African-American lesbian identity management and identity development in the context of family and community

Don't Ask, Don't Tell is gaining attention in family studies literature as a cultural specific context to understand lesbian, gay, and bisexual visibility in African-American families and communities. This policy suggests that sexual minorities are accepted within African-American families and communities as long as they do not label themselves or acknowledge publicly that they engage in same-sex relationships. The narratives of two African-American lesbians (aged 26 and 27 years) are chronicled in the present study to reveal their lesbian identity development, lesbian identity management, and how they defined and navigated Don't Ask, Don't Tell. They encountered challenges and successes in a quest to find communities that would embrace and affirm their multiple marginalized identities. Their stories are offered as a point of entry to further inquiry concerning African-American lesbian visibility and identity proclamation within African-American families and communities.     

Active Duty Military Personnel Presenting for Care at a Gay Men's Health Clinic

ABSTRACT

Under the “Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Don't Pursue, Don't Harass” Department of Defense policy, gay men and women are allowed to serve in the military, but they are not allowed to disclose their sexual orientation. This study was performed to determine the incidence of active duty military personnel seeking care at a Gay Men's Health Clinic. Nine percent of the clients, who had served between June and August 2002, were active duty U.S. Navy sailors. They all expressed fears of being discharged from the military when asked why they did not access military healthcare. The “DADTDPDH” policy breeds distrust between men who have sex with men (MSM) service-members and their healthcare provider and this ensures inadequate healthcare.     

A Network Evaluation of Attitudes Toward Gays and Lesbians Among U.S. Military Cadets

The U.S. military's ban on open homosexuality has become an increasingly salient issue since its implementation in 1993 and its repeal in 2011. The military is an organization with a unique professional and social organization. Evaluating military attitudes from a network perspective may offer insight into the role of formal and informal leadership in engendering attitudinal change and cultural tolerance around homosexuality. This study evaluates the role of network centrality and network exposure across formal (command networks) and informal (friendship and perceived leadership networks) structures on attitudes toward homosexuality in the military. This work analyzes survey data from a single cadet company within the U.S. Military Academy (n = 139) prior to the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Results indicate that popular students tend to show tolerance toward homosexuality, whereas those who hold command leadership positions are more likely to have personal and professional opposition to homosexuality. In addition, formal superior–subordinate relationships are somewhat more likely to suggest social contagion compared to informal leadership and friendship relationships. Recommendations offer guidance for training strategies particularly with respect to a military leaders and socialization. Future research should monitor these issues relative to the post-DADT environment.     

Staying in the Hood: Black Lesbian and Transgender Women and Identity Management in North Philadelphia

ABSTRACT

The concept Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell regarding Black LGBT sexuality in Black communities has been an acceptable form of identity management for Black LGBT people. In other words, Black LGBT people are accepted as long as they are not vocal about their sexuality. However, this is changing with the issue of gay marriage, which is creating a space where Black LGBT people are more open about their gender identity and sexuality in heterosexual Black spaces. This new form of openness allows Black LGBT people to “stay in” their communities, as opposed to coming out. In this article I examine how Black LGBT women in North Philadelphia stay in their communities: being politically active regarding LGBT issues, disengaging from LGBT issues, passing, and educating straight Black people about issues affecting the Black LGBT community. I conclude with implications of staying in and intersectionality among Black heterosexual and LGBT women fighting for social change.     

Student Degree Program and Attitudes Toward Gays and Lesbians in the Military: Is There a Connection?

Individuals routinely experience discrimination based on sexual orientation. Since the implementation of Don't Ask, Don't Tell in 1994, over 13,000 military personnel have been discharged from the U.S. military on the basis of sexual orientation. As helping professionals, social workers will often provide services to returning gay and lesbian veterans. Therefore, social work programs must ensure that students develop positive attitudes toward and understanding of the needs presented by this population. Little is known about whether a specific degree program can be a predictor of student attitude toward gay and lesbian individuals in the military. Eighty-nine graduate students completed the Attitudes Toward Homosexuals in the Military (ATHM) scale, and scores were compared between two graduate degree programs: Social Work and Business Administration. A statistically significant relationship was found between degree program and ATHM scores. Implications for policy, practice and research related to gay and lesbian veterans are discussed.     

Women's Sexual Identity Patterns: Differences Among Lesbians,Bisexuals, and Unlabeled Women

To better understand women with same-sex attractions who do not identify as lesbian or bisexual (i.e., unlabeled women), we examined differences and similarities among self-designated lesbian, bisexual, and unlabeled women. Two hundred eight non-heterosexual women ranging in age from 18 to 69 years (85% identified as White) completed an online survey examining indicators of sexual orientation and beliefs and self-perceptions associated with sexual identity. Compared to lesbians, unlabeled women reported the weakest collective sexual identities and, along with bisexuals, they were less likely to view sexual orientation as fixed, being more focused on the “person, not the gender.” Unlabeled women reported the greatest likelihood that their sexual identity would change in the future. These findings highlight the complexity of women's sexual identities and question the adequacy of categorical approaches.     

