Lesbian women continue to experience interpersonal and institutional oppression in Australia. When lesbian women are also persons of colour, multiple and braided layers of discrimination from the intersection of identities intensify experiences of oppression, with negative consequences for mental health. Currently, there is no research investigating how lesbian women of colour (WOC) experience heterosexism and related systems of oppression, the perceived effects of these experiences on their mental health, and the strategies they use to cope with these experiences. Inductive data-driven thematic analysis of individually conducted semi-structured interviews with six, lesbian WOC living in Australia revealed that they experienced discrimination from a variety of sources based on gender and sexuality but also race, and that this discrimination was perceived to affect their mental health. Participants employed self-directed strategies (e.g., avoidance, denial, and assertiveness) and outward-directed strategies (e.g., seeking psychological support, legal or human resources support, and finding community) to cope with heterosexism and racism. Findings can be used to inform the design and implementation of culturally safe and sensitive psychoeducation and community-based programs and clinical interventions applied by psychologists and other mental health professionals working with lesbian women at the intersections.
Keywords: heterosexism, mental health, LGBTIQ+, racial/ethnic minorities, women
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