Equivalent Rights and Security for Gays and Lesbians - Case Study Example

Running Head: Client Group Client Group Homosexual, Lesbian, Bisexual and the Person Cantered Counselling Model and the Pink Therapy. of the Author] [Name of the Institution] Introduction It is not shocking to you that a key disagreement subsists over equivalent rights and security for gays and lesbians’ plus giving same-sex pairs the right to get married. It has exceeded in significance even the divergence over abortion access in the brains of many North Americans. A general conviction among the most conventional groups is that homosexuality is an action something that one does. It is a selected lifestyle, which is uncharacteristic, abnormal, unsettled, and reviled by God. It is a psychological disorder or a compulsion. It usually starts in teenage years when a post-pubertal youth chooses to become gay or lesbian. The root cause is molestation as a youngster or deprived parenting. A common belief among the most liberal faction is that homosexuality is a sexual orientation something that one is, it is an unclosed orientation, which is normal, and natural for a minority of adults, fixed, and is accepted by God. It is neither a mental disorder nor an addiction. The two most vocal groups: They are logically at the edges of the clash: Very conventional Christians, Jews, Muslims, Sikhs etc. sustained by members of the National Association for investigation and Therapy of Homosexuality (NARTH):  Mainly specialized group favours to carry on the existing limitations against gays, lesbians, and bisexuals as well as ban on same-sex marriage. Some activist the reinstatement of laws, which once criminalized same-sex actions. Most resist the conservatory of existing hate-crime laws to comprise sexual orientation. A number of groups, consisting of most gays, lesbians, bisexuals and their friends and families of origin, spiritual liberals, psychological health professionals and their relations, civil libertarians, human sexuality researchers, etc. They lean to errand equal rights and shelter for persons of all sexual orientations, counting the right to marry, with unusual rights for none. As heterosexual, mainly they sense rough with the idea of homosexual actions. They may stare same-sex behaviour as essentially wicked, no issue what the nature of the relationship. Lesbian Lesbian is a woman who is romantically and sexually attracted only to other women. Women who are attracted to both women and men are more often referred to as bisexual. An individuals self-identification might not correspond with her behaviour, and may be expressed with either, both, or neither of these words. Etymology The word lesbian dates back at least to 1732 and lesbianism first come into view in the 1870 Oxford English Dictionary meaning sexual orientation fairly than an allusion to Sappho and inhabitants of Lesbos. Lesbian as an adjective is in the 1890 Oxford English Dictionary and as a noun by 1925. Before twentieth century lesbian was identical with Sophist. Extended importance With the impending of second gesticulate feminism in the later 20th century a propensity to sight all women in more or less heterosexual provisos enthused a revolt in which the meaning of lesbian was confronted. Some groups widened the definition to mean any woman who didnt live a traditional heterosexual life. In 1970 the Radical lesbians stated, "A lesbian is the rage of all women condensed to the point of explosion.” In 1980 feminist writer and poet Adrienne Rich proposed a continuum of lesbian relationships ranging from sexual to platonic. Rich wrote that instead of genital or sexual relationships between women, lesbian could mean any woman who skirts a conventional married life and resists male tyranny. Rich recommended lesbian affairs can occur between women who live or work mutually, even within the similar family. Sexuality Sexual activity between women is as diverse as sex between heterosexuals or gay men. Some women in same-sex relationships do not identify as lesbian, but as bisexual, queer, or another label. As with any interpersonal activity, sexual expression depends on the context of the relationship. Public policy In Western culture, overt exclusion on women’s homosexual actions has been noticeably weaker than those on mens homosexual behaviour. During the 1990s, dozens of chapters of Lesbian nemesis were shaped to press for lesbian visibility and rights. Same-sex marriage has now been legitimated in Netherlands, Spain, Belgium, Canada, and many countries do still not consent South Africa. In 2004 Massachusetts turned out to be the first state in the US to decriminalize same-sex marriages. Throughout history hundreds of lesbians have been well-known figures in the arts and culture. Before the influence of European sexology emerged at the turn of the Twentieth Century, in cultural terms female homosexuality remained almost invisible as compared to male homosexuality, which was subject to the law and thus more regulated and reported by the press. Bisexuality Bisexuality is a sexual course which refers to the romantic or sexual appeal of individuals to others of both genders and sexes. Most bisexuals are not regularly attracted to men and women and may even shift between states of finding either gender or sex exclusively attractive over the course of time. However, some bisexuals are and remain fairly static in their level of attraction throughout their adult life. Description Bisexual people are