Gender Identity in Life Span Development Essay

Tags: social work practice social work gender identity social worker

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What Concepts Seem Especially Relevant to You as A Social Worker?



Social work initiatives across the nation aid us, as social workers, in preparing for a number of problematic content areas which social workers come across in the course of their career. But 'gender identity' subject is often dismissed in spite of its relevance in all people's lives. In fact, social workers encounter several clients who experience gender identity struggles, to some extent, in life (Irvin & Mckay, 2013). The social work profession entails working with people; another comparable definition stresses "social" significance and, simultaneously, recognizes individuals' gender identity receptiveness to broader influential systems (Hawkes and Scott 2005, 7).



Expression of gender is socially-built, based on cultural expectations and standards. For instance, several people would agree on the fact that little girls do not innately love all things "pink" and wish to dress dolls. These things are taught to them through their interactions with the society. Individuals learn behaviors or gender expressions accepted in the society for males and females by noting and imitating other individuals' actions. The norms individuals are normally urged to abide by include, for instance, that females have to wear dresses and maintain long hair, whilst males must wear pants and maintain short hair. Anyone who flouts these societal "rules" is considered transgressive. By realizing that such norms actually originate in the minds of the masses, one can, as a social worker and a member of a society, accept those who are "different" (Irvin & Mckay, 2013).

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Are You Able to Identify Any Personal Misunderstandings About the Formation of Gender Identity?



A social worker prides him/herself on his/her inclusivity and cultural competence. However, with respect to the gender identity concept, we sometimes fail to understand the vast diversity surrounding us. For instance, social workers generally employ the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) acronym in their attempt to portray inclusivity of gender and sexual minorities. But it fails at adequately representing societal gender and sexual gender diversity. Thus, for us, as social workers, a more "inclusive" acronym would be LGBTQIA (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning/queer, intersex, and asexual). However, even this acronym doesn't sufficiently represent the wide gamut of identity, attraction, and gender identity-related behavior. The social work profession needs to constantly endeavor to gain a better grasp of societal diversity, so as to better cater to clients who come with various queries and issues (Dunk, 2007). We must work to build a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere, irrespective of the kind of population we tend to face. The application of more inclusive language, particularly with respect to gender and sexual minorities, will help us cultivate an improved, therapeutic and safe atmosphere for all clients (Irvin & Mckay, 2013).



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Bibliography


Dunk, P. (2007). Everyday Sexuality and Social Work: Locating Sexuality in Professional Practice and Education. Social Work and Society International Online Journal.

Hawkes, G. and Scott, J. G. 2005: Sexuality and Social Theory, in: Hawkes, G. & Scott, J. G. (eds.) Perspectives in Human Sexuality. South Melbourne: Oxford University Press.

Irvin, J., & Mckay, K. (2013). Top 10 Things Social Workers Need To Know About Human Sexuality. Retrieved from The New Social Worker: http://www.socialworker.com/feature-articles/practice/10-things-social-workers-need-to-know-about-human-sexuality/

Ghosh, S. (2015). Gender Identity. Retrieved from: http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/917990-overview#a1

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