This article was downloaded by: [Monash University Library]

On: 25 December 2014, At: 20:44

Publisher: Routledge
Informa Ltd Registered in England and Wales Registered Number: 1072954 Registered
office: Mortimer House, 37-41 Mortimer Street, London W1T 3JH, UK

Journal of Lesbian Studies

Publication details, including instructions for authors and
subscription information:
http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/wjls20

Living For the City: Voices of Black

Lesbian Youth in Detroit
Amorie Robinson

Clinic for Child Study , Detroit, Michigan, USA

Published online: 14 Jan 2010.

To cite this article: Amorie Robinson (2010) Living For the City: Voices of Black Lesbian Youth in
Detroit, Journal of Lesbian Studies, 14:1, 61-70
To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10894160903058899

PLEASE SCROLL DOWN FOR ARTICLE

Taylor & Francis makes every effort to ensure the accuracy of all the information (the
Content) contained in the publications on our platform. However, Taylor & Francis,
our agents, and our licensors make no representations or warranties whatsoever as to
the accuracy, completeness, or suitability for any purpose of the Content. Any opinions
and views expressed in this publication are the opinions and views of the authors,
and are not the views of or endorsed by Taylor & Francis. The accuracy of the Content
should not be relied upon and should be independently verified with primary sources
of information. Taylor and Francis shall not be liable for any losses, actions, claims,
proceedings, demands, costs, expenses, damages, and other liabilities whatsoever or
howsoever caused arising directly or indirectly in connection with, in relation to or arising
out of the use of the Content.
This article may be used for research, teaching, and private study purposes. Any
substantial or systematic reproduction, redistribution, reselling, loan, sub-licensing,
systematic supply, or distribution in any form to anyone is expressly forbidden. Terms &
Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/page/termsand-conditions

Journal of Lesbian Studies, 14:6170, 2010

Copyright Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
ISSN: 1089-4160 print / 1540-3548 online
DOI: 10.1080/10894160903058899

Living For the City: Voices of Black Lesbian

Youth in Detroit
AMORIE ROBINSON

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

Clinic for Child Study, Detroit, Michigan, USA

This article aims to raise awareness of some of the psychosocial,

emotional, and sociocultural challenges faced by many of the youth
who have gravitated to the Ruth Ellis Center and Affirmations Center, both in the Detroit area. Those identifying as Black lesbians
express their struggles of negotiating several identities at one time,
without the advantage of access to convenient resources and role
models. These personal stories may help mental health youth service
providers gain insights into the impact of these stressors so that they
can adjust their practices toward culturally competent treatment
with Black lesbian adolescents and their families. Recommendations for youth-serving professionals will be summarized.
KEYWORDS
lesbians

lesbian adolescents, Black adolescents, Black

INTRODUCTION
Although child welfare service is giving more attention to the well-being of
lesbian, gay, biattractional, and transgender (LGBT) youth, the complex life
experiences of lesbian youth of color continue to be well underrepresented
in the research literature. Particularly, Black lesbian youth between ages 12
and 24 often remain overlooked. They are in critical need of support, empathy, and sensitive care. The urgency to practice cultural competency with
Black lesbian youth is rising as more youth are coming out at earlier ages
in large cities such as Detroit, Michigan. In this article, many of the common
psychological and developmental challenges of young Black lesbians growing up in the city will be illuminated through a series of personal accounts
by young people at two Detroit-area centers that serve the LGBT community,

Address correspondence to Amorie Robinson, Ph.D., Clinic for Child Study, 1025 E.
Forest, Detroit, MI 48207. E-mail: kofi@umich.edu
61

