This was written recently for my first paper in social work practice. I have had a couple requests to read it, but the pdf is a bit difficult for some to view on their devices! So here is the essay, without the references added.
Advocating for Gender Minorities in Social Work
Practice
Within this essay, I aim to focus
on the gender minorities of Aotearoa New Zealand, especially transgendered
people, to describe the inequalities they face, and to apply the theories and
practice of social work to this demographic in our society. Transgendered
people are individuals whose gender is not what they were assigned with at
birth and have adapted to a more authentic standard of living as the sex and/or
gender they identify most with (Tan et al., 2020). For transgendered and gender
diverse individuals, systemic health disparities are often greatly affected by
cisgenderism, a prejudiced societal norm that prevents gender diverse
individuals from favourably accessing equal healthcare, legal rights, and
advocacy for and of themselves (Tan et al., 2020). Accordingly, the aim of social
work is to strive to eradicate any form of inequality and oppression and to be
more proficient and confident in addressing them. Social workers are to
challenge this persecution by utilising resources, to have competency in cultural
and gender diversities, to have a knowledge of critical social work theory and
of queer theory. Thus, remembering their own commitment to the
“person-in-environment” context and to target one or more systems for change to
empower this. Today, social work in Aotearoa New Zealand is a highly regulated
profession, in which traditionally hegemonic discourses have been reframed to
be ultimately inclusive, with immeasurable work having been accomplished to decolonise
social work, and for social work itself to become more about wellbeing rather
than welfare. However, it is argued that the dominant view of social work is
still situated in the heteronormative and binary concept of sexuality and
gender, and so therefore, many social workers are coming into the profession
with a universal mindset regarding transgender people (Betts, 2018).
Gender diversity has long been
neglected as a social health determinant, contributing largely to health
inequities among gender minorities. (Tan et al., 2021). In practice, identity
politics and multi-cultural diversity models are constructed around the
hegemonic binaries, with individuals often being categorised by their
membership to a group or groups. Marginalised groups are often put into
“at-risk” categories which are then further divided between distinctions such
as male and female, white and people of colour, heterosexual and homosexual,
wealthy and poor, and so forth (McPhail, 2014). However, there is also little
consideration of the microaggressions that exist in society every day,
particularly towards gender and sexuality minorities, cisgender women, and
black and indigenous people of colour (BIPOC), with great liability in the
power that the subtle discriminations have (Sterzing et al., 2017). The various
models and standards of care used today are developed from Western biomedical
health models, which are centred around the two sex binaries and are not as
extensive as they should be in contemporary social work. Therefore, the
argument is that social workers should reject the hegemonic binary
understanding of sex and gender, and to encompass a more comprehensive,
inclusive and affirming understanding of gender, as it is empowering for
Takatāpui to control the language that represents themselves, of which social
workers can honour with understanding and compassion (Burdge, 2007). Furthermore,
the social work profession seems to now have widely adapted models and working
theories towards social and economic justice for people who are oppressed,
based on their gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, and ability.
(McPhail, 2014).
Regardless, it can be said that it would
not be surprising for transgendered people to often seek the services of social
workers for a variety of reasons, principally for their own mental health and
wellbeing. Nevertheless, in order to employ critical social work theories is to
understand the discourse of power and the marginalisation in society for those
who do not conform to the binary concepts of sex and/or gender, and of how
power inequalities are created and replicated through the mechanisms of social
interaction (Betts, 2018). In turn, self-determination is largely a part of
social justice and are but one of the fundamental principles of the social work
profession (Burdge, 2007). Moreover, the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of
Social Workers Code of Ethics document highlights the diversity and autonomy of
individuals, with emphasis on continuing to embrace the core values of Te
Tiriti O Waitangi. Referring to the Rangatiratanga section of the “Aotearoa New
Zealand Association of Social Workers Code of Ethics” (2019), which state that
registered social workers must uphold the individual autonomy of their clients,
and their right to informed consent, does go to show that social work, as a
community, is to value and respect the diversity of the interactions they may
have during their professional career. In contrast, while advocacy for others
is an important tool for social workers to be competent in and able to do so,
transgendered people often must advocate for themselves due to circumstances
and a lack of understanding or empathy. This can be illustrated in the
“Counting Ourselves” survey (2018), which was the most comprehensive
quantitative study of gender diverse minorities undertaken in Aotearoa New
Zealand with 1178 participants and had a strong focus on the health and
wellbeing of transgender New Zealanders. (Tan et al., 2020). Transgendered
individuals and healthcare professionals interviewed raised concerns of issues
that stemmed from a lack of access to equal healthcare and of being treated
with dignity and respect, which has shown to be excessively inconsistent across
the gender-diverse population. The higher rates of mental health and
psychological stress and suicidality rates within the transgender and gender
diverse minorities as well as unemployment and homelessness were also addressed
within the survey. (Tan et al., 2020). Similarly, a report commissioned in 2007 by the Human Rights Commission also raised many concerns, focussed on access to
gender inclusive healthcare, mental health and counselling services, and social
care services. From these were considerations of mental health and wellbeing
inequities needing to be addressed alongside gender minority stress as social
determinants (Human Rights Commission, 2007). Social workers can also advocate
for workplace protections, provide support to their tāngata whai ora and
whanau, to work within the community towards a wider and more comprehensive
inclusion of legal rights and laws, such as immigration, and a legal
recognition of their gender and individual identities. Introducing clearer
policies regarding citizenship as well as changing their gender and name on birth
certificates along with other important legal documents, must be advocated for
and enforced by the social justice sector (Human Rights Commission, 2007). The
main concerns raised by the report were centred around availability,
accessibility, acceptability and the quality of the healthcare justified.
(Human Rights Commission, 2007).
Subsequently, given that the
biomedical Western models of health and wellbeing pathologize transgendered and
gender diverse people, it is compelling that those who work towards social
justice are to recognise those microaggressions within society and the
influence that these have on the individuals who are oppressed and discriminated
against. Health inequalities are the differences in health and wellbeing
outcomes between specific groups, cultures or minorities, and reflects a social
justice lens for those working in social work, healthcare, or the mental health
system (Tan et al., 2020). Since its conceptualisation and development, while
contemporary social work has nonetheless been shaped by Western theories of
knowledge and religious beliefs, it is to adapt a new awareness of cultural
influences with respect to the diversity of our society towards a new approach of
social care practicum (Henrickson, 2022). Further accessibility to gender
inclusive counselling and other social and mental health services are also
cited as an area of immense concern for many, for the inequities presented in
society to gender-diverse peoples also affect the health and wellbeing of this
demographic. Nevertheless, future policymaking, laws and legislations can be
influenced by the social care and justice sector towards a more inclusive local
community and a wider society in Aotearoa New Zealand for future Takatāpui.
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