New YorkUniversity
RobertF.WagnerGraduateSchool of Public Service
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) issues in public policy
Course # PADM-GP 2444-001
Spring 2013
Adjunct Assistant Professor Sean Cahill
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Mondays 4:55-6:35 PM
Global Center for Academic Spiritual Life - Room 265
Office hours: 1-2pm, Wagner 3045, 295 Lafayette St. (corner Houston)
Course description
The movement for equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is one of the most successful in recent history. In the U.S., even though LGBT people and same-sex couple families experience inequality and exclusion in a wide range of state and federal policy arenas, significant policy advances have occurred. These include the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the adoption of transgender nondiscrimination laws in 16 states, the extension of marriage equality in eight states, and support for same-sex marriage by President Obama and the Democratic Party. This graduate level course will examine the incredible successes of LGBT rights activism in the U.S. and globally, and the treatment of LGBT people in several policy areas, with an in-depth focus on several issue areas that afford a broad overview of domestic and global LGBT policy. These are: health policy and the implementation of the Affordable Care Act; elder issues; youth and education policy; family recognition and the policy implications of race and gender differences among same-sex couple households; and international LGBT rights struggles. We will also examine debates within the U.S. LGBT movement between progressives/liberals and conservatives, and look at voting behavior and public opinion.
Course requirements/grading
Onepaper (5-8 pages) will be assigned, and there is a mid-term and final exam. Students will also prepare one in-class presentation on a topic to be agreed upon with the lecturer. Students also expected to participate in class discussions which are based on the assigned readings. The paper is worth 30% of the final grade, the mid-term exam 20%, the final 30%; and in-class participation, including the oral presentation, 20%.
The paper should examine an LGBT policy issue in the U.S. or globally. If peer-reviewed, academic research exists on the issue or population addressed this should be described and reviewed. If this is an emerging issue or understudied population (for example, LGBT elders in long-term care), a research agenda should be articulated. Ideally a specific proposal(s) for a policy intervention can be presented and critically examined, with data presented to make the case for taking a particular course of action. Pros and cons, as well as any conflicting rights or potential trade-offs (such as the rights of conservative or traditional parents versus the rights of gay youth) should be described, and recommendations for a preferred course of action made.
A take home mid-term exam will be given Monday, March 11th. This will consist of multiple choice answers and short essay questions on major themes in the readings and lectures/class discussions. The test will be sent out by Monday morning March 11 via email and due back to the professor by midnight March 11th in a word document via email. Students can use class time that day to complete the mid-term, as well as any other time that day.
A final take-home exam will be given out the last day of class (May 13th) and due backTuesday, May 21st. Students will be asked to choose two out of three questions on major themes in the readings and lectures/class discussions and respond to each of the two questions with two- to three-page essays.
Students should sign up to do an in-class presentation by Monday February 4th. Presentations will start February 11thand continue through the last class, Monday, May 13th. Students should present a policy issue and describe the problem being addressed, the particular populations it affects and any data available on them, possible courses of action to address it, and construct an argument—using data if available—as to why one possible policy intervention is the most likely approach to effectively address the problem. Presentations should last 10-15 minutes, with 5-8 minutes for questions and discussion. A brief powerpoint, handouts, and video clips can be used.
Please adhere to NYU’s Academic Honesty policy. For more information see
There are five required texts for the class and many journal articles, book chapters and policy monographs from non-governmental organizations. Please complete all readings prior to class. All articles will be available from the Bobst Library ejournal site, and all articles and single book chapters will be posted on Blackboard. The five textswill be placed on reserve at Bobst Library. The texts are:
Cianciotto, J. & Cahill, S., LGBT youth in America’s schools. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 2012.
Gerber, L. Seeking the straight and narrow:Weight loss and sexual reorientation in evangelical America.University of Chicago Press. 2011.
Stone, A. Gay rights at the ballot box. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 2012.
Vaid, U.Irresistible revolution: Confronting race, class, and the assumptions of LGBT politics. New York: Magnus Books (Perseus). 2012.
Washington Post Staff.Landmark: The inside story of America’s new health-care law and what it means for us all. New York: Public Affairs (Perseus). 2010.
