Escaping the Gaze?: An Examination of Queer Women’s Body Perceptions Using Quantitative Social Science Research Michelle Marie Johns, MPH

Sara I. McClelland, PhD

José Arturo Bauermeister, MPH, PhD

Terminology

• LGBTQ identities and disciplinary differences

• Umbrella terms

• Public Health: Sexual Minority Women

• Women’s Studies: Queer Women

Studying Perceptions of the Body

• Body esteem

• “an individual’s self-evaluation of their body or appearance”

• Multi-dimensional • Body Appearance

• Body Weight

• Body Attribution

• Related concepts: body image, body satisfaction

(Mendelson et al., 2001; 2002)

Gender and Perceptions of the Body

• Gender socialization

• Objectification & the Thin Ideal

• Femininity Ideology

• Gendered health implications

(Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997; Furnham et al, 2002; Homan, 2010; Hudson et al., 2007; Kroon van Diest & Perez, 2013; Mendelson et al., 2002; Strelan et al.,

2003; Thome & Espelage, 2004; Tolman & Porche, 1997)

Queer Women and Perceptions of the Body

• Owens et al. (2002): Lesbian-identified women reported better body image and fewer signs of disordered eating

• Peplau et al. (2004): Sexual minority women less preoccupation with being overweight

• Wagenbach (2004): Sexual minority women reported less concern with physical appearance

WHAT ABOUT THE LIVES/ IDENTITIES OF QUEER WOMEN CONTRIBUTES TO THIS ROSY PICTURE OF BODY PERCEPTIONS?

Heteronormativity

(Duggan, 2003; Jackson, 2006; Rich, 1980; Rubin, 1975; Warner, 1991)

The Male Gaze

(Mulvey 2003, Fredrickson & Roberts, 1997 )

HOW TO EXAMINE THESE RELATIONSHIPS WITH QUANTITATIVE SURVEY DATA?

Michigan Smoking and Sexuality Study (M-SASS)

• 232 participants

• Eligibility Criteria

• Michigan Resident

• Age 18-24

• Sex/ Gender: Cis- or woman born woman

• Not exclusively heterosexual identified/ behaving

• Sexual identity: Any non-heterosexual identity

OR • Sexual behavior: had a sexual experience w/ a woman in

the past year

AVENUES FOR ANALYSIS

LGBTQ Community

• Asked women about degree of affiliation to LGBT Community

• Why important?

• Point of resistance to heterosexism

• Site to gain exposure to / freedom to express non-hegemonic gender norms

• Escape male gaze (?)

Gender Role/ Identification

• Asked women to rate their sense of themselves as masculine or feminine

• Why important?

• Negative perceptions of body bound up in hegemonic femininity

• Identifying with masculinity protective (?)

SNAPSHOT OF RESULTS

LGBTQ Community, Gender Role, and Perceptions of Body Weight

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LGBTQ Community, Gender Role, and Perceptions of Body Appearance

Implications

• Heteronormativity & Male Gaze

• LGBTQ Community connection protective

• But not equally across gender role/ identity

• Why?

• Guarded from objectification (?)

• Affirmation of non-hegemonic gender roles/ identities (?)

• Exploration of non-hegemonic gender roles/ identities (?)

Acknowledgements

• Dr. Sara McClelland and the PROGRESSLab

• Dr. José Bauermeister and the Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities (SexLab)

QUESTIONS EMAIL: JOHNSMM@UMICH.EDU

Gender Role/ Identification

• Single Item, ““On a scale from 1 to 9, where 1 is extremely feminine and 9 is extremely masculine, how would you describe yourself at this point in your life?”

• x̄ = 4.22, sd = 1.66

Community Connection Question

• Single Item, “How much do you see yourself personally as being part of the local LGBTQ community?”

• Response options: Not at all (0) to A lot (3)

• x̄ = 1.15, sd = 0.99

Body Esteem (1)

Factor Loading Mean (SD)

Comfort with Body Weight (α = .93) 2.81 (1.12)

I really like what I weigh. .853 2.57 (1.28)

I am satisfied with my weight. .842 2.66 (1.22)

I feel I weight the right amount for my height.

.811 2.65 (1.32)

My weight makes me unhappy.* -.757 2.91 (1.31)

Weighing myself depresses me.* -.749 3.11 (1.44)

I am preoccupied with trying to change my body weight.*

-.633 2.95 (1.22)

(Mendelson et al., 1997; 2001; 2002)

Body Esteem (2)

Factor Loading Mean (SD)

Body Attribution (α = .82) 3.10 (0.99)

People my own age like my looks. .836 3.29 (0.96)

Other people consider me good looking. .726 3.36 (0.92)

My looks help me to get dates. .683 2.81 (1.18)

I like what I look like in pictures. .555 2.91 (0.96)

(Mendelson et al., 1997; 2001; 2002)

Body Esteem (3)

Factor Loading Mean (SD)

Body Shame (α = .78) 2.73 (0.99)

I wish I could look like someone else. .738 2.44 (1.22)

I feel ashamed of how I look. .617 2.59 (1.22)

I worry about the way I look. .566 3.16 (1.11)

(Mendelson et al., 1997; 2001; 2002)