Introduction
Theoretical approaches on gender and sexualities provide essential interpretive frameworks for understanding and supporting LGBTQ+ individuals. They offer analytical keys for conceptualising the construction of identities, the psychological and relational mechanisms involved, as well as the social and cultural determinants that shape the experiences of LGBTQ+ people.
This module explores the diversity and complementarity of these approaches, presenting the main concepts and tools from gender studies, feminist and queer theories, psychoanalysis, cognitive-behavioral and systemic approaches, social constructionism, anthropology, sociology, neuroscience and epistemology.
Each approach provides a unique perspective, allowing for an understanding of the various facets of the construction and expression of LGBTQ+ identities. Their articulation offers an integrative and nuanced understanding, attentive to the complexity of individuals’ journeys and the diversity of their experiences.
The challenge is to appropriate these theoretical insights in order to nourish a reflective and ethical posture in supporting LGBTQ+ individuals. It involves mobilising these knowledges with discernment, in an approach focused on the individual and their self-determination.
This module serves as a conceptual toolkit for developing informed, respectful, and affirmative support practices for LGBTQ+ individuals.
