Cheryl A. Parks, PhD, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Connecticut, 1798 Asylum Avenue, West Hartford, CT 06117, 860-570-9017, cheryl.parks@uconn.edu and Tonda L. Hughes, PhD, RN, FAAN, Department of Public Health, Mental Health and Administrative Nursing, University of Illinois at Chicago, College of Nursing, M/C 802, 845 S. Damen Ave, Chicago, IL 60612.

Women who come to identify as lesbian, and who are members of a racial/ethnic minority, must confront the norms and expectations of both the majority and minority cultures within which they live. This paper reports findings from a diverse sample of nearly 450 women that focus on the effects of age and race/ethnicity on sexual identity development in White versus non-White and Black versus Hispanic lesbians. White and non-White respondents differed significantly in the timing and disclosure of lesbian identity; fewer differences were found between Blacks and Hispanics. Results indicate that current age is a more significant factor among White, compared with non-White, respondents. Findings challenge the adequacy of extant models of sexual identity development for lesbians of color. Models of lesbian identity development, while theoretically rich, provide little practical guidance as to how individuals, particularly those of non-Caucasian race/ethnicity, successfully negotiate the identity development process. Biculturalism, and the development of bicultural competence, provides an alternative and potentially more useful framework for understanding racial/ethnic differences in identity development. By focusing on strengths inherent in a competency-based model, as opposed to implied deficits of stage-based models that view public disclosure as a requisite of healthy functioning, healthcare providers will be better positioned to provide affirmative guidance and support to young or “questioning” women in their practices.

Learning Objectives: