
Annotated Bibliography
Collier, K. L., Beusekom, G. V., Bos, H. M., & Sandfort, T. G. (2014). Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity/Expression Related Peer Victimization in Adolescence: A Systematic Review of
Associated Psychosocial and Health Outcomes. Journal of Sex Research, 50(3-4), 299-317.
The authors in this article sought to review what research studies have established concern health
and psychosocial outcomes which are associated with the victimization of adolescents due to their
gender identity and sexual orientation. The authors collected information 39 research studies on
the topic conducted in twelve countries where sexual orientation was an issue that was receiving a
lot of attention among populations. The studies used by the authors were all from digital databases
which included PsycINFO, Web of science, ERIC and PubMed. Search terms that contained the
phrase peer victimization combined with others such as gender expression, identity, and sexual
orientation were used.
The study suggested that peer victimization is closely connected to several negative healthcare and
psychosocial outcomes that has been witnessed among adolescents in the selected countries.
Adolescents who are victimized also tent to suffer a lot of stigmatization and the feeling of not
belonging to their school thus suffering depression which accounts for high suicidal ideation
among those affected.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
6
Moleiro, C., & Pinto, N. (2015). Sexual orientation and gender identity: Review of concepts, controversies
and their relation to psychopathology classification systems. Frontiers in Psychology, 6.
The authors in this article critically review the historical concepts and controversies that have
existed among people relating to both gender identity and sexual orientation. The fact that these
issues were included in the international classification of disease and the Diagnostic and Statistical
Manual more controversy and debates became common. The study reviewed how the LGBT
population has been suffering from mental health due to discrimination, social exclusion, and
stigma.
The authors established that the historical debates and controversies regarding the classification of
gender identity and sexual orientation using medical perspectives has contributed to the concept
of mental illnesses that exist among many people. Also, it was suggested that the diagnoses of
transgender sexual orientation are not well placed in the health classification system thus should
be removed. This is because the transgender people do not consider themselves as mentally ill.
The article concluded that it is vital to stress the role of specific supervision and training during
the development of clinical knowledge and competence for professional who are require to address
the needs of sexual minorities.
Bailey, J. M., Vasey, P. L., Diamond, L. M., Breedlove, S. M., & Vilain, E. (2016). Sexual Orientation,
Controversy, and Science. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 17(2), 45-101.
The authors in this article sought to summarize findings obtained scientifically involving the aspect
of sexual orientation. The meaning, measurement, differences noted in its expression and
development in different places and time was discussed. The authors also sought to both criticize
and improve the common and inappropriate reasoning that has existed among people regarding
sexual orientation. The political debate across the world about non-heterosexual individuals has
become a topic in most countries in the west than any other countries in the world.
The study established that the debate among many sociopolitical sides tend to believe that
scientific truths and findings regarding sexual orientation play a key role when political decisions
are being made. The causes of different sexual orientation are the most contentious issue in science
as people don’t understand why some individuals are heterosexual, homosexual and others
bisexual. However, the actual significance of these concepts to political, ethical and social
decisions has never been determined.
Chase, A. T. (2016). Human rights contestations: Sexual orientation and gender identity. The International
Journal of Human Rights, 20(6), 703-723.
The author in this article seeks to find out whether rights related to gender identity and sexual
orientation should be connected to the existing framework of human rights. To answer the research
question, the author begins to address the common understanding of why the issue of gender
identity and sexual orientation attracts the topic of human rights. the article argues that human
rights have on some occasions made the marginalized groups such as sexual minorities struggle
instead of addressing their problems of discrimination and harassment.
The article concludes by arguing that even though activists having been invoking the need for the
establishment of human rights related to sexual orientation and gender identify, it is difficult to
apply the rights even when they are put in place. The author argues that these rights have been
used by sections of people to drive national agendas that do not benefit the said groups. Instead,
states continue to be divided over the issue whether these rights should be used to protect sexual
orientation and gender identity issues. Finally, the author argues that it is ironical how political
regimes push for sexual orientation and gender identity rights but continue to demonize the
populations.
SEXUAL ORIENTATION OUTLINE AND ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
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References
About IMPACT. (2019). Retrieved May 13, 2019, from https://www.impactprogram.org/about-impact/
Bailey, J. M., Vasey, P. L., Diamond, L. M., Breedlove, S. M., & Vilain, E. (2016). Sexual Orientation,
Controversy, and Science. Psychological Science in the Public Interest,17(2), 45-101.
doi:10.1177/1529100616637616
Chase, A. T. (2016). Human rights contestations: Sexual orientation and gender identity. The International
Journal of Human Rights,20(6), 703-723. doi:10.1080/13642987.2016.1147432
Collier, K. L., Beusekom, G. V., Bos, H. M., & Sandfort, T. G. (2014). Sexual Orientation and Gender
Identity/Expression Related Peer Victimization in Adolescence: A Systematic Review of
Associated Psychosocial and Health Outcomes. Journal of Sex Research,50(3-4), 299-317.
doi:10.1080/00224499.2012.750639
Dawson, L., Kates, J., and Damico, A. (2018). The Affordable Care Act and Insurance Coverage Changes
by Sexual Orientation. Available at: https://www.kff.org/disparities-policy/issue-brief/theaffordable-care-act-and-insurance-coverage-changes-by-sexual-orientation/
FIERCE: What we do. (2019). Retrieved May 6, 2019, from http://www.fiercenyc.org/what-we-do
LGBT Center in NYC: APICHA Community Health Center. (2019). Retrieved May 6, 2019, from
https://www.apicha.org/health-center-in-new-york-city/
Moleiro, C., & Pinto, N. (2015). Sexual orientation and gender identity: Review of concepts, controversies
and their relation to psychopathology classification systems. Frontiers in Psychology,6.
doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01511
Nadal, K. L. (2014). A brief history of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and civil rights. Thats
so Gay! Microaggressions and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Community.,14-37.
doi:10.1037/14093-002
Sung, M. R., Szymanski, D. M., & Henrichs-Beck, C. (2015). Challenges, coping, and benefits of being
an Asian American lesbian or bisexual woman. Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender
Diversity,2(1), 52-64. doi:10.1037/sgd0000085
Theories on LGBTQ Development. (2017, December 08). Retrieved May 13, 2019, from
https://safezone.uncc.edu/allies/theories

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