Discrimination and Anti-Oppressive Practice in Youth Work Practice - Assignment Example

Introduction This paper seeks to discuss the anti-oppressive practice and discrimination which LGBT youths are faced with in their work setting. The paper will elaborate on how lack of support and guidance serves as one situation in which discrimination of LGBT youths from the parents and educators as well as fellow young students occurs. The paper shall also discuss some anti-oppressive practices in terms of the roles which parents and schools practice in order to minimize discrimination against these LGBT youths. This paper shall also hopefully instruct parents and schools to accept as well as support the gay, lesbian and bisexual students instead of discriminating on them. Doing so shall reduce the already rising school dropout rate and more significantly the suicide rate among this youth group. In essence, the target of this paper is to show the importance of such anti-oppressive practices, concerning the discrimination of LGBT youths, by exploring various actions which can and must be taken by parents and schools to help the LGBT youths live a happy and a normal life. Discrimination and LGBT Youth Discrimination refers to unequal or dissimilar treatment or harassment which causes harm. According to (Rasmussen & Rofes, 2006, p. 56), discrimination is also the prejudicial treatment of a group or an individual based on their real or perceived affiliation to a certain category or group, in a way which is worse than the normal people are normally treated. Rasmussen & Rofes claim it involves a group's initial interaction or reaction, influencing the individual's real behavior towards that group, restricting the members of that group from life opportunities or privileges which are available to the other groups (normal youth group), leading to the prohibition of the individual members based on irrational or logical decision making. Most individuals are guilty of discriminatory treatment against LGBT youths, whether unconsciously or consciously. LGBT youths face daily discrimination from peers, society, family and even the school administrations and teachers. Statistics not only reveal that LGBT youths lack guidance and support but also shows how much these LGBT youths are observably affected, in many ways by discrimination. Westergaard (2009) claims that there is a greater rate of neglect, abuse, and discrimination against the LGBT youths compared to straight youths. It`s believe that majority of the parents would rather prefer their youngsters to be straight as opposed to being gay, lesbian or bisexual and majority of school officials would also prefer their students to be straight than LGBT students. This preference shows lack of support and could be the contributing factor in which discrimination against LGBT youths manifests itself. Fortunately, several studies on the effects of discrimination of LGBT youths are underway in an attempt to draw the minds of parents and attention of schools and perhaps assist modify their opinion on LGBT youths. Fundamentally, several studies attempt to answer certain significant concerns such as what effects discrimination against LGBT youths have on their psychological life and what should be done so as to minimize discrimination against LGBT youths. Some of the oppressive comments which LGBT youths are normally faced with, from their peers or even parents, are as follows: “Go away from us, you faggot”; “I hate gays; “they ought to be banned from the society”, “These queers just cause my stomach to turn” and I can’t just stand the sight of you”. Those are just a few biased statements which LBGT youths face daily in society. According to Joseph Rowntree Foundation (2005), the term “faggot” is always used by the anti-gay peers to discriminate on LGBT youths. Department for Education and Skills acknowledges that words like “faggot” or “gay” are on occasion used in a damaging sense to depict something either uncool or stupid. When such things occur, it expresses an even bigger sign of discrimination on LGBT youths. Shockingly, these words of oppression are not only utilized in the real world by the pees but also in TV shows and movies which makes it even harder for the LGBT youths to bear with. To add onto the discrimination from their peers and society, LGBT youths also suffer discrimination from their home or families, particularly from their parents. Needless to say, families and parents play a great part in discriminating against LGBT youths. Nonetheless, it seems that the greater part of discrimination against LGBT youths originates from the schools which they attend. In general, the peer student shows lack of support for the LGBT youths instead they make oppressive comments on them while the schools discriminate against these youths by failing to offer guidelines to help curb this menace. Anti-Oppressive Practice & Challenging Discrimination Anti-oppressive practice is an effort within a social work to recognize oppression in societies, cultures, or groups, and to negate the influence of those oppressions. Anti-oppressive practice does not just comprise an established mode of thwarting oppression but also have innovative, evolving and combative actions which serve to deny the