The German Lesbian Family Study

SUMMARY

This is the first study to explore the issues and decisions that lesbians residing in Germany face when striving to create a family by donor insemination. Using a self-constructed questionnaire, information pertaining to the first phases of lesbian family formation (coming-out, lesbian relationship, and decision-making) was collected from 105 lesbian mothers. The participants in this sample demonstrated a strong sense of lesbian identity, were in committed relationships, had taken part in lengthy deliberations about general and lesbian-specific aspects of parenting, and had aspirations of equal parenting which were reflected in their choice of terms for identifying themselves as mothers. Potential advantages for children included wantedness and diversity in up-bringing. Coping strategies for possible discrimination of children included valuing diversity, maintaining open communication, instilling pride, normalizing, and buffering. Maternal role allocation was based on desire to experience pregnancy. Plans for male involvement in children's lives had been made. Women generally experienced support for plans to parent. Co-mothers looked forward to becoming mothers but were sensitized to the consequences of legal and biological asymmetrical parenting. The choice of anonymous, identity-release, or known donor was related to attitudes towards biological fathers/donor issues and availability. The impact of German legislation regarding same sex marriage and lesbian access to reproductive services on family formation is discussed.     

Correlates of Homophobia and Use of Gay Affirmative Practice Among Social Workers

ABSTRACT

Research on social work practice with gay and lesbian clients has historically focused on examining social workers' attitudes towards gay and lesbian individuals, however, no studies have examined the relationship between attitudes and practice using validated measures to assess practice. The focus of this study was therefore to examine the relationship between attitudes and practice with gays and lesbians using the recently developed and validated Gay Affirmative Practice Scale (GAP). Significant relationships were found with the GAP and two measures of homophobia as well as with measures that assessed feelings about lesbians and gay men, contact with gays and lesbians, attendance at workshops that focused on gay and lesbian issues, relationship status, sexual orientation, political party, and primary area of practice. Relationships with measures of attitudes were also examined. Implications for social work practice, education, and research are discussed.     

The Perspectives of Latina Mothers on Latina Lesbian Families

The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and perceptions of 15 Latina mothers towards Latina lesbian parents. A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect the data. While most respondents reported that Latina lesbians' parenting children was normal, they were concerned that by being raised by the Latina lesbian mothers, the children would be confused about their own sexual preference and that they would be teased by their peers. Respondents also reported that children raised in a lesbian household without having a male figure might experience difficulties in adjustment. Respondents reported that religion, how they were raised, and the Latino culture impacted attitudes toward lesbians as parents. Implications of findings are discussed.     

The Bloom Is on the Rose

Summary

This paper argues for the value of an adult developmental perspective in work with lesbian couples. Focusing on midlife, case examples illustrate issues and situations that create strength and satisfaction, as well as those that create stress and disappointment. Key themes include expansiveness and generativity, differentiation, awareness of past and future, reorganizing priorities, finitude, caregiving stress, infidelity, midlife crisis, self-growth, and the different impact of homophobia on three cohorts of midlife lesbians. Implications for therapeutic intervention are described, with particular emphasis on case formulation and treatment planning that explicitly provides couples with an understanding of the sociohistorical and adult developmental context in which their difficulties arise.     

Not the “Other” Mother

SUMMARY

This paper presents findings from recent Australian qualitative research with lesbian co-parents where study participants' fluid narrative identities are deconstructed in order to better understand how language constructs relationships within private and public domains. Language used to define, describe and give meaning to roles and relationships of lesbian co-parents within social and kinship networks and wider community is explored. Through claiming language and telling their stories lesbian co-parents give meaning to their lives; affirm their identity; and present their relationships as visible and valid.     

Mentoring for Gay and Lesbian Youth

Abstract

Coming to terms with one's sexual identity always has presented a challenge to gay and lesbian adolescents. Older gays and lesbians have useful knowledge to contribute to the younger generation, whose members usually lack role models of successful gay and lesbian adults. Mentoring programs that involve gay and lesbian youth and adults are an important, but overlooked resource for sexual minority youth.     

Health and Well-Being for Late Middle-Aged and Old Lesbians in a Rural Area

Abstract

Previous research on lesbian health care has drawn primarily from samples of young lesbians living in metropolitan areas. Through face-to-face interviews with twenty-one lesbians aged 54 or older and living in rural communities, this exploratory, naturalistic inquiry begins to fill a gap in the literature by examining the health care experiences of older, rural lesbians. Five themes emerged from the narrative data: issues of access; good health/good care; open to her own diversity; family and community; and visions-ideals and fears. We present these themes through informant quotes and discuss implications for policy and practice.     

