DESCRIPTION 

As public support and acceptance of sexual and gender minority (SGM) people has grown, more and more facets of the community have begun to disclose their identities publicly. The terms that SGM individuals use to identify themselves are numerous and ever evolving, but respectfully using and discussing these terms doesn’t need to be intimidating. This webinar will introduce a variety of current identifying terms using real-world examples, explore the reasons behind SGM individuals’ varying levels of disclosure, and prepare providers to confidently engage with these emerging identities.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Explain the importance of self-naming and identification for SGM individuals.
2. Assess the continuums of gender, sexuality, and relationship style along which SGM individuals might identify themselves.
3. Identify how bias and socially-engineered trauma lead to varying levels of disclosure and decreased health outcomes for SGM individuals.
4. Develop vocabulary and communication strategies to create a welcoming environment for SGM individuals, regardless of their identity or level of disclosure.

PRESENTER 

Kate Bishop, MSSA, Education Coordinator at the LGBT Health Resource Center of Chase Brexton, is a seasoned professional development trainer with expertise in working with LGBTQ populations, sexual and reproductive health care, adolescent development, intimate partner violence, and sexual trauma. She is certified as a trainer through GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network) as well as SAGE (Services and Advocacy for GLBT Elders). Before joining the Chase Brexton team, she developed the capacity building program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine’s STAR TRACK Adolescent HIV program, providing cultural responsiveness trainings for agencies that serve sexual minority youth of color. Ms. Bishop holds a Bachelor of Arts in Gender Studies from Hiram College and a Masters in Social Work from Case Western Reserve University.

For immediate questions, contact [email protected]