LGB Identity Research Articles

Sexual orientation as a contextual frame for attractiveness judgments.

Despite strong consensus about the basic features that make someone look objectively attractive, contextual variation may modulate subjective assessments. Here, we investigate how social group membership provides such a context, comparing attractiveness judgments between lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) versus straight perceivers, and examining how these attractiveness judgments relate to beliefs about the target person's sexual orientation. We indeed find that perceivers rate targets as more attractive when they believe the target's sexual majority/minority status matches their own (Study 1). This association differs according to context, however: Although straight and LGB perceivers evaluate the components of facial attractiveness similarly (Study 2), straight men use attractiveness as a cue to sexual orientation (i.e., deeming unattractive women lesbians; Study 3) whereas LGB perceivers use sexual orientation as a cue to attractiveness (e.g., gay men rate men they believe are gay as more attractive than men they believe are straight; Studies 4 and 5). Thus, LGB identity seems to create a context in which sexual minority perceivers learn to attend to information about sexual diversity that straight perceivers may ignore. These findings highlight how group membership provides a lens for social perception, specifically pointing to how the contextual mindset of partner selection may transmute otherwise objective judgments, such as facial attractiveness. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Young people with LGB identity and their sense of belonging: Evidence from Northern Ireland – A society emerging from violent social conflict

In 2023 Northern Ireland celebrated the 25th anniversary of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement (GFA) which is regarded as a milestone of the Northern Ireland peace process. Via the 1998 Northern Ireland Act, the peace process saw equality and anti-discrimination legislation being implemented in Northern Ireland that legislates that public authorities must carry out their duties with due regard to equality of opportunity, including between persons of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Using time series data from 2013 to 2023 taken from the annual Young Life and Times (YLT) survey conducted among a randomized sample of 16-year olds in Northern Ireland (N = 15,162), this article explores the extent to which same-sex attracted young women and men express a sense of belonging to, and influence in, their local neighborhoods and Northern Ireland. We argue that the sense of belonging and influence can be used as suitable policy indicators to assess how same-sex attracted young people fare in Northern Ireland, a society emerging from significant violent conflict. The YLT dataset allows us to track, if any change in attitudes can be detected over the last decade. Our analysis shows that there was an increase in the proportion of young people, especially among young women, expressing same-sex attraction. However, our study also indicates that, regardless of gender, LGB 16-year olds consistently felt a lesser sense of belonging and influence than their non-LGB individuals. We found no LGB-specific differences among respondents with different religious affiliations. LGB respondents disproportionately rejected both Protestant and Catholic faiths and community affiliations, unlike their non-LGB counterparts. Our findings are a strong indicator that religion still plays a major part in the relationship between ethno-national communities in Northern Ireland and that there still is a long way to go until LGB young people feel valued and feel that they belong.

Associations between Sexual Minority Identities, Heterosexism, Identity Concealment, and Depression in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Emerging Adults: Adjusting for the Effects of General Stressors.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience stressors distinctively tied to their sexual identities, such as externalized and internalized heterosexism and identity concealment, which are correlated with increased psychological distress, including depression. The present study examined the variance in depression scores resulting from heterosexism, LGB identity concealment, and minority sexual identities, after adjusting for race/ethnicity and interpersonal violence victimization experiences. Participants were 277 LGB emerging adults 18 to 29 years old (mean 25.39, standard deviation 2.77; 46 lesbian women, 71 gay men) recruited from an online platform. Nearly 41% reported moderate to severe depression symptoms. A two-step hierarchical regression model examining the effect of sexual minority stressors, heterosexism, LGB identity concealment, and minority sexual identity on depression after controlling for childhood maltreatment and face-to-face intimate partner violence types was significant. Bisexual women (vs gay men), those with greater exposure to heterosexism, and those with a greater degree of identity concealment experienced significantly higher scores on depression. In addition, being a person of color (including identifying as Hispanic), exposure to childhood maltreatment, and experiencing psychological intimate partner violence significantly predicted increases in depression scores. Findings emphasize the importance of assessing minority stressors and taking them into account when providing clinical interventions to LGB individuals.

