Latricia Giles Professor McDougal Individual Learning Paper #2

Oppressed People

For this assignment I ventured a little bit outside of my comfort zone. I decided to interview a member of the LGBT community. For the interview and paper I am going to call her Jane. I met Jane recently in a womens study class. She self identifies as queer and dresses like a guy. Heck at first I thought she was a guy, but her soft spoken voice quickly lets you know she is a female. I havent been the most comfortable with individuals that identify themselves as homosexuals, so I am happy that I was able to have the chance to sit and talk with her. Growing up Jane was adopted in to a well to do conservative Christian family. Her mother is a teacher and her dad owns a couple of successful businesses. Jane described her childhood as a fun loving environment. Jane loved to play sports and hated to wear dresses. At the age of 12 she realized that she preferred girls over boys and starting dating her first girlfriend. As she started high school she tried to be like a normal teenage girl and began trying to date guys. It just didnt work for her, she told me I tried to date white, black, and Spanish guys and none of them attracted me. During this time in her life she said she just felt so alone. There was no one she could talk to. Her parents strongly opposed homosexuality. Janes older brother came out that he was gay and her parents treated him horribly. They sent him off to a conversion camp to be cured. Scared and confused Jane continued to try and act as normal as possible. During her senior year in high school her parents overheard a conversation she was having with her

girlfriend, and thats when they learned that she was gay. To say that they were furious was an understatement. The told her that she was never to talk with the girl again and if she did they knew where the girl lived and would expose it to her parents. Her car was taken away and she could only go to school, sporting events, and home. They took away her computer and cell phone access. They even went as far as hiring someone to watch her every move at school and sporting events, to see who she would talk to. Jane described this time in her life as Hell. She was not only a prisoner in her own home, but she was also in mind and body. Falling deep in to depression, she began seriously considering suicide. On a daily basis Jane faces constant aggravation because she chooses to dress as a guy. Jane is very aware of where she goes alone. She spoke of an incident where she went in to a restaurant for lunch and received poor treatment because of her sexual orientation. When she goes out with her girlfriend she admitted that sometimes they are hesitant to hold hands and avoid certain types of places all together because sometimes the stares are overwhelming. Despite all of the things that have gone wrong in her life, Jane is trying to fight all of the stigmatisms that come with being a homosexual. She runs a support group for individuals that are coming out to their family and friends. Jane feels that this is not only therapeutic for them but also for her as well. Jane still suffers from depression. She feels that her parents rejection of her lifestyle and unwillingness to accept her weighs on her tremendously, but by trying to helping others and being a support for them is helping. Based on what Jane has told me, I do feel that as a potential social worker I have learned a lot. I know I would be able to effectively help people which are members of an oppressed group. I now feel more comfortable talking with members of the LGBT community, and have a

better understanding the pain and devastation they face on a daily basis. Janes strength and courage is admirable, she has been threatened and even beat up, and she still presses on. The article I read was Groundbreaking Research on Family Rejection of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adolescents Establishes Predictive Link to Negative Health Outcomes. Based on my reading and interview with Jane, their dose appears to be a direct correlation in the two. The article discovered that higher rates of family rejection during adolescence were significantly associated with poorer health outcomes for LGB young. It also said LGB young adults who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, 5.9 times more likely to report high levels of depression, 3.4 times more likely to 3.4 times more likely to uses illegal drugs and engage in unprotected sexual intercourse, compared to other teens from families that reported no it low levels of family rejection. In conclusion Janes story is one of millions that go untold. She had to deal with the rejection of her family, friends, and her community and yet she has found determination to work through her depression and oppressions to try and help others like her. Jane is a strong individual and I admire her willingness to open up to me and help me understand her lifestyle and hardships associated with it. In comparing her story to the article she agreed based upon her type of work what she hears while working with her groups. Her hope is that with more awareness and tolerance that this study will change.