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

62

A. Robinson

The Ruth Ellis Center and Affirmations. The Ruth Ellis Center is a social service agency for runaway, homeless, and displaced LGBT youth. Located in
Highland Park, Michigan, it is the only one of three in the country that primarily serves a Black clientele. More information about the Center and Ruth
Ellis herself, can be found at www.ruthelliscenter.com. Located in Ferndale,
Michigan, Affirmations is a community center that includes programming for
LGBTQ youth ages 12 to 18. Information about Affirmations can be found at
www.goaffirmations.org.
Research and clinical practice in psychology, focused on lesbian and
gay populations, are increasing. Yet, the multidimensional developmental
and psychological experiences of gay and lesbian youth still remain highly
underrepresented. The data has shown many of the complex challenges
that gay/lesbian youth face during their adolescent years (DAugelli, 1998;
Hunter & Mallon, 2000; Mallon, 1997; Schneider, 1997; Swann & Anastas,
2003). It is clear from the literature that multiple complex stressors profoundly exist within this population. For example, psychosocial problems of
gay and lesbian adolescents primarily result from societal stigma, isolation,
and other factors (Martin, 1982). Also challenging are those experiences of
gay and lesbian youth of color. However, this group remains underrepresented in studies on LGBT adolescents, and adolescents in general. There
are reasons for this, however, such reasons rarely justify the continuation
of this oversight. Gay and lesbian youth of color are an often underserved,
high-risk population, including that of HIV infection among young males
(Dube & Savin-Williams, 1999; Rosario, Schrimshaw, & Hunter, 2004; Russell
& Truong, 2001).
Black lesbian adolescents in particular, continue to be invisible in research and clinical practice in psychology, social work, and child welfare
service, even though they are in dire need of culturally competent mental
health and other supportive services. The personal experiences shared by
a small sample of the youth at Ruth Ellis Center and Affirmations provide
some insights into their stressors and coping skills, and may reflect those of
Black lesbian youth across America.

LIVING FOR THE CITY: VOICES OF BLACK LESBIAN YOUTH

Traditionally, the psychological and emotional lives of African-American
women and girls remain under-studied in fields like psychology and sociology (Jackson & Greene, 2000). Being heard by others is an empowering
way to claim ones existence and worth. The interview process is a tool used
in qualitative research that helps give voice to those who are rarely heard because of their marginal status within the culture. Borrowing from the concept
of the oral narrative method, used in research on African-American women
(Vaz, 1997), personal interviews were conducted at the Ruth Ellis Drop-In

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

Voices of Black Lesbian Youth in Detroit

63

Center and Affirmations Center. Both agencies render direct service to lesbian, gay, biattractional, and transgender (LGBT) youth between ages of 12
and 24. For example, the Ruth Ellis Center provides drop-in services, street
outreach, temporary housing, life skills, support groups, counseling, food,
clothing, and age-appropriate peer contact. Several additional interviewees
were young women who were not associated with either agency, and who
formerly participated at one or both agencies.
Interviews of agency clients took place at their respective agencies;
the others took place at Karibu House, a local LGBT of color community
center in Detroit. Each person read and signed a consent form. They were
told that the purpose of the project was to give them a chance to express
themselves and their needs, so that youth service providers could better
understand what they go through, and as a way of learning how best to
help young people who may have the same identity as theirs. Participants
were allowed to refuse questions and to ask questions during the process.
If at any time they felt uncomfortable, they had the option to discontinue
the interview. They could also refuse to be taped, however, none did so.
Participants were told that the interview tape would be destroyed after it
was used for writing purposes. They were also informed that what they
share will only be used for the article. The names of each participant have
been changed. The entire narrative of each participant could not be used due
to length restrictions. Most of them have been summarized and abbreviated
for purposes of this article and categorized by themes. These versions of
narratives hardly capture the tone and tenor of the individuals, but give
some idea of their lives and struggles. They were asked to describe their
personal experiences with coming out, identity formation, discrimination,
mental health issues, the media, and anything else they wanted to discuss.
This author was honored and humbled by the moments shared with
each participant, by their courage, their candor, their passion, the sharing of
delicate parts of themselves, and their willingness to be a part of a project
that they trust will help youth care providers get a better idea of their psychological experiences. Witnessing their journeys through their stories was
enlightening and eye-opening. The author was also grateful to the Ruth Ellis
Center and Affirmations Center for allowing space and time for this project,
and having their clients participate on a voluntary basis. The girls/women that
were interviewed were articulate and confident. Their backgrounds varied,
yet they had so much in common regarding interactions and relationships
between themselves and others. Although the youth in this sample may or
may not represent the experiences of all or most Black lesbian youth, there
is enough information obtained that some limited insights can be drawn.
To summarize the stories of these girls/women, it appears that there are
critical needs that have not been met and that have not been attainable in
their own communities. There is a fear that the complex issues of these youth
will not be understood by adults, especially adults who are not lesbian or

