Siblings and Sexual Orientation

Abstract

Lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals (LGBs) often have heterosexual siblings. The authors have conducted several research projects comparing siblings of different sexual orientations, given that siblings usually have the same ethnicity, race, parental socioeconomic status, and religious background. This review article presents research on LGBs and heterosexuals, all recruited via siblings. In general, heterosexual siblings are more mainstream in terms of being in long-term relationships, having children, belonging to a formal religion, and having more contact with their family of origin. LGB siblings are more politically liberal, more highly educated, and have moved away from their families of origin. The article speculates about how siblings who grow up in the same families could be so demographically different in adulthood.     

Employment and Sexual Orientation:

Economist, sociologists, and other social scientists have begun to study the influence of sexual orientation on individuals in the labor market, particularly with respect to employment discrimination. The conceptual framework developed in this paper connects lesbian, gay, and bixexual workers' disclosure of their sexual orientation to the economic and social characteristics of the workplace. Disclosure creates the potential for discrimination by employers and coworkers. The framework shows how sexual orientation operates independently and in interaction with other important characteristics such as race and gender. A review of existing research supports the hypothesis that discrimination against gay workers exists. Both workplace groups for gays and lesbians and those who work gay and lesbian workers (such as supervisors, personnel managers, and counselors) need to understand the relationship between disclosure and discrimination in order to make workplaces supportive of lesbian, gay, and bisexual workers.     

Gender-Specificity of Women's and Men's Self-Reported Attention to Sexual Stimuli

Men's sexual arousal is largely dependent on the actor's gender in a sexual stimulus (gender-specific), whereas for women, particularly androphilic women, arousal is less dependent on gender (gender-nonspecific). According to information-processing models of sexual response, sexual arousal requires that attention be directed toward sexual cues. We evaluated whether men's and women's self-reported attention to sexual stimuli of men or women were consistent with genital responses and self-reported arousal. We presented gynephilic men (n = 21) and women (n = 22) and androphilic men (n = 16) and women (n = 33) with audiovisual stimuli depicting men or women engaged in sexual activities. Genital responses were continuously recorded and, following each stimulus, participants reported the amount of attention paid to the video and feelings of sexual arousal. Self-reported attention was gender-specific for men and gender-nonspecific for women, and generally mirrored genital responses and self-reported arousal. Gender-specificity of genital responses significantly predicted gender-specificity of self-reported arousal; however, for men only, this effect was significantly mediated by gender-specificity of self-reported attention. Gender differences in gender-specificity of sexual arousal may be partially accounted for by differences in gender-specificity of self-reported attention, although attention may play a greater role in men's sexual arousal than women's.     

Sexual Orientation,Labour Earnings,and Household Income in Canada

Using five cycles of a large nationally representative Canadian health survey, covering 2008 to 2012, the present paper examines the extent of labour earnings and household income gaps among gays, lesbians, and heterosexuals. The data used in this paper has the advantage of allowing for a direct classification of sexual orientation, through respondent self-identification. In accord with previous reports, this paper finds that homosexual females holding fulltime employment earn statistically significantly above comparable heterosexual females. Homosexual males with fulltime employment, on the other hand, are found no different in their earnings, from otherwise identical heterosexual males. When household income is considered, data reveal that lesbian households have statistically significantly lower incomes compared with otherwise identical gay households, who outearn heterosexuals as well. This pattern, not previously reported for Canada but observed in some other countries, is likely due to the combined effects of the general gender wage gap, the fading of homosexual males’ wage penalty, and the existence of two male income earners in a gay male household.     

Young Adult Suicide and Sexual Orientation

ABSTRACT

The current project focused on the suicidal ideation and risk potential of young adults (N = 312) and explored scores on self-report measures of suicidal ideation inclusive of various sexual orientations. Results suggest that the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) youth surveyed (N = 73) differ in their display of suicide risk with significantly higher Beck Hopelessness Scale (BHS) and Suicide Probability Scale (SPS) scores. Social support served as a mitigating factor relating significantly to lower levels of hopelessness and suicidal ideation, especially among those LGB participants. The SPS held a significant relationship to suicide attempt in the past year, while the BHS held a significant relationship to suicide attempt in the past six months. Implications for counselors serving young adults are addressed, including specific suggestions to enhance counselor education and supervision related to suicide assessment and LGB counselor competency.     

