Lesbian Studies Research Articles

Introduction: The Influence and Legacy of Barbara Grier

This special issue of the Journal of Lesbian Studies focuses on the life and legacy of the lesbian publisher, editor, and author Barbara Grier. Through Grier's “Lesbiana” column in Daughters of Bilitis's magazine The Ladder three editions of The Lesbian in Literature (1967, 1975, 1985), to her role as publisher of the Naiad Press from 1973–2003, Grier introduced hundreds of new lesbian books to readers and kept several lesbian classics on the literary horizon. The articles in this issue focus on Grier's biography, history, and impact through archival analysis, interviews, and content analysis. This introduction contextualizes and outlines the articles in this special issue.

Tracking the rainbow: recent trends in LGBT reference and collection development

Purpose – This paper aims to assess the state of reference publishing between 2003 and 2013 in print, online databases (free access and fee-based) and Internet sites for the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) studies. Background data on trends in non-reference monographic publishing and the growth of topical websites covering LGBT-related subjects are provided. Design/methodology/approach – The WorldCat bibliographical database was scanned for titles published during the decade 2003-2013 to ascertain trends in subject monographs within LGBT studies. The status of the pool of LGBT websites reviewed by the author in 2005 for Choice was checked to evaluate the stability of this expanding format of LGBT information. Those reference works and online resources identified were annotated and placed in the context of general LGBT reference publishing. Findings – Results of the study showed that the genres of encyclopaedias and handbooks continued to be produced for LGBT studies during the first decade of the twenty-first century. The creation of a database of full-text primary materials (ranging from newspapers and academic periodicals to research monographs) marks the recognition by the research community of the value of this body of formerly marginalized literature. The stability of the group of subject websites produced on LGBT topics delineated by the author in 2005 indicates that these resources can be effectively used in the reference process. Originality/value – The data in this article will assist librarians engaged in collection development and reference work by providing a contemporary analysis and bibliographic overview of the sources and types of reference tools in a new interdisciplinary field.

The Sociological Research on LGBT Population in Italy

In this paper, five of the most important books written by Italian Sociologists on LGBT population in Italy are reviewed. The specificity of the Italian context, which in large part is also due the delay of the Italian debate on LGBT issues, is also analysed. Despite this, Italian research has its own particular characteristics and its own wealth, here considered, recognizing at the same time the limits of a field (on Gender, Gay and Lesbian Studies) which has only recently begun to enter Sociological Studies in Italy.

Introduction: Special Issue on Lesbians and White Privilege

This article introduces the special issue on lesbians and white privilege. The beginning situates the imperative of examining white privilege in lesbian studies, and explains why critical analyses are long overdue. Overarching themes of the special issue are identified, followed by an overview of the trajectory of subsequent articles.

Introduction to the first issue of Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity.

