Lesbians and Gay Men Embrace Their Sexual Orientation After Conversion Therapy and Ex-Gay Ministries

Abstract

This article examines narratives of gay men and lesbians who participated in conversion therapies and/or ex-gay ministries in order to change their sexual orientation to that of heterosexual. Data for this study were gathered through an analysis of the stories of 14 people, published in a document titled Finally Free, who describe their negative experiences with conversion therapy through ex-gay ministries. Analysis of the data revealed seven common psychosocial issues faced by gay men and lesbians who turned to conversion therapy in an attempt to become heterosexual. These issues provide knowledge for social workers' intervention with gay men and lesbians seeking healing and personal growth after participating in conversion therapy and ex-gay ministries.     

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.     

Coming Out in a School Setting

Abstract

The present study was conducted to learn more about the experiences of gay men and lesbians in educational settings, particularly about experiences relevant to disclosure of their sexual orientation. One hundred six gay men and 156 lesbian women responded to an anonymous questionnaire dealing with how their sexual orientation had affected their experiences in school.

As students, very few respondents had chosen to disclose their sexual orientation to principals, teachers, counselors, or friends. Reasons cited for nondisclosure included fear of the consequences and not wanting others to know. The majority of those who did disclose their sexual orientation received positive feedback for doing so, but respondents reported both positive and negative consequences of coming out. Gay men were aware of their sexual orientation at an earlier age than lesbians and were somewhat more likely to recommend disclosure to principals and teachers. Females were more likely to disclose only to females, whereas males were likely to come out to both males and females. Generally, the similarities between males and females were greater than the differences, with both groups being cautious about coming out in the school setting.     

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.     

“Sex,Gender, and Love on a Global Scale. A Review of: Love and Globalization: Transformations of Intimacy in the Contemporary World. edited by Mark B. Padilla,Jennifer S. Hirsch,Miguel Muñoz-Laboy,Robert E. Sember, & Richard G. Parker.”

We investigated the sexual relationships of married Chinese men and women living in Beijing and Shanghai. Within the framework of the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS), we also examined factors related to sexual satisfaction. Completed questionnaires were returned by 193 men and 231 women. In general, respondents reported moderate levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction. Overall, respondents were neither erotophobic nor erotophilic and reported a frequency of affectionate and sexual behavior between “2 or 3 times a month” and “once or twice a week” and at least one sexual concern and for problem. Contrary to predictions based on the cultural message that sexual pleasure is restricted to men, the women reported significantly greater sexual satisfaction than did the men, and men and women did not differ in their reports of sexual rewards or relationship satisfaction. Further, men described their sexual relationship as more costly than did women. However, women reported more sexual concerns than did men and were also more erotophobic. Men reported more sexual concerns for their partner than women did for their partner. Strong support was found for the IEMSS, such that the more that rewards exceeded costs, relative rewards exceeded relative costs, one's levels of rewards and costs were perceived to be equal to one's partner's, and the greater the relationship satisfaction, the greater the level of sexual satisfaction. Greater sexual satisfaction was also associated with a greater frequency of affectionate and sexual behavior, fewer sexual concerns and problems, and greater relationship satisfaction. These results are discussed in the context of the impact of official repression of many forms of sexual expression in China in the past and the need for enhancement of the sexual relationships of Chinese men and women.     

Discrimination Against Gay Men,Lesbians, and Transgender People Working in Education

Abstract

This paper explores the workplace experiences of 120 gay men, lesbians, and transgender people who were employed as teachers, academics, and educators. The data, drawn from a larger collaborative research project, explored the workplace experiences of 900 gay men, lesbians, and transgender people. Homophobic harassment and treatment were widespread amongst the lesbian, gay men, and transgender teachers, academics, and educators. The paper will utilize the stories of those who experienced discrimination to explicate the issues confronting gay men, lesbians, and transgender people who work in the education system.     

Gender Roles and Internalized Sexual Stigma in Gay and Lesbian Persons: A Quadratic Relation

Purpose: No previous research has deeply investigated the association between gay men and lesbians’ adherence to gender roles and their internalized sexual stigma. This study suggests a potential non-linear correlation between these factors. Methods: Seventy-five gay men and 70 lesbians responded to self-report questionnaires. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were conducted to investigate linear, quadratic, and exponential models and to determine which model best explained the correlation. Results: The quadratic model best explained the correlation, showing no gender differences. Conclusion: Adherence to gender roles constitutes a relevant factor in predicting internalized sexual stigma.     

Access to the labour market for gays and lesbians: Research review

ABSTRACT

This article reviews findings of scientific studies looking into the bias that gay men and lesbians face when accessing the labor market. Studies in this topic were scarce before year 2000, but a considerable body of literature appeared in the Western countries in the recent years. When summed up, the findings provide robust evidence that lesbians and gay men face negative bias when accessing employment. The magnitude of the bias varies considerably across contexts. Different labor market outcomes of gay men and lesbians are also partially caused by differences in household specialization between different-sex and same-sex households. Future research needs to address the contextual differences in bias against gay men and lesbians.     

