Teaching About Sexual Orientation from a Community Context

Gay men, lesbians, and bisexual persons constitute populations-at-risk due to discrimination and oppression directed toward them within American society. In learning to work with members of these populations social work students need an understanding of the meaning of communities for gay people. This article presents a framework for teaching about communities of place and identification as a part of the social environment of these individuals. A social systems perspective is used to explore community and organizational barriers to their full participation in the rights and benefits of society.