Welcome to this first issue of the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Issues’s (Division 44 of the American Psychological Association) first journal titled Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity. The journal will henceforth be published quarterly. This journal is the culmination of a long process that involved the labor and imagination of many. Discussions about what kinds of publications Division 44 might best sponsor occurred as early as my own tenure on the Executive Committee, and then as Division President (1988–1994); I suspect such discussions occurred from the very founding of the Division in January 1985. Division 44 initially opted to sponsor a book series under the editorship of Beverly Greene and Gregory Herek; Barry Chung later took over the series, followed by Marie Miville. More recently, Charlotte Patterson, during her term as President (2005–2006) proposed a membership survey to assess the need for a journal, and a Journal Task Force consisting of Barry Chung, Jon Mohr, and David Pantalone began considering the issue. There were continued discussions throughout the Presidencies of Christopher Martell, Ruth Fassinger, Randy Georgemiller, and Bonnie Strickland. During her Presidency, Bonnie Strickland appointed a larger Journal Task Force, chaired by Kathleen Bieschke and including Beverly Greene, Doug Kimmel, Jon Mohr, and Mark Pope. Mark Pope, during his Presidential term, chaired this committee, which then included Kathleen Bieschke, Beverly Greene, Jon Mohr, Peter Ji, and Doug Kimmel. Mark Pope brought this long process to its conclusion during his term, securing approval from the American Psychological Association (APA) Publications and Communications Board. The Journal Task Force chaired by Mark Pope served as the search committee for the Founding Editor, while the Presidential Trio of Arlene Noriega, Michael Hendricks, and Mark Pope conducted the search for a publisher. The Division 44 Executive Committee approved their recommendations in early 2013 with my appointment as Founding Editor and APA as the publisher. The encouragement and technical assistance from staff at APA Journals, including Gary VandenBos, Susan Harris, Jason Winkler, Skip Maier, and Daniya Tamendarova have been most helpful. I detail this extended history that led to the creation of Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity, both to recognize those who labored to create it and to illustrate the care and thoughtful planning that accompanied the decision to create this journal. One of the reasons Division 44 proceeded with so much caution and planning in the launching of this journal involved concern about whether there would be a sufficient flow of quality manuscripts to fill such a journal. I believe this first issue will begin to lay those concerns to rest. This issue leads with Kristin Hancock’s description of the emerging conflicts between APA’s position on the importance of multiculturalism in the education and training of psychologists, versus the assertion that religious belief can warrant an exemption from such training. While this conflict has been specifically raised regarding training on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues, it potentially can be raised regarding any aspect of training. As Hancock details, the conflict has far-reaching implications in terms of who controls training of psychologists; the nature of psychology as a profession, and professions in general; the relationship between professions and society; and related issues. I believe the issues involved are of such magnitude that Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity will devote space in each of the remaining three issues of Volume 1 to this topic. Specifically, I am inviting brief (1,000–2,000-word) responses to the issues raised in Hancock’s article from a variety of experts on these topics. I also issue a call to anyone interested to consider writing such a response. This will be followed in Issues 3 and 4 with more elaborated responses in the

President’s welcome.

It is with excitement and great expectations that the Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Issues—Division 44 of the American Psychological Association—launches its flagship journal, Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (PSOGD). As President of the Society, I have the distinct honor of presenting this first issue. To be sure, though, there were many individuals whose efforts led to this momentous occasion. As John Gonsiorek, the Founding Editor of PSOGD, has articulated in these pages, the Society had deliberated the notion of a journal for many years, with crucial input from a host of members over more than two decades, including many of the luminaries of the Society. Of utmost importance to all who were involved was ensuring that any journal published by the Society would be of the highest quality possible. I believe that when you read this first issue, you will agree with me that this goal is now being achieved. What will unfold over the next several issues is the collective vision of those who have participated in planning for PSOGD. You will find a combination of empirical and theoretical articles, as well as ongoing thoughtful dialog about the topics and concerns raised in these articles. The Society’s aim for PSOGD is that it be a sort of crucible for developing, testing and refining our understanding of the psychological issues related to gender diversity and sexual orientation. In addition, we hope that this better understanding will then be applied to improve health care, refine education and strengthen advocacy efforts. I wish to express my heartfelt appreciation for the outstanding efforts of our Founding Editor, John Gonsiorek. He has mentioned that this first issue was completed on a tight timeframe. What is truly amazing is that he assembled a distinguished editorial board, obtained a healthy number of high-quality manuscripts, and produced a first issue in barely more than a year. Kudos!

Re]considering queer theories and science education

We take Mattias Lundin’s Inviting queer ideas into the science classroom: studying sexual education from a queer perspective as a point of departure to explore some enduring issues related to the use of queer theories to interrogate science education and its practices. We consider the uneasy, polygamous relationship between gay and lesbian studies and queer theories; the border surveillance that characterizes so much of science [education]; the alluring call of binaries and binary thinking; the ‘all’ within the catchcry ‘science for all’; and the need to better engage the fullness of science and the curriculum, in addition to noting silences around diverse sexes, sexualities, and desires. We catalogue some of the challenges that persist in this work, and offer thoughts about how to work with and against them to enact a more just and compelling science education.