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

64

A. Robinson

Black-identified. Each subject was aware of incidents of domestic violence

among their peers, as well as abuse and violence elsewhere. Most of them
revealed personal histories of having been a survivor of sexual and/or physical abuse. These youth spoke of being traumatized at least once in their
childhood or adolescence. Most of the subjects admitted to having anger
and impulse control problems, often times resulting in juvenile placement.
They suffer from the same mental health issues as heteroattractional peers,
yet some of the sources stem from their reactions to rejection from family members regarding their attractionality and gender expression. Subjects
made clear that their lesbian identity limits the spaces where they can enter
with comfort, security, and safety. The majority of subjects recalled first having attractions (crushes) when they were around 5 or 6 years old. The first
person they told was usually a friend or sibling. Appreciation of ones own
racial and gender identity was minimally present in most of the subjects,
and there was some degree of naivete about the existence of racism and
sexism within the LGBT community. However, each subject revealed direct
experiences of microaggressions against them. Microaggressions are subtle
insults (verbal, nonverbal, and/or visual) directed toward people of color,
often automatically or unconsciously (Solozano, Ceja, & Yosso, 2000). All
were aware of homophobia in the Black community in which they lived and
within the media. The interviews gave indication that lesbians in this age
group are highly vulnerable to harassment by men in public, given that they
are not commonly accompanied by a male, and prone to walking or riding
the bus. The following are samples of their comments.

Coming Out Experiences

Charmaine, age 24: In hindsight, I always knew I was attracted to women.
Growing up, I didnt know there was something wrong with being a lesbian.
I do remember having a close friend, but my mother never let me spend
the night. I felt that was odd and I never understood it. When me and my
friend started being curious with each other, I never assumed that anything
was wrong. There was an attraction there that wasnt on just a sexual level.
Keisha, age 20: I was 14 when I came out. I had a crush on this stud who
was older in her late twenties. I said, wow, if a girl can look like that, why be
with a guy? I met my first girlfriend when I came out of the girls correction
facility. I first came out to my cousin. We had other family members who
were gay but I didnt know that. That made it easier for me. The ones who
were religious always had something to say. My granddad was the only
one that was so upset. Every time I went to church, my uncle always had
to preach the gay sermon! He does it cos Im there. He was messin with
me. I guess he figures itll change me. Im comfortable in my skin. Im not
ashamed. I go to church with my rainbow on. It was easy to come out to

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

Voices of Black Lesbian Youth in Detroit

65

friends. Its easy but I know it was harder back in the old days for people to
come out. Tai, age 20: I always knew when I was younger because I always
thought I was suppose to be a boy because I was attracted to women, I
wasnt attracted to guys. I guess someone in our neighborhood was like that
when I was five. I heard my mother say that was nasty. I knew I was
supposed to like guys. But it stayed in my head that I liked girls. I was
probably younger than five. I knew the word gay back then but not the
word lesbian. I didnt know what it meant except I knew it was bad. When
my mom found out, she put me on punishment. Seems like when we come
out as gay people, we get into more trouble. I stopped going to the church I
grew up in. I still believe in God. I use to want to hide being gay and I really
didnt want my mom to find out. I knew that if she found out, it would be
over with.

