1. Graduate College of Social Work
The Myth of Neglect: Evidence of Gay and Lesbian Issues in Leading Social Work Journals
Gary L. Norman, LCSW
Peter A. Kindle, MA, MDiv
University of Houston
Graduate College of Social Work

2. Van Voorhis and Wagner
A pair of articles published in JSWE (2001) and Social Work (2002) concluded that:
Gay and lesbian (GL) issues are “barely visible” in the social work literature.
The articles that do exist reflect a “problem-oriented view of gay and lesbian people.”
There was a “striking” lack of macro focus.

3. Quick look at Details JSWE (2001) Social Work (2002) 1988 to1997
Twelve journals had 121 GL articles.
Partial baseline using the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy and the Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services
Social Work (2002)
1988 to 1997
Four journals had 77 articles
No baseline

4. Our Concerns
Our unpublished research from 2004 located over 600 journals in which social work researchers publish.
The time period covered in Van Voorhis and Wagner’s research may be problematic:
Lack of focus on new GLBT-related journals.
Pre-dating the separation of GLBT and HIV issues.

5. Established GLBT Journals
Journal of Homosexuality
1974 to present (580*)
Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality
1988 to present (240*)
Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy
1988 to present (220*)
* - Article counts are estimates.

6. New GLBT Journals Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services
1994 to present (384 articles)
Journal of Lesbian Studies
1997 to present (80*)
Int’l Journal of Sexuality & Gender Studies
1997 to 2002 (135)
Journal of Bisexuality
2001 to present (60*)
Journal of Gay & Lesbian Issues in Education
2003 to present (22)
Journal of GLBT Family Studies
2004 to present (32)
* - Article counts are estimates.

7. Specialty GL Journals
Approximately 1,750 articles have been published in the specialty journals from 1994 to 2005.
Van Voorhis & Wagner’s research was based on a review of 121 articles (2001) and 77 articles (2002) from 1988 to 1997.

8. Objectives
To expand the search for gay and lesbian issues to a more representative group of domestic social work journals.
To compare the GL content in these journals to a baseline.
To measure progress, if any, since Van Voorhis and Wagner’s research.

9. Method Inclusion Criteria
38 journals ranked by “overall prestige” in Sellers et al. (2006)
Added six journals based on unpublished 2004 study
Exclusion Criteria
Not listed in Social Work Abstracts, 1999 to 2003 (7 journals)
No U.S. editor (6)
Psychology focus (1)

10. Method Identification of articles focusing on gay and lesbian issues
Titles and abstracts only
Electronic search engines (PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, Wilson, and Academic Search Premier)
Key words were gay, lesbian, homosex*, and sexual orientation.
Publisher’s websites and hard copies when available
Baseline (JGLSS) – Publisher’s website

11. Top 30 has significantly more authors
Preliminary Findings
Top 30 SW Journals
227 articles
127 Single author
100 Multiple authors
JGLSS
384 articles
258 Single author
126 Multiple authors
Top 30 has significantly more authors
per article than JGLSS.

12. JGLSS (baseline) 384 FIS (9) 28 Social Work (16) 21 JHBSE (NR) 21
Family Relations (11) 13
JSWE (26) 13
Health & SW (19) 12
SWHC (21) 12
Smith College SSW (31) 12
Affilia (29) 11
CASWJ (30) 10
Clinical SWJ (32) 8
JSSW (20)
JGSW (24)
JTSW (33)
CA&N (4)
Child Welfare (14) 6
SW with Groups (17) 6
SWR (2)
RSWP (5)
JECDSW (NR)
Jnl of Family SW (NR) 3
SSR (1)
Children & Schools (25) 2
JSD&H (36)
SWMH (NR)
JSSR (3)
CYSR (8)
Admin in SW (18) 1
Jnl of Comm Prac (NR) 1
School SW Jnl (NR) 0
TOTAL 611
Sellers et al. (2006) Overall Prestige rankings in parenthesis.

13. Article Frequency by Rank (Sellers et al. , 2006 quartiles
Article Frequency by Rank (Sellers et al., 2006 quartiles. JGLSS omitted.)
Observed Expected
1st quartile (7)
2nd quartile (7) 66*
3rd quartile (5)
4th quartile (5)
Not ranked (6) 31**
c2(4) = , p = .005
* - Significantly higher than expected. ** - Significantly lower than expected.

14. Content Analysis Top 30 Relationships / family 42** Health issues 78
Civil rights / politics 51**
Orientation / disclosure 13
Aging
Adolescence / youth 17
All other
JGLSS 36
180* 46 17 30 23
52*
* - Significantly larger at p < .05 / ** - at p = .001

15. Findings In comparison to JGLSS baseline:
Top 30 social work journals have a higher focus on relational and policy/political issues.
JGLSS has a higher focus on comprehensive GL health issues.
JGLSS has a greater variety of GL issues as indicated by the larger “other” category that includes GL development, rurality, spirituality, participation in research, and use of social services.

16. Findings In comparison to Van Voorhis & Wagner:
HIV/AIDS focus in GL research has declined from 66% in Van Voorhis and Wagner (2001; 2002) to only 12.4% in current study.
A GL macro focus has increased from 5.2% to 15.7%.
Little change in specific journals with GL content. H&SW was replaced in top three by JHBSE, but first two were unchanged.

17. Conclusions
We prefer to see the glass as half full rather than half empty. Social work is making an important contribution to GL research in both generalist and specialty journals.
We applaud the separation of HIV and AIDS research from GL research.
We celebrate the diversity of focus in GL research conducted by social work.

18. Conclusions
Lack of attention to significant GL issues (< 10 articles in 611):
Right to marry GL and disabilities
GL in the military Gift-giving
GL development GL spirituality
GL and economics Defining GL family
GL immigration GL poverty
HIV research may overshadow other important issues facing GL communities.

19. Conclusions
Historical stigmatization of gay and lesbian people have resulted in the development of substantial urban GL communities.
GL have pioneered new ways of forming communities and families.
By focusing more on the GL community and less on the GL person, researchers may discover much to apply in working with other stigmatized populations.

20. References
Sellers, S. L., Smith, T., Mathiesen, S. G., & Perry, R. (2006). Perceptions of professional social work journals: Findings from a national survey. Journal of Social Work Education, 42,
Van Voorhis, R., & Wagner, M. (2001). Coverage of gay and lesbian subject matter in social work journals. Journal of Social Work Education, 37,
Van Voorhis, R., & Wagner, M. (2002). Among the missing: Content on lesbian and gay people in social work journals. Social Work, 47,

21. For Further Information
Gary L. Norman, LCSW
Peter A. Kindle, MA, MDiv