Educators and Friends for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People (EFLAG) promotes research, education, and organizational support to social work educators around lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, and questioning (LGBTIQ) issues in undergraduate social work practice and education.

EFLAG met at the 2006 BPD Conference in Los Angeles to review our accomplishments, discuss our current projects, and plan future endeavors. We were pleased to host a trip to the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Center, visiting their full-service health clinic, counseling center, youth shelter, community education and meeting rooms, and performance spaces. We also facilitated a salon on transgender issues, offered a presentation on same-sex marriage as a civil rights issue, and coordinated a joint committee session on the need for cross-group civil rights advocacy. Thanks to Sam Leizear (West Virginia University), Harriet Cohen (Texas Christian University), Eli DeHope (West Chester University), Susan Hoffpauir (University of Arkansas at Little Rock), and the leaders of the Anti-Racism, Gerontology, Advocacy and Outreach, and Disabilities committees for their important contributions.

We are currently organizing the collection and publication of course modules related to LGBT issues in social work. After a blind peer review, ten modules were accepted for publication. Topics include stereotypes about LGBT people, ethical issues, coming out, adolescence, gay affirmative practice, and working with rural African American and Hispanic gay men. These modules will be published on the new EFLAG webpage through the BPD website in early 2007.

EFLAG is planning to add even more services and resources on our webpage in the future, including a threaded discussion forum for LGBT social work students and scheduled chat sessions with social work scholars studying LGBT issues that could be read by all BSW students. We welcome anyone who would like to be involved to contact us at lorim@ku.edu.