Body image and sexual orientation: The experiences of lesbian and bisexual women. (August 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Smith, Marie L; Telford, Elina; Tree, Jeremy J
• Is Part Of: Journal of health psychology. Volume 24:Number 9(2019)
• Page Start: 1178
• Page End: 1190
• Publication Date: 2019-08
• Subjects: body dissatisfaction -- body image -- interpretative phenomenological analysis -- qualitative methods -- sexuality; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 613.019
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105317694486
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1053

Abstract

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.