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Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America

Under a Rainbow Flag: The Diversity of Sexual Orientation

Publication ,  Chapter
Haldeman, DC; Buhrke, RA
March 22, 2012

Sexual orientation cuts across all races, genders, ethnicities, generations, ability statuses, and socioeconomic levels. The rainbow flag is symbolic of the diverse contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people bring to American culture, and of the diversity within the domain of sexual orientation itself. They are a microcosm of American society. This chapter offers some basic information about how people come to identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, and once they do, what issues they are likely to face in their lives. In so doing, it explores the richness of this diversity, both within the community and in the larger social context. It is important for anyone who has a helping, educational, or management role in our society as teacher, therapist, health care worker, social service worker, clergy person, or employer, to understand this diversity. Historically, homosexuality had been viewed as a form of mental illness, arising from an arrest of normative psychosexual development. However, an extensive literature shows that lesbians and gays do not differ from heterosexuals on any number of psychological measures of well-being.

Duke Scholars

DOI

ISBN

9780195143904

Publication Date

March 22, 2012
 

Citation

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Haldeman, D. C., & Buhrke, R. A. (2012). Under a Rainbow Flag: The Diversity of Sexual Orientation. In Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195143904.003.0009
Haldeman, D. C., and R. A. Buhrke. “Under a Rainbow Flag: The Diversity of Sexual Orientation.” In Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195143904.003.0009.
Haldeman DC, Buhrke RA. Under a Rainbow Flag: The Diversity of Sexual Orientation. In: Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America. 2012.
Haldeman, D. C., and R. A. Buhrke. “Under a Rainbow Flag: The Diversity of Sexual Orientation.” Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America, 2012. Scopus, doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195143904.003.0009.
Haldeman DC, Buhrke RA. Under a Rainbow Flag: The Diversity of Sexual Orientation. Diversity in Human Interactions: The Tapestry of America. 2012.
Journal cover image

DOI

ISBN

9780195143904

Publication Date

March 22, 2012