Sexual Minority Women's Gender Identity and Expression: Challenges and Supports |
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Authors: | Heidi M Levitt Julia A Puckett Maria R Ippolito Sharon G Horne |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Psychology , University of Massachusetts Boston , Boston , Massachusetts , USA;2. Liverpool , New York , USA;3. Department of Counseling and School Psychology , University of Massachusetts Boston , Boston , Massachusetts , USA |
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Abstract: | Sexual minority women were divided into four groups to study their gender identities (butch and femme), and gender expression (traditionally gendered and non-traditionally gendered women who do not identify as butch or femme). Experiences of heterosexist events (discrimination, harassment, threats of violence, victimization, negative emotions associated with these events), mental health (self esteem, stress, depression), and supports for a sexual minority identity (social support, outness, internalized homophobia) were examined across these groups. Findings suggested that butch-identified women experienced more heterosexist events than femme women or women with non-traditional gender expressions. There were no differences in mental health variables. |
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Keywords: | butch femme gender identity gender expression heterosexist events sexual minority minority stress |
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