not unavoidably attracted evenly to both sexes. Because bisexuality is repeatedly an uncertain position between homosexuality and heterosexuality, those who identify, or are recognized, as bisexuals form a heterogeneous group. The term bisexual was first used in the 19th century to refer to intersexes people. By 1914 it had begun to be used in the context of sexual orientation. Some bisexuals and sex researchers are dissatisfied with the term and have developed a variety of alternative or supplementary terms to describe aspects and forms of bisexuality. Bi-permissive It describes someone who does not actively seek out sexual relations with a given sex, but is open to them. Such a person may self-identify as heterosexual or homosexual and engage predominantly in sexual acts with individuals of the corresponding sex, and might be rated 1 or 5 on Kinseys scale. Near-synonyms include heteroflexible and homoflexible. Am bisexual It indicates a primarily indiscriminate attraction to either sex. A person who self-identifies as am bisexual might be attracted with equal intensity on physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual levels to partner(s) regardless of sex or gender presentation while upholding selectivity standards in other areas. Bi-curious It has several distinct and sometimes contradictory meanings. It is commonly found in personal ads from those who identify as heterosexual, but are interested in homosexual "experimentation." Such people are commonly suspected—not necessarily correctly—of being homosexuals or bisexuals in denial of their homosexuality. It can also be used to describe someone as being passively bi, bi-permissive, or open to indirect bisexual contact. Trisexual It is either an extension of, or a pun on bisexual. In its more serious usage, it indicates an interest in transgender persons in addition to bisexual men and women. In its more humorous usage, it refers to someone who will try any sexual experience. It is used in the song "La Vie Boheme" in the Broadway musical Rent. The term was coined by porn actress Robin Byrd. Biphobia It describes a fear or condemnation of bisexuality, usually based in a belief that only heterosexuality and homosexuality are genuine orientations and appropriate lifestyles. Bisexual persons may also be the target of homophobia from those who consider only heterosexuality appropriate. The reverse can also apply in that bisexual persons may be targets of heterophobia or discrimination by some homosexuals. Passively bi It is a non-sex specific term that describes a heterosexual/bi-curious person who is open to incidental or direct contact (typically in a group sex scenario) from a member of the same sex or a homosexual/bi-curious person who is open to contact with members of the opposite sex under the same scenario, which usually doesnt involve reciprocation. Actively bi It is a non-sex specific term that can describe a bi-curious person who initiates direct contact with the sex opposite his or her usual identity (either hetero- or homosexual); it can also refer to a bisexual person who engages in contact with members of both sexes on a fairly regular basis. Cantered counselling It involves a subtle, close and complex encounter of two minds: the mind of the client and the mind of the counsellor. For the encounter to be meaningful (in other words, for both the client and the counsellor to be able to pursue a meaningful and productive dialogue over time), it is necessary that both of them are aware or become aware of the rules that guide and foster their dialogues. In so far as the two actors in the encounter are fully cognizant of the rules, communication is likely to proceed smoothly. But for either party to misunderstand or flaunt the rules, or to arbitrarily change the rules during the course of the encounters, is likely to lead to an impasse--which of course has serious repercussions on the outcomes of these encounters. The rules that guide these encounters are generally unwritten. They are seldom articulated, and they are never specified. They exist within the social, existential and cultural milieu of the client and the counsellor. They are part of the cultural legacy inherited by the two dramatis personae. This needs some elaboration. For effective communication between the counsellor and the client it is essential that the following three conditions are met: (1) That the persons concerned share a common set of assumptions; (2) That the persons concerned share, to a large extent, a common cultural ideology; (3) That the counsellor and the client share, to a large extent, the theoretical assumptions underlying the process of cantered counselling. Let us examine the three conditions briefly. Sharing common sets of assumptions The assumptions shared by two persons or a group of people may be linguistic (e.g. sharing a common language), semantic (e.g. an ability to interpret and understand the subtle nuances of the shared language), non-linguistic (e.g. an understanding of the non-verbal means of communication, which would include the expression of feelings, emotions and empathy conveyed through gestures, eye contact, facial expressions, bodily postures, etc.), ethical (e.g. an appreciation of the normative moral rules which prescribe ones private and social behaviours), political (e.g. an internalization of the values underlying an elected constitutional government, notions of natural justice, etc.). Without shared assumptions, effective communication between