Out of My Mind: Black Lesbian and Transgender Women, Homophobia, and Mental Health

• In Event: 324 - Section on Race, Gender, and Class Roundtable Session (one-hour).
  In Refereed Roundtable: Table 06. RGC and Health Inequality

Abstract

In spite of recent Black celebrities proclaiming an LGBT identity, and gains within the LGBT movement regarding military rights and gay marriage, inner city Black lesbian and transgender women continue to suffer from homophobia within their home communities. In the field of sociology Black sexuality scholars have examined the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality among Black lesbian women within the realm of family and overall contributions to Black sexual politics. While these studies of Black LGBT identity underscore the intersections of race, gender, and sexuality, there is still a dearth of research that examines the everyday interactions and tensions between LGBT Black women and the larger straight Black community of which many of these women reside in. In this paper I explore mental health challenges inner city Black LGBT women living in Philadelphia face in homophobic Black environments, and how they manage homophobia, while being open about their sexuality.

Author

• Siobhan Brooks, California State University-Fullerton