Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

Konjit Page, Ph.D.
Chair, Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Committee
kpage@fielding.edu

Mission Statement
The Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Committee (SOGDC) is committed to diversity as it concerns the psychological welfare of individuals who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender (LGBT). The committee promotes awareness and sensitivity to challenges faced by the LGBT community among NCSPP member schools and programs. SOGDC aspires to promote better awareness within the profession and broader society. The committee strongly encourages research that adds to the extant body of knowledge about sexual and gender minority persons and stimulates more competent service delivery to individuals, families, and organizations where sexual and gender minority concerns are often invisible but salient relational factors. We see this concern as more than a matter of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes, but also a matter of quality of life and equality. Thus, social responsibility, relational competence, and advocacy for sexual and gender minority concerns are an important component of SOGDC. This committee changed its name from the Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Committee to the Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (SOGD) Committee in February 2016 to follow the direction of the field and better align itself with the APA Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (CSOGD). The committee began as a spontaneously formed caucus at the 1994 Mid-Winter Conference in Cancun. The SOGDC was established as a standing committee of NCSPP with representation on the Executive Committee by vote of the general membership following the 1999 Mid-Winter Conference in Charleston.

SOGDC Individual Student Award
Every two years, the NCSPP Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity Committee (SOGDC) recognizes a sexual or gender minority student (LGBT) who is currently enrolled in a member or associate member school and has demonstrated noteworthy commitment to diversity as it relates to the psychology and study of individuals who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and/or Transgender (LGBT). The contributions of the student should be reflected in their scholarly products, clinical applications, and the way that they model professional identity and development as an advocate for the LGBT community.

The intent of this award is to promote awareness and sensitivity to challenges faced by the LGBT community among NCSPP schools and programs and to promote better awareness within the profession and broader society. The members of the SOGD Committee also believe that a student award of this nature promotes and encourages research that adds to the extant body of knowledge about sexual and gender minority persons and stimulates more competent service delivery to individuals, families, and organizations where sexual and gender minority concerns are often invisible but salient relational factors. We see this concern as more than a matter of professional knowledge, skills and attitudes, but also a matter of quality of life. Thus, social responsibility, relational competence, and advocacy are the core of this award.

SOGDC allows use of the funds as a scholarship to support attendance at a professional meeting, summit/conference, or training as well as seed monies for research pertaining to the sexual or gender minority community. The individual selected will be expected to share their knowledge with the SOGDC either in person and/or through written documentation.  In addition to the financial award, the recipient will be recognized at corresponding NCSPP Mid-Winter Conference.