Lesbian, gay, bisexual identities is motivation symposium topic

"Contemporary Perspectives on Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Identities" is the topic of the 54th Nebraska Symposium on Motivation March 30-31 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Presented by the UNL Department of Psychology, the two-day symposium in the auditorium of the Nebraska Union, 1400 R St., features research of top scholars on the psychology of sexual orientation. Topics include gay and lesbian families, couples in civil unions, mental health, hate crimes and sexuality.

The symposium is 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days and is free and open to the public, although registration via the symposium Web site www.unl.edu/psypage/symposium is encouraged. A complete schedule of sessions, abstracts of the presentations and presenter bios are available on the Web site. A luncheon session on legislative and legal issues for lesbian, gay and bisexual individuals is also scheduled on March 30.

"Whether one defines sexual orientation as sexual behavior, self-identification, or attraction, sexual orientation is fundamentally about motivation, making it an ideal topic for the Nebraska Symposium on Motivation," said Debra A. Hope, professor of psychology at UNL and coordinator of the symposium. "The same-sex marriage debate is part of a broader discussion about sexual orientation that we are having as a society. Many of the issues have or should be addressed by psychology and related fields, yet this literature is not yet well-known."

Hope said the symposium's first goal is to provide a forum for leading scholars to share their work on a variety of topics including the "coming out" experience, mental health, same-sex families, hate crimes and bias, and psychobiological underpinning of sexual orientation. Because gays, lesbians, bisexuals and their families live with an evolving legal status for their civil rights and protections, a legal perspective will also be included. Secondly, the symposium seeks to inform teachers of psychology about new work in this area so that it can be incorporated into courses.

"Students are interested in what psychology has to say about sexual orientation, and it is relevant to nearly every course in a psychology curriculum," Hope said. "Yet most psychologists are unfamiliar with the scientific literature. It is hoped that this symposium will give instructors a starting point for updating their syllabi."

Hope said planners also will provide mental health providers and educators with the background to better serve lesbian, gay and bisexual clients and students.

The program includes: "Who is Gay? And Are they Healthy," by Ritch Savin-Williams of Cornell University; "Sexual Prejudice and Stigma in the U.S.," by Gregory Herek of University of California-Davis; "Families of the Rainbow: Lesbian and Gay Parents and their Children," by Charlotte Patterson of University of Virginia; "Sexual Arousal, Sexual Orientation and Sex Differences," by Michael Bailey of Northwestern University; and "Pioneers in Partnership: Lesbian and Gay Male Couples in Civil Unions," by Esther Rothblum, University of California-San Diego.

The Nebraska Symposium on Motivation is the longest-running symposium series in psychology. Each year the symposium focuses on a different topic, bringing together top scholars from around the world. Each presenter also writes a chapter for the edited volume that is distributed to libraries around the world. The symposium is supported by gifts from UNL Chancellor Harvey Perlman and Cora L. Friedline in memory of Harry K. Wolfe, her professor and founder of the Department of Psychology at UNL.

CONTACT:Debra A. Hope, Professor, Psychology, (402) 472-3196