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Sexualities in Counselling Psychology
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The current research explores how ethnicity influences sexual identity development. Among 139 sexual-minority male youths, measures of sexual identity development assessed the timing and sequencing of developmental milestones, disclosure of sexual identity to others, internalized homophobia, and same- and opposite-sex relationship histories. Findings demonstrated that participants, regardless of ethnicity, experienced most identity milestones at developmentally appropriate ages, had moderately low levels of internalized homophobia, and became romantically and sexually involved with other males during adolescence. Differences across ethnic groups were found in the timing and sequencing of certain milestones, disclosure of sexual identity to family members, and romantic and sexual involvement with females.
The present study examined the gender transition experiences of transgender employees while in the workplace. Participants were 139 transgender-identified individuals currently employed at the time of the study. Participants were asked to respond to open-ended questions related to their experiences transitioning at work and provide any advice they might share with other transgender individuals considering a gender transition while employed. Using a thematic content analysis informed by grounded theory (Glaser & Strauss, 1967), participants’ responses were coded into 4 main domains: (a) interpersonal issues, (b) intrapersonal factors, (c) systemic and organizational issues, and (d) logistics and planning. Each of these domains was comprised of thematic categories and subcategories that further elucidated participants’ experiences related to these domains. Findings highlighted key areas of stress (e.g., hostile coworkers, gendered spaces, no employee protection policies) and strategies for preparing to transition genders at work (e.g., informing human resources, identifying allies). Implications of these results for practitioners, employers, and activists are discussed.
This article offers a detailed analysis of two school board-level policies in British Columbia, Canada that address the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and transgender, Two Spirit (LGBQ and TT) youth to demonstrate how the language of the policy holds meaning and re/produces particular knowledges. Rather than offer an analysis that sees ‘at-risk’ youth or LGBQ and TT issues ‘as a problem to be solved’, this article proposes reading of the policies and the youth who are the subjects of these policies as complex and exceeding the identities that the policy constructs for them. Drawing upon Bacchi, Foucault and Butler, this article frames an analysis of the value and limits of policy geared toward LGBQ and TT as problematization, where identities are explored as contradictory and produced through the manner in which the policies are constituted. The article suggests ways in which queer theory offers a questioning of normativities that is beneficial to policy analysis.
Using a keyword search of the literature on minority gay and lesbian issues of the past decade, the authors identify 22 articles pertaining to African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans. Fourteen factors which are frequently discussed in these articles including discrimination issues, oppression, assimilation, rejection, and social support are summarized to address the common experiences among these three groups and unique factors affecting each of them. The selected literature focuses heavily on the deficit aspects and seldom identifies the strengths of these cultures.
Although it is commonly assumed that gay and lesbian employees face a dichotomous choice between passing as a heterosexual and openly identifying oneself as a sexual minority member, past qualitative research has suggested that the decision is more complex. A set of confirmatory factor analyses was conducted to examine this issue quantitatively and identify the factor model that best explains the patterns of behavior associated with identity management in organizational settings. The results revealed that gay and lesbian employees may counterfeit a false heterosexual identity, avoid the issue of sexuality altogether, or integrate a gay or lesbian identity into the work context. The factor pattern was the same for lesbians and gay males. In addition, the results suggest that these strategies may be used in combination. The importance of identity management strategies for the individual and the organization are discussed and suggestions for future research are provided.
This study, focused on five transgender and gay youth of color from San Francisco, explored how family problems, poverty, homophobia, and transphobia propelled them into homelessness and made gay-friendly spaces and resources especially meaningful to them. These young people describe seeking support in San Francisco's well-known gay enclave, the Castro District, to form community and find safety from a homophobic and transphobic world. This study also explored difficulties these youth face as homeless LGBTQ young people of color navigating this neighborhood, which is widely considered a safe haven for LGBTQ people. In the Castro, they experienced invisibility, police and community harassment, sexualization, and commodification. Finally, this article examined how participation in a visible gay neighborhood contributed to their vulnerability yet offered marginally housed transgender and gay youth of color an important space to explore their identities.
