The Los Angeles LBGT Center Michelle Wong Professor Ortega Sociology 24 July 2016

The Los Angeles LGBT Center History: The Los Angeles LGBT Center began in 1969. During this time, the founders of the organization began providing client services due to the overwhelming amount of negativity directed at LGBT couples, as well as the large amount of people who supports the LGBT community. There are currently more than 450 employees. 3,000 volunteers provide services for more LGBT people than any other organization in the world through programs that span four broad categories:

Their Mission To build a world where LGBT people thrive as healthy, equal and complete members of society.

Their Values Respect Excellence Inclusiveness Innovation Integrity

The Los Angeles LGBT Center The Los Angeles LGBT Center is one of the nation's largest and most experienced providers of LGBT health and mental health care. The only Federally Qualified Health Center in California, specifically for LGBT people. Provides social services and Housing: Is a vital social safety net for the entire LGBT community; a safe and welcoming place to find help, as well as hope, when you most need it.

How is this program beneficial? It helps those who are LGBT live life normally and happily. It also provides services for those who are in need.

Services Support Homeless LGBT Youth and LGBT Youth Services: Helping young children and adolescents. Family Services: Helping families. Legal Services: Helping with legality, such as needing lawyers, or dealing with unjustness. Domestic Violence Services: Helping domestic violence victims who have gone through or are going through a domestic dispute. Employment Support: Helping those who are having trouble looking for a job. Coming Out Support: Helping those who are having trouble speaking of their sexual preferences to family members, friends, or society. Housing Support: Helping those find homes.

Physical Healthcare Mental Healthcare Primary care: Providing basic healthcare. Transgender care: Providing those who are transgender with healthcare, specifically for their self-identity. HIV Prevention: Providing knowledge to those who are sexually active. Insurance Plans: Helping and assisting with finding a suitable insurance plan. Counseling: Helping people find a solution. Therapy: Providing therapy. Groups: Helping similar issued people in groups talk out their problems and finding solutions.

Benefits to Society Benefits: The people of the Los Angeles LGBT Center is open to everyone. They provide support for those who are lesbian, bi, gay, or transsexual. This allows people to be themselves and to be happy. It also creates more jobs. People are open to mental and physical health care, because they are provided with someone who can empathize with them. This creates healthier and more productive living.

Functionalist Analysis In order for society to function, institutions like this are important. People need to learn about acceptance, and this is a perfect example of that. People do not choose to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender, they only are. In order for them to be happy as well as function in society, they must be themselves.

Conflict Analysis Many people are against this institution. This is due to the fact that there are still those who are against couples of the same gender or those who are transgender. This creates a lot of conflict, however, this institution ignores all the hate that is directed towards them, and instead looks at these people as a small obstacle. They take it in with positivity and love with all the supporters that they have, rather than those who are against.

The Los Angeles LGBT Center Fortunately, with the overwhelming amount of support, the institution is able to expand itself with even more services and support programs. The Los Angeles LGBT Center only furthers itself with all the donations and volunteers it receives, and as it gets more and more attention, it can only grow.

Works Cited "An Evening With Women Benefiting The Los Angeles LGBT Center." Lesbian News 41.11 (2016): 39. MasterFILE Premier. Web. 15 July 2016. "Los Angeles LGBT Center." Los Angeles LGBT Center. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 July 2016. Mills, Jeremy. "Review Of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy With The Lgbt Community: Creating Futures Through Hope And Resilience By Rebekka Ouer." Issues In Mental Health Nursing 37.5 (2016): 383. MEDLINE. Web. 14 July 2016.