Diversity

Sexual minorities are a diverse group. The group that used to be described as “homosexual” or “gay” is now not even fully described by the terms lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT). Some have suggested extending the alphabet to LGBTQQAi2S (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, asexual, intersex and Two Spirit). Adopting umbrella terms such as sexual minority or queer are options for capturing the many identities we write about. Yet beyond the issue of how we should name ourselves, important though it may be, is the issue of how we explore each of these distinct identities in our work. The Journal of Gay & Lesbian Mental Health (JGLMH) is committed to encouraging and publishing scholarship on the broad diversity of sexual minority identities. At the same time, we are aware that while our community may take care to include all the “letters” under our umbrella, we often do not give them equal weight. With that in mind, we are pleased to publish the proceedings from the 2009 Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists (AGLP) symposium, focusing on the varied interests and contributions of lesbian psychiatrists. With these papers, we attempt to highlight the “L” in LGBT and JGLMH . Within this rich collection of papers are other layers of diversity. These include attention to bisexual issues, the “B” in LGBT, as well as issues of gender diversity, the “T” in LGBT. The papers also cover a wide array of interests within mental health and reflect the many settings in which we encounter LGBT patients. Nanette Gartrell, MD, begins this collection with a paper on boundaries and boundary crossings in clinical work. Physicians and other mental health