Women's Scores on the Sexual Inhibition/Sexual Excitation Scales (SIS/SES): Gender Similarities and Differences

Theory and research agree that connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is an important construct to account for in understanding issues related to health and well-being among gay and bisexual men. However, the measurement of this construct among lesbian and bisexual women or racial and ethnic minority individuals has not yet been adequately investigated. This study examined the reliability and validity of an existing measure of connectedness to the LGBT Community among a diverse group of sexual minority individuals in New York City, and whether differences in connectedness existed across gender and race or ethnicity. Scores on the measure demonstrated both internal consistency and construct stability across subgroups defined by gender and race or ethnicity. The subgroups did not differ in their mean levels of connectedness, and scores on the measure demonstrated factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity, both generally and within each of the subgroups. Inconsistencies were observed with regard to which scores on the measure demonstrated predictive validity in their associations with indicators of mental health and well-being. The scale is a useful tool for researchers and practitioners interested in understanding the role of community connectedness in the lives of diverse populations of sexual minority individuals.     

A comprehensive approach to sexual and transgender prejudice

Prejudice and discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) individuals continues to have a detrimental impact on the mental health of this population. Research examining commonalities and uniqueness among negative attitudes toward specific sexual and gender minority groups is extremely limited. The authors propose that research examining sexual prejudice include attitudes toward diverse subgroups within the larger LGBTQ community in order to facilitate development of underlying constructs and identify unique contributing factors. Common and unique factors identified within existing research are organized into categorical themes, which are delineated in a conceptual factor model of sexual and transgender prejudice.     

A Qualitative Study of Middle Eastern/Arab American Sexual Minority Identity Development

The development of one's sexual minority identity is often stunted by a heterosexist society. For individuals with multiple minority oppressions, this process becomes even more complicated. As such, there has been a call among researchers for more empirical research on the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual (LGB) individuals from racial/ethnic minority groups. This study uses qualitative methods to fill gaps in the literature related to identity development among same-gender attracted Middle Eastern/Arab individuals living in the United States. From 12 interviews, 13 themes associated with intersectionality, race/ethnicity, sexual identity development, discrimination, stigma, oppression, and invisibility. Themes, subthemes, and their implications are discussed.     

Harassment Due to Gender Nonconformity Mediates the Association Between Sexual Minority Identity and Depressive Symptoms

The visibility of a stigmatized identity is central in determining how individuals experience that identity. Sexual minority status (e.g., identifying as gay, lesbian, or bisexual) has traditionally been identified as a concealable stigma, compared with race/ethnicity or physical disability status. This conceptualization fails to recognize, however, the strong link between sexual minority status and a visible stigma: gender nonconformity. Gender nonconformity, or the perception that an individual fails to conform to gendered norms of behavior and appearance, is strongly stigmatized, and is popularly associated with sexual minority status. The hypothesis that harassment due to gender nonconformity mediates the association between sexual minority status and depressive symptoms was tested. Heterosexual and sexual minority–identified college and university students (N = 251) completed questionnaires regarding their sexual minority identity, experiences of harassment due to gender nonconformity, harassment due to sexual minority status, and depressive symptoms. A mediational model was supported, in which the association between sexual minority identity and depressive symptoms occurred via harassment due to gender nonconformity. Findings highlight harassment due to gender nonconformity as a possible mechanism for exploring variability in depressive symptoms among sexual minorities.     

Belonging and Acceptance: Examining the Correlates of Sociopolitical Involvement Among Bisexual and Lesbian Latinas

This article employs a national sample of almost 400 bisexual and lesbian Latinas to examine the impact of community-level support/comfort, as well as the importance of sexual orientation and racial identity, on sociopolitical involvement. Results indicate that feelings of connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community are the most important predictor of sociopolitical involvement within both LGBT and people of color (POC) communities. While comfort within the LGBT community had no impact on LGBT sociopolitical involvement, it had a negative impact on POC sociopolitical involvement.     

Not All Alike

Abstract

Most published research regarding same-sex relationship abuse experienced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people notes a need for services. However, the LGBT community is quite heterogeneous, and useful support may vary based on demographic characteristics. This research examined within group differences regarding type of support sought and its usefulness. Eighty nine percent (n = 677) of a diverse sample of LGBT people (N = 760) experienced abuse in a same-sex relationship. Of those who experienced some type of emotional, physical, and /or sexual abuse, differences in help sought and its usefulness were found based on age, income, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity.     

Traversing the Margins: Intersectionalities in the Bullying of Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth

SUMMARY

This study explores the perspectives of service providers and youth advocates on bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and intersectionalities in LGBT peer victimization. In depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine key informants (4 male, 4 female, 1 transgender male; 4 gay, 3 lesbian, 2 non-identified; 6 white, 1 South Asian, 2 Middle Eastern) recruited using purposive sampling from diverse education and social service settings. Narrative thematic analysis and a constant comparative method were used to identify themes. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) “transgressing gender norm boundaries”; (2) homophobic sexism vs. sexist homophobia; (3) “you choose sexuality or you choose race”; (4) newcomer youth and citizenship; and (5) “multiple wires together … create the cage.” Findings suggest the importance of an intersectional approach to conceptualizing and addressing LGBT bullying and to uncovering the differential experiences of bullying among LGBT youth. Bullying related to sexual orientation should not be assumed to be the only or primary form of violence shaping the lives of LGBT youth.     

