Body Image and Eating Disorders among Sexual and Gender Minority Populations

Abstract

<p>This chapter reviews current literature pertaining to body image and pathogenic eating practices among sexual and gender minority populations. The authors begin by detailing three dominant theoretical frameworks that have been used to particularize why some sexual and gender minority persons are at risk of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating—the minority stress model, sociocultural theory, and objectification theory—as well as the pantheoretical model of dehumanization. Then, to highlight dominant trends in the literature, the authors summarize narrative and meta-analytic reviews on body image and eating disorders that target gay men, lesbian women, bisexual persons, and trans persons. The authors conclude by detailing obstacles that prevent researchers from better grasping the corporeal psychology of sexual and gender minority persons. These obstacles include (1) inconsistent and ambiguous operationalizing of constructs such as the “gay community”—constructs that are often invoked to explain why sexual and gender minority persons are at risk; (2) reliance on outdated measures of sexual orientation; (3) the elision of bisexual persons in body image scholarship; (4) the limited attention that is paid to the variability existing <italic>within</italic> sexual and gender minoritized groups; (5) the absence of research focusing on the dynamics of intersectionality as they pertain to the body; and (6) the lack of studies conducted outside of the United States.</p>

Internalization of a thin ideal and body dissatisfaction in lesbian and heterosexual women: Testing a moderated mediation model.

“…Expanding on this research to encapsulate sexual orientation in the context of the internalization-body dissatisfaction relationship could help to determine if lesbian women in general, not just those with more masculine gender expressions, are protected from the negative effects of awareness, internalization, and body dissatisfaction. Additionally, bisexual women were excluded from this study, it goes beyond our results to speculate if we would find similar moderation in a bisexual women sample; however, they may be just as affected by body image issues and eating pathology symptomatology as their heterosexual and lesbian counterparts (Dotan et al, 2021;Hazzard et al, 2019;T. G. Morrison et al, 2020).…”

“…The literature regarding objectification and lesbian women is complicated (T. G. Morrison et al, 2020). There have been only a few studies specifically exploring objectification in lesbian women, and the results are mixed.…”

“…The literature regarding objectification and lesbian women is complicated (T. G. Morrison et al, 2020).…”

Clinician experiences on training and awareness of sexual orientation in NHS Talking Therapies Services for Anxiety and Depression

“…Specific risk factors that queer and sexual minority individuals may face include a range of issues such as sexual risk taking, substance use, body image dissatisfaction, and homelessness (e.g. Ecker et al ., 2019; Knight et al ., 2019; Morrison et al ., 2020). These issues may further put LGBTQ+ individuals at higher risk of developing physical and sexual health problems, common mental health difficulties such as depression and anxiety but also severe enduring difficulties such as eating disorders and psychosis (Campbell, 2012; Mongelli et al ., 2019; Parker and Harriger, 2020; Moreno-Gámez et al ., 2022).…”

“Determinants of Body Image Dissatisfaction among an LGBTQ community in Lebanon”. (c2021)

“…the "Minority Stress theory" (Meyer, 2003) and recently, the "intra-minority theory" (Pachankis et al, 2020). Discrimination, harassment and rejection are constantly featured in the minority stress theory (Meyer, 2003) leading to undesirable outcomes among sexual minorities involving mental issues as well as BID (Convertino et al, 2021;Ehlke et al, 2020;Morrison et al, 2020). A study investigating BID among trans and non-binary individuals found that experiences of harassment and discrimination were associated with lower body appreciation through lower self-esteem and satisfaction with life (Tabaac et al, 2018).…”