Romantic attachment, LGB minority stress, and mental health

Introduction The impact of attachment styles on mental health has been widely examined across diverse groups, yet the unique roles of these styles within sexual minority populations have only recently begun to be explored. The present study investigated the mediating effect of attachment style on the relationship of one aspect of sexual minority stress (termed negative LGB identity) and two indicators of mental health (i.e., psychological distress, self-esteem). Method Data from 284 LGB participants from the United States were gathered from an online survey and assessed in the present study. Results Negative LGB identity was correlated positively with both avoidant and anxious attachment. Further, negative LGB identity was also correlated positively with psychological distress and negatively with self-esteem. Two mediation models were assessed simultaneously using Hayes’ PROCESS Macro. Conclusion After accounting for attachment style, there was no longer a significant direct effect of negative LGB identity on either psychological distress or self-esteem, indicating mediation. Such a finding highlights the importance of one’s attachment style on mental health for sexual minority people. Limitations and directions for future research were addressed.

The Origins and Development of the National Transgender Rights Movement in the United States of America

Abstract This article examines the emergence of a national transgender rights movement in the United States in the latter half of the twentieth and first decade of the twenty-first century. Drawing on newly available materials from the Trans Equality Archive at the National Center for Transgender Equality in Washington, DC, this study shows that the transgender movement has been neither wholly independent of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) movement, nor simply a subdivision of it. Through a process of hybridization, the transgender movement became simultaneously its own independent movement and a constituent of the LGBT movement. In building this argument, this article tells an untold story about the history of the movement. First, I narrate the emergence of a shared transgender collective identity separate from LGB identity. Second, I describe the burgeoning of a transgender movement and detail its continued distinction from the LGB movement. Third, I explain how the transgender movement pushed to turn the “LGB” movement into the “LGBT” movement, while still maintaining its independence. The article sheds light on the complex dynamics of contention among national advocacy organizations that gave shape to the contemporary transgender rights movement. It also contributes to the scholarship by tracing the distinctive evolution of the national transgender movement, which has operated alongside grassroots trans movements.

Conflict between religious/spiritual and LGB identities in Portugal: How is it related to coming out experiences, LGB identity dimensions and well-being?

Conflict between religious/spiritual and LGB identities in Portugal: How is it related to coming out experiences, LGB identity dimensions and well-being?

Therapist Multicultural Orientation: Client Perceptions of Cultural Humility, LGB Identity, and the Working Alliance

ABSTRACT Little attention has been given to how therapist cultural humility may benefit lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients. Thus, the current study examined whether therapist cultural humility predicted stronger client-therapist working alliances in a sample of 333 LGB individuals. LGB identity centrality (IC; the extent to which a person’s LGB identity is central to their overall identity) and LGB identity affirmation (IA; the extent to which an LGB person associates their sexual orientation with positive thoughts or feelings) were considered as moderators. Therapist cultural humility predicted stronger working alliances between LGB clients and their therapist; however, this association was not moderated by IC or IA. The present results suggest that LGB clients who rated their therapists as culturally humble toward their sexual orientation also reported stronger working alliances with their therapist, regardless of IC or IA. Lastly, exploratory analyses revealed that lower therapist cultural humility ratings were associated with greater sexual orientation acceptance concerns, internalized homonegativity, difficulties coming out, and sexual orientation concealment. The clinical implications of these findings are discussed. Future research should consider the benefits of therapist cultural humility for other gender and sexually diverse persons.

The roles of non-heterosexuality outside of identity and gender non-conformity in Allostatic Load among young adults

Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, this study contrasted levels of Allostatic Load at the baseline and change observed between the age 20s and 30s, among self-identified Lesbians/Gays/Bisexuals and heterosexuals with non-heterosexual attraction/behavior (discordant heterosexuals), against heterosexuals without (concordant heterosexuals). In addition, the study tested if Allostatic Load differs for each of the sexual orientation group differs jointly or independently of gender non-conformity. The study found no Allostatic Load elevation for self-identified non-heterosexual men and women. For women only, a significantly greater elevation of Allostatic Load is observed among discordant heterosexuals. Independently, Allostatic Load is found higher for females appearing more androgynous. The findings suggest expanding the current scope of sexual minority research to consider the relevance of minority stress to those without a LGB identity, who may be exposed to stress from disparate sources related to their gender identity.

