Teaching lesbian/gay development: from oppression to exceptionality

Abstract

Few opportunities exist for young lesbians and gay men to learn about their lives. A university course on lesbian and gay development is described and its impact on students' lives is presented. The course focuses on the exceptional talent of lesbians and gay men in creating lives in a stigmatizing culture. The course's emphasis on how individuals develop or are oppressed by their social environment produces personal change and social action in students.