Also in this issue

Psychology of Sexualities Research
health service use, screening (Semlyen, 2015;
Semlyen et al., in press). I have also specialised
in aiming to gain the highest evidence
level possible to capture quality health inequity
evidence that can be used to influence
policy (Semlyen & Hagger-Johnson, 2016).
For example, my systematic review on mental
disorder in LGB people carried out in 2008
changed the National Suicide Policy to include
LGB people as a high-risk group (King et al.,
2008) allowing funding and targeted services
for this group within budgets. More recently,
UK population data on health outcomes is
emerging and I have started publishing this
representative data indicating LGB health
inequalities across a range of health outcomes
including smoking and hazardous alcohol
(Hagger-Johnson et al., 2013); common mental
disorder (Semlyen et al 2016) and body mass
index.
‘The most important thing about LGBTQ
Psychology for you is to get involved. Moreover,
LGBTQ research is interesting, challenging
and full of possibility and there is
room for you!’
Jimmy Couzens – PhD Student, University of
Worcester is Honorary Treasurer:
‘I am currently a PhD student at the Institute
of Health and Society, University of
Worcester. My PhD research is exploring the
psychological experiences of Voodoo and
Obeah as used for changing sexual orientation
in St. Lucia, West Indies. Aside from my
research and teaching at the University, I
also work in Mental Health Management at
a Priory Group Hospital and as a Research
Associate at a University Hospital in Queens,
New York. Prior to this, I was a research assistant
at PACE Health and Brunel University.’
‘I have a broad range of research interests,
cutting across health and cross-cultural
psychology. My research is largely concerned
with the social construction of scientific facts,
and as part of this, my research explores and
challenges normative assumptions and the
overwhelming dominance of west-centric
space of perception and argumentation in
psychology. Most of my current research
interests involve gender, sex, and sexualities
in Latin America and the Caribbean (and
diaspora communities); culture, ethnicity,
and mental illness; and Black intersectional
identifications (including the intersection
of racial and sexual identities). At present,
this includes research on the racialisation
and colouration of sexualities and homophobia
in the Caribbean; racism, colourism,
and pigmentocracy in St. Lucia; racism in
the LGB community in England; and the
mental health issues and needs of Black and
Minority Ethnic LGB people in the UK. I
therefore develop novel methodologies
which challenge western-centric perceptions
and assumptions about human sexuality –
these assumptions are often antagonistic
to the life experiences of non-white populations
and the ethno-psychological and
ethno-medical systems, conceptions, and
antecedents of sexuality and mental health
in non-western societies.’
‘Between November 2014 and August 2016,
I was the PsyPAG representative for the
Psychology of Sexualities Section, and I am now
acting as the Section’s Honorary Treasurer and
the Section’s representative on the Professional
Practice Working Group. As an early career
researcher, joining the Psychology of Sexualities
Section provided a great way of networking
and communicating research.’
Adam Jowett – Lecturer in Psychology, Coventry
University is Editor of Psychology of Sexualities
Review:
‘I first came across the field of LGBTQ
psychology in a critical social psychology
lecture during the second year of my undergraduate
degree. This serendipitously
occurred not long after I had come out as
Issue 101 December 2016 9