Topic: Supporting Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Programs

Definition for Supporting Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Programs:

The Supporting Youth with Diverse Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) Programs topic area focuses on programs that increase the skills, knowledge, and supports of youth with diverse SOGIE, their parents or caregivers (including resource parents), and the providers and staff who work with them, such as caseworkers, congregate care providers, educators, and other professionals.

To help understand these youth, it is important to understand the differences between attraction, behavior, and identity in terms of both sexual orientation and gender identity. In terms of sexual orientation, attraction refers to experiencing romantic or sexual feelings towards a person, behavior refers to engaging in sexual conduct with a person, and identity refers to the label(s) one gives oneself in reference to these attractions and/or behaviors. In terms of gender identity, attraction refers to the feelings or desire to be a gender, behavior refers to what you do to help you be that gender, and identity refers to the label(s) one gives oneself in reference to these attractions and/or behaviors.

• Youth with a diverse sexual orientation refer to individuals that experience a sexual attraction, behavior, or identity that is not for, or exclusively for, one person of the opposite sex. In other words, these youth are not straight. Attraction is experiencing romantic or sexual feelings toward members of the same sex, members of the same sex and the opposite sex interchangeably, multiple people at once, or no one. Behavior is engagement in consensual sexual conduct with a member of the same sex, members of the same sex and opposite sex interchangeably, multiple people at once, or no one. Identity labels include both those of sexual orientation (i.e., Identity for these youth would include lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, and even asexual [i.e., having no sexual attraction for or behaviors with others]) as well as terms such as “queer.”
• Youth with a diverse gender expression or identity are those who have an attraction to being a gender that does not match their assigned sex at birth (i.e., feels like they are in the wrong body), exhibit the behaviors of a gender that does not match their assigned sex at birth (i.e., dresses like that gender or modifies how their hair or bodies look to appear as that gender), or identify as a gender that does not match their assigned sex at birth. This identified gender can be male or female (i.e., one of the binary genders) or neither of the binary genders. Identity for these youth would include transgender, transmale, transfemale, and even agender (i.e., having a gender identity that is not binary). Agender is also primarily known as nonbinary and genderqueer; however, many other labels, some having very specific meanings, have surfaced over the years.

Traditionally, terms like Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning (LGBTQ) and variations of LGBTQ have been used to describe this population. The CEBC is using the term youth with diverse SOGIE to describe this population, as it is being referred to as such by many government institutions and other agencies, is more inclusive, and also more technical.

The term Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression (SOGIE) is being increasingly used to address these characteristics overall. However, while “LGBT” is specific to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people, SOGIE refers to characteristics common to all human beings because everyone has a sexual orientation and a gender identity. A person’s SOGIE is a key part of their identity, just like race and ethnicity. The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) released an All County Letter in March 2019 defining the SOGIE terms that were going to be part of the data collection for the state and how they were to be entered: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/ACL/2019/19-20.pdf?ver=2019-04-03-081756-557, and another in 2022 regarding required documentation of SOGIE information in the Child Welfare Services/Case Management System: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/Additional-Resources/Letters-and-Notices/ACLs/2021/21-149.pdf?ver=2022-01-19-121943-140

Research has shown that youth with diverse SOGIE are overrepresented in the foster care system. This means that the percentage of youth in foster care with diverse SOGIE is larger than the percentage of youth with diverse SOGIE in the general youth population. A study conducted in Los Angeles found that nearly 1 out of 5 (19.1%) LA-based foster youth identified as LGBTQ and the percentage of youth in foster care who are LGBTQ is between 1.5 and 2 times that of youth living outside of foster care. More specifically, the research found that there are 13.6% LGBTQ-identified youth in foster care compared to 7.2% in the general youth population, and 5.6% transgender youth in foster care compared to 2.25% in the general youth population. The CDSS released another All County Letter in October 2019 that addressed SOGIE awareness during child welfare intake: https://www.cdss.ca.gov/Portals/9/ACL/2019/19-20.pdf?ver=2019-04-03-081756-557

Youth with diverse SOGIE in foster care also face disparities – differences in experiences in care or treatment by the system. Youth with diverse SOGIE enter the foster care system for many of the same reasons as other youth in care, such as abuse, neglect, and parental substance abuse. Many youth with diverse SOGIE have the added layer of trauma that comes with being rejected or mistreated because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. These disparities are often attributed to the experience of stigma and discrimination including anti-LGBTQ prejudice, violence, and victimization. Please note the CEBC Statement Regarding Conversion Therapy. Programs supporting youth with diverse SOGIE, their parents/caregivers and/or providers/staff should take into account the unique experience of being SOGIE diverse, including prejudicial experiences.

• Target population: Children and adolescents who have a diverse sexual orientation, gender expression, or gender identity (SOGIE), as well as their parents/caregivers and the providers who work with them
• Services/types that fit: Services including assessment, case planning, case management, counseling, support groups, education, skills building, or mentoring that include unique considerations for youth with diverse SOGIE, as well as educational and skill-building programs for adults who work with these youth as caregivers and providers
• Delivered by: Child welfare caseworkers, trained paraprofessionals, educators, peer partners, and mental health professionals
• In order to be included: Program must specifically target the needs of youth with diverse SOGIE, or the needs of the adults who care for and work with them
• In order to be rated: There must be research evidence (as specified by the Scientific Rating Scale) that examines outcomes for youth with a diverse SOGIE, their caregivers, and/or associated providers, such as changes in knowledge, attitudes, intentions, and behaviors, as well as indicators of improved outcomes, such as placement stabilization, permanency, functioning, and well-being.