LOVING ACROSS RACE AND CLASS DIVIDES - RELATIONAL CHALLENGES AND THE INTERRACIAL LESBIAN COUPLE

Similar to their heterosexual counterparts, lesbians are increasingly meeting and falling in love with women very different than themselves- differences which include race and class and thus, cultural background . Yet, there are distinct challenges which confront the interracial le sbian couple such as homophobia, racism, and limited social support fr om family and friends as illustrated through the narratives of two com posite couples. A race, class, and culture sensitive psychotherapy is recommended. This enables clinicians to articulate perspectives which reframe and ''unpersonalize'' power struggles and disclose cultural di fferences in values and meanings as well as affirm those special joys and rewards when attraction and intimacy are joined to cultural differ ence.