Sexual Orientation and Labor Market Discrimination

We develop empirical estimates of the return to sexual orientation in the labor market and utilize the 2004 Current Population Survey to determine if lesbians and gay men are treated differently from their heterosexual counterparts. We find strong evidence consistent with the hypothesis of discriminatory treatment against gay men, and this evidence differs substantially by occupation. On the other hand, we find no evidence of discrimination against lesbians. These findings are consistent with priors based on economic theory of the standard taste for discrimination and statistical discrimination models. The results for both men and women are consistent across wage and total compensation regressions.

Being Heard on Sexual Orientation

Abstract

In 2001, Maryland became the twelfth state to pass legislation that prohibits discrimination against gays, lesbians, and bi-sexuals in employment, housing, and public accommodations. As part of a ten-year effort to pass such protections, the Governor of Maryland established a Commission to Study Sexual Orientation Discrimination. The Commission held five public hearings throughout the state in 2000 and used the testimonies to prepare a report which helped pave the way for the passage of the legislation. This article is an analysis of 113 oral testimonies, both for and against the legislation. Such information may be helpful in other states where anti-discrimination efforts are on-going.     

Associations Among Coping Style,Personality, Unsafe Sexual Behavior,Depression, Conflict over Sexual Orientation,and Gender Nonconformity

Little attention has been given to dispositional variables in relapse into unsafe sex. In two previous papers, we showed (1) that recurrent adult depression in the gay/bisexual men in our sample is often associated with high gender nonconformity, especially core gender dysphoria, in childhood, (2) that coping strategies and personality scores are associated with changes from 1979 to 1989 in unsafe sex-defined as receiving semen rectally without a condom (RSR), and (3) that sexual identity conflicts are related to a general style of escape-avoidant coping, (4) which is in turn associated with the MMPI profiles previously shown to correlate with unsafe sex. Here we break down these analyses to see if these patterns are related to HIV status. We studied over 500 gay/bisexual men who contributed SCID interviews, Freund Feminine Gender Identity scale scores, MMPI-2 profiles, Ways of Coping (Revised) scores, Profile of Mood States (POMS) scores, and sex histories (ns varied by analysis). Concerning the relationship between FGI and depression (1), we found that the correlations persisted in the HIV positive subsample, but vanished to insignificance among the HIV negative controls. A similar pattern emerged in the correlations pertaining to MMPI scores and unsafe sex (2), as well as in the association between escape-avoidant coping and sexual identity conflict (3). The analyses correlating the MMPI scores with escape-avoidant coping were, in contrast, equally strongly associated when broken down by HIV status. A series of sample selection biases could account for these results. It would be more parsimonious, however, to hypothesize a deeper rationale. We suggest more investigation of the possibility that psychological and sexological variables may have more intriguing effects on sexual behaviors or Ihe dispositional factors (perhaps even immunologic ones) leading to HIV exposure than has been recognized to date.     

Effects of Sex,Sexual Orientation,Infidelity Expectations,and Love on Distress related to Emotional and Sexual Infidelity

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of participant sex, sexual orientation, infidelity expectations, and love on emotional responses to emotional and sexual infidelity. Participants (72 lesbian women, 114 heterosexual women, 53 gay men, and 57 heterosexual men) completed a demographic form, continuous emotion ratings in response to hypothetical infidelity scenarios, the Infidelity Expectations Questionnaire (IEQ), and the Triangular Love Scale. Sex, sexual orientation, and commitment and intimacy among partners were significant predictors of various emotional responses to sexual and emotional infidelity. Alternatively, passion among partners and expectations about a partner's likelihood of committing infidelity were not significant predictors of emotional reactions to infidelity. Across participants, sexual infidelity elicited more distressing feelings than emotional infidelity. Group differences were also found, with women responding with stronger emotions to emotional and sexual infidelity than men, and heterosexuals rating emotional and sexual infidelity as more emotionally distressing than lesbian and gay individuals. Sex and sexual orientation differences emerged regarding the degree to which specific emotions were reported in response to sexual and emotional infidelity. Clinical implications are offered, including how mental health professionals might use these findings to help clients cope with the negative effects of infidelity on romantic relationships.     