Once-Married African-American Lesbians and Bisexual Women: Identity Development and the Coming-Out Process

This study explored identity development and the coming-out process of once-married African-American lesbians and bisexual women. Participants (n?=?12) were all African-American and identified as lesbian or bisexual and had been legally married at least once. Data was collected via interviews using open-ended questions that addressed issues concerning sexual development and awareness and coming out as lesbian or bisexual. Data was then transcribed verbatim and analyzed using the grounded theory method. Hence, reemerging significant themes were observed and categorized. A total of seven significant themes were discerned from the data presented. The implications for treatment with this population were also discussed.     

Ethnic Related Variations from the Cass Model of Homosexual Identity Formation: The Experiences of Two-Spirit,Lesbian and Gay Native Americans

Synthesis of current research with the self-stories of Native American two-spirit, lesbian and gay people suggests differences in social locations that may produce sexual orientation identity development processes absent from the current literature. We employed a modified form of grounded theory analysis to explore the identity experiences of six self-identified two-spirit, lesbian or gay Native Americans recounted during in-depth interviews. The resulting five themes are presented with quotes from participants for clarification and support, along with a discussion of their fit with the Cass Model of Homosexual Identity Development and interpersonal congruency theory. Results suggest two developmental pathways, one following the course of Cass' model and a second path notable for its absence of many of the key experiences specified by Cass.     

Status Homophily,Sexual Identity,and Lesbian Social Ties

The literature on friendship and social networks finds that individuals form social ties with people who are like them—a much studied concept called homophily. However, few studies have explicitly examined sexual identity as a point of homophily. Scholars from multiple disciplines have long argued that sexuality influences the organization of our social worlds, yet most studies of friendship and social networks under-examine or overlook the influence of sexual identity. This study addresses that gap by looking at status homophily among lesbian social ties to examine the influence of sexual identity, as well as gender, race, class, and family, on their personal networks. Using survey data from 544 U.S. lesbian respondents, the findings make visible some of the factors and forces that shape social ties for lesbians. The results point to the importance of sexuality as an organizing element of social life, and suggest that studies that examine social networks or friendships more often make sexual identity, gender, and intersecting social locations a central focus.     

Negotiating multiple identities: how African-American gay and bisexual men persist at a predominantly White institution

This consensual qualitative research (CQR) study explores factors contributing to the persistence of African-American gay and bisexual men at a predominately White institution (PWI). Eight participants consistently noted that involvement with an African-American community was crucial to navigating the challenges of attending a PWI. Participants reported that their racial identity was more salient than their sexual orientation in creating social support, and they described feeling uncomfortable using lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) resources. Implications, including education about sexual orientation within African-American campus communities, LGBT outreach to communities of color, and continued institutional support for African-American campus organizations, are discussed.     

Negotiating Religiosity and Sexual Identity Among Hispanic Lesbian Mothers

ABSTRACT

Hispanic lesbian mothers face bicultural tensions that stigmatize their roles as mothers. Religion could produce heightened conflict given their potential incompatibility with the role of a “good mother.” In particular, there is a potential for conflict between the definition of a “good mother” set forth in Catholicism and the sexual orientation of Hispanic lesbians. I conducted semistructured in-depth interviews to examine how Hispanic lesbian mothers negotiate their Catholic religious identity with aspects of their sexual identity. More specifically, I examined the strategies that Hispanic lesbian mothers use to reconcile or navigate perceived conflict between their roles as a Catholic and as a lesbian. The research questions to be answered were: How do Hispanic lesbian mothers negotiate a Catholic religious and a sexual identity? How do Hispanic lesbian mothers create and maintain a religious narrative? How do Hispanic lesbian mothers redefine religion and spirituality?     

Beyond A Lesbian Space? An Investigation on The Intergenerational Discourse Surrounding Lesbian Public Social Places in Amsterdam

This article investigates intergenerational discourse on public lesbian social spaces within Amsterdam, Netherlands. The author seeks to address how lesbian women from different generations talk about lesbian social spaces in Amsterdam through anthropological ethnographic research and semistructured interviews with 20 lesbian women who have or currently are attending these places. The author also addresses the gradual decline of lesbian specific spaces in the city and the current belief that lesbian women are beyond having a public social space that services only the lesbian community. The rise in popularity of mixed gay- and lesbian-friendly bars and girl circuit parties will be identified as a key area where generational tensions and discourse are being played out. Issues pertaining to generational disagreements over lesbian identity, visibility, and space will be addressed.     

Disappearing Dykes? Post-Lesbian Discourse and Shifting Identities and Communities

ABSTRACT

Researchers and activists have argued that the term “lesbian” has been disappearing, in decline for decades, and have focused on tensions around gender and sexual identities as the source of its decline. I identify “post-lesbian discourse” as key concept in the changing landscape of LGBTQ terminology, and I highlight four concerns that emerge in this discourse: shifting lesbian politics, a too-inclusive community, a loss of lesbian spaces, and the meaning of embodied lesbian identity. Rather than focusing solely on gender and sexuality, my aim is to explore the development of post-lesbian discourse and its effects on lesbian identities and communities.     

