Report

Mental Health of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Other-Identified Parents and Non-Parents

Results from a population-based study
March 2021

Using data from the Generations Study, a U.S. representative sample of LGBQ people, this study examines the demographic and mental health differences among cisgender lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) women with and without children. It appeared in the Journal of Homosexuality in March 2021.

AUTHORS
Highlights
Nearly one-quarter of cisgender LBQ women ages 18 to 59 and an estimated 24% of female same-sex couples have had children.
Parents were more likely to be bisexual, in a relationship with a man, and non-urban.
Bisexual parents reported greater psychological distress, less happiness, and less connection to the LGBT community than lesbian parents.
Mental Health of Lesbian, Bisexual, and Other-Identified Parents and Non-Parents