The Hidden Minority
Upon hearing multicultural counseling, culturally diverse counseling, or counseling of diverse populations most people may think of groups that differ from the dominant culture in our society, such as, race, culture, ethnicity, etc. Many people do not think beyond these categories to consider a second tier of diversity, for instance, age, disability, sexual orientation, etc. What is the dominant culture? In most references the comparison is associated with the White Euro-American norms. The basic assumption that heterosexuality is the only normal path of all human beings creates a need for counseling trainees to consider the hidden minority group of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender issues (GLBT).
In general, many counselor trainees might be unfamiliar with the distinction of these above-mentioned titles. An affection and/or orientation to a person of the same sex is referred to as homosexuality (Sue and Sue, 2003). Commonly, males are known as gay, females are known as lesbians.
Individuals who self-identify themselves as homosexual or as heterosexual and move back and forth between the groups are self labeled as bisexuals (Matthews, 2001). Transgender individuals consist of transsexuals, individuals undergoing hormone treatment, and others who elect surgery (Sue and Sue, 2003). In most of my readings and research on counseling diverse populations, I find that bisexual and transgender issues have been omitted or lightly touched upon.
Among the gay subculture there is a difference between gay and homosexual. Homosexual has a negative connotation because it has been used as a diagnostic label by many clinicians, concerns only to sexual orientation, and is frequently accompanied by a negative self-image. The word gay has come to indicate an attitude of positive self-acceptance, which includes affection, emotions, life-style, and political perspective as well as sexual orientation (Beane, 1981).
Sexual orientation can simply become an invisible diversity in...