July 17, 2014: Needs and Supportive Strategies for Professionals Working with LGBT Military Families

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Welcome to the  
Military Families Learning Network Webinar
 
Needs and Supportive Strategies for Professionals
Working with LGBT Military Families!
This material is based upon work supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture,
and the Office of Family Policy, Children and Youth, U.S. Department of Defense under Award Numbers 2010-48869-20685 and 2012-48755-20306.

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Today’s Presenter:
Dr. Lori Hensic, Director of Educational Affairs for the
American Military Partner Association (AMPA, earned her Doctorate of
Pharmacy (PharmD) with an emphasis in Health Policy & Management from UC
San Francisco. Shortly after the repeal of “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” (DADT), Lori
relocated to be with her partner, who is stationed in San Diego and currently
an active duty U.S. Marine Corps helicopter pilot and squadron department
head. Dr. Hensic found the American Military Partner Association (AMPA)
after her move when struggling to figure out how to “survive military life,” and
since then has been determined to give back to the organization that helped her
so wholeheartedly. Lori is dedicated to critical educational efforts aimed at
strengthening LGBT military families’ representation and engagement in policy
changes. Her educational outreach help inform LGBT military families, elected
officials, and the general public about disparities in our families’ access to
services and benefits – as well as how to assist with means to change them.
INSERT
PHOTO

Needs and Supportive Strategies
for Professionals Working with
Military Families
Lori Hensic, PharmD, BCACP, AAHIVP
Director of Research & Policy
The American Military Partner Association
www.MilitaryPartners.org

Discussion
Ø  LGBT Cultural Sensitivity 101
Ø  LGBT Military Community – Historical Timeline
Ø  “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT)
Ø  Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
Ø  Remaining Challenges for LGBT Service Members,
Veterans, and their Families
Ø  The American Military Partner Association

What IS Cultural
Sensitivity?
Ø  Does not have an endpoint; rather, it is a philosophy that emphasizes a
commitment to lifelong learning, self-evaluation and self-critique
Ø  Rather than focusing on outcomes such as “mastering” another culture,
cultural sensitivity emphasizes the ongoing process of listening to and
communicating with people from different backgrounds as a way to provide
better quality of care
Ø  Key components are active listening, open communication and openness to
difference
Ø  Cultural sensitivity aims to be other-oriented or open to the other person and
their cultural identity and allowing each person to define themselves
Adapted from Openhouse LGBT Curriculum, http://openhouse-sf.org/

Cultural Sensitivity
Ø  Important terms
q  Sexual Orientation
q  Gender/Gender Identity
q  LGBT
§  Lesbian
§  Gay
§  Bisexual
§  Transgender
q  Queer, Intersex, Asexual, Pansexual, Questioning…
https://lgbt.ucsd.edu/education/terminology.html

Sexual Orientation

Ø  Gender refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a
given culture associates with a person’s biological sex
Ø  A socially constructed system of classification that assigns
qualities of masculinity and femininity to people
Ø  Gender characteristics and expectations can change over
time and are different between cultures
A person’s gender is something we often assume based on how
they behave, appear, talk, walk, dress, etc.
We need to be careful about making assumptions!
Gender

Gender identity is an inner psychological sense of oneself as a
man or woman, both, neither or something else.
Everyone has a gender identity and it can change!
Gender Identity

TRANSGENDER
FTM MTF
•  Cross-dresser
•  Transsexual
•  Gender Non-conforming
•  Intersex
Transgender Man Transgender Woman

Transgender Man Transgender Woman
A person’s gender identity does not tell us ANYTHING about
their sexual orientation
TRANSGENDERTRANSGENDER

Cultural Sensitivity
Ø  What to Avoid
q  “Sexual Preference”
q  “Lifestyle”
q  Outing an individual
q  Default assumption of
heterosexuality
§  Even when you know the client
is married, has children or
grandchildren
q  Husband/Wife (unless
known)
q  Asking transgender
individuals about their
genital status
Ø  What is “OK”
q  “Sexual Orientation”
q  Keeping the individual’s
sexual orientation
confidential unless
explicitly told otherwise
§  Includes caution in
language used in public
places
q  “Spouse” (if unknown)
q  Asking transgender
individuals about their
preferred pronoun