Fraternal Birth Order,Handedness, and Sexual Orientation in a Chinese Population

We examined the relationship between handedness, fraternal birth order, and sexual orientation in a Chinese population, and analyzed the influence of the components assessing sexual orientation and criteria classifying individuals as homosexual on this relationship. A large sample of heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual men and women participated in a web-based survey. Our results showed that homosexual women are more likely to be non-right-handed than heterosexual women, regardless of how sexual orientation was defined, whereas bisexual women are more likely to be non-right-handed than heterosexual women when sexual orientation was assessed via sexual attraction and sexual identity. Bisexual men are more likely to be non-right-handed than heterosexual men when sexual orientation was assessed via sexual attraction. We found neither a fraternal birth-order effect nor an interaction between sibling sex ratio, handedness, and sexual orientation. The small number of siblings may be the reason why we could not replicate the fraternal birth-order effect in this Chinese population, which highlights the importance of cultural differences in the understanding of handedness, fraternal birth order, and sexual orientation.     

Hate Crimes Motivated by Sexual Orientation

Abstract

The enactment of hate crimes legislation raised awareness of the severity of crimes motivated by animus toward individuals and communities. This national telephone survey found that states which mandate local law enforcement agencies to report hate crimes generally have high compliance rates; states without mandatory reporting requirements have few law enforcement agencies that report these crimes. Law enforcement training on hate crime varies from state to state, with few states including information specifically addressing hate crimes motivated by sexual orientation.     

Sexual Orientation,Relationships with Parents,Stress, and Depressive Symptoms among Adults

Disparities in depressive symptoms as a function of sexual orientation have been well documented, but less is known about their origins. This study examines whether, even in adulthood, less favorable parental relationships are associated with disparities in depressive symptoms as a function of sexual orientation. Cross-sectional data were drawn from Wave IV of the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. Gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) participants reported lower quality parental relationships, greater stress, and more depressive symptoms than did heterosexual participants. Lower quality parental relationships were associated with higher stress. Higher stress and lower quality parental relationships were associated with more depressive symptoms. GLB individuals reported lower father relationship quality and higher stress, which partially mediated the association of sexuality and depressive symptoms. Lesbian and bisexual women reported lower mother relationship quality and higher stress, which fully mediated the association of sexuality and depressive symptoms. While no differences in mother relationship quality existed for men, mother relationship quality was more strongly associated with depressive symptoms for gay and bisexual men than for heterosexual men. Even in adulthood, greater stress and depressive symptoms among GLB individuals were at least partially accounted for by less favorable parental relationships.     

Sexual Orientation Victimization and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Among Lesbian,Gay, and Bisexual Youth

This cross-sectional study utilized data gathered from 350 lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth, and examined the relationship between significant life experiences and posttraumatic stress symptoms (PSS), with an ultimate goal of analyzing contribution of sexual orientation victimization (SOV) to PSS among LGB youth. Results of bivariate analyses indicate that verbal and physical sexual orientation victimization, childhood gender atypicality, internalized homophobia, and stressful life events unrelated to sexual orientation were all individually related to PSS. Multivariate analysis showed that verbal and physical sexual orientation victimization explained a significant portion of variance, over and above the study's other variables. Internalized homophobia, stressful life events, and verbal sexual orientation victimization were found to be the most significant predictors of PSS among LGB youth.     

Sexual Satisfaction Among Couples: The Role of Attachment Orientation and Sexual Motives

The mediating effect of sexual motives between attachment orientation and sexual satisfaction and functioning was investigated among 128 couples (N = 256) using the actor-partner interdependence model (Campbell & Kashy, 2002). Actor effects between attachment orientation and sexual satisfaction and functioning, mediated by sexual motives, were found regarding men’s sexual satisfaction, sexual intimacy, and orgasmic responsivity. Partner effect revealed two significant paths in which the greater the women’s attachment avoidance, the lower the partners’ intimacy motivation, which in turn was linked with lower partners’ sexual satisfaction and increased lack of sexual intimacy. The analyses did not reveal significant mediation paths affecting women’s sexual satisfaction and functioning. These findings emphasize the importance of implementing a dyadic perspective on sexuality within practice. Recommendations for further research and additional clinical implications are discussed.     

