Coming of age as an LGBTQ social work educator: Reflections on a personal and professional journey

Authors

  • Trevor G Gates College at Brockport, State University of New York

Keywords:

LGBTQ issues; diversity; social work education, LGBTQ issues, diversity, social work education

Abstract

Personal and professional identities intersect in the social work classroom, particularly for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ). In this narrative, I reflect on the intersection of personal and professional identities in my own experience as a social work educator, recalling an experience in the classroom where conflict arose about LGBTQ issues. Additionally, implications for using the social work classroom to explore challenging issues are explored.

Author Biography

Trevor G Gates, College at Brockport, State University of New York

Trevor G. Gates is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, College at Brockport, State University of New York. Correspondence can be addressed to the author's attention at Greater Rochester Collaborative MSW Program, 55 Saint Paul Street Rochester NY 14604. Email: tgates@brockport.edu.

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Published

2017-10-12

How to Cite

Gates, T. G. (2017). Coming of age as an LGBTQ social work educator: Reflections on a personal and professional journey. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 22(3), 5–11. Retrieved from https://reflectionsnarrativesofprofessionalhelping.org/index.php/Reflections/article/view/1446