Challenging Assumptions
Ø  Service providers assume they can identify any LGBT service
members, veterans and/or their families who are accessing their
services
Ø  By not asking about sexual orientation or gender identity, service
providers believe they are ensuring that their organization does not
discriminate against LGBT people
Ø  In terms of services provided, it does not matter if a service
member, veteran and/or their family member is LGBT
Ø  Don’t assume that homophobia and transphobia affect only LGBT
clients

Best Practices
Creating a culture of respect for diversity begins with
client intake and staff hiring
Ø  Emphasize your policy on confidentiality
Ø  Include sexual orientation and gender identity in your non-discrimination
statement, and print it on intake forms and other materials
Ø  Use language that does not implicitly assume the client’s sexual
orientation or gender identity
Ø  Update intake forms:
Ø  Ask if individuals identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual
Ø  For sex or gender, add a third category for Transgender
Ø  Include “partner” rather that just spouse
Ø  Use LGBT-friendly statements and images in brochures and outreach
materials

Feb
1994
1982
Homosexuality
is incompatible
with military
service
1981
Discharge
mandatory for
any service
member who
engaged in, has
attempted to
engage in, or has
solicited another
to engage in a
homosexual act
Sept
2011
DADT
OVER
Feb
2013
Intent to extend
select benefits
to “same-sex
domestic
partners of
military service
members”
Mar
2013
DOMA
cases
heard by
SCOTUS
DADT
instituted
July
2013
DOMA
OVER
Oct
2013
Permissive
leave to
legally
marry
Historical Timeline
Sep
2013
FEDERAL
BENEFITS
ACTIVE
June
2014
1st DoD
Sanctioned
Pride
Month
Sept
1996
DOMA
enacted

Activity
Recall a time from your training
when you felt especially included in
the learning process.
What made you feel included?

Activity
Recall a time from your training
when you felt especially excluded in
the learning process.
What made you feel excluded?

http://outservemag.com/2012/11/serving-in-silence-before-dadt/
http://www.npr.org/2012/06/22/155504392/serving-in-silence-before-dont-ask-dont-tell
Serving Before DADT

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
(DADT)
Ø  Service members who disclosed that they are homosexual or
engage in homosexual conduct should be separated
(discharged)
q  Except when such conduct was "for the purpose of avoiding
or terminating military service" or when it "would not be in
the best interest of the armed forces.”
Ø  Prohibited any homosexual or bisexual person serving in the U.S. Military from:
q  Disclosing his/her sexual orientation
q  Speaking about any homosexual relationships, including marriages or other familial
attributes

DADT
Ø  Superiors should not
initiate investigation of
a service member's
orientation without
witnessing disallowed
behaviors, though
credible evidence of
homosexual behavior
could be used to initiate
an investigation.

http://www.sldn.org/
Serving Under DADT

Ø  Service Members
q  http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/12/23/
gay.military.communication/index.html
q  http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/09/20/gay-service-members-
discuss-dont-ask-dont-tell/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
Ø  Spouses/Partners
q  http://militarypartners.org/with-bated-breath/
q  http://militarypartners.org/worlds-apart/
Ø  Children
q  http://japan.stripes.com/education/my-moms-and-me
Serving Under DADT

Ø  Blue Star Family survey
Ø  The Palm Center study
Ø  Other NATO countries’
integration of LGBT
individuals into the armed
services
q  Israel, Canada, etc.
Serving After DADT
http://www.scribd.com/doc/141215832/Comprehensive-Report2013

Serving After DADT
http://jtpconsulting.com/com.milpfc.org/milpfc-content/uploads/2012/02/
MPFC-Study-Report-2011-2012.pdf