oppressors an avenue to discriminate others. It`s evident that the lack of protection, support, and guidance from relatives have a major effect on the LGBT youths life. According to (Rasmussen & Rofes, 2006, p. 217), perhaps, if their relatives were more supportive, the depression and suicide rates of the LGBT youths would be reasonably less. It`s recommended that parents ought to embrace their youngsters no matter what choice of sexual preference they have. For an adolescent, it`s even common sense that family must be the main source for seeking guidance and support. When parents disown their gay, lesbian or bisexual adolescent, legal actions should be taken against them and the entire blame be directed towards them. They should be branded as failures. This age is the period when adolescents would require their parents’ support and love the most since when LGBT youths fail to get the necessary assistance and love which they are searching for from their parents and relatives, it contributes to their vulnerable state of depression as well as suicidal phase. Thus, parents of LGBT youths must be compelled by law to take time and reflect on the circumstances prior to making the wrong decisions (neglecting their youngsters because of their sexual preference). Perhaps, they should know that one way of displaying support and guidance would be for them or relatives to intervene with their school or at least try like the mother and make the following quote: “Come be with me my son”, how may I help you my little prince” or “I love you my daughter/son”. Moreover, educators must be persuaded to address discrimination against LGBT students and should put aside their personal opinions to create a safer atmosphere for these students. In their book (Rasmussen & Rofes, 2006) the two scholars also mention about the need for attention from school administrators and teachers toward LGBT youth discrimination and harassment. According to (Rasmussen & Rofes, 2006, p. 274), there are penalties that should be imposed on the perpetrators of discriminatory acts on LGBT youths since these discriminations cause educational effect on these youths. Moreover, students should be given a full view of subject such as homosexual sensitivity training for the anti-gay students and also school officials. Even if this method will helps only two of every ten anti-gay students to cease discrimination against the LGBT students, it`s evident that it will still make a difference. In addition to this, scheme that also ought to be created is monthly meetings between the parents and school officials to assess the progress of anti-oppressive measures which are already in place. Anti-Oppressive Practice: Reflective Summary In conclusion, I have realized that two primary sources which have the ability and power to reduce discrimination against the LGBT youths are parents and schools teachers and administrators. In my own opinion, they are the people who have the biggest influence on the LGBT youths, therefore; they have the capacity to reduce educational failure and suicides among these discriminated youths. Parents and schools must realize, even if it means compelling them by law, the simple things to do to help reduce the psychological and educational effects of discrimination against the LGBT youths. They should work together and productively. Undoubtedly, if they stay on the same page, as an anti-oppressive practice, they can relief the LGBT youths from the agony they go through and assist them live a happy and normal life. Equally important, I realized that one method which can also be exercised in schools, as an anti-oppressive practice, is to introduce homosexual sensitivity training for the anti-gay students and also school officials. This practice is important because I think it would assist the peer students manage any prejudices they might have against the LGBT youths. Since these anti-gay bullying students may perhaps be ignorant of their actions, schools should customize their system such that all students are educated on this subject. It would perhaps help these anti-gay students acquire a better understanding of homosexuality if compared to other subject topics such as religion and culture. I felt the need to develop anti-oppressive practice more when I experienced one of our school teacher make a comment that the solution to discrimination of LGBT youth is to open an all-gay school. I see her proposed move as a possible escalation of discrimination against the LGBT youths. What we need is to enlighten the perpetrators of this discrimination concerning the effects their discriminatory actions have on LGBT youth and not to collect and group them in one school of their own. Reference List JOSEPH ROWNTREE FOUNDATION (2005). Racism Project. http://www.jrf.org.uk/publications/challenging-and-changing-racist-attitudes-and-behaviour-young-people RASMUSSEN, M. L., & ROFES, E. (2006). Youth and Sexualities Pleasure, Subversion, and Insubordination in and Out of Schools. New York, Palgrave Macmillan. WESTERGAARD, J .(2009). Effective group work with young people. McGraw-Hill Open University Press. DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION AND SKILLS (DFES): www.education.gov.uk HOME OFFICE STATISTICS: www.homeoffice.gov.uk Read More