In-class video clips will also complement readings and discussions. Guest speakers will also contribute to our learning experience.
Part I: The LGBT rights movement and anti-gay movement in comparative perspective
January 28: The modern pro- and anti-gay movements
Stone, A. Gay rights at the ballot box. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. 2012.
Cahill, S., “The anti-gay marriage movement,” in Rimmerman, C., & Wilcox, C. (eds.), The politics of same-sex marriage. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2007, pp. 155-191.
Kelsey ML. “Gendered social movements: A critical comparison of the suffrage and gay marriage movements.”Kaleidoscope: A Graduate Journal of Qualitative Communication Research. 8(7). 2009.
Part II: Health care reform and LGBT health
February 4: The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010
Washington Post Staff. Landmark: The Inside Story of America’s New Health-Care Law and What it Means for Us All. New York: Public Affairs (Perseus). 2010. “Part two: What it means for us all,” pp. 65-194.
Supreme Court of the United States. National Federation of Independent Business et al. v. Sebelius, Secretary of Health and Human Services, et al. June 28, 2012.
Please read the following excerpts:Syllabus (pp. 1-6); Opinion of C.J. Roberts/the Court (1-59). Opinion of Justice Ginsburg, (1-12); Dissenting opinion of Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito (1-16, 28-65)
Optional readings: Opinion of Justice Ginsburg (pp. 12-61); Dissenting opinion of Justices Scalia, Kennedy, Thomas, Alito (16-28); Dissenting opinion of Justice Thomas (1-2).
February 11: LGBT health
Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Health Issues and Research Gaps and Opportunities; Board on the Health of Select Populations; Institute of Medicine, The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, andTransgender (LGBT) People: Building a Foundationfor Better Understanding, Washington, DC: National Academies Press, 2011.Summary, pp. S1-S5; recommendations, pp. 293-305.
Hatzenbuehler, M., Keyes, K., and Hasin, D., “State-level policies and psychiatric morbidity in lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations,” American Journal of Public Health, 99(12), December 2009, pp. 2275-2281.
February 25: HIV/AIDS
Millett, G. et al. “Greater risk for HIV infection of black men who have sex with men: A critical literature review.” American Journal of Public Health. 96(6), 2006, pp. 1007-1019.
Herrick, A., Lim, S., Wei, C., Smith, H., Guadamuz, T., Friedman, M., and Stall, R., “Resilience as an untapped resource in behavioral intervention design for gay men,” AIDS and Behavior, 15(S1), April 2011, S25-S29.
Beyrer C, Sullivan P, Sanchez J et al. “A call to action for comprehensive HIV services for men who have sex with men.” The Lancet. HIV in men who have sex with men (special issue). Pp. 76-90. July 2012.
Part III: Demographics, race and gender differences, and family recognition
March 4: “How many gay people are there?” What are the experiences of LGBT people of color? The racial dynamics of the marriage equality debate.
Gates, G., How many people are lesbian,gay, bisexual, and transgender? Los Angeles: UCLA Williams Institute, April 2011.
Cahill, S., “Black and Latino same-sex couple households and the racial dynamics of anti-gay activism.” Black sexualities: Probing powers, passions, practices, and policies. Battle, J. and Barnes, S. (Editors), New Brunswick, NJ: RutgersUniversity Press, 2010, p. 243-268
Dang. A. et al., Living in the margins: A national survey of lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender Asian Pacific Islander Americans. National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute and several API LGBT organizations, 2007, executive summary.
Blankenhorn, D., “Protecting marriage to protect children,” Los Angeles Times, September 19, 2008.
National Organization for Marriage, “Marriage talking points.” Accessed July 6, 2011.
March 11: Mid-term, no class
March 18: Spring break, no class
March 25: The ex-gay movement compared with the evangelical weight loss movement(moved from Part I, Week 2 to accommodate guest speaker Lynne Gerber)
Cianciotto, J. and Cahill, S. (2006, March). Youth in the Crosshairs: The Third Wave of Ex-Gay Activism.Excerpts. New York: National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute.
Gerber, L. Seeking the straight and narrow: Weight loss and sexual reorientation in evangelical America. University of Chicago Press. 2011.
