International perspectives on lesbian psychology

Abstract

Researchers from the Philippines, Mexico, Italy, Germany, Chile, Canada, Brazil, China, and the US shed new light on important questions in lesbian psychology while subverting the hegemonic status of Western scholarship. Articles part of this special issue move away from treating LGBTQ + identity as a monolith and center lesbian identity. An eclectic set of contributions explore central questions in the field of psychology, including differences between gay men's and lesbian women's mental health as well as similarities and differences between bisexual and lesbian women's sense of identity. This special issue pushes the field to consider how cultural values such as collectivism and individualism, religious affiliation, and the intersections of misogyny and homophobia configure the risk of mental health problems, intimate partner violence, and body dissatisfaction among lesbian women.

Keywords: LGBTQ + psychology; Lesbian identity; international perspectives; lesbian psychology; queer identity; sexual minority women.