Can heterosexual cis people be LGBT experts?

Well, they can do a lot of research and have a lot of knowledge on the topic, but they can't exactly understand what it's like to be non-heterosexual or non-cisgender.

Like, I know a lot about transgender people from stuff I've read online and people I've talked to, but I'll never be able to fully understand what being transgender is like because I can't experience it.

 

It depends on what you mean by 'expert'. If by 'LGBT expert' you mean the person fully understands what it's like to be an LGBT person, I'd say no. A heterosexual cis person can only partly understand what it's like to be an LGBT by imagining what it may be like to be in an LGBT person's shoes.

If by 'LGBT expert' you mean they have a very good understanding of the issues that LGBT people face in our society, I'd say yes. Such an expertise can be achieved through academic studies.

However, growing up in a gay neighborhood and having lots of LGBT relatives alone doesn't make one an 'LGBT expert' in either sense.

Additionally, just because one letter of the broad LGBT+ umbrella describes you doesn't mean you can understand what it's like to be someone who falls under any of the other letters. For example, being a cis gay man doesn't mean you can understand what it's like to be a cis lesbian woman or trans man.

 

lol no!

 

Can a human be a plant's expert? Yes and they dont even have leafs growing in their skin... Of course its easier for an Lgtb person to be an expert on lgtb issues, but anyone ho decides to study a topic carefully and interacts directly with the elements of the topic, canbecome an expert on that.

 

I will say, resoundingly, NO. i don't believe it's possible. I also don't think that just because one embodies the experience, one is, or can be an expert either. Empathy, insight, knowledge, education (not necessarily in that order, lol), are required qualities, too.

 

based on my experience no matter how hard they try they just don't get it

 

I think it's hard for anyone to be an "expert" on what it means to be LGBT, but that it is possible to have an educated sense of particular characteristics of LGBT sociology (e.g., statistics, problems common to a certain identity which are less readily applicable to most other groups, etc.). I also believe that someone can be a very open-minded individual with a strong sociological background in LGBT issues, but that part of approaching an ethnic, socioeconomic, sexual, or other minority group entails acknowledging that, should you differ from any such group in its pivotal characteristic - that is, that which classifies the group as a minority - your perspective is inherently limited.

 

I want to say yes, but It's hard for me to. I believe all heterosexual people are heterosexist in some way; even if they might not be aware of it. I mean, it's extremely hard to not be that way when you grow up in a heterosexual culture.

What I hate is straight 'allies' who use so and so to justify their bullshit. Happened with a therapist of mine. She thought she was such a great straight ally because she supported gay marriage, yet she believed lesbians couldn't have a 'emotional' sexual experience because only a penis could change who you are and makes you fall in love with your partner.

 

Ah I see, thank you.

 

For me, my secular counselor knew how how to deal with bi issues, but my pastor friend did not understand. "Why can't you first date a woman and just remain loyal to her and avoid men and not give into that attraction?" He accepted me, but I don't think he realized how bisexuality worked.

So, some can, some cannot.

 

I agree.
The best kind of therapist is a helpful therapist. Their gender and sexuality is irrelevant.
There's some types of knowledge that can only be gained by experience (e.g. the pain of a burn, how it feels to be stung by a bee, etc.), but as Nick07 said, "no one will know exactly how you are feeling".

 

I think that to an extended point they can, just like psychiatric therapists are experts on disorders that they don't have to an extent. It's all by study, they know what they know based on seeing others or reading up on it. Personally, I don't believe that anyone genuinely knows anything until they've either been through it or have had/still have it.

As for an LGBTQ expert that's both heterosexual and cis, I feel that they have to be homosexual and/or transgender to truly understand what they go through on a daily basis and only then will they be a genuine expert. Though I believe that if you're asking about therapists that will help you get through your journey as a transgender, then I suppose a heterosexual cis therapist would be the best. If it where the other way around, the therapist would have too much heart and let everyone get through the process without question because they do understand what it's like and therefore, would be more supportive while a heterosexual cis would check through everything to really make sure..

 

I feel like the problem is that my therapists just don't understand. I usually get cis hetero women who are gay allies and 'skilled' in gay areas, but I still endure a lot of lesbian misogyny from them, and don't feel safe discussing my feelings to them.

 

Well, met my new therapist at the LGBT center today. She is bi, smart, empathetic, and nice. Score one for the "home" team.

 

Yes, I think so.

 

Yes, but not an excellent one. LOL even I'm not completely educated about the LGBT community, particularly the T part.

You don't always need to be in that particular group to understand it. I'm not even a expert on my own ethnic background.

 

Friggin finally!

I am sorry but I find it quite offensive that people can just write off a therapist without knowing them. As Chip stated someone can get deep enough into the world of their clients to learn, feel and walk their walk. I am not saying it isn't a bit more difficult because it probably is. I specialize in anxiety and I suffer anxiety so yeah I can feel it. Not that I can feel it MORE than another therapist...rather I just got to feel it faster than others.

Any therapist or ally can walk in shoes that aren't theirs. It is possible.

If anything, taking the time to learn to walk the walk is an amazing and deep experience.

I don't know what it is to suffer PTSD but I counsel people with it and make a difference. I am not schizophrenic but I do therapy with people who have it and I am told I do fine

But of course I am not perfect...but it's all about taking the time to learn

but there is one thing people are not seeing here...and it is very real

There is such a thing as over-empathy and it happens a lot

People who are gay and counseling someone who is gay. People who suffer depression and counsel people with depression. They start to get this idea that they 'know' the experiences of their client. They throw out the learning experience and decide that because they live in the 'same world' that they know exactly what their client is going through...and it's just as dangerous

The reality is...

NOBODY is an expert on ANYONE else but yes people can be experts on LGBT issues with enough practice. The truth of the therapeutic relationship is getting to know that person, not just the world within that they walk.

Just please, give therapists a chance and don't judge prematurely...they may know your world much than you imagine but no they won't know 'you' specifically. That takes time

as far as an individual therapist...yes they can be bad, but yes they can be experts and know the walk a lot

 

Yes, if they talk to and studied hundreds if not thousands of LGBT people. Then they will probably know more about being LGBT than most LGBT people.