Sexual Orientation: taboo, unspoken, silenced. Although society, and some legal systems, is beginning to recognize and speak about the LGBTQ population, major gaps in understanding and support still exist, especially with students that are struggling to establish their self-concept and understand their role as a member of the LGBTQ community. School counselors are charged with the difficult task of communicating, advocating, and supporting these adolescents in both understanding their sexual identity and their career maturity. Both of these tasks are equally taxing on the adolescent when isolated; however, when that adolescent attempts to simultaneously navigate both sexual identity development and career maturity he or she might lack the psychological energy to complete both or even one of the tasks; which could inevitability lead to failure in both identities. However, if counselors are attentive to the needs of this oppressed population and understand how success in one life role can potentially facilitate success in another life role they can assist the adolescent in successfully navigating through both understanding his or her self-concept (their sexuality) and exploring and developing his or her career maturity.
Targeting adolescents in high school is critical because it is at this stage in their development where exploration and learning occurs. Their cognitive abilities are at a level where true processing can occur and they can begin to investigate various areas of interest. When examining the LGBTQ community great concerns arise in published literature and research and many career theories. While in high school, many females will begin to explore helping roles and careers that are more people centered and eliminate those typical masculine choices. However; in the mind of a LGBTQ female she may not decide to rule out those typical masculine roles and settle into a role of the typical heterosexual female. This internal conflict breaks the mold of the classic models prescribed to by most females and allows for exploration of atypical career aspirations. For years, society has stereotyped gay men as dancers, hairdressers, florists, or actors; while labeling lesbian women as athletes, mechanics, or truck drivers; however, these roles are not necessarily roles that members of the LGBTQ community willingly embrace. A resource that can be utilized to lessen the impact of discrimination and stereotyping, and opening up career options to members of the LGBTQ community, is the utilization of LGBTQ role models in the community.
Bandura’s social learning theory suggests that individuals are likely to seek out role models who they perceive to share many similarities because they assume that they can benefit from the knowledge of shared experiences. “Out” LGBTQ professionals are a vital component because they demonstrate how to successfully and carefully balance public and private matters and model confidence in being part of the LGBTQ community while challenging the stereotypes that once bound their thinking and decision making process. If positive role models are present in the lives of the LGBTQ adolescent they will have the opportunity to learn vicariously through that individual and will gain the insights necessary to anticipate reactions to and consequences of full disclosure. The relationships that can be built with role model are critical for the adolescent because many of them many not receive similar support or guidance from their own family.
Many LGBTQ adolescents have a more difficult time receiving support and guidance from those directly involved in their lives in comparison to their heterosexual counterpart and, as a result, displays greater amounts of career indecision. Findings suggest that LGBTQ students perceived less academic and career support, guidance, or both once their sexuality is disclosed and that families tend to offer less support for androgynous or nonconforming interests that are expressed by LGBTQ students. Due to a lack of familial support in an adolescents’ life-style, LGBTQ students might venture toward a “safe” career choice in order to appease family and avoid additional unnecessary conflict. Although the family may not support the individual’s sexual orientation, it is possible to promote positive career development and the same can be said of a school counselor.
These issues and needs are just a few of the challenges facing LGBTQ adolescents today and the following intervention is designed to aid these individuals in developing a healthy sexual identity; as well as, focusing on career development that is not limited by the stereotypes, discrimination, or other limiting factors. Due to the simultaneous developments that are occurring in students at the point in their life, outlining a simple, straight forward approach and intervention is difficult because sexual identity development cannot be ignored when developing a career development intervention. However, implementation of such an intervention at this stage in development is critical because it is at this point in their lives where they begin forming career plans and considering how it may be implemented. This proposed intervention focuses on career development of the LGBTQ youth, but does not fail to recognize that the sexual development process will also be taken into account. This four stage intervention is designed to address the most commonly expressed concerns found in research; with great emphasis placed on the utilization of positive role models.