Cumulative life-course victimization and inflammation in a U.S. national sample: Comparing intersections based on sexual orientation, gender, race/ethnicity, and education

Violence victimization has been associated with low-grade inflammation. Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual (LGB) individuals are at greater risk for victimization in childhood and young adulthood compared to heterosexuals. Moreover, the intersection of LGB identity with gender, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment may be differentially associated with victimization rates. However, no previous study has examined the role of cumulative life-course victimization during childhood and young adulthood in the association between 1) LGB identity and low-grade inflammation during the transition to midlife, and 2) intersection of LGB identity with gender, race/ethnicity, and educational attainment and low-grade inflammation during the transition to midlife. We utilized multi-wave data from a national sample of adults entering midlife in the United States– the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health; n = 4573) - and tested four bootstrapped mediation models. Results indicate LGB identity, LGB and White, and LGB and Black identities were indirectly associated with low-grade inflammation during the transition to midlife via higher levels of cumulative life-course victimization. Moreover, among LGB adults, the association between 1) less than college education and 2) some college education, and low-grade inflammation was mediated by cumulative life-course victimization. For LGB females, there was a direct association between identity and low-grade inflammation and this association was mediated by cumulative life-course victimization . Reducing accumulation of victimization could be critical for preventing biological dysregulation and disease onset among LGB individuals, particularly for those with multiple marginalized identities.

LGBアイデンティティ尺度（LGBIS）日本語版の作成

This study aimed to develop the Japanese version of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Identity Scale (LGBIS). The original scale was designed to assess the acceptance of one’s identity as an LGB person. We examined the reliability and validity of the translated Japanese version using data from 703 Japanese LGB people. The results of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses showed that the Japanese version of the LGBIS has a four-factor structure, in contrast to the eight-factor structure of the original version: negative image and affect toward LGB identity, identity centrality, identity affirmation, and identity uncertainty. Furthermore, internal consistency and test-retest correlations indicated that the scale has good reliability. The four subscales correlated with various identity-related measures. The correlations between indicators of mental health and both negative affect and affirmation about LGB identity were mostly consistent with the current theory of minority stress, which provide evidence of good validity for the Japanese version of the LGBIS. Thus, the Japanese version of the LGBIS is suitable for the assessment of identity acceptance among the Japanese LGB population.

Navigating Remarkable Communication Experiences of Sexual Minorities

Navigating Remarkable Communication Experiences of Sexual Minorities

Is Trauma Exposure More Harmful for Sexual Minority Youth? Differences in Trauma-Suicide Associations in a Nationally Representative Sample of U.S. Youth and Implications for Suicide Prevention.

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth experience disproportionately high rates of suicidality and exposure to traumatic events, such as sexual violence and teen dating violence. Rates of suicidality and exposure to traumatic events also vary by sexual minority subgroup. The purpose of this study was to: (1) explore the impact of LGB identity on the relationship between violence exposure and suicide; and (2) to examine variations by sexual identity. A subsample of respondents who reported on their sexual identity in the Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 14,690) was used to examine if the associations between sexual and dating violence with suicide outcomes (suicidal ideation, planning, and suicide attempt) depended on the sexual identity of the respondent. Logistic regression models were fitted with an interaction effect to quantify heterogeneity of associations across identity strata. Overall interaction tests mostly indicated heterogeneity of associations between sexual violence and physical dating violence. Several contrast of strata associations suggested substantive probability differences between sexual minority respondents and their heterosexual peers. While exposure to violence was broadly associated with increased probability of experiencing any type of suicidality, LGB and questioning youth were significantly more likely to experience suicidality compared to their heterosexual peers. Gay and lesbian youth demonstrated the strongest probability of experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviors among survivors of sexual violence, while bisexual youth may be more at risk following dating violence. Implications for future research and suicide prevention are discussed.

