Sentido de vida em mulheres lésbicas: impactos das manifestações da lesbofobia e dos atravessamentos identitários e sociais

Abstract

Meaning in life has been widely associated with psychological well-being, mental health, and coping capacity in the face of adversity. In the context of lesbian women, its construction is shaped by social, affective, and political processes related to identity recognition, belonging, and experiences of exclusion and resistance. This study aimed to analyze the impacts on meaning in life among lesbian women, considering the intersections of lesbian identity, recognition processes, and the social constructions that define and delimit the experience of being lesbian. This is an applied, descriptive-explanatory study with a qualitative approach. The sample consisted of 93 women aged between 14 and 56 years, recruited through social media platforms. Data were collected through an open-ended question about meaning in life (“What gives your life meaning?”), and responses were analyzed using Requalify.ai software, based on Large Language Models (LLMs). Results indicated that meaning in life is constructed multidimensionally, with centrality in affective, family, and romantic relationships, sense of belonging, self-knowledge, and the possibility of envisioning a future marked by safety, freedom, and recognition. It is concluded that meaning in life among lesbian women is shaped by subjective, social, and political dimensions, highlighting the importance of social recognition and the legitimacy of their existence for promoting well-being and mental health.