The constitution of lavender families'

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The constitution of lavender families.

• A presentation based on data from Lavender
  Islands Portrait of the Whole Family

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Lavender Islands Research Team

• Mark Henrickson, Project Leader (Social Work)
• Stephen Neville (Nursing)
• Sara Donaghey (Communications)
• Claire Jordan (Statistics)
• Members of the Lesbian/Gay/
• Bisexual Communities of New Zealand

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Background

• Significant work has been done in NZ on
• Workplace discrimination
• HIV
• Lesbian health and mental health
• Gay mens health
• Mental health and suicidality
• Alcohol and other drugs
• But no strengths-based research !

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Research Aim

• To explore and describe LGB peoples families of
  origin and families of choice.

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Methodology

• National, quantitative survey intended as a
  baseline for future more in-depth projects
• Web-based and hard copy (with Freepost return)
• Survey Instrument
• Final version was 133 questions, including one
  qualitative response question
• 20-45 minutes to complete

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Methodology

• Participants recruited through viral sampling
  and
• existing friendship networks and e-links
• lesbian, gay organisations and media
• public media
• in-person outreach at LGB venues and events
• posted copies to telephone requests
• Data collected 28 April 0415 July 04

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Sample Characteristics

• Final sample was 2,269 valid respondents
• 1,896 web (83.6)
• 373 paper (16.4)
• Mean age was 38.47 years
• Sample was 54.3 male, 45.1 female
• Highly educated 51.3 have UG or PG degrees,
• vs. 10.1 for general population
• Comparatively high income (modal group was
  50-70,000 NZ median is 18,500, mean is 28,800)

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Families of Origin

• Mean age when respondents felt different from
  peers and members of their family was 11.2 years
  for men, 14.3 years for women (plt.001).
• Mean age for coming out to self was 18.7 years
  for men, 23 years for women (plt.001).
• Men reported more support for themselves from
  their families of origin.

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Families of Choice (Relationships)

• More women (50.1) than men (40.7) are in
  same-sex primary relationships
• 16.6 say partner lives elsewhere (women)
• 11.0 say partner lives elsewhere (men)
• 3.7 of respondents were married and living with
  opposite sex partner (2.9 of women, 2.2 of men)

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Families of Choice (Relationships)

• 86.3 of women said they preferred exclusive
  relationship,
• 82 had agreed with their partners, and
• 90 reported actually being exclusive
• 54.5 of men preferred exclusive relationships,
• 46.2 had agreed with their partners to be
  exclusive, and
• 56 reported actually being exclusive
• 28.0 have had extramural sex, but no emotional
  commitment
• 8.6 said extramural sex and emotional commitment
  are OK, but only as a couple only 4.1 report
  actually having done so.

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Parenting

• 22.6 reported a parenting relationship.
• 18 reported having at least 1 child before
  coming out.
• 11.6 reported having at least 1 child after
  coming out.
• 56 reported that their children had not been
  disadvantaged in any way because of their
  sexuality.
• HOWEVER
• 20.1 reported problems at the childs school.
• 6.9 reported problems at clubs or sport.
• 5.1 reported problems with their health care
  provider.

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Conclusions and Discussion

• Gay men and lesbians construct their
  relationships differently
• It is not possible to generalise findings

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What Does This Mean For Health Professionals?

• Provide opportunities when interacting with all
  people for sexual disclosure
• Once sexual orientation has been disclosed avoid
  making assumptions
• Health professionals personal comfort and
  knowledge of working with LGB families may be
  challenged

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Limitations

• There are potential sampling issues inevitable
  with self-selected sample but it is important
  not to make the essentialist error of assuming
  LGBs are equally distributed throughout all
  population groups.

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Further Information

• See other results and papers at
  http//lavenderislands.massey.ac.nz

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