Yes, in my experience as a lesbian client, having a gay (actually, she's bi) therapist has made a SIGNIFICANT difference. With my previous straight therapist, she didn't understand my experience AT ALL. She routinely said very ignorant things (like "Now that you're gay, be careful about AIDS!"-- when, obviously, lesbians are at the LOWEST risk for HIV; she asked me if I was "sure" I was a lesbian because I'm so feminine and pretty; then, she pressured me to come out before I was ready because she didn't understand the ramifications of coming out). Another problem was that she didn't understand any of the terminology or culture. For instance, she didn't understand that, as a femme, I could be attracted to other femmes and she didn't understand terms like "lipstick lesbian," stone butch," "baby dyke," "gold star," "U-hauling," "pillow princess," etc . I want to walk in, say I'm a gold star lipstick lesbian, and have my T know what I'm talking about. I also want my T to get it when I say "I'm so sick of my straight girlfriends suddenly asking if they can 'experiment' with me" and "I'm so sick of being told I'm 'too pretty' to be gay" and "I'm so sick of guys thinking they can change me!" and "I'm so sick of feeling like the world isn't made for me; I'm so sick of feeling profoundly different." If I have to use my precious therapy time explaining the most basic things to my T, then I'm not really getting my therapy. Moreover, how can I relate to someone who doesn't understand me at all? How can she give me useful advice when she doesn't understand my situation? It makes such a HUGE difference when my T can say back to me: "I know! That drives me crazy too!" Instead of making me feel profoundly difference once again-- because I have to explain lesbian life to my T-- it makes me feel connected and not alone. It makes me feel like, finally, someone understands; she's like me and she's on my side. It also makes a huge difference when I want to talk about sex. If you haven't had lesbian sex, it's a little hard to talk about it. It's awesome when I can say "I'm not into X, but it seems like so many women are" and T can say "I know what you mean! I'm not into X either." It makes me feel like I can talk to her about everything. I have absolutely nothing against the straight community; most of my friends and family members are straight. And, quite frankly, as a very feminine woman, I often tend to fit in better in the straight community. However, when it comes to a T, so much of my life revolves around my lesbian identity that I really feel I need a bi/lesbian T. That commonality of experience makes a HUGE difference.