Same-Sex Marriage and Legalized Relationships

Abstract

At a time when heterosexual marriage rates are declining, many countries and localities are advocating for the rights of lesbians and gay men to enter legalized relationships, including marriage. This article reviews the legal status of same-sex relationships in the U.S. and other countries. Not only does the general public have mixed opinions about same-sex marriage, but so do lesbian and gay male communities. Some of the theories about pros and cons of same-sex marriage will be presented. The article reviews the very scant literature on same-sex legalized relationships and presents some ideas for future research.     

Life Course Diversity Among Older Lesbians and Gay Men: A Study in Chicago

How much can we assume about the shared life experiences of older lesbians and gays? This article is broadly concerned with rethinking the significance of this question as it pertains to cultural images and stereotypes of “older gay and lesbian” identities in a large and diverse American city. In 1996, the authors completed a 10-month needs assessment study regarding the lives and needs (social and psychological), which must be addressed for older lesbians and gays in the city of Chicago. The authors take the approach that simply being of the same or similar age is insufficient to understand the meaning of people's sexual identities. They entered into this study aware of some stereotypes about older lesbians and gays, but like previous investigators, they were surprised at the range of diversity that they uncovered. They discovered not only the common denominators in their participants' experiences and their lives, but as some commentators have already suggested, they also discovered a great deal of variation. To address the issues, the authors describe conceptual problems that emerged in a recent needs assessment of older lesbians and gay men in Chicago.     

Lesbian Therapists and Lesbian Clients

Abstract

The authors, on the basis of their own experience, explore issues specific to therapists working openly as lesbians with lesbian clients. Their discussion covers the structure of a private practice, the therapeutic relationship between lesbian therapist and lesbian client, and personal challenges for the lesbian therapist. Questions are raised and direction given with the aim of facilitating congruence among the therapist's personal capacities, the therapeutic setting, and the psychological intention of the therapeutic work. The authors note the therapist's need to tolerate the exposure of her personal life and the pressure toward fusion that are both entailed in work with lesbian clients, and they suggest that these special challenges, when the lesbian therapist's engagement with them is conscious, offer rich material that can deepen the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic work.     

The 'Pygmalion Syndrome': The Case of Mizrachi Lesbians in Israel

This article examines the mobilization of a lesbian identity in Israeli society by Mizrachi lesbians as a means to reach individual mobility through establishing social contacts with educated well-off professional Ashkenazi women. Based on interviews with ethnic lesbians living in steady relationships with educated professional women of the dominant group and with some of their partners, this study investigates how Mizrachi lesbians shoulder aside their distinctive features while mobilizing their lesbian identity as a means to establish connections, gain acceptance in the lesbian community, get better jobs, and succeed in schooling. Upon both professional and personal success, Mizrachi lesbians come to terms with their origins, redefine their identity components, and form a distinctive ethnic-lesbian identity to be supported with a strong ideology. While the obliteration of ethnic traits in favor of acceptance in the lesbian community allows mobility on a personal basis, it reinforces the invisibility of ethnic lesbians and reproduces the power relations between dominant and ethnic groups in Israel.     

Why Lesbians Choose Therapy

Abstract

This study investigated factors which influence lesbians' use of psychotherapy services. Participants completed surveys assessing demographic variables and experiences and attitudes toward therapy. The sample comprised 247 participants recruited through lesbian/gay organizations. The sample was largely Caucasian, in their mid-thirties, highly educated, and self-identified feminists. Replicating previous research, 78 had been in therapy. Qualitative and quantitative analyses of issues taken to therapy, reasons for seeking therapy and reasons for not seeking therapy, and participants' beliefs about the limitations of the usefulness of therapy for lesbians are presented. Participants expressed concerns about lesbians seeking therapy from psychotherapists who are heterosexist, homophobic, or do not have training and experience working with lesbians.     

The Transition to Parenthood for Lesbian Couples

Abstract

While there is a slowly growing literature on lesbians with older children, the literature on the transition to parenthood for lesbian couples is scant. The current study examines aspects of the transition to parenthood experience for 29 lesbian couples. Specifically, this study explores aspects of couples' decision-making regarding alternative insemination (e.g., who would carry and bear the child, donor type), perceptions of social support across the transition to parenthood, and availability and use of legal safeguards (such as wills, powers of attorney, and coparent adoptions by nonbiological mothers). Future studies should explore how single lesbians manage the transition to parenthood. Research on lesbians and gay men who are pursuing parenthood through adoption is also needed.     