Self Identity and Discrimination

Charmaine: In college, I felt this strong disconnect between being African
American and being gay, and being proud of both. In different settings,
one part of my identity has priority. When Im in a predominantly Black
environment, my blackness is my first priority. When Im around gay people,
my gayness takes over my blackness. I struggled with this and realized I
need a balance. Both are equally important to me. I think racism exists in
the gay community. I see Black people internalizing racism. Keisha: Im just
a lesbian femme. Im very strong about being Black. I would not change it.
Unless maybe I had some of the opportunities some White people have. I
love being a woman. Tai: Im a stud, a lesbian. Im Black but its not really
that important to me. Im a female and thats not going to change. I use to
want to be a boy but thats only because boys could have a girl. Im okay
being a female. I havent seen any racism in the gay community toward me,
but Ive seen it toward others. Ive seen homophobia on the bus today. A
drag queen got on the bus and nobody wanted to sit next to him. Theres
racism in the gay community, but I think that we are more together. I know
theres sexism too. I know that as a Black lesbian I cant go in certain places
and feel comfortable. I know what its like to be stereotyped.

Mental Health
Charmaine: I had a bit of a nervous breakdown my junior year in college
when I finally admitted to myself that I was a lesbian. It was difficult, especially because I was raised in the church and stuff got internalized for so
long. My spirituality is important to me. I had to disconnect with my familys
church, and they know why. When I was feeling this depression in college

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

66

A. Robinson

and even suicidal, I didnt go to the campus LGBT office because they were
all White people. I didnt feel like they could understand what I was dealing
with. It wasnt so much that I was gay, it was about my being Black and I was
Baptist. I needed to address these two issues which they cant even touch. I
ended up going to some friends who had come out to me already. Keisha:
I know a girl whose mother found out she was gay and put her in a psych
ward. She was 13. They put her in the crazy house. I had three therapists
before, and two psychiatrists who gave me medication. I dont know if the
therapy worked, but it gave me somebody to talk to, to release all my anger.
I would bottle everything in and then explode. Tai: What makes me angry
about being a lesbian is when guys harass me or my girlfriend. One time I
was at the gas station and I got into it with a man that called my girl a bitch.
He came out with a stick and started beating me in my face. I was supposed
to have a lawsuit but the police didnt call me back. I couldnt chew for a
week. When the police came, they arrested me.

The Media
Charmaine: Ive seen some music videos like My Girl Got a Girlfriend and
BET Uncut. Im going to protest because the women are degraded and the
women loving women are made to look all sexual. Keisha: The videos see
us as just these wild women, like we get wild anywhere. They make it look
like were just so bad. Everything is like sexual.

Other Issues
Charmaine: I want to see legalized marriage and adoption rights for LGBTs.
Whoever works with youth should listen to them. It doesnt take high tech
facilities. These kids dont have anybody to pay attention to them and to
listen with what they deal with. Many of them dont feel important and no
one seems to set expectations for them other than negative ones. Keisha:
Im Baptist. Ive heard about a gay church but I havent been. I have friends
of all races, both genders. Id like to get married and have children one day.
I know I have a good future ahead of me as an out lesbian. Im going to go
to college. The only barrier Ill have is money. To counselorswe just need
advice. We need somebody to be there to help us cope and get through
things, somewhere where we can talk. Sometimes, our partners dont have
it all together. Cant really share this stuff with parents.

DISCUSSION
The interviews revealed that these girls/women have survived and triumphed through enormous odds in their lives. Regardless of tremendous
life struggles, they have been able to empower themselves, perhaps at some

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

Voices of Black Lesbian Youth in Detroit

67

enormous costs. Participants reported that they endured sexual assault, abuse
and abandonment by family, life threats, abortions, and bouts of depression and anxiety. Their resilience and coping have been marked by strong
psychological defenses such as denial and minimization to handle the traumas. Although few were forced into counseling, usually during their juvenile
placements, most of the participants have survived without interventions or
emotional supports. They were truthful in expressing their need for older
lesbian role models and mentors for guidance, support, and understanding.
Interestingly, religion and spirituality were significant issues for these youth.
It mattered to them that they remained connected to the church although
the negative messages about same-gender attraction were unacceptable to
them.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MENTAL HEALTH

AND YOUTH CARE PROVIDERS
Mental health outcomes for Black lesbian adolescents can improve with increased research through interviews, examination of the existing literature
on LGBT youth, and supportive interventions that recognize their cultural
and spiritual needs. The opinion of this writer is based on the literature,
clinical work with adolescents, and informal interactions with youth. The
goal of youth-serving professionals should be one of assisting Black lesbian
adolescents with developing whole, integrated personal and social identities,
and to gain healthy emotional adjustment during their coming out process.
Interventions targeting Black lesbian youth may require developmental, multilevel, contextual, and community-oriented approaches that are primarily a
mixture of lesbian-affirmative, Africentric, and womanist-centered. It is necessary to conduct a comprehensive assessment for risk factors associated
with negative psychological outcomes, that is, explore or assess the presence of suicidal ideation, trauma, stress, behavioral problems, mental status,
substance abuse, homelessness, level of sexual activity, the presence of safe
sex practices, safety factors, presence of abuse, family support, level of social and academic functioning, and whether the client has adequate access
to relevant community resources.
Family therapy assists parents and siblings with their own adjustment
to their loved-ones coming out process, and helps them through their own
disclosure issues of being a family member to a lesbian adolescent. Such
families may benefit from referrals to support groups such as Parents and
Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) who offer groups for Black families.
Spirituality is another important aspect of African-American life and
should be taken into consideration when serving African-American lesbian
youth. It is incumbent upon therapists to inform clients of the existence of
Black lesbian-affirming faith-based ministries in their locality. There a number

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

68

A. Robinson

of faith-based entities providing spiritual support for those of any religious

background.
General recommendations include trainings for mental health staff, creating a gay-friendly environment, using appropriate and inclusive terminology on agency forms, advertising as a gay-affirming agency, securing representation of LGBTs of various races and ethnicities on boards and in hiring practices, partnering with Black, LGBT, and Black LGBT organizations/
agencies and adult mentors, and ensuring that Black lesbian youth have
resources available to them and their families. For homeless youth, reunification should be a primary goal. This entails providing support programming
for family members, educating them on attractional orientation developmental issues, and using guidelines recommended by the Child Welfare League
of America (1991). Also, therapy directed at changing sexual/attractional orientation is inappropriate since it can provoke guilt and anxiety while having
little or no potential for achieving changes in orientation (Ryan & Futterman,
1998). Therapists who harbor racial, gender, and heterosexist biases could
potentially damage the therapeutic relationship.

CONCLUSION
Black lesbian youth face considerable challenges. The mental health risks
faced by this population are complex because of multiple oppressions. Often times, coping abilities can mask those needs and risks (Sigonski, 1995).
It is time for institutionalizing and normalizing lesbian youth as part of child
and family psychological services and to make sure psychologists and other
mental health professionals are providing supportive, sensitive, and culturally competent services. Sociocultural structural change must require mental
health providers to affirm all girls. It is anticipated that research and clinical
work will turn its attention to this group of youngsters, and that there will
become a growing appreciation and concern for healthy psychological and
emotional outcomes for them and their families.

REFERENCES
Child Welfare League of America. (1991). Serving gay & lesbian youths: The role of
child welfare agencies. Washington, D.C.
DAugelli, A. (1998). Developmental implications of victimization of lesbian, gay,
and bisexual youths. In G. Herek (Ed.), Stigma and sexual orientation: Understanding prejudice against lesbians, gay men, and bisexuals. Thousand Oaks,
CA: Sage.
Dube, E., & Savin-Williams, R. (1999). Sexual identity development among ethnic
sexual minority male youths. Developmental Psychology, 35, 13891398.