The Influence of Concerns About a Child's Sexual Orientation on Mental Health Among Parents of Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Children in Hong Kong.

Sexual minority stress affects not only lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals, but also their families. Due to the pervasiveness of stigma and discrimination, parents of LGB children often express concerns about the public perception of their child's sexual orientation and its possible impact on children, parents, and families. The concerns are particularly pertinent to parents in Chinese families, where there is a strong bond between parents and children. The present study seeks to understand the different dimensions of concerns among Chinese parents of LGB children and examine how these concerns affect their mental health. A total of 146 parents of LGB children in Hong Kong were recruited to participate in a survey regarding attitudes and concerns about their child's sexual orientation. The results revealed three areas of concern, which reflect parental worries about how a child's LGB identity may negatively impact the child, parent, and family. Parents who viewed homosexuality and bisexuality as innate and accepted their child's sexual orientation were likely to show fewer concerns. The results of structural equation modeling indicated that parental acceptance was negatively related to depression and anxiety symptoms through lower levels of child-oriented and family-oriented concerns. As accepting a child's sexual orientation is the key to reducing parental concerns and mental health problems, family-focused psychoeducation is needed to provide parents with accurate information about sexual orientation and foster supportive attitudes toward their LGB child. Clinicians and human service providers should also address child-oriented and family-oriented concerns among parents of LGB adolescents who are more inclined to be concerned about their child's sexual orientation.

Evaluating Medical Students' Views of the Complexity of Sexual Minority Patients and Implications for Care.

Purpose: Sexual and gender minority (SGM) people experience many health care disparities. We aimed to determine if medical students viewed sexual minority patients (lesbian, gay, or bisexual [LGB] men/women) as more complex than heterosexual patients, even when presenting with the same symptoms, and whether this perceived complexity affected confidence caring for LGB patients. Methods: A fictional patient with an upper respiratory infection was presented with systematic variation of the patient's sexual orientation across six experimental conditions in an online, vignette-based experimental study. Participants rated their perception of the medical, therapeutic, and social complexity of the patient, and completed a measure of stigma toward SGM people. Finally, participants indicated their confidence caring for the presented patient. Results: Overall, 665 students participated. Participants viewed the LGB patients as more complex across all domains, relative to heterosexual patients. Perceived medical and social complexity predicted lower confidence caring for the patient. Participants reported lower confidence caring for gay male patients with indirect effects of medical and social complexity. LGB identity was broadly and indirectly associated with lower confidence through social complexity. Conclusion: Our results suggest students view LGB patients as more complex compared with heterosexual patients. Medical education programs must provide training about the effects of social biases on clinical judgments and care for LGB patients, as well as build skills to ensure confidence caring for LGB patients.

Attitudes Toward Medical Care and Sexual Orientation Identity in Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals

This study examined factors of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity in relation to general attitudes toward medical care and specific attitudes of medical care avoidance. Through an online questionnaire, 114 participants who self-identified as LGB completed measures of LGB identity and attitudes toward medical care. Out of eight domains of LGB identity, identity affirmation, acceptance concerns, and identity superiority significantly related to overall attitudes toward medical care. In other words, an affirming experience with one's LGB identity significantly related to positive attitudes. Conversely, concerns about judgement for being LGB and beliefs that LGB identity is superior to heterosexual identity related to negative attitudes. Furthermore, stronger overall negative LGB identity significantly related to stronger attitudes of medical care avoidance. These findings suggest that both positive and negative aspects of LGB identity relate to attitudes toward seeking medical care. We discuss the implications of our findings for clinical work with LGB individuals and their loved ones.