Demographics, sexual behavior, and self‐perceptions of a self‐defined sadomasochistic (S/M) sample of 178 men are described. These men either returned a questionnaire published in an S/M magazine or completed a questionnaire after being solicited at an S/M support‐group meeting. The composite respondent was heterosexual, well‐educated, relatively affluent, interested in both dominant and submissive roles (switchable), and engaged in a wide range of sexual activities, both S/M and non‐S/M. Most of the respondents first acknowledged interest and engaged in S/M acts as a young adult, after other sexual orientation issues were settled. Although most respondents were satisfied with the S/M aspect of their sexuality, a small percentage (approximately 6%) expressed distress concerning their behavior, and 16% had sought help from a therapist regarding their S/M desires. These data are generally similar to those obtained from a similar investigation of a West German sample (Spengler, 1975, 1977). The data from a smaller sample (N = 47) of women collected at the same time are described briefly.
This article provides an integrated critical review of the literature on internalized heterosexism/internalized homophobia (IH), its measurement, and its psychosocial correlates. It describes the psychometric properties of six published measures used to operationalize the construct of IH. It also critically reviews empirical studies on correlates of IH in the areas of sexual identity formation and the coming-out process; mental, psychosocial, and physical health; substance use; sexual risk-taking behavior; intimate relationships; parenting and family issues; gender roles and feminism; race and ethnicity; religion; career issues; and counselor—client interactions and treatment interventions. Last, it discusses limitations of the body of research and provides suggestions for future research throughout the review.
This study used the
minority stress theory to develop models of antecedents and outcomes of heterosexism in the workplace. Heterosexism was assessed via the
Workplace Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire, a new scale assessing
direct (e.g., anti-gay jokes) and
indirect experiences (e.g., assumptions of heterosexuality). Structural equation modeling with two community samples (
N = 287) of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people indicated that heterosexism was best predicted by perceptions that the employer does not take heterosexism seriously (i.e., organizational climate). Experiencing heterosexism was associated with adverse psychological, health, and job-related outcomes, thus supporting the minority stress theory. In addition, outness was positively related to experiences of
direct heterosexism but negatively related to
indirect experiences. The minority stress theory is discussed in light of the mental health history of pathologizing homosexuality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Explores lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity development and its effect on the psychotherapy process. The authors examine the coming out process and LGB identity models. They state that working with LGB clients is an effective and ethical means of challenging the status quo of psychology. No longer is it possible to do business as usual now that it has become clear that the core assumptions of psychology and its theories are laden with heterosexism and homophobia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Meaning in life has been identified as a potential mediator of the link between religiousness and psychological health. The authors tested this hypothesis in 2 studies, using multiple methods and measures of religiousness and well-being. In the studies, meaning in life mediated the relation between religiousness and life satisfaction (Study 1A), as well as self-esteem and optimism (Study 1B). In addition, using an experience sampling method, the authors found that meaning in life also mediated the relation between daily religious behaviors and well-being (Study 2). The authors discuss these findings and suggest that meaning in life may be an effective conduit through which counselors and clients can discuss "ultimate" matters, even when they do not share similar perspectives on religion. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
While participation in the activities like bondage, domination, submission/sadism, masochism that fall under the umbrella term BDSM is widespread, stigma surrounding BDSM poses risks to practitioners who wish to disclose their interest. We examined risk factors involved with disclosure to posit how sex education might diffuse stigma and warn of risks. Semi-structured interviews asked 20 adults reporting an interest in BDSM about their disclosure experiences. Most respondents reported their BDSM interests starting before age 15, sometimes creating a phase of anxiety and shame in the absence of reassuring information. As adults, respondents often considered BDSM central to their sexuality, thus disclosure was integral to dating. Disclosure decisions in nondating situations were often complex considerations balancing desire for appropriateness with a desire for connection and honesty. Some respondents wondered whether their interests being found out would jeopardize their jobs. Experiences with stigma varied widely.