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

Voices of Black Lesbian Youth in Detroit

69

Hunter, J., & Mallon, G. (2000). Lesbian, gay, and bisexual adolescent development:
Dancing with your feet tied together. In B. Greene & G. L. Croom (Eds.),
Education, research, and practice in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered
psychology: A resource manual (pp. 226243). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
Jackson, L., & Greene, B. (2000). Psychotherapy with African American women. New
York: Guilford Press.
Mallon, G. (1997). When schools are not safe places: Gay, Lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered young people in educational settings. Reaching Todays Youth,
2(1), 4145.
Martin, D. (1982). Learning to hide: The socialization of the gay adolescent. In
S. Feinstein, J. Looney, A. Schwarzenberg, & A. Sorosky (Eds.), Adolescent
Psychiatry (pp. 5265). Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
Rosario, M., Schrimshaw, E., & Hunter, J. (2004). Ethnic/racial differences in the
coming out process of lesbian, gay, and bisexual youths: A comparison of
sexual identity development over time. Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority
Psychology, 10(3), 215228.
Russell, S., & Truong, N. (2001). Adolescent sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, and school environments: A national study of sexual minority youth of
color. In K. K. Kumashiro (Ed.), Troubling intersections of race and sexuality:
Queer students of color and anti-oppressive education. Lanham, MD: Rowman &
Littlefield.
Ryan, C., & Futterman, D. (Eds.) (1998). American Academy of Pediatrics Statement
on homosexuality and adolescence. Lesbian & gay youth: Care and counseling.
New York: Columbia University Press.
Schneider, M. (1997). Sappho was a right-on adolescent: Growing up lesbian. Journal
of Lesbians Studies, 1(1), 6985.
Sigonski, M. (1995). The social service needs of lesbians of color. In H. Hidalgo
(Ed.), Lesbians of color: Social and human services (pp. 6783). Binghamton,
NY: Harrington Park Press.
Solozano, D., Ceja, M., & Yosso, T. (2000). Critical race theory, racial microaggressions and campus racial climate: The experiences of African American college
students. Journal of Negro Education, 69(1), 6073.
Swann, S., & Anastas, J. (2003). Dimensions of lesbian identity during adolescence
and young adulthood. Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services: Issues in Practice, Policy & Research, 15(1), 109125.
Vaz, K. (1997). Introduction: Oral narrative research with black women. In K. Vaz
(Ed.), Oral narrative research with black women (pp. 13). Thousand Oaks, CA:
Sage.

RESOURCES
Affirmations LGBT Community Center, www.goaffirmations.org
National Black Justice Coalition, www.nbjcoalition.org
Nia Collective, www.niacollective.org
PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays), www.pflag.org
Ruth Ellis Center, www.ruthelliscenter.com
Unity Fellowship Church, www.unityfellowshipchurch.org

70

A. Robinson

Downloaded by [Monash University Library] at 20:44 25 December 2014

CONTRIBUTOR
Amorie Robinson, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in
and around Detroit, Michigan. She earned her masters and doctoral degrees
at the University of Michigan where she guest lectures in Womens Studies
and Psychology. She has taught Introduction to LGBT Studies, Intersection
of Race & Attractional Orientation, and Gender & Group Process in a Multicultural Context. Dr. Robinson is a psychotherapist at Third Circuit Court
Clinic for Child Study and Lewis & Mikkola. Dr. Robinson has conducted
trainings for Detroit-Wayne Community Mental Health and other agencies,
on psychotherapeutic considerations with gay and lesbian clients, and cultural competent services with LGBT youth. Dr. Robinson published an article
in Battered Black & Blue: Violence in the Lives of Black Women (C. West, ed.)
on domestic violence among African-American lesbians. She also wrote a
chapter in Benefiting By Design: Women of Color in Feminist Psychological
Research (Raghavan, Edwards, & Vaz, eds.). In addition, she is a community
organizer of groups that serve marginalized populations including homeless
LGBT youth.