A lesbian client who is yet to come out in the open consults a social worker. She tells the social worker, "The other day, the women at my office were talking about lesbians and about how repulsive the very thought of lesbianism was to them. How do you think I felt?" Which of the following would be the most appropriate reciprocal response by the social worker?
A)Why should you let that bother you?
B)Why, that's kind of an exaggeration. If you just work along with me, things will be better soon.
C)You must have felt extremely uncomfortable imagining that they would condemn you if they knew.
D)How did you cope with it?

Question

A lesbian client who is yet to come out in the open consults a social worker. She tells the social worker, "The other day, the women at my office were talking about lesbians and about how repulsive the very thought of lesbianism was to them. How do you think I felt?" Which of the following would be the most appropriate reciprocal response by the social worker?​
A)Why should you let that bother you?​
B)​Why, that's kind of an exaggeration. If you just work along with me, things will be better soon.
C)​You must have felt extremely uncomfortable imagining that they would condemn you if they knew.
D)​How did you cope with it?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Option C validates the client's emotions and acknowledges the difficulty of hiding one's true identity. This response shows empathy and support for the client rather than invalidating or minimizing her feelings. Option A is dismissive and may make the client feel like her feelings are not important. Option B does not provide any meaningful support or validation. Option D is a close second, but it is a closed-ended question that may not encourage the client to share her emotions further.

A Lesbian Client Who Is Yet to Come Out in the Open