Does Women's Body Appreciation Differ by Sexual Orientation? A Brief Report

Abstract

Sexual minority identification may affect women's experiences of body image; however, existing research has solely compared lesbian and heterosexual women. The purpose of this exploratory study is to examine differences in body appreciation among women who identify as heterosexual, bisexual, and other sexual minorities were found. Findings from analysis of covariance revealed significant differences in body appreciation between sexual minority and heterosexual women while controlling for demographic characteristics, and no significant differences in body appreciation between bisexual women and other sexual minority women were found. Findings suggest body appreciation may be affected by sexual orientation, but further research with more diverse samples is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• body image
• sexual orientation
• women

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Virginia Ramseyer Winter

Virginia Ramseyer Winter, MSW, is a PhD candidate in the School of Social Welfare at the University of Kansas. Her research focuses on the implications of body image on women's physical, mental, and sexual health.

Sonya Satinsky

Sonya Satinsky, PhD, MPH, is the director of the Center for Health Promotion at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her research focuses on the intersections and interplay of body shape, size and image, sexual health and sexual behavior, and gender, race, ethnicity, and sexual orientation.

Kristen N. Jozkowski

Kristen N. Jozkowski, PhD, is an assistant professor of health promotion and affiliate faculty in gender studies at the University of Arkansas. She is also a Research Fellow at The Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction. Dr. Jozkowski earned her PhD in health behavior from Indiana University. Her research focuses on women's sexuality broadly with specific focuses in sexual consent and sexual function.