Lesbians and their sisters as a control group: Demographic and mental health factors

Lesbians and their heterosexual sisters were compared on demographic variab les and mental health subscales, so that the feasibility of using heterosex ual sisters as a control group for lesbians could be investigated. Lesbians were significantly more educated more likely to live in urban areas, and m ore geographically mobile than their heterosexual sisters. Heterosexual sis ters were more likely than lesbians to be married and homemakers, to have c hildren, and to identify with a formal religion. There was no difference in mental health, but lesbians had higher self-esteem. When all respondents w ere included bisexual women had significantly poorer mental health than did lesbians and heterosexual women. This is the first study to use sisters as a control group in lesbian research.