Social and Demographic Characteristics of Gay,Lesbian, and Heterosexual Adults with and Without Children

SUMMARY

This is the first study to compare lesbian mothers (n = 150), lesbians without children (n = 236), heterosexual mothers (n = 175), heterosexual women without children (n = 38), gay fathers (n = 40), gay men without children (n = 163), heterosexual fathers (n = 157), and heterosexual men without children (n = 32) on social and demographic characteristics. Demographic differences included age, education, length of relationship, religion, and geographic location. Only 28% of gay fathers and 37% of lesbian mothers had at least one child from their current relationship. For women the most important factor in predicting contact with family of origin was sexual orientation, while for men it was parenting status. More gay and lesbian parents had disclosed their sexual orientation than those without children. Gay fathers reached most milestones in the coming-out process between 2.5 and 4 years later than gay men without children, while lesbian mothers reached all milestones in the coming-out process 3 to 5 years later than lesbians without children. Lesbian mothers who had children before coming out reached developmental milestones 4 to 8 years later than lesbian mothers who had children after coming out.     

Men Not Included?

SUMMARY

This paper explores debates about male presence and influence in lesbian families from a critical psychology standpoint. Critical psychology encompasses a variety of radical approaches to psychological research that reject traditional psychological assumptions, concepts and methods and that seek to challenge and resist normative values. To explore aspects of the discursive terrain of male influence and to demonstrate the merits of a critical psychology of lesbian families, excerpts from an interview with a lesbian couple who are members of a planned lesbian/gay family (two mummies and a daddy) are analysed. These excerpts show that debates about male influence create live dilemmas and tensions for the lesbian couple and have important consequences for how lesbian parents negotiate and do family.     

Jewish lesbians: New work in the field

Abstract

This introduction provides an overview of the field of Jewish lesbian studies, particularly in the United States and the English-speaking world. The author looks at the opening of the field of Jewish lesbian feminist work and then explores ways in which Jewish lesbians have been active in religious and spiritual initiatives, the arts, politics and history, as well as academic and organizational life, and matters of exclusion.     

Mother Tongues

SUMMARY

As women make their first journeys into motherhood, their relationships and discussions with other women, especially other mothers, can be of vital importance. I argue that as women journey into motherhood, they also journey into what might be called a culture of motherhood-a discursive and symbolic realm shared by all mothers. Through interactions among mothers, information, resources, and advice are shared; hierarchies of authority within the community of mothers are established; and women are given opportunities to discursively explore and construct their maternal identities, for example, through the sharing of birth stories. These symbolic, ritualistic, and communicative dimensions of the journey into motherhood can differ between lesbian-identified and heterosexual-identified women. Lesbian mothers can be suspect or marginalized and, at times, feel the need to be circumspect in their interactions. On the other hand, coupled lesbians make the journey into motherhood, into maternal identity, and into the community of mothers, together as a couple. This is not the same for heterosexual women whose most intimate female companions on the journey tend to be friends, sisters, and mothers. Based on research with 53 Canadian mothers, I compare the journeys into motherhood of lesbian and heterosexual women.     

May–December Lesbian Relationships: Power Storms or Blue Skies?

SUMMARY

What are the implications when there is considerable difference in the ages of partners in a lesbian couple? May–December lesbian relationships are those where partners are at least 10 years apart in age, and where both partners are over 30. These relationships have been either neglected or valorized in the psychological literature. Differences in socially ascribed power, women's socialization against acknowledging power, the value the lesbian community places on egalitarianism, and the interaction of other privileges, combine to impact these couples. The fluid nature of power dynamics in May–December lesbian relationships is highlighted and explored. Finally, ways that age-variant lesbian couples can navigate these power differentials in healthy ways are addressed.     

Old Lesbians in the UK: Community and Friendship

Drawing on data from the first large-scale comprehensive study of older lesbian life in the United Kingdom, this article explores the nature of friendship and community among old lesbians. Strong friendship bonds and social networking emerge as key features of old lesbian culture. In particular the article focuses on “chosen families,” including relationships with ex-lovers, and on the extensive network of both organized and informal social groups that continue to structure and support a sense of community among old lesbians. It shows the lasting importance of friendships and social structures formed earlier in life against a background of stigmatization, homophobia, and heterosexism, and argues for the recognition of these communities of identity by those who care for older people.     

More than Surface Tension: Femmes in Families

SUMMARY

This article raises questions about the lack of scholarly focus on butch/femme couples and their absence in studies of lesbian couples and family-building. In an era of lesbian marriage and lesbian parenting, femme and butch coupling and family-building remain unspoken topics within family studies, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT)–specific research. Moving beyond a focus on eroticism within the femme/butch couple, questions about how gender expression impacts other relationships dynamics, including the maintenance of long-term relationships, power and intimacy, domestic chores and child-rearing, are raised. The femme role in “homemaking,” that is, building and maintaining families, especially needs further exploration.