Issues/Strengths/Challenges What does it mean to be gay? "I never had any real attraction towards women, but I really knew that I was gay when puberty began. I felt an attraction toward the other boys and I was curious to find out what they were like." P.J. Smith (Personal communication, November 2...

I. Introduction A gay man remembers his high school years filled with loneliness, fear, and self-hatred. Another man recalls spending every lunch period in a bathroom stall. A lesbian recollects her bottling up all her emotions and silencing all impulsive gestures, terrified of saying or doing a...

A little girl dreams of her wedding day from the first day of kindergarten. She imagines a beautiful white gown, a traditional religious ceremony, and a Hawaiian honeymoon. She envisions a long, happy marriage, a large family, and separation from her partner only at death. Unfortunately, today, ...

The topic of gender is relevant to everyone. It is also a topic that evokes a strong emotional response. Gender is a social construct and few of us are aware of the system of rewards and punishments that have shaped our gender identity. For others who this system did not 'succeed' are...