Out in Psychology: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Perspectives

Taken from the Foreword by Jerry J. Bigner, Professor Emeritus, Department of Human and Family Studies, Colorado State University.

This essential and informative text showcases a range of up-to-date approaches to the exciting and rapidly expanding area of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer psychologies. Out in Psychology places a strong emphasis on exploring the potential of qualitative and critical approaches and gives much needed attention to often overlooked bisexual and trans psychological research. It offers a fresh perspective on lesbian and gay topics by incorporating new areas of engagement such as sociology, law, sport psychology, occupational psychology and critical psychology.

Compiled from the work of a range of international contributors based in a variety of professional settings, this fascinating and informative resource is divided into four accessible sections that each provide a novel approach to LGBTQ psychologies:

• Histories and Commentaries
• Lives and Experiences
• Work and Leisure
• Health and Practice

This volume is essential reading for students and academics (both lecturers and researchers) in Psychology, Sociology, Women’s Studies, Sexuality Studies and LGBT/Queer Studies, and also counsellors and therapists in private practice, as well as members of the general LGBTQ community.

Elizabeth Peel is a lecturer in psychology in the School of Life & Health Sciences, Aston University, Birmingham, UK. She has published a number of articles about heterosexism, diversity training and lesbian and gay relationships in journals such as Discourse & Society, Feminism & Psychology, Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review and Women’s Studies International Forum. She is the editor with Victoria Clarke and Jack Drescher of British LGB Psychologies: Theory, research and practice (Haworth Press, 2007). She has also edited (with Victoria Clarke) special issues of Feminism & Psychology, Journal of Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy, Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review and Psychology of Women Section Review on LGBTQ psychologies. She is a chartered psychologist and a member of the British Psychological Society’s Lesbian and Gay Psychology Section and Qualitative Methods in Psychology Section. She is former editor of Lesbian & Gay Psychology Review and editorial board member of the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychotherapy. Her current research centres on the management of chronic illness (especially diabetes), understandings of health related technologies (such as neuroimaging techniques), same sex relationships and the intersections of LGBTQ psychologies and critical health psychology. She is currently editing (with Michael Thomson) a special issue of Feminism & Psychology on LGBTQ health psychologies and is co-authoring a textbook (with Victoria Clarke, Sonja J. Ellis and Damien W. Riggs) entitled LGBTQ Psychologies: Themes and perspectives (Cambridge University Press).