LGBTQ+ stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (or questioning) and other sexual and gender minorities.
Published in Chapter:
Empathy-MInded Practice in Higher Education: The LGBTQ+ Experience
Emily Pruitt (California State University, Fullerton, USA) and Kristen Pinchbeck (California State University, Fullerton, USA)
Copyright: © 2022
|Pages: 24
DOI: 10.4018/978-1-7998-9746-0.ch010
Abstract
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the needs and background of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer+ (LGBTQ+) community within higher education including a sense of belonging, struggles with mental health, and lack of opportunities experienced among the LGBTQ+ community due to persistent bias, prejudice, and discrimination. With the focus on what educators can do to better support the LGBTQ+ community, the authors provide suggestions that connect empathy, as an intra-and inter-personal skill, to effective daily practice. Three ways of putting empathy into practice are presented: (1) creating a safe environment, (2) confronting biases and addressing the margins of education where so many students remain, and (3) outward demonstrations of care.