Assessing the Rainbow Gap
A Critical Analysis of LGBTQ+ Inclusivity in Social Work Research
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18060/28403Keywords:
critical theory, queer theory, queer methods, queer issues, social work research, LGBTQ+, transgender issues, gay issuesAbstract
Recent developments in American political and social life pertaining to the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people call for critical research examining the unjust systems perpetuating heteronormativity, heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia. This study examines the extent to which mainstream social work research investigates the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people as well as the systems that perpetuate oppression and discrimination pertaining to gender and sexuality. The researchers conducted a content analysis of three peer-reviewed top social work journals (N=854) to determine the prevalence of LGBTQ+ inclusive research. Findings revealed that only 2.3% (n=20) of articles consider the LGBTQ+ community or systems that perpetuate heterosexism, homophobia, and transphobia. Findings show that even fewer articles (n=6) apply a critical theoretical frame of queer theory to understand the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people and even fewer examine gender and sexuality at the intersection of race (n=6, 0.7%). This article demonstrates a dearth of research pertaining to the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people and calls for more intentional social work research as it relates to this population.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Katie Lauve-Moon, Catelyn Devlin, Cameron Lewright, Karin Lee, Kendall Abbott, Eden Elizondo, Nina Bacon
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