Revisiting the Sexual Orientation Matrix for Supervision

Abstract

This article addresses the use of the Sexual Orientation Matrix for Supervision (SOMS) in preparing supervisees to work with GLBTQ families. Originally published as a tool to assist supervisors and educators to help their supervisees work more effectively with gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) couples, the SOMS is founded on two core concepts: (1) degree of heterosexual bias; and (2) degree of acceptance of GLBTQ orientations and behavior. In this revision, we have expanded heterosexual bias to include sexual identities, sexual orientations, and gender identities. Supervisors can employ the Matrix to explore their own and their trainees' levels of comfort, knowledge, and experience. We also provide specific suggestions and tasks.     

Sexual Orientation Discrimination and Its Challenges for Nonprofit Managers

In the wake of the recent New Jersey Supreme Court decision, Dale v. Boy Scouts of America and Monmouth Council Boy Scouts (1999), this article examines the issue of sexual orientation discrimination and the challenges it presents nonprofit managers. Because of regional shifts in public opinion, the enactment of nondiscrimination laws at the state and local level, and now a state Supreme Court interpreting state law to include the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) as a “public accommodation,” nonprofit managers may face a more complex legal and moral environment. It is hoped that this article will challenge nonprofit managers to carefully reexamine their membership and personnel policies with respect to lesbians and gay men and begin preparing their organizations for this cultural change.     

A Nonclinical Comparison of Transgender Identity and Sexual Orientation

Abstract

Multicultural counseling has emerged as the fourth force in American Psychology. To provide a nonclinical, multicultural framework with which to facilitate assessment and treatment of transgender (TG) clients, 73 North American TG respondents were compared to six groups. The comparison groups included 1,083 heterosexual females, 1,077 heterosexual males, 73 psychosocially matched females, 73 psycho-socially matched males, 256 homosexual females, and 356 homosexual males. Comparisons were made on psychosocial characteristics, past and present psychotherapy, past and present medication for a psychiatric condition, and past or present difficulties controlling potentially problematic behaviors. The TG respondents were more similar than different relative to lesbians and more different than similar in comparison to every other group. The similarities between TG respondents and lesbians suggest the dual influences of gender and sexual orientation minority status significantly compound the burden of adaptative functioning.     

An Exploratory Qualitative Study of the Self-Reported Impact of Female-Perpetrated Childhood Sexual Abuse

The limited findings on the impact of female-perpetrated sexual abuse of children are often contradictory, particularly in relation to males. In this exploratory qualitative study, a sample of nine men and five women who reported that they had been sexually abused by women in their childhood were recruited from the general community. They completed a questionnaire that asked them to describe various aspects of their abuse experiences and the perceived consequences. For both men and women, the abuse was associated with negative outcomes across a range of functional areas in both childhood and adulthood. Many impacts were similar to those reported by victims of male-perpetrated sexual abuse. It is argued that the consequences of female-perpetrated child sexual abuse are serious, and further research is required to bring these issues to the awareness of both the public and professionals working in the field of child protection and counseling.     

Using the Dual Control Model to Investigate the Relationship Between Mood,Genital, and Self-Reported Sexual Arousal in Men and Women

Recent findings suggest that there is considerable interindividual variability in how mood affects sexual arousal and that the dual control model may be helpful in explaining this variation. The current research investigated whether mood interacted with sexual excitation and inhibition proneness to predict subjective and genital arousal. In this study, 33 participants (18 men; 15 women), ages 18 to 45, attended three laboratory sessions where they completed questionnaires assessing preexisting mood and propensity for sexual excitation and inhibition, then watched a series of neutral and sexually explicit films. Subjective sexual arousal was continuously indicated during each film, while genital temperature was measured using thermographic imaging. Sexual excitation and inhibition interacted with various mood scores to significantly predict both subjective and genital arousal in men and women. Several gender differences were found. For example, vigor scores interacted with sexual excitation proneness to significantly predict genital but not subjective arousal in women, while the same interaction significantly predicted subjective but not genital arousal in men. The findings supported the hypothesis that the dual control model is an important framework in understanding how mood influences both subjective and genital sexual arousal.