Class Descriptions

Services and Supports to Transgender Clients and Communities

SW707

Credits:	1
Prerequisites:	None

Pathway Associations

Community Change
Global
Interpersonal Practice	Elective (Host)
Mgmt & Leadership
Policy & Political
Program Evaluation
Older Adults	Elective
Children & Families

Course Description

This course will increase students’ capacity to understand the issues faced by gender diverse people and communities, including but not limited to trans and nonbinary persons across the life span, and capacity to provide gender-affirming social work support to this group. To achieve these goals, this course will 1) offer a working definition of terms, including (but not limited to): Transgender, Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Gender Expansive, Gender Diverse, Intersex, Nonbinary, Cisgender, and Accomplice; 2) examine multiple risk factors that impact trans and gender diverse people (e.g., mental health issues, economic insecurity, violence) from a strengths-based lens; 3) examine protective factors (e.g., social support, community); 3) consider how these experiences are differentially experienced across intersections of race, class, and disability status, among other facets of identity/experience; and, 4) educate students about resources for trans and gender diverse individuals and communities and where/how to access these resources. Of particular importance, the concept of gender affirmation will be introduced, including mechanisms for social, legal, and medical gender affirmation, with examination of the role of the Social Worker in each of these domains.

Objectives

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
1 .Describe common issues facing trans and gender diverse people and communities.
2. Analyze how these issues are influenced by larger oppressive structures and individual biases.
3. Understand the concept of gender affirmation and how it applies to social work practice.
4. Identify social work strategies for working with trans and gender diverse individuals and communities at micro, mezzo, and macro levels.
5. Recognize the impact of age, race, gender, ethnicity, social class, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, power and privilege on the experiences of trans and gender diverse individuals and communities, as well as on their interpersonal practice with these communities.

Design

This course is designed to be highly interactive and will rely on active participation from all members. We will draw on knowledge (research about trans individual and community needs), theory (ways of understanding issues amenable to social work intervention experienced by trans and gender diverse individuals and communities), and practice (gender-affirming practices and organizations will be introduced) in order to inform a comprehensive approach to understanding and supporting trans and gender diverse individuals and communities.

Intensive Focus on Privilege, Oppression, Diversity and Social Justice (PODS)

PODS are fundamental to this course, such that attention will be paid to how systemic oppression influences the everyday experiences of discrimination among trans and gender diverse people and communities. This course uses an intersectional lens to look at diversity within trans and gender diverse communities, including around race, disability, immigration status, age, and more. In addition to understanding larger structural manifestations of oppression, students will be challenged around their own biases as well as to look at how structural stigma and individual biases impact their everyday work with gender diverse people and communities.

This course integrates PODS content and skills with a special emphasis on the identification of theories, practice and/or policies that promote social justice, illuminate injustices and are consistent with scientific and professional knowledge. Through the use of a variety of instructional methods, this course will support students developing a vision of social justice, learn to recognize and reduce mechanisms that support oppression and injustice, work toward social justice processes, apply intersectionality and intercultural frameworks and strengthen critical consciousness, self-knowledge and self-awareness to facilitate PODS learning.