Serving After DADT
Healthcare systems have been traditionally
unresponsive to, if not discriminatory towards, the
existence of LGBT populations
Services are often unconsciously aimed at the heterosexual population
Ø  In study by the American Association of Physicians for Human
Rights, 67% of doctors and medical students report LGBT
patients receiving substandard care or denied care
Ø  About 25% of transgender people report being denied equal
health care (or being refused treatment outright)
Ø  Latino Transgender people reporting the highest rate of
unequal treatment

Poll
Select the quote that has the greatest impact on your empathy to the LGBT
military community.
1)  “The diagnosis of homosexuality as a ‘disorder’ is a contributing factor to the pathology of those homosexuals
who do become mentally ill. …Nothing is more likely to make you sick than being constantly told that you are
sick.” —Ronald Gold
2)  “The most exhausting thing in life is being insincere.” —Anne Morrow Lindbergh
3)  “There’s this illusion that homosexuals have sex and heterosexuals fall in love. That’s completely untrue.
Everybody wants to be loved.” —Boy George
4)  “There’s no place like home.” —Dorothy Gale, The Wizard of Oz
5)  “There came a time when the risk to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.”
—Anaïs Nin
6)  “There is just one life for each of us: our own.” —Euripides
7)  “There’s a period of life when we swallow a knowledge of ourselves and it becomes either good or sour inside.”
—Pearl Bailey
8)  “Straight Americans need...an education of the heart and soul. They must understand—to begin with—how it
can feel to spend years denying your own deepest truths, to sit silently through classes, meals, and church
services while people you love toss off remarks that brutalize your soul.” —Bruce Bawer, The Advocate

Ø  What it did NOT address
q  Transgender service
q  Inclusion of “sexual
orientation” within non-
discrimination policy and/or
Equal Opportunity Program
q  Recognition of same-gender
marriage
q  Equal access to pay (“with-
dependents”)
q  Equal access to benefits
DADT Repeal
Ø  What it DID address
q  Open service for LGB
service members

DOMA
Ø  Signed into law by President Clinton, September 1996
Ø  Section 1. Short title
q  This Act may be cited as the "Defense of Marriage Act".
Ø  Section 2. Powers reserved to the state
q  “No State…shall be required to give effect to any…judicial proceeding
of any other State…respecting a relationship between persons of the
same sex that is treated as a marriage under the laws of such other
State…”
Ø  Section 3. Definition of marriage (ruled unconstitutional by
SCOTUS)
q  “…the word 'marriage' means only a legal union between one man
and one woman as husband and wife, and the word 'spouse' refers only
to a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.”

Serving Under DOMA
Ø  Benefits Unavailable Because of DOMA
q  Basic Allowance for Housing
q  Health Insurance/TRICARE
q  Morale, Welfare & Recreation Programs
q  Relocation & Transportation
q  Employment & Education for Spouses
q  Family Separation Allowance
q  Family Advocacy & Spouse Abuse

Serving Under DOMA
Ø  Benefits Unavailable Because of DoD Regulations
q  Joint Duty Assignments
q  Free Legal Services
q  Military Family Housing
q  Shopping at Commissary & Exchange
q  Family Programs
q  Spousal Privilege in Courts Martial
q  Relocation & Overseas “Command-Sponsored” Status

Serving Under DOMA
Ø  Service Members
q  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJ-iWSrxi_c
Ø  Spouses/Partners
q  http://militarypartners.org/i-too-am-america/
q  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZx4EwrzmU4
q  http://storycorps.org/listen/tracy-and-sandra-johnson/
Ø  Children
q  http://japan.stripes.com/education/my-moms-and-me

Serving Under DOMA
http://www.scribd.com/doc/141215832/Comprehensive-Report2013

Serving Under DOMA
Ø  Extension of DoD Regulated Benefits to Same-Gender
Domestic Partners of Military Members
q  Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Feb 2013 memo
q  Implementation required by Oct 1, 2013
q  All DoD benefits, except:
§  Military Family Housing (on-base housing)
§  Overseas “Command-Sponsored” Status

