ABSTRACT
This chapter sets out to contextualise social work practice with lesbians and gay men both within the history of lesbian and gay politics and social movements as well as within social work.
The chapter is divided into five sections: an historical and international overview of lesbian and gay oppression, lesbian and gay identity, the social/political context of social work with lesbians and gay men, social work education and training and, finally possible ways forward. The first part of the chapter is necessary to enable the contextualisation of the second. The chapter addresses the complexity of looking at the international context but argues that we must have social work with lesbians and gay men on the international agenda.
