Lesbian Body Image and Eating Issues

Abstract

SUMMARY Research on body-image dissatisfaction and eating issues has emphasized the impact of culture's obsession on women's appearance. This paper reviews a study that examined body image issues, eating behavior, and identification with sexual identity in a sexually diverse sample that included lesbians (n = 47), heterosexual women (n = 47), and gay men (n = 51). The degree to which women identified as lesbian did not influence their body satisfaction or eating issues. However, lesbians were less invested in their appearance and less involved in maintaining it than heterosexual women or gay men. Further, lesbians were less concerned with dieting and thinness than the two other groups. The lesbian community may be less concerned with dieting and thinness than heterosexual women. Implications of findings are discussed. Key Words: Lesbianmental healthbody imageeating issues