title: Sexual minority women's gender identity and expression: challenges and supports.
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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, Boston, Massachusetts 02125, USA. heidi.levitt@umb.edu
authors.forename: Heidi M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Levitt
authors.forename: Julia A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Puckett
authors.forename: Maria R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Ippolito
authors.forename: Sharon G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Horne
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019548:Crime Victims / Q000523:psychology; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D057227:Femininity; D005783:Gender Identity; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008603:Mental Health; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D011287:Prejudice; D012649:Self Concept; D012944:Social Support