Beverly Greene

Lesbian Women of Color

(1996). Lesbian Women of Color. Journal of Lesbian Studies: Vol. 1, Classics in Lesbian Studies Part I, pp. 109-147.

African American Lesbian and Bisexual Women

This article explores the convergence of racism, sexism, and heterosexism in the lives of African American women, particularly lesbian and bisexual women, and its effects on the development of their sexuality and sexual identity. Specifics of this discussion focus on African American women, however, the struggles reflected in their development of a personal identity exemplify the kinds of struggles that most women of color encounter. These struggles are reflected in the need to negotiate a dominant culture that devalues women, people of color, and lesbians; the need to master and integrate the cultural derivatives of ones own ethnic group; the need to manage relationships with family, community, and partners; and the need to form a consolidated personal identity.

AIDS, identity, and community : the HIV epidemic and lesbians and gay men

Preface - Gregory M Herek HIV and the Gay Male Community - Neal King One Clinicians Reflections over the Years Lesbians at Risk for HIV - Cynthia A Gomez The Unresolved Debate HIV/AIDS Prevention and the Impact of Attitudes towards Homosexuality and Bisexuality - Theo G M Sandfort Identity and Community among Gay and Bisexual Men in the AIDS Era - Gregory M Herek and Eric K Glunt Preliminary Findings from the Sacramento Mens Health Study AIDS-Related Risks and Same-Sex Behaviors among African American Men - John L Peterson The Sexual Identity and Behavior of Puerto Rican Men Who Have Sex with Men - Alex Carballo-Dieguez AIDS Risk, Dual Identity and Community Response among Gay Asian and Pacific Islander Men in San Francisco - Kyung-Hee Choi et al Psychosocial Stressors in a Panel of New York City Gay Men during the AIDS Epidemic - Laura Dean 1985 to 1991 Coming Out as Lesbian and Gay in the Era of AIDS - Mary Jane Rotheram-Borus, Joyce Hunter and Margaret Rosario Long-Term Survival with AIDS and the Role of Community - Robert H Remien and Judith G Rabkin AIDS Volunteerism - Allen M Omoto and A Lauren Crain Lesbian and Gay Community-Based Responses to HIV The Importance of HIV Prevention Programming to the Lesbian and Gay Community - William A Bailey

Psychotherapy with African American women: Integrating feminist and psychodynamic models

Abstract African American women live and develop in the context of many diverse individual realties and societal circumstances that may challenge or facilitate their optimal development. These interrelated realities are but a few of those which serve as the crucible in which psychotherapy with African American women takes place. A discussion of the salient factors that must be considered in the culturally literate and competent delivery of psychological services to African American women constitutes the focus of this article. Particular attention is given to integrating psychodynamic and feminist therapy principles in ways that are sensitive to the complex historical, psychological and cultural realities of African American women in the United States.

Psychology, diversity and social justice: Beyond heterosexism and across the cultural divide

This article discusses the tendency to avoid examining the role of oppressive ideologies in mental health that facilitate social injustice, the role of oppressive ideologies in creating mental health problems, barriers to culturally competent interventions, and the discomfort associated with examining differences in psychotherapy as manifestations of power and privilege differentials that form the core of social injustice.

Not Any One Thing

Abstract The complex legacy of social class on African American lesbians in relationships was examined using a case study approach. Six highly educated, middle class African American lesbians in their mid-thirties to mid-fifties were interviewed in this exploratory study. Differences in social class were perceived as the reason for the conflict in these relationships. Conversely, similarities in social class were described as making relationships operate more smoothly. Although similarities in race can generate shared cultural values, it is the meaning given to a couples perceived similarities and differences that influences the quality of the communication between partners. These preliminary findings highlight a previously unexplored contribution to the dynamics in African American lesbian relationships.

The use and abuse of religious beliefs in dividing and conquering between socially marginalized groups: the same-sex marriage debate.

This article discusses the use and abuse of religious beliefs and their role in divide-and-conquer strategies. Divide-and-conquer strategies are engaged to disrupt potential coalitions between and among marginalized group members, specifically sexual minority groups and people of color. Tensions between these groups have been exacerbated by the debate on same-sex marriage and comparisons between the discriminatory treatment of each group. A component of this discussion includes a brief exploration of one of the historical abuses of religious doctrine used to legitimize the marginalization of people of color and sexual minorities in the United States. For African Americans, one form of marginalization was reflected in criminalizing interracial marriage, and for members of sexual minority groups, a form of marginalization is denying group members the right to marry. The author also explores culturally competent and respectful disciplinary and clinical responses to religiously derived prejudice against sexual minority group members and people of color and discusses the implications for multicultural discourse.

Multicultural Feminist Therapy: Theory in Context

SUMMARY Psychological theory needs to be representative of the full range of human experience by being based in the experience of all groups of people. The women honored in this chapter, Jean Lau Chin, Lillian Comas-Diaz, Oliva Espin, Beverly Greene, and Monica McGoldrick, are all feminist therapists, researchers, scholars, clinicians and writers who have directed some substantial portion of their professional attention toward understanding the critical nature of minority and dominant group status on the development of psychological and feminist therapy theory. Together, their professional contributions and personal stories provide a powerful understanding of the nature of the intersection of race, culture

Diversity within African American, female therapists: variability in clients' expectations and assumptions about the therapist.

Despite the presence of some literature that has addressed the characteristics of the African American female therapist, most psychotherapy training proceeds with the assumption that therapists are members of dominant groups, and most of the psychological and psychotherapy literature has been written by therapists and psychologists who come from dominant cultural perspectives. Not as much has been written about psychological paradigms or the process of psychotherapy from the perspective of the therapist who is not a dominant group member. This article explores both the common and divergent experiences that we, the authors, share as African American female therapists and the different reactions we frequently elicit in clients. We also explore how individual differences in our physical appearances, personal backgrounds, and different characteristics of our respective practices elicit distinct responses from clients that we believe are based on differences between us, despite the fact that we are both African American women. We believe that many of the stereotypes that affect perceptions of African American female clients also exist for African American female therapists. We will address how the intersection of gender, race, and sexual orientation of the client highlights the complexity of culturally competent practice.

African american lesbians and other culturally diverse people in psychodynamic psychotherapies.

ABSTRACT The treatment of African American lesbians and other culturally diverse people in psychodynamic psychotherapies has been challenged as inappropriate. The Eurocentric, sexist, and heterocentric origins of these therapies have been viewed as intrinsically insensitive to the unique needs of diverse group members. Moreover, they have been viewed as pathologizing of nondominant cultural values and behaviors, while legitimizing the social pathologies of dominant groups. This discussion, however, argues that there is great diversity in the theories and practice of psychodynamic therapies, that they have undergone signifi-Beverly cant revisions since their origins in classical theory, and that there are minority and majority opinions within the culture of psychodynamic and psychoanalytic theory and practice. I also propose that the prevalence of dominant cultural identities among psychodynamic theoreticians and therapists is a significant factor in the practice of therapy and the development of theoretical paradigms. The usefulness of innovative psycho-dynamic paradigms in addressing some of the unique challenges associated with socially disadvantaged group membership is also explored.