White and lesbian: intersections of privilege and oppression.

This article defines and explores concepts of privilege, oppression, and intersectionality as they relate to the author's experience of being a white lesbian female. The Awareness/Acceptance/Action Model, used frequently in 12-step programs, is presented as a means by which to take initial steps to become aware of privilege and address oppression. Examples of the intersections between different forms of privilege and oppression are presented.

Parental acceptance and illegal drug use among gay, lesbian, and bisexual adolescents: results from a national survey.

Although gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) adolescents face many of the same developmental challenges as do heterosexual adolescents, they must also deal with the stress of being part of a stigmatized group. The purpose of this study was to examine the extent to which family support and involvement with the queer community may buffer the effects of life stress on substance use among GLB youths. Drawing on a large national online survey, the authors examined drug use in 1906 GLB youths 12 to 17 years of age.

Ethical issues in practice with older women who misuse substances.

Older women who misuse substances represent a growing population within the United States. Yet, helping professionals lack guidance in addressing ethical issues that arise in working with these older women. The purpose of this article is to (a) examine what we know about older women who misuse substances, (b) address professional ethical dilemmas and other ethical issues that emerge in treating and delivering services to older women, (c) identify barriers for treatment, and (d) propose practice recommendations.

The Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (GAP): a new measure for assessing cultural competence with gay and lesbian clients.

Gay affirmative practice models provide guidelines for behaviors and beliefs in social work practice with gay and lesbian individuals. The aim of this study was to develop a valid rapid assessment instrument to assess the extent to which social work practitioners engage in principles consistent with gay affirmative practice. The Gay Affirmative Practice Scale is a 30-item scale designed to assess practitioners' beliefs and behaviors in practice with gay and lesbian individuals.

Selected characteristics of research on lesbian women: 1995-1997.

This study examined characteristics of social science research that specifically included lesbians in their sample and was published from 1995-1997. A search of the PsycINFO data base identified 59 articles for analysis. Characteristics of the research that were examined included sampling issues, topics studied, and funding sources.