African American Gay Men and Lesbians: Examining the Complexity of Gay Identity Development

Abstract

This article addresses the concept of gay and lesbian identity development with respect to African American gay men and lesbians. The authors suggest that the integration of one's gay identity and the coming out process are uniquely constructed for African American gay men and lesbians, who may be multiply challenged by racial prejudice, limited acceptance by the African American community, and a lack of integration into the larger, White gay community. Race, African American culture, a continuum of gay cultures, gender, and individual characteristics are suggested as salient variables that distinguish the gay identity experience of African American gays from that proposed by most gay identity models.     

Developmentalism and the Rhetoric of Best Interests of the Child

Abstract

The foster care system in Australia has recently recognised the importance of encouraging lesbians and gay men to become foster carers. Whilst this may be seen as an important step towards overcoming social stereotypes that position lesbians and gay men as unfit parents, I propose that foster care public policy in Australia is shaped by a number of key assumptions that effectively exclude lesbian and gay foster parents. In particular, I focus on how the logic of developmentalism [where children are assumed to follow a (hetero)normative developmental pathway] and the rhetoric of best interests of the child (within which a particular moral framework is employed to judge who can and who cannot protect children) work to recenter a normative understanding of families and parenting that encourages lesbians and gay parents to adopt a heterosexual model of parenting.     

Lesbians’ Negative Affect Toward Sexual Minority People with Stereotypical Masculine and Feminine Characteristics

Abstract

We investigated lesbians’ negative affect toward gay and lesbian scenarios with feminine/negative characteristics. Seventy-one Italian lesbians responded to self-report questionnaires. Analyses tested that feminine gay man scenario (GF) would elicit negative affect more than the other three scenarios (feminine/masculine lesbian woman and masculine gay man) and that participants’ internalized sexual stigma would be a moderator of the relation between their self-perceived femininity and negative affect. When lesbians reported low self-perceived femininity, stigma levels did not affect the evaluation of the GF. Instead, when self-perceived femininity were higher, lesbians with high stigma reported more negative emotions than lesbians with low stigma.     

Searching for Love in all the “Write” Places: Exploring Internet Personals Use by Sexual Orientation,Gender, and Age

ABSTRACT

Few researchers of Internet sexual exploration have systematically compared variance of use across sexual orientations, with even fewer surveying bisexual respondents. In 2004, 15,246 individuals responded to an online survey of their use of Internet personals and adult websites. Gay men, lesbians, and bisexuals (GLBs) were more likely than heterosexuals to have exchanged correspondence, met others offline, and had sex with someone they met through personal ads. Whereas gay men and lesbians of all ages were most likely to have established a long-term relationship as a result of personals, heterosexuals over age 40 were more likely to have established a long-term relationship than younger heterosexuals. Further, compared to men, women were approximately two times as likely to have established a serious relationship as a result of personals. Qualitative findings suggest that the Internet functions not only as a means of screening for desired characteristics, but also as a shield against prejudice in real-life encounters. GLBs and heterosexuals alike used online venues as a means of sexual identity development, sexual exploration, and community building.     

The Influence of Gender on the Placement of Children with Gay or Lesbian Adoptive Parents

Abstract

This study examines the opinions of men and women from a random phone sample of super voters (those persons voting in the last three out of four possible elections) in Florida (N = 413) toward gay men and/or lesbians as adoptive parents. The survey gathered information on whether the respondents would place boys or girls available for adoption with gay men or lesbians. Controlling for various demographic variables, bivariate logistic regressions were performed for each possible parent/child combination. Several variables were consistently significant across the models tested, explaining from 22 to 29% of the variance. These included race/ethnicity, religious identification, respondent's gender, and political ideology. Implications of this study for policy-makers and child welfare practitioners are posited.     

Romantic Attachment and Life Satisfaction in a Sample of Gay Men and Lesbians in Chile

ABSTRACT

This study intended to assess the relationship between romantic attachment and life satisfaction (LS) in a gay men and lesbian sample in Chile. It also aimed to identify the effect of attachment dimensions on life satisfaction for both gay men and lesbians. Through a cross-sectional study with a non-experimental design, a total of 460 homosexual adults completed the Experiences in Close Relationships and the Life Orientation Test, Revised Version. According to the results obtained, greater attachment insecurity (e.g., attachment anxiety and attachment avoidance) was linked to lower levels of LS in both gay men and lesbians. Furthermore, the model was found to be more predictive for lesbians than for gay men. Implication of these results are discussed.     

