SAGE encyclopedia provides more insight into lives of LGBTQ individuals

Despite recent advancements, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals continue to face discrimination and other challenges related to school experiences, family formation, aging, and more. Examining these issues and the impact that political and societal forces have on the lives of LGBTQ individuals, The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies launches today as a three-volume set.

"Once regarded by some as a relatively small minority with little public influence or voice, the LGBTQ community, and its allies, has established itself as a visible, diverse, and influential presence in society--one worthy of an encyclopedia on topics as diverse as homelessness, military involvement, and reproductive experiences," writes Editor Abbie E. Goldberg.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies addresses a range of questions, such as:

• What are the key theories used to understand variations in sexual orientation and gender identity?
• How do Gay-Straight Alliances affect LGBTQ youth?
• How do LGBTQ people experience the transition to parenthood?
• How does sexual orientation intersect with other key social locations, such as race, to shape experience and identity?
• What are the effects of marriage equality on sexual minority individuals and couples?

The text includes more than 400 signed entries by top researchers and clinicians from the fields of psychology, sociology, human development, and gender/queer studies that each conclude with suggestions for further readings. The text also offers an appendix that provides information on organizations, journals, and websites related to various topics within the larger field of LGBTQ studies.

The SAGE Encyclopedia of LGBTQ Studies was designed for undergraduate students, graduate students, scholars of LGBTQ sexualities and lives, and many others.

"We are hopeful that schol¬ars in law, psychology, anthropology, history, fam¬ily studies, social work, counseling, and other diverse fields will read and incorporate the information in this col¬lection into their thinking, writing, and teaching," writes Goldberg. "We are hopeful, too, that librarians and other uni¬versity staff and administrators may find this col-lection to be a useful and interesting tool for advancing their own understanding of these issues, in order to inform the work that they do." Additionally, "this book is for individuals who identify as LGBTQ themselves, and who are seeking a resource in which they are at the center of thinking, theorizing, and research, instead of at the margins."