We examine differences in type of support (i.e., supervisor, coworker, organizational) received by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) employees and the relationship between type of support and relevant outcomes (job and life satisfaction, outness of sexual orientation). Surveys were administered to 99 LGB individuals, and results indicate that support is best viewed as a multi-dimensional construct composed of supervisor, coworker, and organizational support for LGB employees. Overall, supervisor support was related to job satisfaction, coworker support was related to life satisfaction, and organizational support for LGB employees was related to outness.Thus, support for LGB employees isrelated to important outcomes. Practical suggestions for increasing organizational support for LGB employees are offered. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Dichotomous models of gender have been criticized for failing to represent the experiences of individuals who claim neither
an unambiguously female nor male identity. In this paper we argue that the feminist theoretical framework of intersectionality
provides a generative approach for interpreting these experiences of gender multiplicity. We review our previous research
on four young sexual-minority (i.e., nonheterosexual) women who are participants in a 10-year longitudinal study of sexual
identity development, applying the framework of intersectionality to understand their exploration of transgendered experience
and identification. Our analysis highlights the value of intersectionality as a framework for understanding not only multiplicity
across identity constructs (e.g.., race, gender, etc.) but also within identity constructs (i.e., female and male).
The present study explored whether 3 existing measures of workplace constructs germane to the experiences of sexual minority people could be modified to improve their applicability with transgender individuals. To this end, the Workplace Heterosexist Experiences Questionnaire (WHEQ; C. R. Waldo, 1999); the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Climate Inventory (LGBTCI; B. J. Liddle, D. A. Luzzo, A. L. Hauenstein, & K. Schuck, 2004); and the Workplace Sexual Identity Management Measure (WSIMM; M. Z. Anderson, J. M. Croteau, Y. B. Chung, & T. M. DiStefano, 2001) were modified to explicitly address the experiences of transgender individuals. Data from a sample of 263 transgender individuals were used to evaluate the psychometric properties of the modified measures. Analyses of the structures of the modified measures (Transgender Forms [TF]) suggested an alternative 2-factor structure for the WHEQ-TF, but provided support for the previously observed unidimensional structure for the LGBTCI-TF, and a slightly modified 3-factor structure for the WSIMM-TF. Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficients for scale or subscale items across the 3 measures were acceptable. Criterion-related validity was evident in theoretically consistent patterns of correlations between scores on the 3 modified measures and scores on indicators of job satisfaction and outness. These data provide preliminary support for transgender-specific versions of measures of 3 key constructs in the sexual minority vocational behavior research.
Drawing on observation, autoethnography, and audio-taped interviews, this article explores the religious backgrounds and experiences of Bible Belt gays. In the Bible Belt, Christianity is not confined to Sunday worship. Christian crosses, messages, paraphernalia, music, news, and attitudes permeate everyday settings. Consequently, Christian fundamentalist dogma about homosexuality-that homosexuals are bad, diseased, perverse, sinful, other, and inferior-is cumulatively bolstered within a variety of other social institutions and environments in the Bible Belt. Of the 46 lesbians and gay men interviewed for this study (age 18-74 years), most describe living through spirit-crushing experiences of isolation, abuse, and self-loathing. This article argues that the geographic region of the Bible Belt intersects with religious-based homophobia. Informants explained that negative social attitudes about homosexuality caused a range of harmful consequences in their lives including the fear of going to hell, depression, low self-esteem, and feelings of worthlessness.
Feminist and critical race theories offer the concept of intersectionality to describe analytic approaches that simultaneously consider the meaning and consequences of multiple categories of identity, difference, and disadvantage. To understand how these categories depend on one another for meaning and are jointly associated with outcomes, reconceptualization of the meaning and significance of the categories is necessary. To accomplish this, the author presents 3 questions for psychologists to ask: Who is included within this category? What role does inequality play? Where are there similarities? The 1st question involves attending to diversity within social categories. The 2nd conceptualizes social categories as connoting hierarchies of privilege and power that structure social and material life. The 3rd looks for commonalities across categories commonly viewed as deeply different. The author concludes with a discussion of the implications and value of these 3 questions for each stage of the research process.