Looking Outside the (Voice)Box

Laura S. Brown, PhD, is a clinical and forensic psychologist in independent practice in Seattle, Washington. The bulk of her scholarly work has been in the fields of feminist therapy theory, trauma treatment, lesbian and gay issues, assessment and diagnosis, ethics and standards of care in psychotherapy, and cultural competence. She has authored or edited ten professional books, including the award-winning Subversive Dialogues: Theory in Feminist Therapy, as well as more than 140 other professional publications. She has also recently published her first book for general audiences, Your turn for care: Surviving the aging and death of the adults who harmed you. Laura has been featured in five psychotherapy training videos produced by the American Psychological Association. She was President of American Psychological Association Divisions 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women), 44 (Society for the Psychological Study of Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues), and 56 (Trauma Psychology). Laura was also President of the Washington State Psychological Association. She is the founder and Director of the Fremont Community Therapy Project, a low-fee psychotherapy training clinic in Seattle. In the fall of 2000, she was the on-site psychologist for the reality show Survivor: The Australian Outback. In 1987, Laura lost her voice and was diagnosed with spasmodic dysphonia. In 1988, she found her voice again.

Introduction: Leading Lesbians Fight Disease and Disability

This thematic issue of the Journal of Lesbian Studies focuses on the ways in which lesbian leaders have dealt with disease and disability. In the articles that follow, eight prominent lesbians describe what it means to cope with serious illness and medical treatment in the context of lesbian identity and community. This introduction provides an overview of some of the themes that arose in the various articles, focusing on lesbian support systems as well as best medical practices.

Revolting Bodies, Desiring Lesbians: An Introduction

This introduction gives the background to this special issue of the Journal of Lesbian Studies that has its origin in the 18th Annual Lesbian Lives Conference of 2011. It traces the theme of Revolting Bodies: Desiring Lesbians across the ten articles of this collection and gives a brief summary of each.

The Impact Factor: Just the Facts

Calculated each year by the Web of Science (Thomson Reuters), a journal’s impact factor (IF) foragivenyear isameasureof the frequency with which its recent articles are cited on average during that year.‘‘Recent’’refers to the two prior calendar years. Thus, Archives’ 2011 IF is the number of times that its 2009 and 2010articleswerecited in2011,dividedbythenumberofarticles the Archives published in 2009 and 2010. Although the IF is the best known metric for citation analysis, there are other measures, including the Immediacy Index (II) and the Cited Half-Life (CHL). The II is a measure of how frequently the journal’s ‘‘average article’’is cited the same year in which it is published. Thus, the II for a year is calculated as the number of times articles fromthat journalarecitedduringthatyear,dividedbythenumber of articles that journal published that year. The CHL is a measure of the longevityof thefrequencyofcitations toarticles in the journal, that is, forhowlongtheaveragearticlemaintains itscurrency. The CHL for a year is determined by the time required to account foracumulativetotalof50 %ofthatyear’scitationstothejournal. The scientometrics of scholarly impact is a specialty field that is worth studying, but I retain the view, as does Brody (2012), that the IF is still a pretty damn good metric. I had an IF fantasy for 2011. In the April 2010 issue of Archives, we published a number of review papers from the DSM-5 Sexual and Gender Identity Disorders Workgroup. I figured they would attract a lot of attention. So, my fantasy was that the IF for 2011 would‘‘soar’’to at least 4.0, which would impact mefarbetter thanaWhiteRussianorBaileys(whichisasaboutas good as it gets for me). Table 1showstheIFof thesexandgenderperiodicals,broadly defined, for the year 2011. Alas, the IF of Archives remained stable: at 3.66 in 2010 and 3.52 in 2011. I better stick to the White Russians for now. The meaning of the IF can be crudely gauged in comparative perspective: For 2011, of 2,943 Social Science journals,Archives was ranked 102nd (96th percentile). Of 109 journals classified as Psychology (Clinical), Archives was ranked 11th (90th percentile). Of 89 journals classified as Social Science, Interdisciplinary, Archives was ranked 1st. Not bad. In previous Editorials, I have observed that there are many sex and gender journals that are not given an IF by the Web of Science .Colleaguespointedout tomethatSexualities,asocialconstructionist periodical, has now been issued an IF (it’s about time, since it was first published in 1998). Its 2011 IF of .63 nested it inbetween GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies and FeminismandPsychology.That seems tobe the rightfit (ormaybe the left). We appear to be in an era of a mini-boom of new sex and gender journals. In 2012, Journal of Language and Sexuality was launched. The American Psychological Association’s Division 44 has announced the launching of Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity (Editor, John Gonsiorek, Ph.D). The publisher Mary Ann Liebert announced the launching of LGBT Health (Editor, William Byne, M.D., Ph.D.), and Duke University Press announced the launching of TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly (Editors, Paisley Currah and Susan Stryker). On the listserv SEXNET, some colleagues expressed worry that thefield isalreadysaturatedwith toomanyjournals.Myview ismoreempirical.ToquotePresidentBush:‘‘Bring‘emon.’’Asto thesaturationproblem,considerthewise,eloquentwordsofDonald Rumsfield:‘‘As we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do K. J. Zucker (&) Gender Identity Service, Child, Youth, and Family Program, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 80 Workman Way, Toronto, ON M6J 1H4, Canada e-mail: Ken.Zucker@camh.ca