"It ain't all as bad as it may seem": young Black lesbians' responses to sexual prejudice

This article explores the ways in which young, Black lesbians manage their sexual minority identity when experiencing sexual prejudice. Fourteen Black lesbians between the ages of 16 and 24 participated in semistructured interviews. Instances of sexual prejudice and the young women's responses were thematically analyzed using open and axial qualitative coding techniques. Results indicated that participants experienced sexual prejudice frequently and even within the lesbian community. Responses to sexual prejudice included: cognitive reframing of heterosexist messages, passing, gaining support from self-created gay families, and fighting back (physically and verbally) in the event of isolated instances of sexual prejudice. Analysis focuses on how gender identity relates to experiences of sexual prejudice and identity management strategies. Findings suggest that there are parallels between the management strategies of these women and young, Black gay and bisexual males and between these women and Black women who are coping with sexism and racism.     

Building a Dignified Identity: An Ethnographic Case Study of LGBT Catholics

ABSTRACT

This ethnographic case study offers insight into religiously devout sexual minorities and the reasons behind their continued participation in an anti-gay religious institution, the Roman Catholic Church. I demonstrate how members of Dignity, an organization for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Catholics, strategically use their identity as gay Catholics to initiate action, to build community, and to destigmatize other religious sexual minorities. Members leverage this unique identity to push for change and equality within the Church. At the same time, this identity also allows members to see their continued participation in the anti-gay Roman Catholic Church as activism, a positive and affirming identity, thereby alleviating potential conflict and contradiction between their sexuality and their spirituality as Roman Catholics.     

A Lesbian Identity Disclosure Assessment: ALIDA Instrument

ABSTRACT

Background and Purpose: Disclosure of lesbian sexual identity has been associated with greater self-esteem, less anxiety, and greater relationship satisfaction. Nondisclosure interferes with supportive, congenial, and intimate relationships with important people in their lives. Lesbian mothers choose nondisclosure to protect their children from social, psychological, and physical harm. Since disclosure is a health concern, ALIDA was designed to measure disclosure for lesbian mothers. Methods: ALIDA is a written, self-administered instrument with 15 questions that fall under 6 categories. It was tested on 360 lesbian mothers from 38 U.S. states. Results: ALIDA was one-dimensional, reliable (.79), and had face and concurrent validity. Regression indicated that 58% of the scores were predicted by eight variables. Conclusions: ALIDA measures disclosure and should be used in more studies.     

Effects of Gay Identity,Gender and Explicitness of Advertising Imagery on Gay Responses to Advertising

Abstract

The present research draws from literature relating to gay identity in psychology and sociology and feminist theory to consider the effect of gay identity and gender on gays' and lesbians' attitudes toward various types of advertising content that are most commonly used to target gay consumers. As such, this study empirically tests whether gay males' and lesbians' responses to gay-oriented advertising content are moderated by individual characteristics: (1) the degree to which they identify as gay, and (2) their gender, and by the explicitness and gender of the gay-oriented advertising imagery.     

“Negotiating Fairness”: A Study on How Lesbian Family Members Evaluate,Construct, and Maintain “Fairness” with the Division of Household Labor

In this article, I examine how dual-earner lesbian families construct and evaluate an equal division of household labor through their perceptions of “fairness.” Through 22 interviews of dual-earner lesbian families (a total of 44 subjects), I identify that lesbian partners use social comparisons with heterosexual families with whom they have contact, as well as their former heterosexual and homosexual families as an important link to justify what they believe to be a fair division of household labor. Childhood socialization and parental models, however, were not shown to adequately explain how members of a lesbian family construct a perception of equality concerning household division of labor.     

Developing Lesbian Identity: A Sociohistorical Approach

The process of construction of lesbian identity in a group of eight Spanish women is analyzed from a historical–cultural perspective. For that purpose, we provide a characterization of discourses about homosexuality in Spain and the way in which these discourses are intertwined with autobiographical narratives of the participants. The participants' life stories were analyzed using a qualitative methodology. We focused on the relationship between self and lesbianism and emphasized the themes related to identity issues (development of lesbian identity and reflections about identity). As a conclusion, we stress the need to deconstruct stigmatizing discourses about homosexuality for the development of a positive personal identity.     

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess: Reception of the Texts by a Sample of Lesbian Fans and Web Site Users

This qualitative study of television reception examined the ways in which a sample of lesbian fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess incorporated their experiences as viewers, fans, and Internet users with relation to their sexual identity as lesbians. Specifically, this study examined the ways in which participants used these television programs to inform their sexual identity development. Results indicated that participants used television and the Internet to normalize and affirm lesbian experience, to decrease negative feelings regarding their lesbian identities, and to decrease social isolation.