Current definitions of asexuality focus on sexual attraction, sexual behavior, and lack of sexual orientation or sexual excitation; however, the extent to which these definitions are accepted by self-identified asexuals is unknown. The goal of Study 1 was to examine relationship characteristics, frequency of sexual behaviors, sexual difficulties and distress, psychopathology, interpersonal functioning, and alexithymia in 187 asexuals recruited from the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network (AVEN). Asexual men (n = 54) and women (n = 133) completed validated questionnaires online. Sexual response was lower than normative data and was not experienced as distressing, and masturbation frequency in males was similar to available data for sexual men. Social withdrawal was the most elevated personality subscale; however, interpersonal functioning was in the normal range. Alexithymia was elevated in 12%. Social desirability was also in the normal range. Study 2 was designed to expand upon these quantitative findings with 15 asexuals from Study 1 through in-depth telephone interviews. The findings suggest that asexuality is best conceptualized as a lack of sexual attraction; however, asexuals varied greatly in their experience of sexual response and behavior. Asexuals partnered with sexuals acknowledged having to "negotiate" sexual activity. There were not higher rates of psychopathology among asexuals; however, a subset might fit the criteria for Schizoid Personality Disorder. There was also strong opposition to viewing asexuality as an extreme case of sexual desire disorder. Finally, asexuals were very motivated to liaise with sex researchers to further the scientific study of asexuality.
Despite the rarity of carcinoma of the anal canal, remarkable progress has been achieved during the past 30 years in understanding its pathogenesis and improving treatment. Largely because of the rigorous collection of data and the treatment of patients in clinical trials, it is now widely accepted that the majority of cases are caused by human papillomavirus and can be cured by combination therapy. Concomitant treatment with external-beam radiation therapy and chemotherapy with fluorouracil and mitomycin represents the standard approach to combination treatment. Appropriate cytologic screening of high risk populations and the integration of platinum compounds into treatment regimens will most likely reduce mortality from this disorder even further.
To collect estimates of smoking prevalence among lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from the published literature and to compare with general population estimates.
Databases were searched for all studies published in English on tobacco use among lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. From 1987 through 2000, twelve studies were identified (four youth, eight adult): seven were based on convenience samples; one on a population-based probability sample; one involved random sampling within selected census tracts; one was based on a large multicenter clinical trial; and two were representative school-based samples. Study findings were compared to national survey data from the corresponding time period.
Estimated smoking rates for lesbians, gays, and bisexuals ranged from 38% to 59% among youth and from 11% to 50% among adults. National smoking rates during comparable periods ranged from 28% to 35% for adolescents and were approximately 28% for adults.
While information in the published literature is limited, it appears that smoking rates are higher among adolescent and adult lesbians, gays, and bisexuals than in the general population. Steps should be taken to ensure representation of lesbians, gays, and bisexuals in tobacco-use surveillance and to collect data in order to understand the apparent high smoking rates in these groups. Attempts should be made to target prevention and cessation interventions to lesbians, gays, and bisexuals.
In this article the author reviews research evidence on the prevalence of mental disorders in lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGBs) and shows, using meta-analyses, that LGBs have a higher prevalence of mental disorders than heterosexuals. The author offers a conceptual framework for understanding this excess in prevalence of disorder in terms of minority stress--explaining that stigma, prejudice, and discrimination create a hostile and stressful social environment that causes mental health problems. The model describes stress processes, including the experience of prejudice events, expectations of rejection, hiding and concealing, internalized homophobia, and ameliorative coping processes. This conceptual framework is the basis for the review of research evidence, suggestions for future research directions, and exploration of public policy implications.
I used data from a national probability sample (N > 18,000) of British residents to investigate asexuality, defined as having no sexual attraction to a partner of either sex. Approximately 1% (n = 195) of the sample indicated they were asexual. A number of factors were related to asexuality, including gender (i.e., more women than men), short stature, low education, low socioeconomic status, and poor health. Asexual women also had a later onset of menarche relative to sexual women. The results suggest that a number of pathways, both biological and psychosocial, contribute to the development of asexuality.
