judges were eliminated, resulting in a 52-item measure with the following subscales: Connection with the
Lesbian Community, Public Identification as Lesbian, Personal Feelings About Being a Lesbian, Moral and
Religious Values, Attitudes Toward Other Lesbians. Subscales were moderately correlated with one another
(ranging from .37 to .56, respectively).
Criterion/Predictive
The predictive validity of this scale has yet to be established.
Location
Szymanski, D.M., & Chung, Y.B. (2001). The lesbian internalized homophobia scale. Journal of Homosexuality ,
41,3 7/C052.
Results and Comments
The LIHS was designed to fill a major gap in the literature, which up to this point had failed to specifically
assess internalized homophobia among lesbians. Existing scales were designed for use with gay men and thus
contain items that are not applicable to a lesbian sample (e.g., ‘gay men are overly promiscuous’). As well, simply
adapting existing measures neglects the fact that lesbians face additional and different political, social, and eco-
nomic oppression as women in a patriarchal society ( Greenfield, 1990 ). For these reasons, the LIHS is the best
available measure for assessing internalized homophobia among lesbians specifically.
LIHS SAMPLE ITEMS
Connection with the Lesbian Community
1.When interacting with members of the lesbian
community, I often feel different and alone, like I
don’t fit in.
2.Having lesbian friends is important to me. (R)
3.I am familiar with community resources for lesbians
(i.e., bookstores, support groups, bars, etc.). (R)
Public Identification as a Lesbian
4.I do not feel the need to be on guard, lie, or hide my
lesbianism to others. (R)
5.I could notconfront a straight friend or acquaintance
if she or he made a homophobic or heterosexist
statement to me.
6.When speaking of my lesbian lover/partner to a
straight person, I change pronouns so that others will
think I’m involved with a man rather than a woman.
Personal Feelings about Being a Lesbian
7.As a lesbian, I am loveable and deserving of
respect. (R)
8.If I could change my sexual orientation and become
heterosexual, I would.9.Being a lesbian makes my future look bleak and
hopeless.
Moral and Religious Attitudes toward
Lesbians
10.Just as in other species, female homosexuality is a
natural expression of sexuality in human
women. (R)
11.Female homosexuality is a sin.
12.Growing up in a lesbian family is detrimental for
children.
Attitudes toward Other Lesbians
13.If some lesbians would change and be more
acceptable to the larger society, lesbians as a group
would not have to deal with so much negativity and
discrimination.
14.I have respect and admiration for other lesbians. (R)
15.I can’t stand lesbians who are too ‘butch.’
Notes :
Items are rated on a 7-point Likert-type scale ranging
from: 1 5Strongly disagree to 75Strongly agree .
(R) Reverse scored item.
Reproduced with permission.
FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
The current review of contemporary measures of anti-LGB bias attests to both the variety of foci and rapid
developments in this field. Measures and research on this topic are fast evolving, in parallel with rapid change in746 25. MEASURES OF ATTITUDES TOWARDS SEXUAL ORIENTATION: HETEROSEXISM, HOMOPHOBIA, AND INTERNALIZED STIGMA
VI. SOCIOCULTURAL INTERACTION AND CONFLICT