Huxley, Caroline J., Clarke, Victoria, Ph.D. and Halliwell, Emma. (2011) "It's a comparison thing, isn't it?" : lesbian and bisexual women's accounts of how partner relationships shape their feelings about their body and appearance. Psychology of Women Quarterly, Vol.35 (No.3). pp. 415-427. ISSN 0361-6843

Preview

Text WRAP_Huxley_PWQ-09-114-final.pdf - Accepted Version Download (350Kb)

Abstract

Women's feelings about their body and their appearance are an important aspect of their lives, yet little is known about the ways in which partner relationships shape these feelings. There has been some debate about whether or not same-sex relationships offer protection to nonheterosexual (lesbian and bisexual) women from potentially harmful social appearance pressures, but there has been little empirical exploration of this issue. We contribute to the debate by presenting findings from a British qualitative study based on interviews with 15 nonheterosexual women talking about their feelings about their bodies and their appearance in the context of partner relationships. These accounts were analyzed using a phenomenologically oriented form of thematic analysis (TA) and seven main themes were generated. The women suggested that same-sex relationships were both positive and negative influences in shaping their feelings about their body and appearance, highlighting the complexity of this issue. However, positive descriptions of empathy toward body and appearance concerns as well as diversity within same-sex attractions suggest that same-sex relationships have the potential to encourage women to feel happier with their bodies. This analysis also suggests that the theoretical debate is too simplistic and that a synthesized explanation should be explored in future research.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology H Social Sciences > HQ The family. Marriage. Woman
Divisions:	Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School > Metabolic and Vascular Health Faculty of Medicine > Warwick Medical School
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH):	Body image in women, Lesbians -- Psychology, Bisexual women -- Psychology, Lesbian couples
Journal or Publication Title:	Psychology of Women Quarterly
Publisher:	Sage Publications, Inc.
ISSN:	0361-6843
Date:	September 2011
Volume:	Vol.35
Number:	No.3
Page Range:	pp. 415-427
Identification Number:	10.1177/0361684311410209
Status:	Peer Reviewed
Publication Status:	Published
Access rights to Published version:	Restricted or Subscription Access
References:	Ambwani, S., & Strauss, J. (2007). Love thyself before loving others? A qualitative and quantitative analysis of gender differences in body image and romantic love. Sex Roles, 56, 13-21. Asher, N. S., & Asher, K. C. (1999). Qualitative methods for an outsider looking in: Lesbian women and body image. In M. Kopala & L. A. Suzuki (Eds.), Using qualitative methods in psychology (pp. 135-144). Thousand Oaks, CA, US: Sage. Befort, C., Robinson, S. E. K., Hullbanks, E., Nicpon, M. F., Huser, L., & Sollenberger, S. (2001). Body image, self-esteem, and weight-related criticism from romantic partners. Journal of College Student Development, 42(5), 407-419. Beren, S. E., Hayden, H. A., Wilfley, D. E., & Striegel-Moore, R. H. (1997). Body dissatisfaction among lesbian college students: The conflict of straddling mainstream and lesbian cultures. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21(3), 431-445. Blackwood, E. (1999). Tombois in West Sumtra: Constructing masculinity and erotic desire. In E. Blackwood & S. E. Wieringa (Eds.), Female desires: Same-sex relationships and transgender practices across cultures (pp. 181-205). New York, US: Columbia University Press. Bordo, S. (1993). Unbearable weight: Feminism, Western culture, and the body. London: University of California Press. Bosson, J.K., Pinel, E.C., & Thompson, J.K. (2008). The affective consequences of minimizing women’s body image concerns. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32, 257 – 266. Bower, J., Gurevich, M., & Mathieson, C. (2002). (Con)tested identities: Bisexual women reorient sexuality. Journal of Bisexuality, 2(2-3), 23-52. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3, 77-101. Brown, L. S. (1987). Lesbians, weight, and eating: New analyses and perspectives. In the Boston Lesbian Psychologies Collective (Ed.), Lesbian psychologies: Explorations and challenges (pp. 294-259). Urbana-Champaign, IL, US: University of Illinois Press. Burch, B., (1982). Psychological merger in lesbian couples: A joint ego psychological and systems approach. Family Therapy, 9(3), 201-208. Burns, M., & Gavey, N. (2004). ‘Healthy weight’ at what cost? ‘Bulimia’ and a discourse of weight control. Journal of Health Psychology, 9(4), 549-565. Clarke, V., Burgoyne, C., & Burns, M. (2007), Romance, rights, recognition, responsibilities and radicalism: Same-sex couples’ views on civil partnership and marriage. In V. Clarke & E. Peel (Eds.), Out in psychology: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer perspectives (pp. 173-193). Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley. Clarke, V., Ellis, S. J., Peel, E., & Riggs, D. W. (2010). Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer psychology: An introduction. Cambridge, MA, US: Cambridge University Press. Clarke, V., Kitzinger, C., & Potter, J. (2004). 'Kids are just cruel anyway': Lesbian and gay parents' talk about homophobic bullying. British Journal of Social Psychology, 4(4), 531-550. Clarke, V., & Peel, E. (Eds.). (2007). Out in psychology: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer perspectives. Chichester, West Sussex, UK: Wiley. Clarke, V., & Turner, K. (2007). Clothes maketh the queer? Dress, appearance and the construction of lesbian, gay and bisexual identities. Feminism & Psychology, 17(2), 267-276. Crawley, S. L. (2002). “They still don’t understand why I hate wearing dresses!” An autoethnographic rant on dresses, boats and butchness. Cultural Studies <-> Critical Methodologies, 2(1), 69-92. Crenshaw, K. (1993). Mapping the margins: Intersectionality, identity politics, and violence against women of color. Stanford Law Review, 43(6), 1241-1279. Davis, M., & Kennedy, E. L. (1986). Oral history and the study of sexuality in the lesbian community: Buffalo, New York, 1940-1960. Feminist Studies, 12(1), 7-26. Davison, T. E., & McCabe, M. P. (2005). Relationships between men's and women's body image and their psychological, social and sexual functioning. Sex Roles, 52(7/8), 463-475. Dunne, G. A. (1997). Lesbian lifestyles: Women's work and the politics of sexuality. Basingstoke, UK: MacMillan and University of Toronto Press. Dunne, G. A. (1999). The different dimensions of gay fatherhood: Exploding the myths. Report to the Economic and Social Research Council. London: London School of Economics. Dworkin, S. H. (1988). Not in man's image: Lesbians and the cultural oppression of body image. Women & Therapy, 8(1-2), 27-39. Elliston, D. A. (1999). Negotiating transnational sexual economies: Female mahu and same-sex sexuality in “Tahiti and Her islands.” In E. Blackwood & S. E. Wieringa (Eds.), Female desires: Same-sex relationships and transgender practices across cultures (pp. 230-252). New York, US: Columbia University Press. Eves, A. (2004). Queer theory, butch/femme identities and lesbian space. Sexualities, 7(4), 480-496. Faderman, L. (1991). Odd girls and twilight lovers: A history of lesbian life in the twentieth century. London: Penguin Books. Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. A. (1997), Objectification theory: Toward understanding women's lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21, 173-206. Gill, R. (2008). Empowerment/sexism: Figuring female sexual agency in contemporary advertising. Feminism Psychology, 18(1), 35-60. Gurevich, M., Bower, J., Mathieson, C. , & Dhayanandhan, B. (2007). "What Do They Look Like and Are They Among Us?": Bisexuality, (Dis)closure and (Un)viability, In V. Clarke & E. Peel (Eds.). Out in psychology: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer perspectives (pp. 217 – 241). Chichester: John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Haines, M. E., Erchull, M. J., Liss, M., Turner, D. L., Nelson, J. A., Ramsey, L. R., & Hurt, M. M. (2008). Predictors and effects of self-objectification in lesbians, Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32, 181 – 187. Halliwell, E., & Dittmar, H. (2006). Associations between appearance-related self- discrepancies and young women's and men's affect, body satisfaction, and emotional eating: A comparison of fixed-item and participant-generated self-discrepancies. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 32(4), 447-458. Hayfield, N. J. (2011). Bisexual women’s visual identities: A feminist mixed-methods exploration, (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Hellawell, D. (2006). Inside-out: Analysis of the insider-outsider concept as a heuristic device to develop reflexivity in students doing qualitative research. Teaching in Higher Education, 11(4), 483-494. Herek, G. M., Kimmel, D. C., Amaro, H., & Melton, G. B. (1991). Avoiding heterosexist bias in psychological research. American Psychologist, 46(9), 957-963. Hill, M. S., & Fischer, A. R. (2008). Examining objectification theory: Lesbian and heterosexual women's experiences with sexual- and self-objectification. Counseling Psychologist, 36(5), 745-776. Holliday, R. (1999). The comfort of identity, Sexualities, 2(4), 475-491. Huxley, C.J. (2010). An exploration of the sociocultural influences affecting lesbian and bisexual women's body image. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of the West of England, Bristol, UK. Huxley, C.J., Clarke, V., & Halliwell, E., (2009a). “If you’ve got girly appearance you can’t possibly be gay”: Lesbian and bisexual women discuss appearance. Manuscript in preparation. Huxley, C.J., Clarke, V., & Halliwell, E., (2009b). “You’re always going to be bullied for being big, doesn’t matter if you’re gay, straight, bi”: Are lesbian and bisexual women vulnerable to social pressures to be thin? Manuscript in preparation. Kelly, L. (2007). Lesbian body image perceptions: the context of body silence. Qualitative Health Research, 17(7), 873-883. Kitzinger, C. (1987). The social construction of lesbianism. London: Sage. Krakauer, I. D., & Rose, S. M. (2002). The impact of group membership on lesbians' physical appearance. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 6(1), 31-43. Jefferson, D.L., & Stake, J.E. (2009). Appearance self-attitudes of African American and European American women: media comparisons and internalization of beauty ideals. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33, 396 – 409. Legenbauer, T., Vocks, S., Schäfer, C., Schütt-Strömel, S., Hiller, W., Wagner, C., & Vögele, C. (2009). Preference for attractiveness and thinness in a partner: Influence of internalization of the thin ideal and shape/weight dissatisfaction in heterosexual women, heterosexual men, lesbians, and gay men. Body Image, 6(3), 228-234. Lev, A. I. (2008). More than surface tension: Femmes in families. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 12 (2-3), 127-144. Levitt, H. M., & Hiestand, K. R. (2004). A quest for authenticity: Contemporary butch gender. Sex Roles, 50(9-10), 605-621. Lyle, J., Jones, J., & Drakes, G. (1999) Beauty on the borderland: On being Black lesbian and beautiful. Journal of Lesbian Studies, 3(4), 45-54. McClennen, J. C. (2003). Researching gay and lesbian domestic violence: The journey of a non-LGBT researcher. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services, 15(1 & 2), 31-45. Mitchell, K.S., & Mazzeo, S.E. (2009). Evaluation of a structural model of objectification theory and eating disorder symptomatology among European American and African American undergraduate women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 33, 384 – 395. Moradi, B., & Huang, Y-P. (2008). Objectification theory and psychology of women: A decade of advances and future directions. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 32, 377 – 398. Morris, J. F., & Rothblum, E. (1999). Who fills out a "lesbian" questionnaire? The interrelationship of sexual orientation, years "out", disclosure of sexual orientation, sexual experience with women, and participation in the lesbian community. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 23, 537-557. Morrow, S. L. (2005). Quality and trustworthiness in qualitative research in counseling psychology. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 52(2), 250-260. Myers, A., Taub, J., Morris, J. F., & Rothblum, E. (1999). Beauty mandates and the appearance obsession: Are lesbian and bisexual women better off? Journal of Lesbian Studies, 3(4), 15-26. Nguyen, A. (2008). Patriarchy, power, and female masculinity. Journal of Homosexuality, 55(4), 665-683. Peplau, L. A., Fingerhut, A., & Beals, K. P. (2004). Sexuality in the relationships of lesbians and gay men. In J. H. Harvey, A. Wenzel, & S. Sprecher (Eds.), The handbook of sexuality in close relationships (pp. 349-370). Mahwah, NJ, US: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Polimeni, A-M., Austin, S. B., & Kavanagh, A. M. (2009). Sexual orientation and weight, body image and weight control practices among young Australian women. Journal of Women's Health, 18(3), 355-362. Rose, S., & Zand, D. (2000). Lesbian dating and courtship from young adulthood to midlife. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services: Issues in Practice, Policy & Research, 11(2- 3), 77-104. Rothblum, E. D. (1994). Transforming lesbian sexuality. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 18(4), 627-641. Sabik, N.J., Cole, E.R., & Ward, L.M. (2010). Are all minority women equally buffered from negative body image? Intra-ethnic moderators of the buffering hypothesis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 34, 139 – 151. Smith, J. A., Flowers, P., & Larkin, M. (2009). Interpretative phenomenological analysis: Theory method and research. London: Sage. Strong, S. M., Williamson, D. A., Netemeyer, R. G., & Geer, J. H. (2000). Eating disorder symptoms and concerns about body differ as a function of gender and sexual orientation. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 19, 240-255. Taub, J. (1999). Bisexual women and beauty norms: A qualitative examination. In J. C. Cogan & J. M. Erickson (Eds.), Lesbians, levis and lipstick: The meaning of beauty in our lives (pp. 27-36). New York, US: The Haworth Press. Taylor, Y. (2007). "If your face doesn't fit..." The misrecognition of working-class lesbians in scene space. Leisure Studies, 26(2), 161-178. Thompson, J. K., Heinberg, L. J., Altabe, M., & Tantleff-Dunn, S. (2002). Exacting beauty: Theory, assessment and treatment of body image disturbance. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Vanska, A. (2005). Why are there no lesbian advertisements? Feminist Theory, 6(1), 67-85. Wagenbach, P. (2003). Lesbian body image and eating issues. Journal of Psychology & Human Sexuality, 15(4), 205-227. Walker, L. (2001). Looking like what you are: Sexual style, race, and lesbian identity. London: New York University Press. Wheeler, D. P. (2003). Methodological issues in conducting community-based health and social services research among urban black and African-American LGB populations. Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services, 15(1/2), 65-78.
URI:	http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/id/eprint/38387

Data sourced from Thomson Reuters' Web of Knowledge

Request changes to a record

Actions (login required)

View Item