Deconstructing adolescent same-sex attraction and sexual behavior in the twenty-first century: perspectives for the clinician.

Abstract

The adolescent with same-sex attraction in the twenty-first century straddles ambivalent cultural and religious attitudes regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender (GLBT) issues; rapid technologic advances that provide easy access to information on sex and sex partners; and the clinician's sensitivity about GLBT issues and his or her awareness of how adolescents can use technology for sex-seeking behavior. It is necessary to deconstruct these factors into defined frameworks. Three checklists, the Clinician's Framework Guide Questions for the GLBT Adolescent, Clinician Reaction to GLBT Issues Checklist, and Global GLBT Checklist for Biopsychosocial Risk Factors, may aid the clinician in acquiring an appreciation of the global dynamics between the gay adolescent, the clinician, and the impact of current social realities.