Book contents
- Critical Race Theory in Action
- Critical Race Theory in Action
- Copyright page
- Contents
- About the Editors
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Case Studies in Micro-Level Practice
- Part III Case Studies in Mezzo-Level Practice
- Case 3.1 White Privilege at the Work Opportunity Center
- Case 3.2 You Got What?
- Case 3.3 Making Visible the Invisible
- Case 3.4 What Am I Missing?
- Case 3.5 Don’t Forget to Shine!
- Part IV Case Studies in Macro-Level Practice
- Index
- References
Case 3.5 - Don’t Forget to Shine!
The Intersection of Race, Age, and Sexuality at the End of Life
from Part III - Case Studies in Mezzo-Level Practice
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 October 2025
Book contents
- Critical Race Theory in Action
- Critical Race Theory in Action
- Copyright page
- Contents
- About the Editors
- Contributors
- Acknowledgments
- Part I Introduction
- Part II Case Studies in Micro-Level Practice
- Part III Case Studies in Mezzo-Level Practice
- Case 3.1 White Privilege at the Work Opportunity Center
- Case 3.2 You Got What?
- Case 3.3 Making Visible the Invisible
- Case 3.4 What Am I Missing?
- Case 3.5 Don’t Forget to Shine!
- Part IV Case Studies in Macro-Level Practice
- Index
- References
Summary
This case discusses how the concept of family is a social construct, created and maintained by social norms that inform our individual attitudes, perceptions, and expectations of what a family is or is not. Although there is a strong history of advocacy in the Black queer community, families who identify as more traditional may struggle with acceptance of LGBTQ+ persons. Additionally, systemic racism and homophobia may create barriers to legal protections for individuals and partnerships who sit at that intersection. Being aware of the role of negative social construction on Black individuals’ ability to thrive in society and considering and honoring the roles of persons who are part of one’s chosen family is essential for social work practice. This is especially true in spaces where chosen family are given little to no legal consideration.
Information
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- Critical Race Theory in ActionKnowledge and Application in Social Work Practice, pp. 111 - 122Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2025
References
Bakker, J. M. (2020). Hidden presence: Race and/in the history, construct, and study of western esotericism. Religion, 50(4), 479–503.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bosley-Smith, E., & Reczek, R. (2022). Why LGBTQ adults keep ambivalent ties with parents: Theorizing “Solidarity Rationales”. Social Problems, 2022, spac007. https://doi.org/10.1111/jomf.12898Google Scholar
Boza, C., & Nicholson Perry, K. (2014). Gender-related victimization, perceived social support, and predictors of depression among transgender Australians. International Journal of Transgenderism, 15, 25–52.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chapman, F. S. (2021). Brothers, sisters, strangers: Sibling estrangement and the road to reconciliation. Viking.Google Scholar
English, S. J. (2023). Kithship: Protective aspects of a family of choice for older transgender persons. In Moreau, M. P., Lee, C., & Okpokiri, C. (Eds.), Reinventing the family in uncertain times. Bloomsbury.Google Scholar
Fasullo, K. (2021, September). Q & A with Katie Fusullo: Needs of older LGBTQ older adults and long-term care. SAGE. www.sageusa.org/what-we-do/national-resource-center-on-lgbt-aging/Google Scholar
Guess, T. J. (2006). The social construction of whiteness: Racism by intent, racism by consequence. Critical Sociology, 32(4), 649–673. https://diversity.umsl.edu/documents/W07_Guess_article_s6.pdfCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Just Like Us (2023). New Research Shows Almost Half LGBT+ Adults Are Estranged from Family and a Third “Not Confident” Their Parents Will Accept Them. www.justlikeus.org/blog/2023/04/19/new-research-shows-almost-half-of-lgbt-adults-are-estranged-from-family-and-a-third-not-confident-their-parents-will-accept-them/Google Scholar
Levy, A., Saguy, T., Halperin, E., & van Zomeren, M. (2017). Bridges or barriers? Conceptualization of the role of multiple identity gateway groups in intergroup relations. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 1097. www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01097/fullCrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Haney-Lopez, I. (2000). The social construction of race. In Delgado, R. & Stefancic, J. (Eds.), Critical race theory: The Cutting Edge (2nd ed.) (pp. 163–175). Temple University Press.Google Scholar
Masa, R., Baca-Atlas, S. N., Shangani, S., Forte, A. B., & Operario, D. (2023). Family rejection, socioeconomic precarity, and exchanging sex for food among young transgender adults: Findings from the U.S. Transgender Survey. Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved, 34(2), 549–568.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Peterson, S., & Holloway, I. W. (2021). Social work practice with sexual minority men. In Dodd, S. J. (Ed.), The Routledge international handbook of social work and sexualities (pp. 84–96). Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quinn, K., Dickson-Gomez, J., & Kelley, J. A. (2016). The role of the Black church in the lives of young Black men who have sex with men. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 18(5), 524–237. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26489851/CrossRefGoogle Scholar
United States Health Resources and Services Administration. (2023). Definition of Family. www.hrsa.gov/get-health-care/affordable/hill-burton/familyGoogle Scholar
Vygotsky, L. S. (1962). Thought and language (Hanfmann, E. & Vakar, G., Trans.). MIT Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yancy, G., & Butler, J. (2015, January 12). What’s Wrong with “All Lives Matter?” The Stone. http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/01/12/whats-wrong-with-all-livesmatter/#more-155504Google Scholar
Accessibility standard: Unknown
Why this information is here
This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.Accessibility Information
Accessibility compliance for the HTML of this chapter is currently unknown
and may be updated in the future.