Identifying, Examining & Challenging Heterosexism to Better Support Youth with Marginalized Sexual Orientations

Natalie Thoreson

Training Description

Studies have found that youth with marginalized sexual orientations are overrepresented in child welfare systems, despite the fact that they are likely to be underreported because they risk harassment and abuse if they disclose. Learning to be an ally to system involved youth with marginalized sexual orientations is learning to question, interrupt, and challenge our personal biases as well as the larger systems of heterosexism to create truly inclusive, affirming, and healthy environments for people with marginalized sexual orientations. This requires intentionality and commitment from an entire community.

In this interactive workshop, we will introduce fundamental concepts and vocabulary necessary to engage in discourse and provide inclusive support to youth with marginalized sexual orientations. Participants will be introduced to the cycle of oppression and begin to examine the ways in which we have been socialized into systems of oppression with a focus on heterosexism. Attendees will also consider actions that we can take on personal, cultural, and institutional levels to improve outcomes for system involved youth by creating more equitable organizations, institutions, and communities.

Learning Objectives

1. Gain an understanding of conscious and unconscious behaviors and attitudes, oppression theory, and fundamental vocabulary as related to heterosexism

2. Review the cycle of oppression and examine the impacts of heterosexism on system involved youth with marginalized sexual orientations

3. Consider their socialization into systems of oppression with a focus on heterosexism

4. Begin to examine how they might interrupt heterosexism to better support system involved youth with marginalized sexual orientations

Agenda 

9:00 – 9:15am  Settle in, sign in

9:15 – 9:30am  Land acknowledgement

9:30 – 9:50am  Group agreements

9:50 – 10:20am  Icebreakers

10:20 – 10:35am  Group introductions

10:35 – 10:50am  Break (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

10:50 – 11:30am  Early memories: sex, gender and sexuality stories

11:30 – 12:00pm  Videos and small group process

12:00 – 1:00pm  Lunch (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

1:00 – 1:30pm  Sex, gender, and sexual orientation terms

1:30 – 2:30pm  LGBTQI2S youth experiences

2:30 – 2:45pm  Break (CEUs will not be offered for this time)

2:45 – 3:30pm  Cycle of oppression

3:30 – 4:45pm  Action planning

4:45 – 5:00pm  Closure and Course Evaluations

Meet Our Trainer

Natalie has been facilitating anti-oppression workshops for over 20 years, founding inVision Consulting in 2006 with the mission of focusing positive social change into clear Vision, in our daily lives, and collective experiences. Their techniques foster meaningful communication, critical examination of institutional culture, and concrete action plans for creating a truly inclusive environment. She is committed to building communities in which people’s differences are valued and seen as assets to the overall group. This work is not about making people feel guilty, bad about themselves, or singled out. Nor is it about dancing around challenging issues, band-aid fixes, and “Can’t we all just get along?” Rather, hebelieves meaningful change happens when people lean into discomfort, are allowed to feel angry or confused, listen to one another with empathy, and collaborate in moving forward.

Natalie organically nurtures a sense of community with finely honed skills, shaping safe, welcoming, creative, and productive spaces based on understanding, respect, and authentic support. In his hands, sensitive topics that often leave participants feeling raw and wounded, become accessible and actionable. She provides tools to allow participants to think critically about their own backgrounds and biases, while simultaneously dissecting concepts like oppression, prejudice, and stereotyping. Theirconsistently open, trusting, and fun educational environments are based on first-hand experiences as a multi-ethnic, multi-racial, multi-gendered, queer individual living in the margins of identity. Natalie believes that creating safe space for all is the heart of true revolutionary change.

This course meets the qualifications for (6.5) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.