Symposia
LGBQT+
Sarah Whitton, Ph.D.
Professor
University of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, Ohio
Gregory Swann, M.A.
Data Analyst
Northwestern Institute for Sexual and Gender Minority Health and Wellbeing
Chicago, Illinois
Michael Newcomb, Ph.D. (he/him/his)
Associate Professor
Northwestern University
Chicago, Illinois
Background: Sexual and gender minority people of color (SGM-POC) experience stigma and discrimination based on their racial/ethnic identity, their SGM status, and their unique intersection of identities (e.g., racism from other SGM and heterosexism from POC within their racial/ethnic group). We sought to explore the main and interacting effects of these experiences on SGM-POC wellbeing, including intimate partner violence (IPV), mental health, and problematic substance use.
Method: Data were drawn from FAB400, an ongoing longitudinal cohort study of SGM youth assigned female at birth (SGM-AFAB). Participants were 341 SGM-AFAB POC (50% Black; 32% Latinx; 8% multiracial; 7% Asian) who completed measures of racial discrimination, SGM-based enacted stigma, and intersectional stigma (heterosexism from POC and racism from SGM), as well as potential protective factors (SGM positive identity; SGM community involvement), and individual outcomes (IPV, anxious and depressive symptoms, problematic alcohol and cannabis use). Linear and negative binomial regression models were used to test direct and interaction effects.
Results: Both racial- and SGM-stigma were significant predictors of IPV, mental health problems, and alcohol-related problems within the same model, suggesting both uniquely contribute to poor outcomes. There were few interactions between racial- and SGM- stigma; those that were present suggested a weaker effect of SGM-stigma on outcomes when racial stigma was higher. Regarding intersectional stigma, heterosexism from POC (but not racism from SGM), was associated with worse anxiety and depression, and reduced the positive associations between SGM community connection and mental health.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that SGM POC are at unique risk of experiencing various forms of stigma based on their minority identities that each contribute negatively to their wellbeing. These effects generally appear to be additive, though for some outcomes, interactions between racial and SGM stigma suggested resilience (i.e., experiences of racism weaken the negative effects of stigma against SGM on wellbeing). In addition, heterosexism from other POC may put SGM of color at higher risk for poor outcomes and undermine the benefits of connections to the SGM community.