Women's Studies and Sexuality Studies at HBCUs: The Audre Lorde Project at Spelman College

Women'sStudies and Sexuality Studies at HBCUs: The Audre Lorde Projectat Spelman College Erica Lorraine Williams A NATIONAL DISCUSSION ON INSTITUTIONAL CHANGES in Women's studies and sexuality studies would be remiss if it did not consider the specificities of historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the United States. Here, I highlight the efforts that the Women's Research and Resource Center and its Audre Lorde Project at Spelman College have made to foster critical discussions about LGBTQ schol arship, activism, and history at HBCUs. In particular, I reflect on the Audre Lorde Project's finding that in order for critical conversations around sexuality and queer studies to happen on HBCU campuses, there must first be an institutional and curricular commitment to black feminisms and black women's studies. Over the last seven years, Beverly Guy-Sheftall, M. jacqui Alexan der, and their team have spearheaded the Audre Lorde Project, whose objective was to "increase public awareness and understanding about African American LGBTQ. experiences; to explore the marginaliza tion of racial issues in the LGBTQ movement and in gay and lesbian studies; and to create climates that acknowledge, value, and respect difference, especially within HBCUs, where profound silences con tinue to exist around gender and sexuality."1 Named after the firstout lesbian woman to speak at Spelman College, the Audre Lorde Project involved visits to eleven HBCU campuses to investigate the social climates for LGBTQ students, faculty, and staff. Their visits helped FeministStudies39, no. 2. © 2013 by Erica Lorraine Williams 520 Forum:W/G/SStudies 521 document homophobia on campuses: LGBTQ students experienced discrimination in the classroom, lived in fear of being ostracized, struggled with coming out on campus, and sometimes dropped out or transferred to other institutions. Simultaneously, Guy-Sheftall and Alexander made a fascinating, although perhaps unsurprising discov ery: the HBCUs that had women's studies programs were more open and receptive than other institutions to having candid discussions about sexuality. They noticed that students who had enrolled in women's studies courses ... were more likely to be conscious of the politics and history of their campuses in relation to matters of gender and sexuality and as a result were more likely to view these matters not as private, individual concerns but as public, culturally constructed, and ultimately amenable to intervention.2 In other words, women's studies paved, and continues to pave, the way for sexuality studies. And given the reality that women's studies has not been widely institutionalized at HBCUs, LGBTQ studies as a result appears virtually non-existent.3 In the Audre Lorde Summit Resource Guide, Roderick Ferguson, Howard University alumnus and American studies scholar, argues that "a curricular interest in black feminism" must be institutionalized in order to transform HBCUs into spaces with an intellectual climate that could engage members of the black LGBTQ community. Black women's studies, Ferguson maintains, "was the first to incorporate examinations of queer sexuality into Black Studies," and "black femi nism has had the longest engagement with the issue of black sexuality." If HBCUs are to embark on a project of institutional transformation to become more open and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ students, faculty, and staff,they must firstcommit to "the insights of black feminism."4 Understanding the historical context of HBCUs can shed light on the resistance that many of these institutions have to both wom en's studies and LGBTQ studies. HBCUs have long been invested in producing ideal black intellectuals and educated women and men who could engage in what was commonly termed "racial uplift." For black women, this too readily meant adopting a politics of silence and respectability in order to counter wider prevailing racist discourses about black women's "excessive" sexuality. As Marybeth Gasman 522 Forum: W¡G¡S Studies points out, "during the early years of black colleges, black temale stu dents were sheltered by the administration; their lives were shaped by institutional policies designed to control their behavior."5 This polic ing of black women's sexuality had significant implications for black queer people. As Matt Richardson argues, the tradition of representing Black people as decent and moral histor ical agents has meant the erasure of the broad array...

