Western cultures promote a thin and curvaceous ideal body size that most women find difficult to achieve by healthy measures, resulting in poor body image and increased risk for eating pathology. Research focusing on body image in lesbian and bisexual women has yielded inconsistent results. In total, 11 lesbian and bisexual women were interviewed regarding their experiences with body image. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed that these women experienced similar mainstream pressures to conform to a thin body ideal. Furthermore, participants perceived additional pressure to conform to heteronormative standards of beauty since the normalisation of homosexuality and the increase in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender representation in mainstream media.
AaronDJMarkovicNDanielsonMEet al. (2001) Behavioral risk factors for disease and preventive health practices among lesbians. American Journal of Public Health91(6): 972–975. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11392943
2.
AhmadSBhugraD (2010) Homophobia: An updated review of the literature. Sexual and Relationship Theory25(4): 447–455.
3.
AlvyAM (2013) Do lesbian women have a better body image? Comparisons with heterosexual women and model of lesbian-specific factors. Body Image10: 524–534.
4.
AsherNSAsherKC (1999) Qualitative methods for an outsider looking in: Lesbian women and body image. In: KopalaMSuzukiLA (eds) Using Qualitative Methods in Psychology. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE, pp. 135–144.
5.
AustinSBZiyadehNJCorlissHLet al. (2009) Sexual orientation disparities in purging and binge eating from early to late adolescence. Journal of Adolescent Health45: 238–245.
6.
AustinSBZiyadehNJKahnJAet al. (2004) Sexual orientation, weight concerns, and eating-disordered behaviors in adolescent girls and boys. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry43(9): 1115–1123.
7.
BaileyJMGaulinSAgyeiYet al. (1994) Effects of gender and sexual orientation on evolutionary relevant aspects of human mating psychology. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology66(6): 1081–1093.
8.
BerenSEHaydenHAWilfleyDEet al. (1996) The influence of sexual orientation on body dissatisfaction in adult men and women. International Journal of Eating Disorders20(2): 135–141.
9.
BrownLS (1987) Lesbians, weight, and eating: New analyses and perspectives. In: Boston Lesbian Psychologies Collective (ed.) Lesbian Psychologies: Explorations and Challenges. Urbana, IL; Chicago, IL: University of Illinois Press, pp. 294–310.
10.
BussDMSchmittDP (2011) Evolutionary psychology and feminism. Sex Roles64: 768–787.
11.
CassVC (1979) Homosexual identity formation: A theoretical model. Journal of Homosexuality4(3): 219–235.
12.
CassVC (1984) Homosexual identity formation: Testing a theoretical model. The Journal of Sex Research20(2): 143–167.
13.
ChmielewskiJFYostMR (2012) Psychosocial influences on bisexual women’s body image: Negotiating gender and sexuality. Psychology of Women Quarterly37: 224–241.
14.
ClarkeVPeelE (2007) Out in Psychology: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Perspectives. Chichester: John Wiley & Sons.
15.
ClarkeVTurnerK (2007) Clothes maketh the queer? Dress, appearance and the construction of lesbian, gay and bisexual identities. Feminism & Psychology17(2): 267–276.
16.
CochranSDSullivanJGMaysVM (2003) Prevalence of mental disorders, psychological distress, and mental health services use among lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults in the United States. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology71(1): 53–61.
17.
ConnerMJohnsonCGroganS (2004) Gender, sexuality, body image and eating behaviours. Journal of Health Psychology9(4): 505–515.
18.
CrawleySL (2002) ‘They still don’t understand why I hate wearing dresses!’ An autoethnographic rant on dresses, boats, and butchness. Critical Methodologies2(1): 69–92.
19.
DworkinHS (1989) Not in a man’s image: Lesbians and cultural oppression of body image. Women & Therapy8: 27–39.
FeldmanMBMeyerIH (2007) Eating disorders in diverse lesbian, gay, and bisexual populations. International Journal of Eating Disorders40: 218–226.
22.
FredricksonBLRobertsT-A (1997) Objectification theory: Toward understanding women’s lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly21: 173–206.
23.
FrenchSAStoryMRemafediGet al. (1996) Sexual orientation and prevalence of body dissatisfaction and eating disordered behaviors: A population-based study of adolescents. International Journal of Eating Disorders19(2): 119–126.
24.
GomillionSCGiulianoTA (2011) The influence of media role models on gay, lesbian, and bisexual identity. Journal of Homosexuality58: 330–354.
25.
GroganSConnerMSmithsonH (2006) Sexuality and exercise motivations: Are gay men and heterosexual women most likely to be motivated by concern about weight and appearance?Sex Roles55: 567–572.
26.
HadlandSEAustinSBGoodenowCSet al. (2014) Weight misperception and unhealthy weight control behaviors among sexual minorities in the general population. Journal of Adolescent Health54: 296–303.
27.
HainesMEErchullMJLissMet al. (2008) Predictors and effects of self-objectification in lesbians. Psychology of Women Quarterly32: 181–187.
28.
HanleySMcLarenS (2015) Sense of belonging to layers of lesbian community weakens the link between body image dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms. Psychology of Women Quarterly39(1): 85–94.
29.
HerekGMGarnetsLD (2007) Sexual orientation and mental health. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology3: 353–375.
30.