Four decades of research have delineated the need for improved psychotherapeutic opportunities for poor clients, yet psychotherapists remain contradictory in their stance regarding service to the poor. Despite periodic calls within the field to address the needs of poor people, evidence from the psychotherapeutic literature suggests that the poor are still largely absent from consideration. What barriers prevent psychotherapists from enacting their professional principles more consistently on behalf of poor clients? The author suggests that unexamined classist assumptions constitute a significant obstacle for practitioners and presents the experience of confronting her own classism to illustrate the operation of these attitudinal barriers.
We used data from the National Health Interview Survey to compare health care access among individuals involved in same-sex versus opposite-sex relationships.
We conducted descriptive and logistic regression analyses from pooled data on 614 individuals in same-sex relationships and 93418 individuals in opposite-sex relationships.
Women in same-sex relationships (adjusted odds ratio [OR]=0.60; 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.39, 0.92) were significantly less likely than women in opposite-sex relationships to have health insurance coverage, to have seen a medical provider in the previous 12 months (OR=0.66; 95% CI=0.46, 0.95), and to have a usual source of health care (OR=0.50; 95% CI=0.35, 0.71); they were more likely to have unmet medical needs as a result of cost issues (OR=1.85; 95% CI=1.16, 2.96). In contrast, health care access among men in same-sex relationships was equivalent to or greater than that among men in opposite-sex relationships.
In this study involving a nationwide probability sample, we found some important differences in access to health care between individuals in same-sex and opposite-sex relationships, particularly women.
People whose sexual repertoire includes BDSM, fetish, or other "kinky" practices have become increasingly visible, on the Internet, in the real world, and in psychotherapists' offices. Unfortunately, the prevailing psychiatric view of BDSM remains a negative one: These sexual practices are usually considered paraphilias, i.e., de facto evidence of pathology. A different, affirming view of BDSM is taken in this paper. After defining BDSM and reviewing common misconceptions, a variety of issues the practitioner will face are described. These include problems of countertransference, of working with people with newly emerging sexual identities, working with spouses and partners, and discriminating between abuse and sexual "play."
Debates persist over whether bisexuality is a temporary stage of denial or transition, a stable "3rd type" of sexual orientation, or a heightened capacity for sexual fluidity. The present study uses 5 waves of longitudinal data collected from 79 lesbian, bisexual, and "unlabeled" women to evaluate these models. Both the "3rd orientation" and "fluidity" models had support, but the "transitional stage" model did not. Over 10 years, 2/3 of women changed the identity labels they had claimed at the beginning of the study, and 1/3 changed labels 2 or more times. Yet, contrary to the "transitional stage" model, more women adopted bisexual/unlabeled identities than relinquished these identities; few bisexual/unlabeled women ended up identifying as lesbian or heterosexual. Overall, the most commonly adopted identity was "unlabeled." Bisexual/unlabeled women had stable overall distributions of same-sex/other-sex attractions but greater absolute fluctuations in attractions from assessment to assessment than lesbians. All women reported declines in their ratio of same-sex to other-sex behavior over time. These findings demonstrate that the distinction between lesbianism and bisexuality is a matter of degree rather than kind.
Two hundred seventeen women and men participated in the first empirical research on the experiences of self-identified bisexual clients with mental health services. Findings suggest that bisexual women and men seek help for sexual orientation issues less frequently and rate their services as less helpful with sexual orientation concerns than gay and lesbian participants in comparable research. Men experienced more stress in connection with their bisexuality than women, and bisexual issues were more important for men in terms of their initial reasons for seeking mental health services. Women's overall clinical issues were more serious than those of men. Of the more than two-thirds of the sample who disclosed their sexual orientation often or always to a mental health provider, most experienced acceptance from their clinicians. Participants with more serious clinical issues, however, disclosed their bisexuality to clinicians less frequently than those with more moderate clinical issues, and they experienced less acceptance of their sexual orientation upon disclosure and more biased clinical interventions from providers. Overall, participants urged providers to validate bisexuality as legitimate and healthy, to be accurately informed about bisexual issues, and to intervene proactively with bisexual clients.