Teaching gay and lesbian studies: Looking back on a professional and radical practice

Summary This article takes a look back at the introduction of Gay and Lesbian Studies at the Universite du Quebec a Montreal (UQAM). More precisely, it retraces the inception and evolution of the course Homosexuality and Society which was created in 1995 to introduce students to the perspectives of a new field of knowledge born in the wake of the social movements of the 1970s. This area of study, which would subsequently expand to include all minoritized sexualities, differentiated itself from prior scholarship both by its rupture with the traditional scientific discourse that turned homosexuality into a pathology, and by its determination to produce alternative forms of knowledge that would contribute to the political, cultural and intellectual life of gay and lesbian communities. Geographic and cultural proximity to the United States, the point from which new knowledge spreads, and emulation of the English universities in the province are two elements which favoured the creation of such a course in French in Quebec. Ideas such as sexual parity, cooperative work and interdisciplinarity influenced the conception of the course, though putting them into practice subjected them to the test of reality. The course has proven to be continuously popular, notably among students in Sexology. From the point of view of teaching practice, many challenges were raised by the shortage of pedagogical tools available in French, as well as by the selection of the course content from the greatly expanded realm of sexual diversity studies, the heterogeneity of the groups and the rapid evolution of the socio-political issues. On a more personal note, this article describes the gratification drawn by the author from teaching this course on both a professional and a radical level. The conclusion notes the constant renewal of interest in this course at the same time as it calls for an education program that is more diversified, particularly in those programs oriented towards training our future professionals (sexologists, social workers, educators…).

Calibrating queer in the work of Didier Eribon

The first aim of this article is to provide an overview of Didier Eribon’s unique input to lesbian and gay politics and studies in France. The second aim is to examine the contours of his engagement with and critique of queer, bearing in mind that queer is, at least theoretically, opposed to the very predicate of fixed identity (such as lesbian and gay) and identity politics. In pursuing the second aim, the article will ‘calibrate’ to what extent Eribon’s thought is queer and/or resists queer, measuring it against a hypothetical norm of queer, and also determining the calibre of that thought. In its conclusion, drawing on Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of liquid modernity, the article considers two issues raised by Eribon’s work: first, the desirability or otherwise of queer politics embracing the agendas of minorities other than the sexual, such as ethnic minorities whose religious beliefs may be hostile to non-heteronormative sexualities; and the relationship of queer to the binary oppositions of universalism/particularism, sameness/difference that structure debate within the context of French Republicanism.

Sociology as bridge over troubled waters: establishing a link between the principles of lesbian and gay studies and queer theory

ABSTRACT Lesbian and gay studies emerged in the late 1950s and provided what several academics considered a homogeneous representation of the lesbian and gay community. Based on the critique of this view, queer theory came to the fore during the early 1990s, as a political initiative to highlight the diverse nature of homosexual experiences. Both paradigms heralded indefatigable insights into the lives of these two sexual minorities, yet without a necessary bridge between the homogeneous and the heterogeneous. The objective of the article is to provide a theoretical contemplation of how the manner in which the principles that lesbian and gay studies and queer theory respectively exude, may complement each other so as to offer a link between the ‘homogeneous’ and the ‘diverse’, pertaining to the lived experiences of gay men and lesbian women.

Teaching Lesbian Studies

Editorial Note: This essay on teaching lesbian studies is the first submission in a new feature in the Journal of Homosexuality, aimed at providing guidance to students and faculty who wish to teach courses in LGBT studies or to learn about basic concepts in the field such as minority stress, coming out models, heterosexism, etc. Esther D. Rothblum starts us out on this mission with her experiences teaching a course in lesbian studies. We encourage commentary on this piece and submissions about other experiences in teaching or introductions to basic concepts in sexuality and gender studies. This article describes teaching an upper-level undergraduate course on lesbian studies. It focuses on the types of students likely to enroll in this course, key aspects of gender identity and sexual orientation to be included, national and international issues to be discussed, and potential readings.

