LGBT Faculty, Research, and Researchers: Risks and Rewards

Self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) faculty along with heterosexuals with scholarly interests in these populations can face heterosexism, heterocentrism, homophobia, and hostility within and outside of social work programs. This article describes the risks and rewards of being an LGBT faculty based on the experiences of the authors. Myths and realities relating to coming out, promotion, and funding are discussed, along with the pitfalls of tokenism and the stress of being an LGBT faculty of color. Ways to endure and even thrive in spite of these potentially formidable burdens are also described. KEYWORDS: LGBT facultyLGBT researchtokenismLGBT research by non-LGBT researchers Acknowledgments A version of this article was presented at the Annual Program Meeting of the Council on Social Work Education on February 19, 2006, in Chicago; and also at the Ninth Annual Conference of the Society for Social Work Research in January 2005 in Miami, Florida.