This study examined how bisexually-identified individuals experience cultural attitudes toward bisexuality, how they establish a sense of community for themselves, and how their experience has affected their self-concept. Twenty self-identified bisexual women and men were interviewed for a descriptive study. The results indicate that cultural attitudes toward bisexuality affect sexual identity development, self-definition, visibility, and relationships. Three steps to establishing a sense of community included: perception of outsider status, location of bisexual individuals and community, and formation of new community. The effects on self-concept of forming and maintaining bisexual identity included: enhanced self-reliance, openness, and enrichment. Both gender and cultural minority status had an impact on the experience of bisexuality. On the basis of the findings, the author proposes a theory of bisexual identity development which includes the following stages: questioning reality, inventing the identity, maintaining the identity, and transforming adversity.
A total of 11,447 high school students were surveyed to test the relation between victimization and the educational outcomes of truancy, post–high school intentions, and grades for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) and non-LGBTQ students. LGBTQ students reported statistically higher truancy, lower grades, greater expectations not to finish high school, and lower expectations to attend a four-year college. Victimization partially mediated these differences between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth. These results highlight the role of victimization in partially accounting for academic disparities between LGBTQ and non-LGBTQ youth.
Drawing on minority stress theory, this study examined the mental health effects of the added burden of disadvantaged social status in an Israeli sample of 461 self‐identified lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youths. Bisexuality was associated with lower levels of well‐being, and, at a younger age, with higher levels of mental distress. In bisexuals, this relationship was fully mediated by family support and acceptance, internalized homophobia, and LGB social contact. Religiosity was associated with low levels of family and friends’ support and acceptance, and high levels of internalized homophobia. These findings highlight the mental vulnerability of LGB adolescents and bisexuals, as well as the social vulnerability of sexual minorities in the religious sector, and the importance of social support to increase mental health.
Surveys of 14 African American and 30 White women firefighters support reliability and validity claims for the Sexist Discrimination in the Workplace subscale of the Schedule of Sexist Events, developed by Klonoff and Landrine (1995). The more sexist events at work these women reported in the past year, the lower the perceived valuation of respondents by coworkers and the greater the job stresses associated with token status, with being a pioneering woman and with being treated differently.
This article briefly describes how psychology, psychiatry, and the mental health professions (here collectively referred to as Psychology) treated sexual orientation differences as deficits for much of the 20th century, as well as some of the negative consequences that practice had for sexual minorities. The 1970s witnessed a remarkable turnaround when the American Psychiatric Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders and the American Psychological Association called for psychologists to work to remove the stigma historically associated with homosexuality. This history illustrates not only how cultural institutions play a central role in legitimating stigma, but also how they can recognize their own complicity in this process and work effectively to undo its harmful effects. It is argued that Psychology still has an important role to play in challenging the differences-as-deficits model in contemporary policy debates.
© The Author(s) 2010.
This study provides a content analysis of the past decade (1998-2007) of psychological scholarship about lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people of color. Findings revealed that literature about LGB people of color is growing. But, findings also highlighted underused methods, underrepresented subpopulations, and understudied topics in the scholarship about LGB people of color. In addition, divergence found between the topics of focus represented in empirical and nonempirical literature suggested the need for empirical evaluation of themes and topics discussed in the conceptual literature. Finally, understudied topics seemed to reflect areas in which counseling psychologists have expertise and experience and can make substantial contributions to advance scholarship about LGB people of color.
The debate among scholars and gay activists and religious/political activists about the appropriateness and efficacy of conversion therapy has left out a number of individuals for whom neither gay-affirmative nor conversion therapy may be indicated. The present discussion, through the use of case material, offers considerations for the practitioner who seeks to assist same-sex attracted male clients in the integration of their conflicting religious and sexual selves. Issues of attachment, social and family considerations, religious and spiritual factors, and developing familiarity with the gay community are considered. Ethical considerations of treatment are discussed.