Ø  What it did NOT address
q  Transgender service
q  State recognition of same-
sex marriage
q  Equal access to veterans’
benefits (Title 38)
q  Inclusion of “sexual
orientation” within non-
discrimination policy and/or
Equal Opportunity Program
q  Status of Forces Agreements
(SOFA) agreements for all
OCONUS locations
Demise of DOMA
Ø  What it DID address
q  Federal recognition of
same-gender marriage
q  Equal access to spousal
benefits
q  Equal access to service
member pay (“with-
dependents” rate)
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2014/06/26/a-year-
after-supreme-court-ruling-a-rundown-of-whats-changed-for-same-sex-couples/

Challenges
still remain:
Ø  Transgender Service
Ø  Marriage Inequality & Military
Families in Non-Marriage
Equality States
Ø  VA - Title 38 Section 103(c)
Ø  Non-Discrimination Policy
Ø  Status of Forces Agreements
Ø  Military Chaplains
Ø  LGBT Cultural Sensitivity

Remaining Challenges
Ø  Respecting Transgender Troops & Their Families
q  DoD medical regulations continue to prevent
transgender Americans from openly serving
q  Approximately 15,000 active duty transgender service
members serve in silence
Ø  Marriage Equality & Military Families Stationed in
Non-Marriage Equality States
q  Military Children & Parental Rights
q  In-state Tuition/Education Costs
q  Military Spouse Residency Relief Act
q  Military Spouse Unemployment Compensation
q  Military Spouse Licensure Portability

Ø  Transitioning from Active Duty – Accessing Veterans
Benefits
q  Title 38 Section 103(c) requires the VA to look to the
state of residence when determining whether or not to
recognize a marriage, cutting off thousands of veterans
and their spouses living in non-marriage equality states
from their earned benefits
Ø  Inclusion of “Sexual Orientation” within DoD Non-
Discrimination Policy
q  Available for civilian DoD employees, but no protection
for uniformed service members
q  Acceptance and willingness to serve openly
q  Reporting & reliable action on reports of discrimination

Ø  Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA) and OCONUS
Command Sponsorship
Ø  Many locations do not have agreements to ensure the
host nation will recognize same-gender military spouses
as dependents
Ø  Separation of spouse and family members from the
service member
Ø  Military Chaplain & Counseling Support
Ø  Many chaplains are prohibited from ministering to
same-gender military couples
Ø  Limits resources for support and guidance, especially for
those located in places with already limited services

Ø  LGBT Cultural Sensitivity Training and Awareness
q  Within the U.S. Military & Services Provided to
Military Families
§  Command Sensitivity
§  Benefits/Programs
§  Healthcare

S
The nation’s premier
resource and support
network
for the partners, spouses, and families of
America’s LGBT service members
and veterans

Our Organization
& Team
Ø  An independent non-
partisan, non-profit
501(c)3 organization
founded by the partners
of active duty service
members
Ø  100% volunteer-lead such
that 100% of ALL
financial contributions
goes directly to
supporting our nation’s
LGBT military families
Stephen Peters
President
Ashley Broadway
Director of
Family Readiness
Jim Cassidy
Director of
Organizational
Development
Lori Hensic
Director of
Research & Policy
Chris Rowzee
State &
National Guard
Affairs Coordinator
Bianca
Strzalkowski
Organizational
Advocate
Caitlin Granade
Communications
Assistant
Lance Buchanan
Communications
Assistant
Verita Richardson
Events
Coordinator
Gene Silvestri
Veteran Affairs
Coordinator

More About AMPA…
Ø  Based in Washington, DC, with local military family networks
across the country and around the world
Ø  Originally began in 2009 as the Campaign for Military Partners
sponsored by Servicemembers United
Ø  Over 25,000 members and supporters – the nation’s largest
resource and support network for LGBT military partners,
spouses, their families, and allies

Our Mission:
“Connecting, supporting, honoring, and serving
the partners and spouses of America’s LGBT
service members and veterans.”

