| Popis: |
Despite the considerable research on internalized heterosexism (IH) in general, much remains to be known about the phenomenology of and means to cope with IH in sexual minority women. Literature suggests that IH is associated with several poor mental health outcomes. Sexual minority women's experiences of IH have largely been understudied with respect to their male counter parts. The voices of sexual minority women with respect to IH have largely been absent from the literature and may prove to inform the current literature base and future efforts to address coping in the context of IH. The current study explored the lived experiences of sexual minority women (N= 6) related to IH including their experiences and meaning making related to encountering stigmatizing messages, the effects of stigma on their sense of self, and ability to cope with IH. These topics were explored and analyzed through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Results are presented including five super-ordinate themes and 16 emergent themes and further discussed to inform deeper understanding of sexual minority women's experiences with IH, implications for future research, and considerations for clinical work and advocacy. |