This ethnographically based article is about the ways in which individuals who choose to remain in mainstream Christian denominations while being out about their sexuality make sense of and manage the presumed discontinuity of homosexuality and Christianity. In this article I focus specifically on the processes whereby lesbian and gay Christians forge an integration of Christian doctrine, spirituality and sexuality. My central interpretive claim is that this integrative struggle is experienced by lesbian and gay Christians as a raison d'être. Wrestling this contradiction has given rise to a particular expression of queer Christian identity. Among the many implications of these expressions of queer Christian identity is their impact on mainstream Christian congregations and Christian ideologies and practices.
Methodological barriers have been highlighted as a primary reason for the limited research with lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people of color. Thus, strategies for anticipating and addressing potential methodological barriers are needed. To address this need, this article discusses potential challenges associated with conducting research with LGB people of color and describes specific strategies for addressing these challenges. Each step of the research process—from development of research questions to interpretation and dissemination of results—is discussed. This discussion concludes with a summary of recommended strategies for advancing the quality and quantity of future scholarship with LGB people of color.
We surveyed 527 nonmetropolitan gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender people (GLBT) and inductively analyzed their responses to open-ended questions regarding the “best” and “worst” aspects of being GLBT in that area, and how to improve their lives as rural GLBT people. Field observations supplemented the qualitative data. “Best things” included close relationships, high quality of life, involvement with GLBT social networks or organizations, and self-acceptance. “Worst things” included weak and fragmented GLBT resources, living within a homophobic social climate, and lacking equal rights. Suggested improvements included pursuing civil rights, fostering a supportive climate, and strengthening personal relationships. Ways that family professionals can develop commitment to GLBT people, enhance existing services, and advocate for political change are discussed.
Polyamorous partners offer each other the freedom to pursue romantic bonds with other people, in addition to being romantically close within their own relationship. Given the prevalence of polyamory in the bisexual community, it is important that psychotherapists are aware of issues particular to people who are bisexual and polyamorous and who seek mental health services. The author will also present findings from her research on bisexuality and polyamory and will discuss implications for how therapists can be of support to polyamorous members of the bisexual community.
Unlabelled:
Nursing interventions to help women reduce their risk of contracting HIV must be designed from an in-depth understanding of the complex sociocultural patterns of sexuality in particular communities and among specific subgroups.
Objective:
In this data collection phase of a community-based HIV prevention project, the objective was to understand HIV risk-taking and HIV risk-reduction activities of lesbians and bisexual women.
Design:
Qualitative field study.
Setting:
Data were collected in women's bars and dance clubs and at selected lesbian/bisexual community events in San Francisco.
Participants:
Interviews were conducted with 1,189 racially diverse, socially and sexually active lesbians and bisexual women.
Results:
Inductive content analysis produced two themes: realities of sexual behavior and sexual expressions and their meanings. Realities of sexual behavior included an assumption that women who have sex with other women cannot get HIV, a lack of familiarity with HIV prevention strategies, inconsistent practice of safer sex with men and/or women, and the negative effect of alcohol or drug use on safer sex efforts. Sexual expressions and their meaning included trust in monogamy, a sense that safer sex practices detracted from intimacy and eroticism, the difficulty of negotiating sexual behaviors with men or women, and dealing with partner resistance to safer sex practices.
Conclusions:
Specific recommendations for practice are the need for nurses to understand the range and diversity of women's sexual behaviors, to develop skills in conducting inclusive sexual histories, and to develop a comprehensive approach to sexual health.
Major scientific findings about women's sexuality and sexual orientation are reviewed. Sexual orientation is unrelated to mental health. There is no inherent association between gender conformity and women's sexual orientation; masculinity and femininity are linked to sexual orientation in some social contexts but not in others. Research has so far failed to identify major biological or childhood antecedents of women's sexual orientation. Women's sexuality and sexual orientation are potentially fluid, changeable over time, and variable across social contexts. Regardless of sexual orientation, there are important commonalities in women's sexuality. In particular, women tend to have a relational or partner-centered orientation to sexuality. Together, these findings provide the basis for a paradigm shift in the conceptualization of women's sexual orientation.