Specifying Long-Term Care Provider Responsiveness to LGBT Older Adults

In-depth interviews and focus groups with lesbian, gay, and transgender older adults addressed the question “What does it mean for long-term care providers to be responsive to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) older adults?” Sixteen domains of long-term care provider responsiveness to LGBT older adults were identified, including awareness of centrality of partners, knowledge of importance of preferred gender expression, openness to welcoming LGBT older adults, and ability to create LGBT-safe environments. Future research should include LGBT elders who belong to ethnic minority groups, bisexual elders, and LGBT older adults who do not identify with LGBT labels.     

Well-Being Among Spanish Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual and Heterosexual Adults: Disclosure of Sexual Orientation to Family and Friends

Relevance of disclosure of minority sexual orientation on subjective (SWB) and psychological well-being (PWB) was analyzed. Participants were 236 men and 238 women self-identified as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) or heterosexual. No differences in SWB were found between heterosexuals and LGBs. Heterosexual women showed greater environmental mastery than bisexual men and greater purpose in life than lesbian and bisexual women. Outcomes showed greater well-being among LGBs who disclosed their minority sexual orientation to parents later in life. Disclosing minority sexual orientation to parents was related with greater PWB. Further research that takes a differential approach to improve well-being for LGBs is needed.     

The Last Bastion of Sexual and Gender Prejudice? Sexualities,Race, Gender,Religiosity, and Spirituality in the Examination of Prejudice Toward Sexual and Gender Minorities

Prior research has reported that many Americans hold prejudicial attitudes toward sexual and gender minorities. Most of this research analyzed attitudes toward target categories in isolation and not in relation to attitudes toward heterosexuals. In addition, most previous research has not examined attitudes of members of sexual and gender minority categories toward other categories. While some research has examined the influence of religiosity on attitudes toward sexual and gender minorities, none of these studies has examined religiosity while also examining the influence of spirituality. In this article we drew on insights from queer theory to examine attitudes toward heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals, as well as individuals who practice polygamy, among college students. Three samples gathered over a four-year period (2009, 2011, 2013) at a private, nonsectarian, midsized urban university in the Southeastern United States were used. We found that heterosexuals had the most positive rating, followed in order of rating by gay/lesbian, bisexual, and transgender individuals, and then those who practice polygamy. Regression analyses revealed gender and race were significant predictors of attitudes toward various sexual and gender categories. Holding a literalistic view of the Bible and self-identifying as more religious were related to more negative views toward sexual minorities, while self-identifying as more spiritual was related to more positive views.     

Examining Cohort Differences and Resilience among the Aging LGBT Community: Implications for Education and Practice among an Expansively Diverse Population

The aging lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community continues to grow considerably while often being faced with unique and unmet needs separate from younger LGBT cohorts or their non-LGBT counterparts. This article explores some of the differences in attitudes among generational cohort groups regarding coming out decisions; sexual risk and safety; the impact of evolving policies within systems and society; as well as the demonstrated strengths and resiliencies of the aging LGBT community. Implications and suggestions for education, training, and best practices among this expansive and diverse population are considered as well as continued research in the field of LGBT aging.     

Who Adopts Queer and Pansexual Sexual Identities?

Some nonheterosexual individuals are eschewing lesbian/gay and bisexual identities for queer and pansexual identities. The present study aimed to examine the sexual and demographic characteristics of nonheterosexual individuals who adopt these labels. A convenience sample of 2,220 nonheterosexual (1,459 lesbian/gay, 413 bisexual, 168 queer, 146 pansexual, and 34 other “write-in”) individuals were recruited for a cross-sectional online survey. In support of our hypotheses, those adopting pansexual identities were younger than those adopting lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities, and those adopting queer and pansexual identities were more likely to be noncisgender than cisgender, and more likely to be cisgender women than men. The majority of pansexual individuals demonstrated sexual orientation indices within the bisexual range, and showed equivalent patterns of sexual attraction, romantic attraction, sexual behavior, and partner gender as bisexual-identified men and women. In contrast, three-quarters of queer men, and more than half of queer women, reported sexual attraction in the homosexual range. This study found that rather than a general movement toward nontraditional sexual identities, queer and pansexual identities appear most appealing to nonheterosexual women and noncisgender individuals. These findings contribute important information regarding who adopts queer and pansexual identities in contemporary sexual minority populations.     