two or more persons is likely to be seriously impeded. Such impediments can and do occur even between indigenous groups of people sharing a common language and, to a large extent, the fundamental values of their own culture. This can be evidenced in England, where members of different social classes often experience serious difficulties in communicating with one another--and more poignantly, between medical doctors and their patients (Laungani, 1992). Sharing a common cultural ideology It is not being suggested that meaningful intercultural communications are never possible unless the persons concerned share a common cultural ideology. Such an argument would involve the acceptance of an extreme relativistic position. Relativistic doctrines, despite their seeming attractions and their recent upsurge within certain academic circles, have very little merit in them (Laungani, 1997). The value of relativism as a valid explanatory concept has come to be seriously questioned by several writers (Musgrove, 1982; Gelner, 1985; Williams, 1985; Doyal & Harris, 1986; Bloom, 1987; Laungani, 1997). The acceptance of an extreme relativistic position is to present an argument that ends all arguments--for there is nothing left to say. It leads to what Popper refers to as an epistemological cul-de-sac (Popper, 1972). It is asserted that meaningful intercultural communications are possible. However, such processes are not without their own unique hazards. The potential hazards of intercultural communication--in our case intercultural counselling and therapy and the means by which they may be overcome will be examined later. Values Values are best defined as the currently held normative expectations that underlie individual and social conduct (Laungani, 1995). Salient beliefs concerning right and wrong, good and bad, normal and abnormal, appropriate and inappropriate, proper and improper, and the like, are to a large extent influenced by the values operative in the culture, because certain values are culture-specific; it follows that many assumptions and expectations underlying the appropriateness or otherwise of certain behaviours is also culture-specific. This factor evidently has extremely serious implications for counselling persons from different cultures. It is argued that Western cultures in general and the English culture in particular can be distinguished from non-Western cultures in general and Indian culture in particular along four major factors, which are: It should be pointed out that the two concepts underlying each factor are not dichotomous; they need to be understood as extending along a continuum, starting at, say, Individualism at one end, and extending into Communalism (or Collectivism) at the other. The salient values and behaviours of groups of people may be described as more individualism-oriented and less communalism-oriented, and vice versa. In fact, the values can be described at any measurable point along the continuum, and over time may even move along the dimension from one end to the other. The concepts to the left of each factor are applicable more too Western cultures (including Britain) and those to the right to non-Western cultures (including India). The theoretical basis of the above dimensions and the kinds of private and social behaviours subsumed under each of the dimensions has been extensively described elsewhere (Laungani, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997). Several hypotheses deduced from the above formulation have been subjected to rigorous empirical tests in India and in England (Sachdev, 1992; Sookhoo, 1995), thus providing empirical validity to the above formulations. Although no attempt will be made to discuss the above formulations in detail, references will be made to those features, which have a direct bearing on the problems related to the nature, the process and the product of cantered counselling/therapy. Theoretical assumptions in client-cantered counselling All therapies and cantered therapy is no exception has their own theoretical assumptions. In some instances, the assumptions are clearly stipulated (e.g. in Freudian psychotherapy and in behaviours therapy), and in others they may not be clearly articulated and may need to be inferred from the nature of the relationship between the therapist and the client, the process of counselling and the types of interpretations offered by the counsellor or therapist. No form of counselling in that sense is a theoretical. It should also be recognized that theories are not constructed in a social vacuum. All theories are social constructions (Popper, 1972; Ziman, 1978). They are rooted in social reality. As has been argued elsewhere: A theory also needs to take into account its historical antecedents, its prevalent social, religious, economic (and other) conditions, including the objective and subjective states of knowledge which exist in a given society at a specific point in time. All these factors collectively influence the manner in which theories are conceptualized, formulated, and tested. Failure to take account of these factors may impose severe constraints on rationalist theories and may even render them meaningless. (Laungani, 1997, pp. 510-511) To a large extent the theoretical assumptions that underlie the nature of cantered counselling must be seen against the backdrop of the shared cultural ideology between the client and the counsellor/therapist. Pink Therapy, It is designed to guide therapists and counsellors working with lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients in therapeutic settings. The book presents a range of self-affirming therapies for lesbian, gay male and bisexual clients. Topics addressed include several aspects of lesbian/gay male/bisexual life, such as issues in relation to coming out, relationships, parenting issues, and issues for older people. Fundamental issues that have an impact on the counselling setting with lesbian, gay male and bisexual clients, such as homophobia and heterosexist, are examined. Specific information on how homophobia and heterosexist can interfere with the therapeutic relationship is included. The broad goal is to help therapists work effectively with their clients from the outset, rather than having to “learn on the job,” with a population whose issues may be new to them. Clinical issues common to the therapeutic setting are delineated throughout the book. The writers make the important link between psychodynamic therapeutic models and real-life gay male/lesbian/bisexual affirmative therapy. The primary audience could be characterized as nongay/lesbian/bisexual (heterosexual) counsellors and therapists who work in settings where they will encounter lesbian/gay male/bisexual persons. When working with these populations, many therapists may encounter people with specific sexual identity issues for the first time. More broadly, any therapist would profit from the books coverage of new therapies, methodology, and research. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual therapists can also keep current in this field, as well as those therapists who find themselves isolated from other professionals, by geography or otherwise. The book has many successes. For example, the impact of societys homophobia and heterosexist on the therapeutic setting is a very important one, and the book incorporates the most up-to-date therapeutic theories in this area. The treatment of the effects of heterosexist informs our practice, and helps us to re-examine and redefine our work with our clients. The use of case examples throughout adds greatly to the books usefulness. The section on young people coming out, for example, gives both a comprehensive overview of issues and specific guidelines for adults working with youth to enable them to support and empower youth to be themselves. The client-oriented approach is most useful. The books strengths are that (a) Its bibliography contributes to the existing literature in this field, and (b) It is useful in helping professionals examine their own issues, biases, and stereotyping when working with lesbian/gay male/bisexual clients. The books design makes possible self-examination on the part of the therapist, as well as valuable training in skills for working with lesbian/gay male/bisexual clients. (In the past, many therapists have worked with lesbian and gay clients through a prism of their own experience.) Strength of the book is the section on resources. This section includes community resources and a listing of supplementary readings that corresponds to each chapter in the book. Although there is some diversity among the writers, race and cultural issues are not integrated throughout the book. The authors do acknowledge their limitations in this area, and defend their choices by explaining that the bulk of research is from the United States, with primarily African American and Hispanic populations, which is not considered relevant to Great Britain. However, Great Britain does have a large racial and ethnic population from which to draw clinical information. The authors do encourage Black lesbian, gay male and bisexual professionals to write about their experience. What would have been useful is a chapter addressing the impact of race and ethnicity on the coming-out process and other aspects of the lives of homosexuals. Ethnic and racial groups living in predominantly Western countries experience a social/cultural dissonance. This dissonance is magnified three times. There are conflicting values with the dominant culture. Theorists noted that clinicians need to view people of colour from a bicultural perspective. In working with lesbian, gay male, and bisexual people of colour, one must view their issues from a tricultural perspective: Their membership in their ethnic or racial community, in the lesbian and gay male community (where many lesbian and gay male people of colour experience racism), and in the larger society (Hunter & Schaecher, 1995). However, the book is knowledgeable, insightful, and well researched. Work with the various lesbian, gay male, and bisexual communities requires continuous study, and the contributors really help clinicians take a good look at their assumptions and their methods within the therapeutic process References Rictor, Norton. Political definitions of the lesbian.. infopt.demon.co.uk. Retrieved on January 4, 2008. McCoy, Sherry, Hicks, M. (1979). 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(1995) Stress in eastern and western cultures. In J. BREBNER, E. GREENGLASS, P. IAUNGANI & A. OROARK (Eds) (Series Editors: C.D. SPIELBERGER and I.G. SARASON), Stress and Emotion, Vol. 15, (pp. 265-280). Washington, DC: Taylor and Francis. LAUNGANI, P. (1996) Death in a Hindu family. In: C.M. PARKES, P. LAUNGANI & W. YOUNG (Eds), Death and bereavement across cultures (pp. 52-72). London: Routledge. LAUNGANI, P. (1997) Mental illness in India and Britain: theory and practice. Medicine and Law, 16, 509-540. Read More