In order to improve lesbian health care, comprehensive research must be conducted, homophobia must be addressed within the health professions, and lesbians and their providers must become better informed.
About LHF
Founded in 1992, LHF has granted over $1 million dollars to fund over 120 critical research studies which have deepened knowledge of our communities’ health. We are the only US research fund dedicated solely to the unique health needs of lesbians and sexual minority women. Our grants are crucial catalysts to larger, multi-million dollar studies funded by federal agencies.
Today, LHF remains committed to improving the health of lesbians and sexual minority women over the lifespan, from early childhood, through adolescence, and adulthood, including aging. There is still great need to understand how social determinants, especially race and ethnicity, influence the health and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ women and girls.
Groundbreaking Research
Research is underway on the following issues:
- Reproductive technologies and access for racialized sexual and gender minority people
- The health of sexual and gender minority people of color living with polycystic ovary syndrome
- Self-compassion interventions for stress in sexual minority women
- A longitudinal pilot study on psychosocial factors and depressive symptoms among gender minority adolescents
Educating Providers and Scientists
Important results from LHF-funded studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at professional conferences on topics including:
- Alternative insemination methods
- Education of primary care providers on lesbian health and cultural sensitivity
- Health risks and barriers to health care
- Health care access for older, rural lesbians
- Breast cancer risks and treatment
- Lesbian domestic violence
- Mental health of lesbian mothers and children of lesbian parents
- Osteoporosis and bone density loss
- Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases
- Substance use issues
Launching Further Studies and Leveraging Millions of Dollars
LHF grants have been crucial to propelling promising research questions to the attention of other, larger granting agencies. The small grants LHF provides allows researchers to test concepts and collect pilot data that must be done before other agencies will consider funding larger studies. Receiving an LHF grant is often a catalyst to receiving much larger grants from other agencies. Our grantees have been awarded millions of dollars from federal agencies and research funding organizations to pursue groundbreaking research in lesbian health that would not have been possible without the initial funding from LHF.
Dedicated Support for LGBTQ+ Women and Girls' Health
LHF centers and uplifts communities whose lived experiences and health are impacted by sexism, misogyny, transmisogyny, and or misogynoir using an anti-oppressive approach in pursuit of health justice. LGBTQ health research is still generally underfunded, but only 6.5% of LGBTQ research funded by the National Institutes of Health includes lesbian women despite LBQ women representing 55% of the LGBTQ adult population, and LBQ and questioning girls comprising 66% of the LGBTQ youth population.
We've expanded the LHF community over the last three decades to reflect the LGBTQ community's growth and increased visibility; however, LHF remains committed to prioritizing research led by and for LGBTQ+ women and girls to address this disparity within our community.
Support LHF
The Lesbian Health Fund relies on your support!
Donate Online Today!
To send a check, please mail it to: LHF, 1629 K Street NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20006.
