Social Work Practice with Transgender and Gender Expansive Youth

Jama Shelton, PhD, MSW, associate professor, Silberman School of Social Work; associate director, Silberman Center for Sexuality and Gender; has worked with queer and trans youth for 20 years. Gerald P. Mallon, DSW, LCSW, is associate dean of research and scholarship and Julia Lathrop Professor of Child Welfare, and has been a child welfare practitioner, advocate, educator, and researcher for more than 45 years.

"This book turns much of what we have been taught to be the ‘evidence base’ about transgender and gender diverse youth on its head, sharing the lived experiences of these individuals and connecting it to a social work context. It contains a delightful buffet of interviews, case studies, research, and more, allowing the reader to more deeply understand the diverse and nuanced needs of this population, while also centering their successes and resilience. An absolute must read for any youth centered practitioners, educators, and researchers." — Shanna K. Kattari, PhD, MEd, CSE, assistant professor, University of Michigan School of Social Work and Department of Women’s and Gender Studies"Understanding the unique strengths, resiliencies, and resourcefulness of transgender and gender expansive youth is critical for all social workers. This volume expertly captures the joy and exceptionalism of transgender and gender expansive youth from the lived experiences of those whose knowledge matters most. While the challenges of thriving within a context of oppressive structures are not ignored, these structures are used to contextualize the strength and resilience that result from the joy of authenticity in the midst of these challenges." — Alan Detlaff, dean and Maconda Brown O’Connor Endowed Dean’s Chair, University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work"This is a thoughtful book of collective wisdom that will profoundly shape the way that we practice and teach social work, ultimately saving lives. One of the most compelling points of the book is the clear delineation of core principles of the book and the way that this is operationalized through a collection of chapters that feature voices of transgender and gender expansive youth, as well as social work practitioners, and researchers. This book provides a compelling and holistic approach to practice with the population and fills a major gap in the social work practice literature. I will certainly use it in my LGBTQIA+ issues in social welfare course, in my work with youth, and to inform my research." — Maurice N. Gattis, PhD, associate professor, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work

• Contributors; About the Editors; Forword; Acknowledgments; Introduction; 1 Socio-Structural Context of Trans & Gender Expansive Youth; 2 Cutting the Poisonous Roots: Systems Change; 3 Knowledge for Practice with Trans and Gender Expansive Youth; 4 Social Work Practice with Nonbinary Youth; 5 The Chosen Name Process: Developing Gender Identity & Bolstering Support Networks; 6 Social Work Practice with Trans & Gender Expansive Youth & Their Families; 7 The Affirmative Potential of Sex-Positive Sex Education with Trans & Gender Expansive Youth; 8 Trans & Gender Expansive Youth: Emerging Models of Identity Development; 9 When There Was No Space for Us, We Made a Space: The House and Ballroom Community; 10 Trans Youth Are Our Future: Reflections from ARY on TGE Youth-Led Projects; 11 It’s Like Church Without the Hurt: Trans Youth of Color & The Black Joy Experience; 12 Existing Outside of Gender: Autism & Gender Identity; 13 Mental Health Supports for Trans & Gender Expansive Youth; 14 Trans & Gender Expansive Youth & Fertility; 15 Medical Care for Trans & Gender Expansive Youth; 16 Social Work Practice with Trans & Gender Expansive Youth in Child Welfare Systems; 17 More than a Shelter Bed: Working Towards Housing Justice for TGE YYA Experiencing Homelessness; Glossary; Resources; Index.