HoogheMMeeusenC (2013) Is same-sex marriage legislation related to attitudes toward homosexuality? Trends in tolerance of homosexuality in European countries between 2002 and 2010. Sexuality Research and Social Policy10(4): 258–268.
31.
HuxleyCJ (2013) Lesbian and bisexual women’s experiences of sexuality-based discrimination and their appearance concerns. Psychology & Sexuality4(1): 7–15.
32.
HuxleyCJClarkeVHalliwellE (2014) A qualitative exploration of whether lesbian and bisexual women are ‘protected’ from sociocultural pressure to be thin. Journal of Health Psychology19: 273–284.
33.
JonesRMalsonH (2011) A critical exploration of lesbian perspectives on eating disorders. Psychology & Sexuality4(1): 62–74.
34.
KellyL (2007) Lesbian body image perceptions: The context of body silence. Qualitative Health Research17(7): 873–883.
35.
KingMSemlyenJTaiSSet al. (2008) A systematic review of mental disorder, suicide, and deliberate self harm in lesbian, gay and bisexual people. BMC Psychiatry8: 70.
36.
KrakauerIDRoseSM (2002) The impact of group membership on lesbians’ physical appearance. Journal of Lesbian Studies6: 31–43.
37.
LakkisJWilliamsRJRicciardelliLA (1999) Role of sexual orientation and gender-related traits in disordered eating. Sex Roles41(1–2): 1–16.
38.
LevAI (2008) More than surface tension: Femmes in families. Journal of Lesbian Studies12(2–3): 126–143.
39.
LevittHMHiestandKR (2004) A quest for authenticity: Contemporary butch gender. Sex Roles50(9–10): 605–621.
40.
LewisRJDerlegaVJBerndtAet al. (2002) An empirical analysis of stressors for gay men and lesbians. Journal of Homosexuality42(1): 63–88.
41.
McKeeA (2000) Images of gay men in the media and the development of self esteem. Australian Journal of Communication27(2): 81–98. Available at: http://eprints.qut.edu.au/14931/
42.
MarkeyCNMarkeyPM (2013) Gender, sexual orientation, and romantic partner influence on body image: An examination of heterosexual and lesbian women and their partners. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships31(2): 162–177.
43.
MeyerCBlissettJOldfieldC (2001) Sexual orientation and eating psychopathology: The role of masculinity and femininity. International Journal of Eating Disorders29: 314–318.
44.
NguyenA (2008) Patriarchy, power, and female masculinity. Journal of Homosexuality55: 665–683.
45.
PeplauLAFrederickDAYeeCet al. (2009) Body image satisfaction in heterosexual, gay and lesbian adults. Archives of Sexual Behavior38: 713–725.
46.
RothblumED (1994) Transforming lesbian identity. Psychology of Women Quarterly18: 627–641.
47.
SatinskySReeceMDennisBet al. (2012) An assessment of body appreciation and its relationship to sexual function in women. Body Image9: 137–144.
48.
SchäferS (1977) Sociosexual behavior in male and female homosexuals: A study in sex differences. Archives of Sexual Behavior6: 355–364.
49.
SieverMD (1994) Sexual orientation and gender as factors in socioculturally acquired vulnerability to body dissatisfaction and eating disorders. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology62(2): 252–260.
50.
SmithCAStillmanS (2002) What do women want? The effects of gender and sexual orientation on the desirability of physical attributes in the personal ads of women. Sex Roles46(9–10): 337–342.
51.
SmithJA (1996) Beyond the divide between cognition and discourse: Using interpretative phenomenological analysis in health psychology. Psychology & Health11: 261–271.
52.
SmithJA (2004) Reflecting on the development of interpretative phenomenological analysis and its contribution to qualitative research in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology1: 39–54. DOI: 10.1191/1478088704qp004oa.
53.
SmithJAOsbornM (2003) Interpretative phenomenological analysis. In: SmithJA (ed.) Qualitative Psychology: A Practical Guide to Research Methods. London: SAGE, pp. 51–80.
54.
SticeEAgrasWS (1998) Predicting onset and cessation of bulimic behaviors during adolescence: A longitudinal grouping analysis. Behavior Therapy29: 257–276.
55.
StoreyL (2007) Doing interpretative phenomenological analysis. In: LyonsECoyleA (eds) Analysing Qualitative Data in Psychology. London: SAGE, pp. 51–64.
56.
SwamiVTovéeMJ (2006) The influence of body mass index on the physical attractiveness preferences of feminist and nonfeminist heterosexual women and lesbians. Psychology of Women Quarterly30: 252–257.
57.
SzymanskiDMChungYB (2003a) Feminist attitudes and coping resources as correlates of lesbian internalized heterosexism. Feminism & Psychology13: 369–389.
58.
SzymanskiDMChungYB (2003b) Internalized homophobia in lesbians. Journal of Lesbian Studies7: 115–125.
59.
TaubJ (2003) What should I wear? A qualitative look at the impact of feminism and women’s communities on bisexual women’s appearance. Journal of Bisexuality3(1): 9–22.
60.
TiggemannM (2015) Considerations of positive body image across various social identities and special populations. Body Image14: 168–176.
61.
WagenbachP (2004) Lesbian body image and eating issues. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality15(4): 205–227.
62.
WichstrømLHegnaK (2003) Sexual orientation and suicide attempt: A longitudinal study of the general Norwegian adolescent population. Journal of Abnormal Psychology112(1): 144–151.