Stage 1: Counselor Education/Training
The first step in ensuring that the counselor is prepared to work with the LGBTQ community is to take the time and self-educate. Although the focus of this intervention is centered on careers, it is vital that the counselor recognizes and is familiar with sexual identity development and understand the impact that it can have on the individual. One single model has yet to be developed to understand and explain sexual identity development, but the following six stages are suggested stages that all counselors working with the LGBTQ community should learn.
- Identity Confusion
- Identity Comparison
- Identity Tolerance
- Identity Acceptance
- Identity Pride
- Identity Synthesis
Understanding some of these basic conflicts that impact the developing adolescent will allow for greater insight into the turmoil that he or she is work through during a difficult time in their life.
Stage 2: Formation of Safe, Supportive Environment
Research suggests that nearly 5% of America's high school students identify as LGBTQ, which means, that on average, every classroom in America has at least one LGBTQ student. With a population this size the school, and the counselor, cannot allow them to fall through the cracks and must make a vigilant and fervent effort to ensure that these students feel welcomed and safe at their school. In a recent “Need’s Assessment” that I conducted at my school a student wrote that the homophobic remarks in the hallway were getting out of control and that words like “faggot”, “queer”, and “gay” are not fair and unacceptable. Although we as counselors may not see a great need, it is necessary to listen to the students because as we all know we cannot be everywhere at once listening to the chatter in the halls. We need to be advocates to make a safe place for LGBTQ individuals and those individuals that might not be part of that community but support them as peers. Just a few weeks ago, I had a young man stop by my office to tell me that he was gay and that “this was his only safe place” and that is the kind of impact a school needs to attempt to create. Although he was reluctant and fearful to tell his family, he felt comfortable enough sharing his deepest struggle at school. Creating the environment of acceptance isn’t about making bold statements about every minority or oppressed group in your school; rather, about constantly and consistently supporting the needs of all students regardless of the situations and circumstances they present.
Stage 3: Utilization of Role Models/Mentors
In order help students in the LGBTQ community successfully explore career choices that are outside of the stereotyped clusters they need inspiration and what better way than to provide role models in which to emulate. Our society is full of doctors, lawyers, politicians, and other individuals that hold non-stereotypical jobs that are homosexual and the students need to be aware of these individuals. Counselors should seek individuals in the community that hold stereotypical and non-stereotypical jobs to serve as role models for students to ensure that they have the opportunity to learn from the shared experiences from both sides of the coin. One important element of the role model is that he or she needs to be “out” in the work place because this demonstrates that the individual is comfortable with who they are and has developed their sexual identity. These role models serve to aid students in understanding how to be part of the LGBTQ community and balance and career and personal life.
Stage 4: Family Involvement
This stage of the process is notably the most difficult because families are not always open and welcoming when their son or daughter “come out”. It is important to understand that although the family may not necessarily support the fact that their son or daughter is part of the LGBTQ community that they can support a healthy career development process. Asking families to attend group meetings or even support groups if necessary is a way to get them in the door and get them discussing the current situation and allow families to support each other in what could be a difficult time. The shared experiences of these families can potentially form a bond that breaks the barriers and allows for growth and acceptance. The role models and community members can also be invited to attend group meetings and activities to aid in demonstrating that being part of the LGBTQ doesn’t limit the adolescent and that they can find successful careers and have stable lives.
Implementation of such a comprehensive intervention will take advanced planning and organization by a team of counselors and trained support staff that are prepared to address the unique issues and needs associated with the LGBTQ population. The establishment of a gay-straight alliance, or any similar organization, will begin setting the foundation for students to feel welcomed and accepted at your school; as well as, allowing supporters of such an organization to become involved, because this organization would not be limited to only those students who identify themselves as LGBTQ but also the supporters, friends, and peers of those students. Although many may join such a group for solely the support of peers, it is important to take this opportunity to focus some of the meetings on career development and ensuring that they understand that they should not be hindered by any stereotype and have the ability to be successful in the career in which they enjoy regardless of society’s barriers.