Australian Lesbians Research Articles

The Role of Animal Companions in the Bereavement Experiences of Australian Lesbians and Gay Men.

All too often, humans who experience the death of a partner are directed towards other humans for support, ignoring the important role that animal companions play in the lives of many humans. For lesbians and gay men specifically - whose grief may be disenfranchised - animal companions may play a particularly important role. This paper reports on a secondary analysis of interviews with 10 Australian lesbians or gay men who had lost a partner due to non-HIV related issues. Six of the participants spoke impromptu about the importance of animal companions following the death of a partner. Thematic analysis resulted in the development of three themes: (1) animals provide comfort and company, (2) animals serve as a reminder of partners, and (3) animals give people a reason to go on. The paper concludes by considering the importance of speaking about animals in the context of research and practice related to human bereavement.

The health and wellbeing of Australian lesbian, gay and bisexual people: a systematic assessment using a longitudinal national sample

ObjectiveThis study revisits disparities in health and wellbeing by sexual identity in Australia, identifying which domains demand priority policy intervention, documenting differences between gay/lesbian vs. bisexual populations, and examining change over time in the relative health and wellbeing of sexual minorities. MethodI fitted multivariable ordinary least squares and random‐effect panel regression models on 20 outcomes to compare the health and wellbeing of heterosexual, gay/lesbian and bisexual people, using 2012/2016 data from a national probability sample – the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) Survey. ResultsI found strong associations between sexual minority identities and most health and wellbeing outcomes. These were comparatively larger for: role‐emotional health, mental health and general health; bisexual compared to gay/lesbian people; and minority women compared to minority men. I found no change over time in the relative health and wellbeing outcomes of gay/lesbian people, but evidence of worsening circumstances among bisexual people. ConclusionThere are important disparities in the health and wellbeing profiles of different sexual minority populations in Australia, based on sex (male vs. female), sexual identity (gay/lesbian vs. bisexual), and observation time (2012 vs. 2016). Implications for public healthSexual identity remains an important marker of risk for health and wellbeing outcomes within Australia, underscoring the importance of fully integrating sexual identity in health policy and practice.

The Family Lives of Australian Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual People: a Review of the Literature and a Research Agenda

Families and relationships are important social domains in which the circumstances of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) people often differ from those of heterosexual people. Gaining a better understanding of the family experiences of Australian LGB populations has important implications for developing our knowledge about the changing demography and dynamics of Australian family life, as well as informing policy, practice and public debate. This paper reports the findings of a review of empirical scholarship on the family experiences and outcomes of Australian LGB people published between 2000 and 2016, including academic publications and grey literature. The search yielded 99 outputs concerned with union formation, intimate partner relationships, pathways to and experiences of parenthood, child wellbeing, ‘coming out’, relationships with family-of-origin, social networks and support and access to family services. There was wide coverage and a marked increase in LGB family scholarship over time, and a predominance of qualitative over quantitative studies. We identified several areas in which further Australian evidence is needed, including union dissolution, child adoption, relationships with extended family, and interactions with institutions providing family services. Australian scholarship would also benefit from leveraging new panel datasets and probability samples, considering intersectionality, and contributing to cross-national comparative studies.

Negotiating Difference Across Time: The Temporal Meanings of the Sydney Mardi Gras in Lesbian and Gay Life Narratives

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the temporal meanings of the annual LGBTI pride event, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. Drawing on findings from a large-scale oral history project, the paper explores ways in which Australian lesbians and gay men place Mardi Gras within life narratives. Three temporal frameworks were commonly used by our interviewees. First, Mardi Gras acted as an annual temporal marker through which to plan a year. Second, changing personal understandings of Mardi Gras were used by interviewees to position themselves within the life course. Third, the shifting meanings of Mardi Gras were deployed as a means of narrating broader historical changes in the LGBTI community. We argue that, although lesbian and gay identities might now be considered increasingly mainstream and even “ordinary”, each of these temporal frameworks represents the continued differing experiences of time and space between homosexual and heterosexual lives.

