LGBTQ community members’ rights
Members of the LGBTQ community navigate through life even with the stigma that accompanies their sexual orientation. Therefore, social workers are instrumental in ensuring an inclusive society where there is no discrimination based on sexual orientation. Social workers guide and counsel these people to feel accepted and celebrated as they prepare to come out to their loved ones. They also recommend and advise their family members and society on the importance of promoting the rights of LGBTQ members as members of the community. Social workers are at the forefront to address the prejudices and biases that society projects against members of the LGBTQ community(Ambrosino et al., 2015). As advocates for an inclusive society, social workers should publicly educate and enlighten society on LGBTQ members’ rights. Social workers are poised to bring changes to laws and systems to ensure that they uplift and empower LGBTQ members. They also should regulate the profession through accrediting social work courses that mainly address issues that deal with LGBTQ. It will be an assurance that new social workers who join the job are well equipped to deal with a diverse community that values the rights of lesbians, gay, transgender, among others.
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights calls for the inclusion of all people without distinction of any kind. Gender identity and sexual orientation are essential areas of human rights violations. Therefore, it is crucial to identify LGBTQ members as humans who require protection against discrimination that comes with their sexual orientation. Identifying LGBTQ members as humans instead of basing it on their sexual orientation and gender identity will allow other humans to respect them as fellow humans instead of establishing respect with their orientation(Dentato, 2018). Apart from coming up with responses that players can adopt, there is a need to enforce protection against stigma and discrimination by arresting perpetrators of this discrimination to fast track gains on the universal adoption of human rights. States, as well as the federal governments, should take the leading role in enforcing these laws.
Many countries in North America have made great leaps in acknowledging and addressing the rights of LGBTQ. They have abolished laws that criminalize laws that promote the rights of the LGBTQ members. Minority groups such as the LGBTQ in these countries are accepted as human beings, therefore, can participate in other freedoms and privileges that a human being can experience. The concept of gender diversity and sexual orientation allows minority groups to trade, secure employment, healthcare, and security, among other freedoms and rights. Although sexual orientation is intertwined with other significant issues such as race and ethnicity, the steps by the countries in this region indicate that it is the right direction towards upholding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights(Hardina, 2013 ).In this era of development agendas, it is vital to ensure that all development agendas target all society members, minority groups included. Acknowledging and addressing SO and GI issues in development agendas ensure equitable distribution of resources and opportunities for these vulnerable groups. Institutionalization of SO and GI in the development process will ensure inclusivity in the development agendas.
Social workers provide leadership in enacting international laws that expand the rights of LGBTQ members. They also influence the due process that laws governing the process of human rights regarding LGBTQ to ensure there is inclusivity(Winkler,2018). They also advocate for the rights of this minority group at an international level. Networking and mobilization skills are essential to bringing together LGBTQ members to highlight their issues. Organizational, interpersonal, analytical, and advocacy skills are necessary for a social worker to advocate for LGBTQ community members’ rights.
References
Ambrosino, R., Heffernan, J., Shuttlesworth, G., & Ambrosino, R. (2015). Empowerment Series: Social Work and Social Welfare.
Hardina, D. (2013). Interpersonal social work skills for community practice.
Dentato, M. P. (2018). Social work practice with the LGBTQ community: The intersection of history, health, mental health, and policy factors.
Miller, M. P., & Nendel, J. D. (2011). Service-learning in physical education and related professions: A global perspective. Sudbury, Mass: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.
Winkler Carey. A. (2018, May). Amplifying LGBTQ Voices in Social Work Education and Practice. Retrieved from https://sophia.stkate.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1037&context=dsw