Inclusive practice with young people who identify as LGBTQ+

Social care practitioners play an important role in supporting young people who identify as LGBTQ+ with their identity development. For LGBT+ History Month our Frontline Briefing on supporting young people who identify as LGBTQ+ will be open access until 28 February.

One of the great things about working with young people is their capacity to cut through all the verbal fluff and social etiquette. Often I find that young people in my life, both personally and professionally, ask questions or make comments that force me to reflect and change previously held perspectives.

The above comment was made by a young person in a reference group I was co-chairing. The reference group was established to support the development of the LGBTQ+ Frontline Briefing that I was writing for Research in Practice. The comment was made in answer to questions about young people coming out to professionals to access LGBTQ+ related support. During my time with the reference group, the young people provided useful feedback and insightful commentary. Indeed, many of their quotes are included in the final publication. The briefing is designed to encourage reflection and to ask questions of professionals, services, and organisations about the inclusivity of their policies and practice.

The importance of inclusive language and terminology

Out of all the brilliant insights young people shared during the reference group, this comment got me thinking. Perhaps this was because the young person turned accepted norms on their head and refused to accept that anyone who does not identify as heterosexual or cisgendered [1] should have to ‘come out’ and identify themselves to the world. The young person made it clear that, from her perspective, the very notion of coming out was redundant, maybe even outdated.  

The passion in her voice as she confidently stated ‘Come out from where? I’ve not been hiding!’ reflects the invisibility of LGBTQ+ young people in universal service provision. It speaks directly to the heteronormative and gender assuming practises her and many other LGBTQ+ young people have encountered. The comments above act as a reminder that providing LGBTQ+ inclusive advice and support should not be conditional on a young person coming out. Being an inclusive practitioner is something I am sure we all strive for, but what are we really doing to achieve this? How does the terminology, language and resources we use create the feelings of inclusivity and acceptance? 

Far too frequently, when interacting with professionals and services, it is only when young people are either identified or identify themselves as LGBTQ+ that attempts are made to meet any potential LGBTQ+ related needs. Without confirmation or indication that a young person may identify as LGBTQ+ their sexual orientation and/or gender identity is rarely considered. For example, it’s rare that a young person will receive LGBTQ+ related information or support unless they identify themselves as such. In contrast, it is far more common that LGBTQ+ young people will receive information, advice and support that assumes heterosexuality and reinforces gender norms. As practitioners we must question the reasons for this. Does this approach align with what we know about LGBTQ+ young people’s experiences and developing sense of identity? Additionally, how do our actions contribute to the othering and discrimination of LGBTQ+ young people?

Providing inclusive youth services

In the context of safeguarding and youth related services, professionals often only consider LGBTQ+ as a concern when heterosexuality and gender roles and norms are called into question. Furthermore, when a young person’s sexuality and/or gender identity is questioned, professionals can feel the need to be able to state which letter, or letters, of the acronym the young person identifies with. When considering sexuality, Hicks (2008) calls this the ‘four sexuality rule’, where all people have to be categorised as ‘lesbian’, ‘gay’, ‘bisexual’ or ‘heterosexual’. I would extend Hicks’ rule [2] to also include a three-gender rule, where all individuals must be identified as either male, female, or trans [3].

Over the course of my career, I have witnessed the above. Most recently whilst volunteering at a LGBTQ+ youth club. Some of the young people attending shared experiences of feeling pressurised by teachers to come out as trans. This was to ensure that they did not receive sanctions for wearing the uniform that they felt most comfortable in. Although the intention of the teaching staff appears to be supportive, it does highlight the irony of such policies. Policies that are designed to create feelings of inclusion requiring young people to identify themselves as different so they can experience the benefit of inclusivity.

Additionally, professionals encouraging young people to identify as either one of four sexualities, and/or one of three genders to gain access to the support they needed is steeped in heteronormative and gender-normative values. Young people may not identify with any of these labels but may benefit from a non-hetero and non-gender specific advice, support, and policies.

Coming out can be a liberating experience for many individuals and can signify the start of a journey of self-acceptance and exploration. However, it should not be expected of young people, and it certainly should not be a prerequisite to accessing inclusive support.

Supporting young people who identify as LGBTQ+

For further exploration of LGBTQ+ young people’s experiences check out the Research in Practice’s Frontline Briefing. It is open access for the duration of LGBT+ History Month. The briefing includes topics such as language and terminology and the importance of adopting an intersectional approach when working with LGBTQ+ young people.