ABSTRACT
Stigmatisation and discrimination of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) people occur in all countries in the world. In many countries same-sex activity is legal and discrimination is prohibited, there is still a lot of stigma and discrimination against LGBT people. The international statement of ethical principals in social work states that social workers have an obligation to challenge negative discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as sexual orientation. Discrimination against sexual minority youth (SMY) is a major human rights issue recognised by professional social work organisations. SMY experience extensive victimisation in educational environments, ranging from social isolation to physical assault and such experiences are so widespread that Human Rights Watch labels them 'endemic'. LGBTs are either invisible or part of an amorphous collection of oppressed groups within social work education. Participants adopted a standardised approach to working with difference, which tended to reduce LGBTs to a narrow or formulaic conception of LGBT identities.
