LGBT People Ethical Issues

In recent years, ethical treatment and representation of LGBT people has evolved in the United States. Initiatives in schools to reduce harm and stigma and getting the mental health they need have all helped However, there are ethical issues for LGBT people concerning education, religious institutions, and counseling, as well as concerns about First Amendment rights.

One ethical issue for LGBT people is their treatment in schools. Organizations such as the American Psychological Association, the National Association of Social Workers, and the National Association of School Psychologists, call on schools to “promote awareness, acceptance, and accommodation of LGBTQ students and their needs” (Meyer & Bayer, pg. 1764). The idea that LGBT

255). With that definition, it can be said that those within the counseling profession are being discriminatory if they treat people with an LGBT identity less favorably than they would other clients. There are standards and codes that counseling professionals must follow when treating or deciding to treat an LGBT patient. The CACREP standards have sexual orientation included in a category of multicultural diversity. It requires counselors to understand their role in "eliminating biases, prejudices, and processes of intentional and unintentional discrimination” (Herlihy, pg. 151). The ACA 's Code of Ethics does not allow counselors to condone or engage in discrimination that is based on sexual orientation. That was enforced in the 2010 Keeton v. Anderson-Wiley court case. In this case, Augusta State University counseling student Jennifer Keeton expressed desires to refuse treatment of LGBT patients and subject them to conversion therapy, and then refused to go through a remediation course required by the university. Keeton was then dismissed, and the court case ruled that the university she was at did not violate her First Amendment rights (Lambda Legal). Keeton was dismissed because of her refusal to set aside her personal beliefs, and her refusal to counsel LGBT clients. Barbara Herlihy explains, "the faculty relied on professional codes of ethics and accreditation standards in determining that the students were engaging in unacceptable discriminatory behavior” (pg. 151). The case emphasized the need to promote the well-being of all students, and LGBT students are more likely to feel unsafe in school. Any actions that the school counselors take have a significant impact on the students ' mental health (Lambda