Predictors of Contraceptive Self-Efficacy and Condom Use Among Young Black Women Who Have Sex With Women and Men

Black women who have sex with women and men (BWSWM) are at risk for unplanned pregnancies, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). However, there is a paucity of studies assessing psychosocial factors related to sexual risk in this population. This study investigated the relationship among condom use; contraceptive self-efficacy; lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity; sexuality-religious conflict; parent support for participants’ attraction to women; and LGB community support within a sample of 162 participants who responded to an online survey. Participants were cisgender women (n = 152) and genderqueer or gender-nonbinary participants who were assigned female at birth (n = 10) aged 18 to 35. Hierarchical linear regression analyses indicated that LGB identity, low sexuality-religious conflict, and greater parent support predicted contraceptive self-efficacy and, in turn, greater contraceptive self-efficacy mediated the relationship between these factors and increased condom use. Implications for work with this population in research and clinical contexts are considered.

Queer generativity in lesbian, gay, and bisexual older adults: Personal, relational, and political/social behaviours

AbstractLesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) older adults may have had the opportunity to reflect on and process stressful life experiences, and they may be more inclined to practice queer generative behaviours aimed at strengthening sexual minority identities and supporting the sexual minority community. The present study explored the unique patterns of generativity practiced by 27 Italian LGB older adults (60 years and older) through semi‐structured interviews. Using a constructive grounded theory approach, we identified three main forms of queer generativity: (a) personal, involving the reception of generativity from others, the redefinition of religious values, and adjustment to parenting styles according to one's LGB identity, motivated by a desire for personal growth; (b) relational, involving the provision of resources and the pursuit of a career that supports the LGBT+ community, motivated by a desire to care for others; and (c) political/social, involving the creation of new LGBT+ contexts and the transmission of knowledge and experiences to younger LGBT+ persons and allies, motivated by a desire to fight for LGBT+ rights. Queer generativity emerged as a community resilience strategy practiced by LGB older adults to cope with heterosexist and/or ageist social contexts. Implications for policy and community practice are discussed. Please refer to the Supplementary Material section to find this article's Community and Social Impact Statement.

The Proverbial Closet: Do Faith and Religiosity Affect Coming Out Patterns?

Disclosing one’s sexual minority identity or “coming out of the closet” is a key milestone in sexual minority identity development. While scholars have explored how race, gender, class, and other social classifications shape coming out patterns among lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) individuals, we know far less about the effect of religious contexts. To address this shortcoming, we extend existing theoretical insights to better understand how faith and religiosity shape coming out patterns among sexual minorities both independently and collectively. Specifically, we examine how religious affiliation and religious attendance (a measure of religiosity) affect when LGB individuals privately realize and publicly disclose their sexual minority identity. Using data from the Pew Research Center’s 2013 Survey of LGBT Adults, we conduct a series of ordinary least squares regressions on a representative sample of LGB adults ( n = 1,136). We find religious contexts—both religious affiliation and attendance—have no independent effect on when a person realizes or publicly discloses their sexual minority identity for the first time. However, evangelical Protestants that frequently attend religious services publicly disclose their sexual minority identity at older ages. These results highlight the social cost of publicly disclosing an LGB identity, especially within conservative religious spaces.

Correction to: LGB identity and career decision-making self-efficacy among sexual minority college students

In the original article published, the first author’s affiliation is incorrect. The correct affiliation of the author Hansori Jang is Graduate School of Education, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, 107 Imun-ro, Seoul, Korea 02450.

Pay Gaps in the National Health Service: Observability and Disclosure

Studies of the relationship between sexual orientation and pay have faced difficulties applying standard models of discrimination if orientation is not observable. Analogously, behavioural explanations of pay based on models of gender linked within-household specialization may not be as relevant in a nonheterosexual context. This article analyses pay gaps using information including earnings, gender, LGB identity, coupling status, and the disclosure of sexual orientation in English National Health Service (NHS) workplaces. The results reveal a robust gender pay gap of 4% in favour of males, but no overall LGB pay gap compared to heterosexuals. The latter is due to similar-sized offsetting effects from disclosure on LGB pay relative to comparable heterosexuals. Amongst LGB employees, disclosure is associated with 13% more pay, with three quarters of this gap related to unexplained differences in returns to observable characteristics. Supportive workplace practices are strongly associated with increased probability of disclosure, especially the availability of a LGB workplace network.