Shifting the Focus:

Agencies that serve survivors of sexual violence have frequently failed to make services accessible to lesbians and gay men. Similarly, agencies serving lesbians and gay men have frequently overlooked the problem of sexual violence in this community. One hundred fort-five lesbians, gay men and bisexuals responded to a survey about their knowledge of services for survivors of sexual violence, the services they need and want, their perceptions of sexual violence in the gay and lesbian community, and the extent of sexual victimization in the gay and lesbian community. Forty-one percent of respondents reported that they had been sexually victimized, and the majority believed that education programs were the most important service needed.     

Incorporating Information from Neuroscience and Endocrinology Regarding Sexual Orientation into Social Work Education

ABSTRACT

The brains of heterosexual males and heterosexual females are different. Moreover, the brains of gay men are similar to those in heterosexual females, whereas the brains of lesbians are similar to those in heterosexual males. Gender-atypical features in gays and lesbians are not limited to brain structures but extend to other physical features (auditory function, finger print patterns, relative size of index and ring fingers) and interest patterns and behaviors. The research supporting these postulates is reviewed. The gestational processes that might explain the differences in brain structure and function corresponding with sexual orientation are reviewed. A discussion of the physiological bases for the expression of gender-related traits and a discussion of factors contributing to sexual identity are provided. Throughout the article, alternative ways to think about gender are suggested. The importance of integrating the information presented in this article into the curriculum of social work education is explained.     

Lesbian Health

ABSTRACT

Health care research suggests that lesbians may face unique physical and mental health risks, yet few studies make use of gender and sexuality theories to explain lesbian health. In this study, a social constructionist view of sexuality is used to examine the impact of lesbian identity on well-being. Drawing from nineteen intensive interviews with women who self-identify as lesbians, the results show that individuals' sexual identities change over time and are affected by their social environments. The data also demonstrate that sexual identity and social context have implications for well-being. Specifically, hostile environments, which are characterized by animosity toward gay men, lesbians, and others who do not conform to heteronormative gender expectations, are associated with distress over lesbian identity and with physical and mental health problems. By contrast, supportive environments, which many women report finding through feminism, facilitate the construction of a positive lesbian identity and enhance well-being.     

Gender Gaps in Public Opinion about Lesbians and Gay Men

Using data from a 1999 national RDD survey (N = 1,335), thisarticle examines gender gaps in heterosexuals' attitudes towardlesbians, gay men, and a variety of topics related to homosexuality.Attitudes toward lesbians differed from attitudes toward gaymen in several areas, and significant differences were observedbetween male and female heterosexual respondents. Survey participantsgenerally were more likely to regard gay men as mentally ill,supported adoption rights for lesbians more than for gay men,and had more negative personal reactions to gay men than tolesbians. Overall, heterosexual women were more supportive thanmen of employment protection and adoption rights for gay people,more willing to extend employee benefits to same-sex couples,and less likely to hold stereotypical beliefs about gay people.Heterosexual men's negative reactions to gay men were at theroot of these gender differences. Of all respondent-by-targetcombinations, heterosexual men were the least supportive ofrecognition of same-sex relationships and adoption rights forgay men, most likely to believe that gay men are mentally illand molest children, and most negative in their affective reactionsto gay men. Heterosexual men's response patterns were affectedby item order, suggesting possible gender differences in thecognitive organization of attitudes toward gay men and lesbians.The findings demonstrate the importance of differentiating lesbiansfrom gay men as attitude targets in survey research.     

Assessing Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men: The Modern Homophobia Scale

The authors developed the Modern Homophobia Scale (MHS), a scale that includes measures of attitudes toward lesbians (MHS-L) and attitudes toward gay men (MHS-G). An initial pool of 97 items was generated by the authors based on a review of the literature on homophobia and feedback from several focus groups. Responses to the initial pool of items were factor analyzed. The final versions of the MHS-L and the MHS-G included items reflecting the following factors: Personal Discomfort with lesbians/gay men, Institutional Homophobia toward lesbians/gay men, and the Deviance/Changeability of female/male homosexuality. Although the Personal Discomfort, Institutional, and Deviance/Changeability factors were separable, they were highly correlated and showed little evidence of divergent validity. Reactions to gay, lesbian, and heterosexual characters in written vignettes provided initial support for the validity of the MHS. Both the MHS-L and MHS-G were significantly correlated with the Index of Homophobia and the Attitudes Toward Women Scale. A greater degree of homophobia on the MHS-L and MHS-G was associated with a greater degree of socially desirable responding as measured by the Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding. Lower levels of homophobia on the MHS-L and MHS-G were associated with having lesbian and gay acquaintances and friends. On the MHS-L, men and women did not differ in their overall level of homophobia toward lesbians, but significant gender differences on MHS-L factor scores were present. Compared to men, women were more supportive of gay men on all three factors of the MHS-G.     

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.