2013/06/26 by Keren Lehavot, Tracy L. Simpson · 1 citation
Psychology · Social Sciences · #LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy #Gender Roles and Identity Studies #Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
paper · pdf · doi:10.1007/s11606-012-2291-2
openalex publication_date 2013/06/26 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Relative to the general population, lesbian and bisexual (LB) women are overrepresented in the military and are significantly more likely to have a history of military service compared to all adult women. Due to institutional policies and stigma associated with a gay or lesbian identity, very little empirical research has been done on this group of women veterans. Available data suggest that compared to heterosexual women veterans, LB women veterans are likely to experience heightened levels of prejudice and discrimination, victimization, including greater incidence of rape, as well as adverse health and substance use disorders. They are also likely to encounter a host of unique issues when accessing health care, including fears of insensitive care and difficulty disclosing sexual orientation to Veterans Health Administration (VHA) providers. Training of staff and providers, education efforts, outreach activities, and research on this subpopulation are critical to ensure equitable and high quality service delivery.