This paper discusses possible roles of a counselor in affirming a client's lesbianism. In 1983, it was legal to be a lesbian in only 26 states. Of 55 other countries on which statistics were available, lesbianism was legal in 18 countries. The prevailing view on lesbianism by mental health professionals today seems to be one of cautious…

As a clinical feminist therapist, the author advocates that women self-define themselves rather than be defined in terms of their relationship with other people. Differential approaches to problems of identity in lesbians and other women are examined and interpreted from a feminist outlook. (Author/BW)

Examined female counseling psychology doctoral students' (N=213) perceptions of type and extent of training received concerning lesbian and homosexual issues. Results indicated that female students received little exposure to lesbian or homosexual issues or clients and thus were not trained to work with these clients. Discusses further results and…

Little has been written on the subject of female homosexuality, and the research that does exist is frequently biased and founded on myths that are sexist in nature. The authors present preliminary findings of a study based on a nonclinical sample group of lesbians. (Author)

Lesbian students, staff, administration and faculty have legal and employment problems over and above those faced by other women. (Author/PG)

Researchers in recent years have given increased attention to the empirical study of lesbianism and male homosexuality. This annotated bibliography outlines major findings of 139 empirical studies published in English-language journals and referenced in Psychological Abstracts in the eight-year period from 1967 to 1974. Articles included in the…

Compared gay women (N=11) with heterosexual women (N=12) for frequency of high and low fear of success responses. Probability analysis determined the two groups differed significantly, with gay women evidencing less fear of success than expected. Devised a continuum of kinds of responses with subsequent analysis. (Author)

The lesbian's perspective, shaped by her experience as an outcast, enables her to shed dichotomies and discriminations learned in the classroom and to seek new ways of interpreting and expressing her perceptions of the world. This paper discusses the "lesbian perspective" from three angles: the unique attributes of the lesbian and her…

In this culture a person's sexual identity falls into one of four groups: heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, and asexual. Essentialism assumes that one is fixed with a core identity of either heterosexual or homosexual. Constructionism posits that categories of sexuality are constructed to meet the needs of a particular culture, society, and/or…

Argues a complementary relationship between phenomenological method and feminist theory, then develops a research method suited to the study of lesbians in their communities. A comparison of three phenomenological methods produces one new method with methodological innovations in interviewing, mapping, and data analysis. Findings of the study…

Questionnaires were administered to 100 males and 168 females, members and non-members of the gay community. Issues pertaining to differences between homosexually behaving males and females cannot be addressed apart from corresponding issues concerning the impact of the gay community as a facilitator of homoerotic sexual aspirations. (Author)

Questionnaires from 225 homosexual and 233 heterosexual adult women revealed 115 cases of rape or attempted rape. Data from 78 follow-up questionnaires are summarized. About the same proportion of lesbians and heterosexuals, age 16 or over, were the object of rape. Inferences are drawn about the rapists' attitudes toward women. (Author)

The Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) and a 60-item structured interview questionnaire were administered to 25 white single homosexually-oriented women and 25 white single heterosexually-oriented women to investigate psychological adjustment and current life styles. Differences between groups were found only on items directly…

Prior research on observer perceptions of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients has concluded that there is a strong tendency to assume that homosexuals are patients of AIDS while heterosexuals are patients of anything but AIDS. This study sought to determine if there was a greater tendency to diagnose AIDS among female homosexuals…

An investigation of the life experiences and attitudes of homosexual women with only-child status reveals that their emotional and social development is less favorable than that of homosexual women who had siblings. Only-child status is an important variable in understanding child development. (Author/CS)