The ability to provide services for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and questioning (LGBTQ) youth begins with an understanding of the nature of gender and
sexual orientation, correct terminology, basic knowledge of the «
typical»
experiences of the population, and an awareness of the increased risk factors
experienced by these youth.
Classic research on dating and
sexual scripts — the events that people endorse as being part of a «
typical» date or
sexual experience — provides information about people's dating perceptions.