For the White Social Worker Who Wants to Know how to Work with Lesbians of Color

This article challenges white social workers who want to work effectively with lesbians of color to identify the patterns of privilege and to step outside of those patterns. Three layers of competence for patience with lesbians of color are described: awareness, knowledge, and skill. Awareness includes attitudes related to racism, sexism, heterosexism, and homophobia. Knowledge about lesbians of color is developed from their standpoint. Skills include the ability to deal with the multiple issues involved in "coming out," being women of color, being lesbian, experiencing transitional and environmental crises; identifying appropriate resources; and empowering lesbians of color to alleviate oppression.