Does internalized heterosexism moderate the link between heterosexist events and lesbians' psychological distress?

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between heterosexist events and various indices of psychological distress in lesbians. In addition, it examined the potential moderating role of internalized heterosexism in the link between heterosexist events and psychological distress. Furthermore, psychometric support for the Heterosexist Harassment, Rejection, and Discrimination Scale (HHRDS) developed for this study is provided. Consistent with feminist theory and previous research, results indicated that recent perceived heterosexist harassment, rejection, and discrimination correlated positively with several indices of psychological distress. Contrary to research on gay men, internalized heterosexism did not moderate the relationship between external heterosexism and lesbians' psychological distress.