Is It Our Role? Representations of Cultural Responsiveness Related to Sexual and Gender Diversity Among Francophone Speech-Language Pathologists and Students

PURPOSE: This qualitative study investigated social representations of cultural responsiveness related to sexual and gender diversity among speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and students in francophone contexts, focusing on metropolitan France and Quebec (Canada). METHOD: An online survey was conducted in 2022-2023 and yielded free-text responses from 267 participants. Responses were analyzed thematically for a rich empirical account of social representations. RESULTS: Respondents collectively grappled with: (a) the role of SLPs in relation to sexual and gender diversity; (b) the priority to be given to addressing this diversity; (c) the consequences of current and alternate practices; and (d) the reasonableness, feasibility, and attractiveness of change. They produced representations ranging from status quo-preserving views to innovative visions for the field. These representations played out in practice through a wide array of challenges navigated by respondents with varied strategies and resources. To move forward, respondents called for training opportunities, accessible information, appropriate clinical tools, and organizational commitment backed by funding and time. CONCLUSIONS: Although transgender voice modification dominates representations related to sexual and gender diversity in the field, cultural responsiveness extends across subfields and much of the SLP's scope of practice. Importantly, SLPs and students are not immune to unconscious biases and ideologies even on topics within their expertise, such as language. Many respondents upheld, for instance, popular but largely unsubstantiated representations of gender-inclusive written French as detrimental to "readability." These findings thus point to education as a key lever for cultural responsiveness, along with organizational commitment and resource provision.