Social Workers and LGBT Policies: Attitude Predictors and Cultural Competence Course Outcomes

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people are gaining ground in civil rights but still experience exclusion or discrimination through social policy, and policy advocacy on behalf of LGBT people is an ongoing need. Social work practice areas intersect with policies that are relevant to LGBT people’s civil rights. This study examined the effects of social work graduate students’ gender, political views, religious attendance, beliefs about sexual orientation and gender identity choice, active critical thinking, and empathy, in combination with a cultural competence course, on attitudes about LGBT military policy, marital equality, and LGBT discrimination. Men and more conservative students had less affirming attitudes about LGBT military policy. Men and students with more conservative political ideology, less empathy, and more active thinking held less affirming attitudes about marital policy. Students who believed that sexual orientation and gender identity are not a choice were more likely to report recognition of LGBT discrimination. Students changed significantly after the course in their acknowledgement of discrimination, and attitudes stayed the same (generally affirming) about military policy and marital laws. Implications for examining critical thinking and empathy and attitudes about military policy and measuring course interventions for social workers with regard to attitudes about LGBT discrimination and related policies are discussed, and recommendations are made for future research.