Challenges clearly remain, but a lot has
changed for our modern military families!

Referral Organizations Supporting
LGBT Military Families
S  The American Military Partner Association (AMPA)
(http://militarypartners.org/)
S  Connecting members with other LGBT service members, spouses/partners,
and their families
S  Support networks on a national and local levels (chapter-based)
S  Educational Webinars, Connection with Resources, etc.
S  Advocacy for LGBT service members, spouses/partners, and their families
S  OutServe-SLDN (http://www.sldn.org/)
S  Legal Services (Issues Stemming from Discrimination)
S  Discharge Upgrades
S  "Guide to LGBT Military Service"

LGBT Military Families (cont.)
S  American Veterans for Equal Rights (AVER) (http://aver.us/)
S  Advocacy for full and equitable treatment for all present and former members
of the U.S. Armed Forces
S  Support networks on national and local levels (chapter-based)
S  Military OneSource (http://www.militaryonesource.mil/)
S  Toll Free National Hotline - Confidential Help & Counseling
S  Military Life Topics
S  Blogs, Podcasts, and Webinars
S  Military & Family Life Counselor Program
S  Confidential Help & Counseling
S  https://www.mhngs.com/app/programsandservices/mflc_program.content
S  http://www.militaryonesource.mil/12038/MOS/Factsheets/Factsheet_MFLC.pdf
S  http://www.dtic.mil/whs/directives/corres/pdf/649006p.pdf

S  GLBT National Help Center (
http://www.glbtnationalhelpcenter.org/)
S  Free, confidential support for LGBT people and those with
questions about sexual orientation and/or gender identity
S  Resources, Online Peer-Support Chats
S  Toll-Free National Hotline (Youth & Adult)
S  *Look also for local LGBT centers in your county/city*
S  National Center for Transgender Equality (
http://transequality.org/)
S  Social justice organization dedicated to advancing the equality of
transgender people through advocacy, collaboration and
empowerment

S  Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
(www.pflag.org)
S  Promotes health & well-being of LGBT persons, their families & friends thru support,
education, and advocacy
S  COLAGE (http://www.colage.org/)
S  Unites people with LGBT parents into a network of peers
S  Online Communities
S  Family Equality Council (http://www.familyequality.org/)
S  Connects, supports and represents the 3 million parents who are LGBT and their 6 million
children
S  Programs, Parent Groups & Local Events

Contact Info:
Lori Hensic
lori@militarypartners.org
(202) 695-AMPA (2672)
www.MilitaryPartners.org

Resources for LGBT Families
•  Here is a link to a PDF file with Resources:
»  For clinicians working with LGBT military & civilian
families
»  Listing referral organizations that support LGBT
families
»  On relevant peer reviewed research articles
»  And more…
•  http://create.extension.org/sites/default/files/Resources%20for
%20Work%20with%20LGBT%20Military%20Families_1.pdf

•  Webinar participants who want to get 2.0 NASW CE Credits (or just
want proof of participation in this training) need to take an
evaluation and post-test. Here is the link:
https://vte.co1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_1L02Y7HH6B7BYvr
"
»  CE Certificates of completion will be automatically emailed to participants upon
completion of the post-test. !
»  Questions/concerns surrounding the National Association of Social Workers
(NASW) CE credit certificates can be emailed to this address:
MFLNmilitaryfamilyadvocate@gmail.com!
»  Sometimes state/professional licensure boards for fields other than social work
recognize NASW CE Credits, however, you would have to check with your state
and/or professional boards if you need CE Credits for your field. !
"
•  To learn more about obtaining CE Credits, please visit this website:
http://blogs.extension.org/militaryfamilies/family-development/professional-
development/nasw-ce-credits/!
CE Credit Information!

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July 17, 2014: Needs and Supportive Strategies for Professionals Working with LGBT Military Families

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