My New Zealand Lesbian Studies Through Time and Times

In this article Alison J. Laurie reflects on her political activism and how it informs her academic scholarship and research interests relating to lesbian studies in New Zealand. She concludes that her desire for social change and commitment to lesbian community development inspired her early activism and has continued to inform her activism as well as her academic research and writing. She discusses her involvement in lesbian and gay organizations and campaigns, in New Zealand, Scandinavia, the United States and the United Kingdom, and the ideas that have informed and influenced her work. She pioneered the first lesbian studies courses in New Zealand, initially through community education, and from 1990 for university credit, and considers the contribution these courses can make. Finally, she reflects on several of her articles, book chapters and books considering how her work has developed during the past 50 years.

Considering Lesbian Identity from a Social–Psychological Perspective: Two Different Models of “Being a Lesbian”

One long-standing project within lesbian studies has been to develop a satisfactory working definition of “lesbian.” This article proposes two new models of a definition using principles of social psychology. Each model (a) utilizes the premise that gender lacks a categorical essence and (b) separates behavioral adherence to cultural stereotypes of femininity and masculinity from one's gender self-categorization. From these premises, I generate and critique two internally coherent models of lesbian identity that are inclusive (to different degrees) of various gender identities. For each model, the potential inclusion of trans men, trans women, genderqueers, and lesbian-identified cisgender men is evaluated. The explanatory power of these models is twofold. One, the models can serve as theoretical perspectives for scholars who study the intersection of gender and sexual identity. Two, the models can also characterize the everyday experience of people who have tacit working definitions of lesbian identity.

Queer indigenous studies: critical interventions in theory, politics, and literature

This book is an imagining. So begins this collection examining critical, Indigenous-centered approaches to understanding gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, and Two-Spirit (GLBTQ2) lives and communities and the creative implications of queer theory in Native studies. This book is not so much a manifesto as it is a dialogue a writing in conversation among a luminous group of scholar-activists revisiting the history of gay and lesbian studies in Indigenous communities while forging a path for Indigenouscentered theories and methodologies. The bold opening to Queer Indigenous Studies invites new dialogues in Native American and Indigenous studies about the directions and implications of queer Indigenous studies. The collection notably engages Indigenous GLBTQ2 movements as alliances that also call for allies beyond their bounds, which the co-editors and contributors model by crossing their varied identities, including Native, trans, straight, non-Native, feminist, Two-Spirit, mixed blood, and queer, to name just a few. Rooted in the Indigenous Americas and the Pacific, and drawing on disciplines ranging from literature to anthropology, contributors to Queer Indigenous Studies call Indigenous GLBTQ2 movements and allies to center an analysis that critiques the relationship between colonialism and heteropatriarchy. By answering critical turns in Indigenous scholarship that center Indigenous epistemologies and methodologies, contributors join in reshaping Native studies, queer studies, transgender studies, and Indigenous feminisms. Based on the reality that queer Indigenous people experience multilayered oppression that profoundly impacts our safety, health, and survival, this book is at once an imagining and an invitation to the reader to join in the discussion of decolonizing queer Indigenous research and theory and, by doing so, to partake in allied resistance working toward positive change.

Out Lesbians in Nursing: What Would Florence Say?

Research and education on lesbian health has increased substantially in quantity and quality in the past 40 years, but little of this work has been produced by nursing scholars. We began our academic nursing careers as out lesbian faculty at the same college of nursing in the late 1980s, where we collaborated on the earliest studies of attitudes about lesbians in the nursing profession. Our paths diverged in the early 1990s, but we shared similar experiences in nursing education that highlight the structural and attitudinal barriers within nursing that have inhibited lesbian health studies. The deeply imbedded lesbian phobia within nursing has historic roots that plague contemporary research, education, and practice. In this article, we discuss the inclusion of lesbian health in nursing, share some of our personal stories about the obstacles we encountered, and end with suggestions for changing this stifling climate for future generations of lesbian health scholars.