Paige Averett

Review of the Literature on Older Lesbians Implications for Education, Practice, and Research

This article reviews the academic literature from 1997 to 2010 on older lesbians (n = 28) and provides implications for education, practice, and research. While there is an ongoing lack of research focused solely on older lesbians, we found a growing interest in this population. Importantly, there was an increase in empirical studies and, in particular, those using qualitative methods: 9 articles reported results of interviews with a total of 159 older lesbians. Overall, the research reviewed here indicates that older lesbians evidence a great deal of adaptive capacity to deal with the challenges they face, including societal marginalization and discrimination. There remains a great need for research focused solely on older lesbians, especially studies that are more inclusive in terms of diversity in age, race, and ethnicity.

Young women's struggle for sexual agency: the role of parental messages

This qualitative study examined 14 young womens view of their sexual agency and sexual experiences. In particular the women discuss the messages communicated about female sexuality from their parents. Previous research results were supported, such as that parents do not communicate about sex frequently, when they do refer to it they cover only limited topics and that mothers communicate more frequently about sex than fathers do. Utilizing a feminist position, themes of parental transmission of traditional gender role expectations were found, such as asexuality, the passive role of women in their sexuality and the commodification of sex in exchange for commitment. Implications for parenting practices, research foci and the importance of developing sexual agency are discussed.

Older Lesbians: Experiences of Aging, Discrimination and Resilience

Older lesbians are, at minimum, a triple threat of marginalization due to ageism, heterosexism, and sexism. A national survey specific to this often-invisible population has not occurred in over 25 years. The present study was completed to reveal the needs, strengths, and experiences of the current cohort of older lesbians. Four hundred fifty-six older lesbians responded to an online survey on topics including sociodemographics, social activity, health, sexual identity, family relationships, romantic relationships, service/program use, mental health, end-of-life care, and discrimination. The results and implications are included as well as a comparison to the last studied cohort.

An Evaluation of Gay/Lesbian and Heterosexual Adoption

Many experts in the helping professions have agreed that there is no scientific credence to support a gay and lesbian adoption ban. Nevertheless, there continues to be persistent mythology pertaining to outcomes for children adopted by gay and lesbian parents. This position may be somewhat due to the dearth of research that compares heterosexual and homosexual parenting outcomes with adopted children. To respond to this gap in the literature, this study explored the extent of emotional and behavioral problems among children aged 1.5 to 5 years (n = 380) and 6 to 18 years (n = 1,004) with gay and lesbian or heterosexual adoptive parents. A multiple regression analysis was used to assess the association between the dependent variables (child internalizing and externalizing behavior) on adoptive parent sexual orientation (gay and lesbian or heterosexual) while controlling for child age, child sex, pre-adoptive maltreatment, co-sibling adoption, adoption preparation, family income, and family functioning. As hypothesized, results indicted that child internalizing and externalizing behavior was not contingent upon adoptive parent sexual orientation. Rather, regardless of sexual orientation, adoptive parents are likely to encounter similar challenges in terms of risk factors for child behavioral problems and mitigating factors of such behavior. Recommendations for practice, policy, and future research are highlighted.

Older lesbian sexuality: identity, sexual behavior, and the impact of aging.

In response to the very limited and mostly outdated literature on older lesbian sexuality, this exploratory study examined older lesbian sexual identity, romantic relationships, the impact of aging, and experiences of discrimination within these contexts. Utilizing an online survey that recruited via numerous online lesbian communities and snowball sampling, 456 lesbians over the age of 50 responded to closed, Likert scale, and open-ended questions that provided a preliminary understanding of older lesbian sexuality. The results indicated that older lesbians have experienced fluidity in past romantic and sexual relationships, as well as in erotic fantasies, despite strong identification with being lesbian. The findings also indicate a decreased focus on sexuality in the context of relationships, with more focus on stability and continuity. Future research is needed that provides greater specificity and detail about older lesbian conceptions of sexual behavior and sexual identity labels, as well as specific sexual behaviors.

Adoptive Parents’ Attitudes Towards Gay and Lesbian Adoption

Using a cross-sectional sample, this study examined 776 adoptive parents’ attitudes toward gay and lesbian adoption. Analysis was conducted on three subgroups: married fathers, married mothers, and single mothers. Findings include that for married fathers older age, a lower level of education, a Christian religious denomination, higher levels of religiosity, and a conservative political ideology were all factors in a more negative attitude toward gay and lesbian adoption. Factors leading to less tolerant attitudes of married mothers were non-White race, having only technical training or an associates degree, a Christian religious denomination, a higher level of religiosity, and a conservative political ideology. Single mothers differed somewhat from married couples in that religious affiliation was not a factor, but non-white race, lower levels of education, stay-at-home/retired employment status, higher levels of religiosity, and a conservative political ideology were all identified as significant predictors of attitudes toward gay and lesbian adoption. These findings are consistent with the small but existing literature on the publics perceptions of gay and lesbian adoption.

School social work and early childhood student's attitudes toward gay and lesbian families

The present study assessed the attitudes of school professionals in training at an American university toward homosexuality and their comfort, action-related disposition, and preparation to work with gay and lesbian (GL) families and their children. Fifty-nine students specializing in birth through kindergarten education and school social work participated in the study. Overall, participants held positive attitudes toward homosexuality, felt prepared to work with this population, and were willing to take action on the issue. Nevertheless, the overall comfort in working with GL parents on a personal basis was low. The implications of these findings for the fields of early childhood and school social work higher education and in research are discussed.

Older Lesbians and Bereavement: Experiencing the Loss of a Partner

There is very little research focused on older bereaved lesbians. This study is a response to the lack of knowledge about the issues for older lesbians who lose a partner. We examined bereavement issues for 55 older lesbians. The study asked participants to describe their concerns and experiences after losing a partner. Qualitative analysis identified several themes that ran throughout, including disenfranchised grief, the loneliness of isolation, and the frustration of relentless battles. These findings indicate the need for social workers to educate themselves and others about the particular needs facing this vulnerable group of older women.

The Search for Wonder Woman An Autoethnography of Feminist Identity

This article presents an autoethnographic account of a feminist who created an art project about her connection to men and, as a result, engaged in a search for Wonder Woman, whom she views as a role model who encourages both masculinity and femininity in women. As a result of the search for Wonder Woman, a small social movement began as friends, family members, and social work students became aware of the role of patriarchy in shaping young women and became determined also to find Wonder Woman. Engaging in a narrative account, self-reflection, and a critique of culture, this feminist autoethnography also attempts to resist patriarchal standards that enforce male-dominant expectations of writing and research. Implications for social work education and practice are discussed.

Notes in Support of a Relational Social Work Perspective: A Critical Review of the Relational Literature with Implications for Macro Practice

The authors review the literature that calls for the incorporation of relational theory into social work practice. Two strands of relational theory are important to developing a relational social work perspective: the psychoanalytic and the feminist. Based on a feminist understanding of relationality, Dorothy Smith has provided an alternative sociological perspective that can inform social work practice on the macro level, which she has termed institutional ethnography. In looking at ways that relational theory can inform macro practice in social work we can begin to formulate a more general relational perspective—beyond the clinical—in social work.