I ONLY READ ABOUT MYSELF ON BATHROOM WALLS - THE NEED FOR RESEARCH ONTHE MENTAL-HEALTH OF LESBIANS AND GAY MEN

The very recent history of pathologizing homosexuality still has a str ong impact on the public in general and mental health professionals in particular. In contrast to the early research on sexual reorientation of lesbians and gay men, there is relatively little empirical researc h on the mental health issues of lesbians and gay men. Whether researc hers choose to define sexual orientation by sexual behavior, self-defi nition, or membership in lesbian and gay community groups will have an impact on the results. Research on mental health issues that includes lesbians, gay men, and heterosexual wolmen and men would allow an exa mination of the relative salience of gender versus sexual orientation. Finally, the experiences of lesbians and gay men in society may place them at increased risk for some mental health problems and may protec t them from other mental health problems.