Introduction
To honor LGBT Pride Month we asked Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) social workers to tell us why they chose social work as their profession and to describe the unique challenges facing their community.
Josephine P. Tittsworth, LMSW, BSW, AA
University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work PhD Student
NASW GLBT Issues Committee
NASW-TX Equity Committee GLBT Chair
NTAC Board of Directors, Research Chair
PFLAG-TNET Board of Directors, West Sector Coordinator
Houston, Texas
Ms. Tittsworth
Q. Ms. Tittsworth, where did you earn your social work degree, what is your area of specialization, and where are you employed?
I received my Bachelor Social Work degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. I received my Master Social Work degree from the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work. I am currently a Ph.D student at the University of Houston Graduate College of Social Work; graduation anticipated 2012.
My area of specialty is Transgender Advocacy, Policy, Community Development, and Clinical issues. I am a peer reviewed published researcher. I only volunteer and concentrate all efforts in the transgender communities.
Q. Why did you choose social work as your profession?
After retiring from IBM, thirty years, I saw an opportunity to pursue the field which would benefit transgender communities the most.
Q. If you could resolve just one ongoing challenge affecting the LGBT community what would that be and how would you go about it?
The Texas Transgender Nondiscrimination Summit (TTNS) is actively pursuing changing the nondiscrimination statements at all Texas universities and colleges to include the phrase gender identity and expression. I am the founder and the co-chair of the TTNS. My dream is to effect social justice change so that all transgenders can enjoy the same freedoms that the heterocentric population and systems currently take for granted in the United States. I am solely concentrated on transgender issues, many others are already working on Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual issues.
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