Lesbian Daughters and Lesbian Mothers: The Crisis of Disclosure from a Family Systems Perspective

Working 113from a Bowen family systems perspective, a critical aspect of the therapeutic task with lesbian clients is that of coaching them to “come out” in the family of origin. The disclosure of lesbianism, particularly that of a daughter to a mother or a mother to a daughter, is discussed. This article examines the societal context in which a woman makes a lesbian choice and discusses the necessity for disclosure. The particular issues and difficulties involved, the clinical methodology used, and some common results are presented. Case examples illustrate the ideas discussed.