This paper analyzes the stress and coping mechanisms of lesbian homeless adolescents to identify potential buffers against homelessness. The Minority Stress Model and identity theories are used as a framework to interpret the findings in the literature. Based on the findings in the literature, it is possible to conclude that lesbian homeless youth are more susceptible to minority stress due to a lack of adaptive coping resources and social support. Increased levels of minority stress may lead to internalizing and externalizing symptoms that cause runaway and throwaway episodes in homeless youth. This paper proposes a new model to understand the internal and environmental factors that contribute to homelessness in lesbian adolescents.

For years, researchers, clinicians, and those working with victims/survivors of domestic abuse have overlooked the issue of same-sex partner aggression among lesbians and bisexual women. Through in-depth interviews with 19 women who identify themselves as either lesbian or bisexual, information was documented in this study demonstrating the severity of issues of power and control among some same-sex partners, as well as some if the dynamics that are unique to same-sex abusive relationships. Patterns of abuse within same-sex relationships often mirror those that are so commonly associated with partner aggression among heterosexual couples, and therefore demonstrate not only the need for further research on the topic of same-sex partner abuse, but also the urgency to provide more assistance to the victims/survivors of domestic violence.

Discrimination and inequality encountered by gays and lesbians in the United States is profuse. A cornerstone of the gay rights movement, equality in the workplace has been a pivotal struggle for gays and lesbians. This study examined the attitudes and opinions of registered nurses (RNs) regarding homosexuals in general and the protection of homosexuals in the workplace through a nondiscrimination policy. The author measured overall homophobic and discriminatory beliefs of the sample using the Attitudes Toward Lesbian and Gay Men (ATLG) Scale; the demographic questionnaire was infused with questions regarding a protective workplace policy. Using T-tests, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and structural equation modeling (SEM), correlations between independent variables (gender, age, religious association, belief in the "free choice" model of homosexuality, education level, exposure to homosexuals through friends and/or family associations, race/ethnicity, and support or non-support of a workplace nondiscrimination policy protective of gay men and lesbians) with the dependent variable of homophobia were explored.

Gay/Straight Alliances aimed at providing sexual minority youth and their allies with support, social events, and activism and education opportunities have proliferated in high schools in the United States over the past two decades. This study employs a qualitative, grounded theory approach to examine how sexual minority youth and their allies navigate gender, sexuality, and social movement participation. A year and a half of observation and 16 semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with Gay/Straight Alliance members in a high school setting in the southeastern United States. The study reveals that, through the lens of frame analysis, the G/SA is analogous to larger and more organized social movement organizations. The findings also suggest members often struggle and engage with issues surrounding sexuality, including its origins, coming out as a process, and judgments and evaluations surrounding sex and desire. Additionally, the findings address elements of gender conformity and nonconformity

This study explores the identity development and psychological adjustment of bisexual individuals (n = 138) as compared to homosexual (n = 45) and heterosexual participants (n = 558). Undergraduate students recruited from psychology classes at a large metropolitan university in Florida (67% female, 65% Caucasian) took an online survey for course extra credit. Bisexual and homosexual participants scored higher in identity exploration than the heterosexual participants. Bisexual participants scored significantly higher in psychological symptom severity than heterosexual participants. The three groups were not significantly different in identity commitment nor in identity distress. Female bisexual participants scored more similar to the homosexual participants in identity exploration, while the male bisexual participants were more similar to the heterosexual participants. Among males, bisexual and homosexual participants reported greater psychological symptom severity than heterosexual participants. There were no differences between groups for female participants in regard to symptom severity. This study highlights the need for more research into the psychological correlates of bisexuality as a distinct group from homosexuality, as well as the need to focus on gender as a significant moderator of these relationships.

For approximately the last 20 years, researchers have studied the "environment" for students who are lesbian, gay, and bisexual. However, there has been little empirical research on the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, or gay students at historically Black colleges and universities. Most of the literature to date has focused on students at predominantly White institutions and students who are male. Further, HBCUs have long-been lauded for the unique educational experience they have created for African American students in general as evidenced by reports of greater satisfaction, faculty and social support, positive self-images, strong racial pride, and better psychosocial adjustment (Allen, Epps, & Haniff, 1991; Berger & Milem, 2000; Fleming, 1984; Fries-Britt & Turner, 2002; Terenzini, Bohr, Pascarella, & Nora, 1997). However, little research has been conducted on within-group differences among African American students at HBCUs to explore whether and how other social identities such as sexual orientation or socioeconomic class impact an African American student's experience of an HBCU. This is an exploratory study that examines the experiences of seven lesbian and bisexual female students at an historically Black college and inquires into the relationship between the culture of HBCUs and the students' perceptions of campus climate. Drawing from a focus group interview, a survey, institutional artifacts, and historical data, I explore three research questions. The questions are 1) what can be characterized as the culture at historically Black colleges and universities; 2) what is the lesbian and bisexual female student perception of the campus climate for lesbian and female bisexual students at HBCUs and; 3) how, if at all does the HBCU culture impact the campus climate? The culture was characterized by adherence to traditional gender norms of dress and behavior, affirming racial identity but not sexual identity, the dominance and prevalence of Christian values and beliefs, and a system of rewards and punishments for conforming or not conforming to gender norms. The climate was characterized by students feeling afraid; being harassed; feeling as though they are not wanted at the institution; restricting themselves from participating in activities; facing threats of expulsion; and having little to no social or institutional support.

