Inside/out: Challenges of conducting research in lesbian communities.

Conducting research within one's own community can present challenges that are rarely addressed by graduate education, articles, or books on research design. Binary notions of insider and outsider are too simplistic; rather insider/outsider positions exist on a continuum. This article explores how the researcher's shifting position affects every aspect of a study of lesbian, bisexual, and/or queer women. Helpful theoretical frameworks include feminist research principles and intersectionality, and the article ends with lessons learned about tackling taboo topics, sensitivity to language, embracing diversity, researcher reputation, and looking upstream for solutions.