Australian Lesbian and Gay Life Stories: A National Oral History Project

ABSTRACTLesbian and gay Australians have lived through extraordinary social change over the past six decades as attitudes towards homosexuality have shifted significantly. This article explores a collaborative project with the National Library of Australia, which was the first nation-wide oral history project to investigate the impact of these changes in the intimate lives of different generations of gay men and lesbians. Sixty men and women across Australia were interviewed as part of the project. This article outlines the methodological framework and the particular challenges and opportunities presented by an oral history project that involves members of the lesbian and gay population. It notes the increased opportunities to live an ‘ordinary’ life available to many lesbian and gay individuals and the way this was reflected in interviews.

The mental health benefits of relationship formalisation among lesbians and gay men in same‐sex relationships

Objectives:To examine links between same‐sex relationship formalisation – such as registered domestic partnerships and commitment ceremony unions – and mental health among lesbians and gay men, after controlling for differences in other relationship characteristics. Methods:Data were collected via an online survey of a national sample of Australian lesbians and gay men aged 16 years and older, with the sample for analysis confined to those in a same‐sex relationship (n=1,420). The K10 Psychological Distress Scale was used as an indicator of mental health. Results:Being in a formalised relationship was associated with lower distress for those aged 16–39 years but not for those aged 40+ years; whereas, intending to formalise was associated with higher distress among the older group. These associations remained significant after controlling for cohabitation, feeling able to seek partner emotional support, relationship tenure and financial arrangements. Conclusions and implications:Relationship formalisation appears to be an important protective factor for mental health among gay men and lesbians, especially among younger sexual minority individuals. These findings suggest that affording same‐sex couples the opportunity to formalise their relationship is not only a civil rights issue but also a public health issue.

Mental health and resilience among rural Australian lesbians and gay men

We examine the mental health of lesbians and gay men in rural and regional Australia, including rural-urban comparisons of psychological distress and resilience. A national survey was conducted involving 1,264 lesbians and 1,470 gay men aged 16-89 years. Psychological distress was high; 32% of rural lesbians and 30% of rural gay men scored high to very high. There were no significant rural-urban differences for lesbians or gay men on distress or resilience, but rural gay men reported fewer non-heterosexual friends and were less likely to participate in mainstream community events. A range of demographic and psychosocial factors predicted psychological distress including experiences related to stigma and marginalization, but patterns differed between rural lesbians and rural gay men. Efforts may be needed to reduce mental health problems in rural lesbians and gay men, with attention also given to differences in the psychosocial circumstances between these two sexual identity groups.

Sense of Belonging to Layers of Lesbian Community Weakens the Link Between Body Image Dissatisfaction and Depressive Symptoms

There is evidence to suggest that body image dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms are related among lesbians and that the strength of this relationship may be influenced by individuals’ sense of belonging to the lesbian community at each of the three layers: broad, organizational, and friendship. The broad layer provides an overarching ideology and, within this layer, individuals may not have direct contact with each other. The organizational layer is represented by groups, organizations, or activities, which exist to bring together lesbians who have a shared interest or proximity, such as lesbian support, social, or interest groups. The friendship layer refers to one’s personal network of friends, and it provides general support and acceptance of oneself as a whole person. A sample of 162 self-identified Australian lesbians completed measures of body image satisfaction, depressive symptoms, and sense of belonging. Results demonstrated that sense of belonging to each layer moderated the body image dissatisfaction→depressive symptoms relationship such that the relationship weakens with increasingly higher levels of sense of belonging. Results further showed that high levels of sense of belonging to the organizational and friendship layers were particularly protective. Examining each layer of community simultaneously has shown the importance of more intimate relationships, in addition to the relationships at the broad layer. The results have significant implications for treatment interventions. Practitioners should consider ways to connect lesbians to these more intimate layers of community.

Peripheral Perspectives

In this paper I identify the key differences and similarities between New Zealand and Australian Lesbian Studies. Until recently, Australian and New Zealand perspectives have been viewed separately. The possible reasons for these differences are discussed and local understandings about diversity that have played a role in the destabilization of Lesbian Studies are considered. I proceed to consider the influence of Queer Theory on teaching and research in Lesbian Studies.