Rural/Non-Rural differences in psychosocial risk factors among sexual minorities

The purpose of this study was to examine rural versus non-rural differences in the following risk factors among sexual minority adults: victimization/discrimination, fundamental religiosity, identification and involvement in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community, social support, and level of comfort disclosing sexual identity to others. The study recruited sexual minority individuals via online communications to LGBT organizations. Of the total sample (N = 699), 23.3% resided in rural areas and 76.7% resided in non-rural areas. A MANCOVA was conducted to determine if there was a significant overall relation of rural versus non-rural location to the five risk factors of interests, while controlling for age, sex, race, relationship status, and sexual identity. Post hoc ANCOVAs were then conducted to explore the specific directionality of the significant differences. Results revealed rural sexual minorities reported greater identification with fundamental religious beliefs, less comfort in disclosing their sexual identity to others, more experiences of victimization and discrimination, less identification with and involvement in the LGBT community, and less perceived social support when compared to their non-rural counterparts. These findings suggest sexual minorities residing in rural areas may experience increased exposure to negative risk factors. Implications for mental health providers working with rural sexual minorities are discussed.     

Childhood Maltreatment,Bullying Victimization,and Psychological Distress Among Gay and Bisexual Men

Sexual minority men report higher psychological distress than heterosexual men, including depression and anxiety. Research suggests that these health disparities may be due to the heightened stressors that gay, lesbian, and bisexual individuals experience. Some of these stressors occur early on in life, such as childhood abuse and bullying, and may include stressors that are topically related to sexual minority status, such as anti-gay bullying and teasing for gender nonconformity to masculine gender norms. We tested a structural equation model on the association between negative childhood experiences and adult psychological distress among 304 gay and bisexual men. The model fit the data well, and demonstrated an indirect effect of negative childhood experiences on adult psychological distress via dysfunctional thoughts toward oneself. The results integrate the childhood abuse and anti-gay bullying victimization literatures by showing that both forms of adverse childhood experiences are associated with adult psychological distress. The findings suggest the benefit of treatments to reduce negative, dysfunctional thoughts among gay and bisexual men who have experienced adverse childhood events.     

Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual,and Transgender Communities’ Readiness for Intimate Partner Violence Prevention

Efforts to address intimate partner violence (IPV) in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities often rely on identifying what service providers can do to better reach and serve these populations. However, assessing a community's readiness in response to the issue of IPV in LGBT communities locates the issue where outcry is most likely to occur. Utilizing the Community Readiness Model in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities in two rural and two urban communities, this study revealed a low level of community readiness to address IPV. Only vague awareness of IPV exists in these sexual orientation, gender identity, and geographic communities. The study suggests specific next steps tailored to raise LGBT communities’ readiness to address IPV from within their own communities, starting at the current low level.     

Unpacking Civic Engagement: The Sociopolitical Involvement of Same-Gender Loving Black Women

Employing a national sample of over 600 same-gender loving (SGL) Black women, we explore the relative impact of community-level support/comfort and the importance of sexual orientation and racial identity on two dependent variables—sociopolitical involvement within lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities as well as sociopolitical involvement within people of color (POC) communities. Findings indicate that feelings of connectedness to the LGBT community are the most important predictor of sociopolitical involvement within both LGBT and POC communities; while, counterintuitively, being comfortable within the LGBT community had a negative impact. Further, the impact of the importance of identity was negligible.     

Intersections of Identities

ABSTRACT

This paper addresses several key issues related to counseling lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) Asian-Americans. An understanding of the intersections of these identities is important, yet can be complex because of the diversity within Asian-American cultural groups (i.e., ethnicity, generation, skin color, religion, levels of minority stress, and acculturation) and within LGBT communities. These factors may influence counselors' selection of developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive counseling approaches for LGBT Asian-American clients. We propose a framework for understanding the intersection of racial/ethnic and sexual identity development, the Racial Ethnic and Sexual Orientation Identification Chart (RSIC), which is designed to assist therapists in determining relevant counseling issues and strategies. A case study is included along with a discussion of multidimensional assessment and clinical implications.     

“Gay Equals White”? Racial,Ethnic, and Sexual Identities and Attitudes Toward LGBT Individuals Among College Students at a Bible Belt University

While past research has certainly explored a variety of correlates of attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals, the current study is among the first in an emerging line of inquiry that examines attitudes toward each of these groups separately utilizing an intersectional framework with special attention to racial, ethnic, and sexual identities. Using a college sample of students from the Bible Belt of the United States (N = 1,940), I investigated the roles of racial and ethnic identities (Caucasian/White, African American/Black, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American/Alaskan Native, other race, and Hispanic/Latinx), religiosity, patriarchal gender norms, parental perspectives, and the intersections among these identities and experiences as they relate to attitudes toward LGBT individuals among heterosexual (n = 1,551) and LGB respondents (n = 389). This moves beyond explorations of White heterosexual people’s attitudes about “homosexuals” (i.e., away from a focus only on gayness and Whiteness) and expands to include non-White LGB people’s LGBT attitudes. Overall, results indicate that racial, ethnic, and sexual identities play a significant role in southern college students’ LGBT attitudes, and these patterns are further complicated by interacting cultural experiences with religiosity, patriarchy, and family dynamics. Campus policy and program implications are provided.