Part IV: Elder policy issues
April 1: LGBT elders;HIV and aging
Stein, G., Beckerman, N., & Sherman P. “Lesbian and gay elders and long-term care: Identifying the unique psychosocial perspectives and challenges.”Journal of Gerontological Social Work. 2010. 53(5); 421-435.
Cahill, S., Valadez, R.(2013, January 17 published online ahead of print). Growing Older with HIV/AIDS: New Public Health Challenges.American Journal of Public Health. E1-e10. Doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.301161.
Optional:
Terrell K. “HIV/AIDS and the aging population: What’s going on?” Thebody.com. September 19, 2012.
Part V: Youth policy issues
April 8: LGBT youth disparities and resiliency
Cianciotto, J. & Cahill, S., LGBT Youth in America’s Schools. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 2012. First half of book (chapters 1-5).
Hatzenbuehler, M. “The social environment and suicide attempts in lesbian, gay, and bisexual youth,” Pediatrics, 127(5), May 2011, pp. 896-903. Published online April 18, 2011.
April 15: School-based interventions to support LGBT youth and children of LGBT parents
Cianciotto, J. & Cahill, S., LGBT Youth in America’s Schools. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. 2012. Second half of book (Chapters 6-9).
We will also address juvenile detention, foster care, homelessness policy re LGBT youth.
Part VI: Debates within the U.S. LGBT movement
April 22: Progressive liberationism and gay conservativism
Vaid, U. Irresistible revolution: Confronting race, class, and the assumptions of LGBT politics. New York: Magnus Books. 2012.
Egan, P. Group cohesion without group mobilization: The case of lesbians, gays and bisexuals. British Journal of Political Science. 42, 597-616. 2012.
McGurn, W. Gay, proud and conservative. The Wall Street Journal. April 14, 2009.
Lee, J. Can you be a good gay and conservative? Washington Blade. May 20, 2010.
Bolcer, J. Gay conservative leader defends Romney endorsement. The Advocate.com. June 21, 2012.
Part VII: The global context of LGBT rights and health
April 29: LGBT rights in Asia, Africa
These everyday humiliations: Violence against lesbians, bisexual women, and transgender men in Kyrgyzstan. Human Rights Watch, 2008.
Secretary Clinton’s speech in Geneva, World Human Rights Day, December 6, 2011.
United Nations Office for the High Commissioner for Human Rights.Discriminatory laws and policies and acts of violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Geneva. November 17, 2011. (First-ever UN report on sexual orientation and gender identity.)
Semugoma, P., Nemande, S., and Baral, S. “The irony of homophobia in Africa.” The Lancet. HIV in men who have sex with men (special issue). Pp. 4-5. July 2012.
BBC. Uganda fury at David Cameron aid threat over gay rights. October 31, 2011.
Sharma, A., and Das, A. “India: From tensions to transformation.” In Tremblay, M., Paternotte, D., and Johnson, C. (Eds.). The lesbian and gay movement and the state: Comparative insights into a transformed relationship. Surrey, England: Ashgate Publishing. 2011. Pp. 89-102.
May 6: LGBT health, including HIV
Beyrer, C. et al. Global epidemiology of HIV infection in men who have sex with men. The Lancet. HIV in men who have sex with men (special issue). Pp. 19-29. July 2012.
U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, “Technical guidance on combination HIV prevention…for men who have sex with men,” Washington, DC: May 2011.
American Foundation for AIDS Research (Amfar) Achieving an AIDS-free generation for gay men and other MSM: Financing and implementation of HIV programs targeting MSM. Washington, DC: amfar, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 2012.
Miller, A. “Uneasy promises : Sexuality, health, and human rights.” American Journal of Public Health. 91(6): 861-864. 2001.Part VIII: Looking forward
May13: Trends in public opinion within the U.S., globally
Barth, J. “Political culture, public opinion, and policy (non)diffusion: The case of gay- and lesbian-related issues in Arkansas.” Social Science Quarterly. 90(2): 2009. 309ff.
Haider Markel, D. “Value war: Public opinion and the politics of gay rights.” Political Communication. 27(1): 2010. 104ff.