Book Review - Mental Health Issues in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Communities (Review of Psychiatry)

Over the last three decades, the visibility—and public acceptance—of self-identified lesbian women and gay men and bisexual and transgender individuals has increased dramatically, making it more important than ever to understand the dynamics of their relationships.
This timely work, part of Volume 21 in the Review of Psychiatry series, offers compelling facts and insights in a concise yet comprehensive format, bringing together the latest research and clinical practice in this rapidly evolving field.


Chapter 1 details normal adolescent development and the extra challenges imposed by the development of a sexual identity that is different from that of most of their peers, including the lack of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender role models.

Chapter 2 presents a rare discussion about theoretical models (managing a concealable stigma, minority stress and resilience, and coping with multiple minority statuses) and empirical data on aging as a stigmatized sexual minority, including the similarities and differences of aging between the sexual minority communities and the heterosexual community and special issues in working with aging ethnic minority gay men, lesbians, and bisexual persons.

Chapter 3 breaks new ground by detailing the expanding role of the psychiatrist or other mental health professional as forensic expert and therapist—requiring not only an in-depth understanding of lesbian and gay mental health issues, but also the often-daunting task of encouraging and teaching judges and juries to better understand these issues as they relate to discriminatory laws in child custody/visitation, workplace harassment/other discrimination, domestic violence, and immigration/asylum.

Chapter 4 covers both the three types of etiological theories on homosexuality presented in the scientific literature and an historical overview of clinical attitudes toward homosexuality, from early modern theories (Karl Ulrichs, Krafft-Ebing, and Freud) to the present day, reporting on some adverse side effects of sexual conversion treatment that have been either overlooked or ignored in the reparative therapy literature and raising important clinical and ethical concerns.

Chapter 5 examines the public and professional evolution of thinking toward U.S. African race and toward sexual orientation with regard to the reevaluation of the psychiatric diagnosis and treatment of gender identity disorder. Among other topics, the author presents a fascinating discussion of differences between sexual orientation and gender (e.g., anatomical, social, hormonal, psychological, legal, or political), and distinctions between transgenderism and homosexuality, including an illuminating case example.
Thought-provoking and informative, this compact volume will be welcomed by residents, clinicians, and students alike as they continue to look for ways to better differentiate health from pathology and successfully treat these remarkably diverse individuals.

Book Review - On the Down Low: A Journey Into the Lives of "Straight" Black Men Who Sleep with Men

The closer a secret is kept, the more powerful the impact once it is finally revealed. Such is the case with author and activist J.L. King's intriguing look at the lives and lifestyles of black men who sleep with other men but do not consider themselves to be gay.

These men live "on the down low," the "DL" for short, and their sexual activities have gained significant notice as the rate of HIV/AIDS infection in black women has skyrocketed, with the vast majority of cases coming from heterosexual sex. King is a veteran of the DL himself and his book serves partly as a social and psychological survey of the other men he has surveyed and partly as highly candid memoir.

King was well regarded in his community, popular at his church, successful in his career, and married to a woman who had no idea that his secret life existed. But when she caught him in a lie and with another man, the marriage collapsed and King's long and painful path to self-awareness began. King cites the negative image many socially conservative black men have of homosexuality as an obstacle to those men being honest with their partners and themselves about who they are.

Among the more intriguing elements of On the Down Low are the peculiar approaches men on the DL have to the sexual act, seeking a strictly physical sexual relationship with their secret male partners while remaining in more traditional arrangements with women. Whether this discrepancy is a product of scrupulously guarded secrecy and shame or the natural preference of an understudied sexual identity is one of the numerous questions raised by this book. Though the infection statistics make the DL a huge public health issue, King is neither a sociologist nor a medical professional.

And while a more clinical look at this issue would be welcome, King accomplished what he set out to do: provide light and insight into a world that so many have worked so hard to keep in the shadows. --John Moe

Book Review - Queer Kids: The Challenges and Promise for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Youth (Haworth Gay and Lesbian Studies)

Customer Review

A Must Read for all Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Youth!

This book is an excellent source for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual Youth and their supporters. This book is full of relevent information, tons of statistics, and plenty of excerpts from interviews with youth about every aspect of their sexuality. READ THIS BOOK!