This study investigates the transitioning terms of lesbian visibility and identity in the distinctive spatio-temporal context of Northampton, Massachusetts in the 1980s. Drawing on interviews with a diversified sampling of lesbian-, bisexual-, and queeridentified participants, I consider the coalescing of two lesbian communal formations – a social community and a social audience – as mediating sites for the interrelations between subculture and dominant culture. Informed by the literatures and methods of queer theory, cultural studies, and feminist film criticism, I examine the 1980s queer crossover from lesbian subcultural separatism to mitigated assimilation by the end of the decade. The 1980s crossover was a constellation of interlocking factors manifested through the entrance into national visibility of gay liberatory and feminist politics, the incorporation of overt lesbian sexuality into Hollywood and independent films, and the surfacing of the conservative and feminist backlashes alongside “Reaganomics.” These converged in an anti-lesbian backlash produced in Northampton in the 1980s through the interrelations between the rapid revitalization of the city’s downtown and the increasing visibility and concentration of the lesbian population. The emergence into public visibility of a lesbian social community and a lesbian social audience in 1980s Northampton prefigured questions about the desirability of a goal of cultural assimilation for lesbian and gay people along with concerns about the role of consumption in the assimilative process that were to become important to LGBT politics in the 1990s and 2000s. In this project, I consider the multidimensional and conflictual aspects of assimilation as well as the gender-specificities of lesbian film consumption and the lesbian Sex Wars as part of the crossover from subcultural separatism to mitigated assimilation. In spite of the strides in the acceptance of the lesbian population in Northampton in the 1980s, I argue that such changes were laden with tensions negotiated through the contradictions between appearances of tolerance and acceptance versus experiences of discrimination and violence. The constellation of factors that manifested in the 1980s queer crossover provided symbolic materials not only for a realignment of lesbian subjectivity, but also for a realignment of heterosexual subjectivity.

Background: Transgender people face several barriers to healthcare when accessing services. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived-experience of the transgender person accessing healthcare. Methods: Colaizzi phenomenological method was used to delve into the experience. The guiding question was: What is the lived experience (challenges, barriers, and/or difficulties) that the transgender person experiences when accessing healthcare? Results: Initial themes were collapsed to create relevant meanings. Five themes emerged from the protocols and were validated by participants. Overall, the transgender person is vulnerable in the healthcare system due to the lack of representation of their identity, which results in their underutilization of healthcare services. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the need for changes to our current system of healthcare education and practice to provide competent care to the transgender population.

This study investigated how Christianity affects Black queer women's decision-making regarding seeking mental health services. Those who felt they met the inclusion criteria completed a Basic Demographic Survey. After vetting these individuals, eleven female participants—who are both Black and queer—were asked to participate in an individual semi-structured qualitative interview. The interview focused on one's journey with mental health, societal and relationship influences, Black and LGBTQ+ identity, influences from conservative, traditional, or mainstream Christianity, and sense of self. Although Christianity may not have directly impacted most of the women in this study to seek mental health services, Christianity did have an overwhelmingly negative impact on these women's mental health and their queer identities both directly (i.e., church or the Bible) and indirectly (familial and societal beliefs rooted in Christianity). Due to the intersectionality of racial, sexual, and gender identities, this research will help look at how mental health professionals, Christians, and researchers can address those in this population. Keywords: Black, lesbian, bisexual, LGBTQ+, queer, women, Christianity, mental health services, mental health fields, community, sense of self, religion, sexuality, gender, gender roles, Black church, evangelicalism, mental health, faith, conservatism, traditional Christianity

Background As transgender identification rises in younger generations, it is imperative that colleges and universities account for the health and wellbeing of this growing subset of the student body. Previous research indicates that transgender populations experience unique barriers to accessing healthcare, including socioeconomic barriers and a lack of healthcare providers experienced in transgender medicine. These barriers contribute to low rates of healthcare utilization and significant health disparities in transgender populations. Methods A community health assessment of transgender and gender-nonconforming (TGNC) students at the University of Central Florida was conducted in order to assess: (1) students' access to and experiences with healthcare on-campus at Student Health Services and off-campus with other healthcare providers, (2) barriers affecting healthcare accessibility for TGNC students, and (3) the overall mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of this population. These measures were assessed utilizing a 15-minute online survey administered via Qualtrics distributed during the Fall 2023 semester. Results TGNC students' HRQOL was found to be substantially poorer than the general population, particularly with regard to mental health. The most significant socioeconomic barriers identified were related to financial dependence and insurance. Although students generally reported positive experiences with Student Health Services (SHS), respondents frequently reported lacking confidence or being unsure of their providers' knowledge of transgender medicine. Additionally, recent legislation in the state of Florida affecting the provision of transgender medicine was also identified as a significant barrier to accessing transition-related care. Conclusion This research reveals significant structural barriers to transgender healthcare which require large-scale, policy-level changes to fully rectify. However, simple interventions such as a workshop, training, or lecture on transgender health for providers may serve to produce more inclusive healthcare experiences for transgender students in the meantime.