Sexuality is generally considered an important aspect of self-hood. Therefore, individuals who do not experience sexual attraction, and embrace an asexual identity are in a unique position to inform the social construction of sexuality. This study explores the experiences of asexual individuals utilizing open ended Internet survey data from 102 self-identified asexual people. In this paper I describe several distinct aspects of asexual identities: the meanings of sexual, and therefore, asexual behaviors, essentialist characterizations of asexuality, and lastly, interest in romance as a distinct dimension of sexuality. These findings have implications not only for asexual identities, but also for the connections of asexuality with other marginalized sexualities.
A six-stage model of homosexual identity formation is outlined within the framework of interpersonal congruency theory. Stages are differentiated on the basis of the person's perceptions of his/her own behavior and the actions that arise as a consequence of this perception. The person is seen to have an active role in the acquisition of a homosexual identity. Alternative paths of development are proposed within each stage. The notion that people can accept homosexuality as a positively valued status is assumed. Several factors believed to be influential in determining whether a person takes one line of development or another are discussed. The model is intended to be applied to both female and male homosexuals.
The urban biases of empirical research on gay men, women, and families have resulted in minimal knowledge about gay people in rural settings. The diversity of lives of rural gay women and men and the variety of patterns of meeting the challenges of rural living are described. Processes of help-seeking and help-giving are discussed and the need for a helping community of family, friends, and caring others is affirmed. Collaboration between rural gay people and rural community psychologists is suggested to promote the development of helping communities for gay people and thereby initiate a process of change in rural settings.
There is a dearth of validated information about lesbian and bisexual women's health. To better understand some of these issues, we used population-based data to assess variations in health behaviors, health status, and access to and use of health care based on sexual orientation.
Our study population was drawn from a population-based sample of women, the 1997 Los Angeles County Health Survey. Participants reported their sexual orientation and these analyses included 4697 women: 4610 heterosexual women, 51 lesbians, and 36 bisexual women. We calculated adjusted relative risks to assess the effect of sexual orientation on important health issues.
Lesbians and bisexual women were more likely than heterosexual women to use tobacco products and to report any alcohol consumption, but only lesbians were significantly more likely than heterosexual women to drink heavily. Lesbians and bisexual women were less likely than heterosexual women to have health insurance, more likely to have been uninsured for health care during the preceding year, and more likely to have had difficulty obtaining needed medical care. During the preceding 2 years, lesbians, but not bisexual women, were less likely than heterosexual women to have had a Papanicolaou test and a clinical breast examination.
In this first population-based study of lesbian and bisexual women's health, we found that lesbians and bisexual women were more likely than heterosexual women to have poor health behaviors and worse access to health care. These findings support our hypothesis that sexual orientation has an independent effect on health behaviors and receipt of care, and indicate the need for the increased systematic study of the relationship between sexual orientation and various aspects of health and health care. Arch Fam Med. 2000;9:1043-1051
Men who have sex with men (MSM) who are on the "down low" (DL) have been the subject of considerable media attention, but few data on this population exist. This exploratory study (N=455) compared MSM who considered themselves to be on the DL with MSM who did not (non-DL MSM). 20% self-identified as DL. Blacks and Hispanics were more likely than Whites to self identify as DL. MSM who did not identify as gay were more likely than gay-identified MSM to describe themselves as DL. DL-identified MSM were less likely to have had seven or more male partners in the prior 30 days, but were more likely to have had a female sex partner and to have had unprotected vaginal sex. DL-identified MSM were less likely to have ever been tested for HIV than were non-DL MSM. Prevention agencies should expand existing programs for MSM to include specific efforts to reach DL MSM.
The language of sex‐positivity
- Glickman C.
Safe sane consensual: The making of a shibboleth
- D Stein