Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Children

This entry discusses the current state of research on lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) children from a psychosocial perspective. The discussion encompasses issues of prevalence, the unique challenges LGB children face, and the consequences of these challenges on their health and well-being. In this discussion, the term lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) is used to refer to individuals whose sexual orientation is nonheterosexual. A nonheterosexual orientation can be manifested in a few ways, including self-identification as LGB, sexual attraction toward people of the same sex/gender (gay or lesbian) or both sexes/genders (bisexual), or sexual behavior with people of the same sex/gender (gay or lesbian) or both sexes/genders (bisexual). The term children is used to refer to individuals whose age ranges from 12 to 24 years, ...