A Mixed Context Globally
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and their concerns have become increasingly visible around the world. As awareness grows, and as more people come out by choice or are outed by others, reactions to these populations play out in ways both favorable and appalling.
Among the favorable developments, including an uptick in affirming LGBT- related public policy in some countries, is the increase in the past few years of international, national and regional psychological organizations formally adopting LGBT affirmative policies and using scientific knowledge to inform their statements against discrimination and sexual orientation change effort, and for affirmative practices with clients.
As the United Nations and other international human rights and health bodies have moved toward a conceptualization of LGBT people being entitled to human rights and health and have made formal statements (PDF, 706KB)opens in new window against having human rights dismissed or violated because of LGBT status, there has been significant pushback from some nations insisting "traditional values"opens in new window that have long suppressed women and sexual and gender minorities should be the legitimate basis for what are recognized as human rights.
This page represents an effort to highlight the literature and opportunities for training, practice and research pertinent to psychologists in particular. It also represents an effort to help educate professionals already involved in other arenas of this work, as well as a more general public, to recognize and better understand psychology's role.