This chapter explores accounts of parenting, largely drawing on research that has focused on the views or experiences of children themselves rather than the perspectives of adults. In taking this approach, the chapter aims to consider how adultism shapes our understanding of children’s experiences in regards to diverse sexes, genders, and sexualities. A range of research focusing on the experiences of heterosexual children of LGB parents and the children of trans parents is discussed. The chapter also reviews research that reports on the experiences of young LGBTIQ people growing up, with a particular focus on well-being and resiliency. Overall, this chapter highlights the intersections of marginalisation and resistance for children whose lives are shaped by norms related to sex, gender, and sexuality.

This chapter provides a socio-historical account of the pathologisation and de-pathologisation of diversity in sex, gender, and sexuality within and beyond psychology. Focusing on people born with intersex variations, a diversity of genders, and a diversity of sexual orientations (e.g., lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer), this chapter first maps the socio-medicalisation of sex, gender, and sexuality to explore the pathologisation of LGBTIQ people across time. Next, the chapter maps the socio-historical de-pathologisation of sex, gender, and sexual diversity and the development of LGBTIQ psychology as an affirmative field. Different approaches to the treatment of LGBTIQ people in healthcare and the development of professional psychological networks that focus on LGBTIQ psychology are presented.

With a specific focus on violence and abuse, this chapter explores some the challenges that LGBTIQ people often experience, but also the strengths that LGBTIQ people display. The chapter reviews research on intimate partner violence experienced by LGBTIQ people (including identity-related abuse) and the violence perpetrated against animals in these contexts. Situating challenges alongside strengths is an important counter to the often negative messages and stereotypes that circulate about LGBTIQ people, as it encourages a focus on identifying sites of resistance and opportunities for change. The chapter therefore also explores the resiliencies that LGBTIQ people display in the face of adversity, including through relationships with animal companions.

This chapter explores prejudice and discrimination and their effects on LGBTIQ people and communities. First, this chapter reviews research on attitudes towards LGBTIQ people, with reference to studies of homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia. With specific reference to hate crimes, it next discusses homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic victimisation. Systematic prejudice (structural prejudice embedded in social and legal institutions) is then discussed in relation to key constructs such as heterosexism, heteronormativity, and cisgenderism. The final section of the chapter focuses on minority stress and the ways in which this and other processes (e.g., internalised homophobia, decompensation) contribute to psychological distress among LGBTIQ people, including those who a multiply marginalised. The impacts of these factors on mental health in LGBTIQ populations are also discussed.

This chapter examines ageing and chronic illness among LGBTIQ people. First, this chapter discusses the relative visibility/invisibility of LGBTIQ ageing, alongside introducing and critiquing the prevalent neoliberal concept of successful ageing. Following this, the chapter engages with cohort effects (e.g., generational differences) in LGBTIQ populations and their impacts on ageing experiences. The chapter also reviews research on chronic illness in LGBTIQ populations, with specific reference to dementia. LGBTIQ people’s experiences of dying and bereavement are also discussed, with specific reference to AIDS-related bereavement (in the 1980s) and ‘bereavement overload’ and partner loss, including the possibility of ‘disenfranchised grief’.

This chapter focuses on the social recognition of LGBTIQ relationships and families and diversity within different relationship and family forms. A particular focus here is on the legal recognition of same-gender relationships and the impact that legal recognition can have on wider relationships and families. With reference to a range of contexts, this chapter first reviews research on marriage equality. Next, it focuses on families of choice and diverse communities, including polyamorous relationships and the complexities of relationships for bisexual and pansexual people. Other forms of consensual non-monogamy are also discussed.

This chapter provides an overview of the theoretical and methodological perspectives underpinning LGBTIQ psychology and considerations for undertaking research with LGBTIQ populations. An overview of five main theoretical approaches (essentialism, social constructionism, critical realism, feminism, and queer theory) is provided, and each is discussed in relation to its implications for understanding LGBTIQ people’s lives and experiences. The construct ‘heteronormativity’ is also introduced. The chapter also introduces a range of overarching methodological approaches used in LGBTIQ psychological research (e.g., experiments, surveys, qualitative studies) and explores the extent to which each had been used for researching LGBTIQ topics. The final section of this chapter focuses on considerations in undertaking research with LGBTIQ populations. Challenges in defining populations of interest, access to and recruitment of participants, and principles for ethical practice with LGBTIQ populations are discussed here.

This chapter provides an overview of theory and research around sexual health among LGBTIQ populations. The first section of this chapter focuses on sexual intimacy and on specific environments (e.g., gay saunas, dating apps) as means for facilitating sexual encounters, as well as the experiences of sex for trans people who have undergone gender-affirming surgery and those of people born with intersex variations. The rest of the chapter focuses on sexual health in gay and bisexual men (and other mean-who-have-sex-with-men), including the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis in the prevention of HIV, sexual health in lesbian and bisexual women (and other women-who-have-sex-with-women), including engagement in cervical screening, and sexual health in trans people, including the impacts of body dysmorphia and cisgenderism on engagement with healthcare professionals.

This chapter focuses on the barriers that LGBTIQ people continue to experience across a range of sectors, including the workplace, schools, healthcare and social care provision, and counselling and psychological services. Whilst some positive changes have occurred, this chapter highlights the ongoing (and renewed) resistance to the inclusion of LGBTIQ people. An overview of research on resistance to the inclusion of LGBTIQ people within foster care services and sports and resistance to the inclusion of certain LGBTIQ people (e.g., LGBTIQ refugees, disabled LGBTIQ people) within services is also provided. The chapter highlights the importance of both equity and liberatory practices in the removal of barriers to inclusion.

This chapter situates the field of LGBTIQ psychology in relationship to broader global and political contexts. An overview of the socio-legal status of same-gender sexualities and trans internationally (e.g., criminalisation of LGBTIQ people; marriage equality) is provided. The impact of global socio-political frameworks, specifically neoliberalism and right-wing extremism, on LGBTIQ people is evaluated. Terminology in the field of LGBTIQ psychology and the merits of different variations on language are also discussed.