Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity :Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Ruth E. Fassinger University of Maryland


Why Are We Here? :Why Are We Here? The APA Council of Representatives approved the following motion at its August 2007 meeting: Council requests that diversity training on sexual orientation and gender identity be provided to Council at its February 2008 meeting and to boards and committees at the March 2008 Consolidated Meetings. The training shall be developed by the Governance Affairs Office with assistance from the Office on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Concerns.


Learning Objectives :Learning Objectives ▼Increase knowledge of scientific research relevant to sexual orientation and gender identity stigma, prejudice, and discrimination ▼Increase awareness of impact of heterosexism experienced by sexual and gender minorities across the lifespan ▼Increase skill in considering sexual orientation and gender identity in professional situations ▼Increase self-efficacy for reducing stereotyping of LGBT people


Overview :Overview ▼Nature of sexual stigma -Manifested both societally and individually -Affects sexual minority AND majority people ▼Manifestations of sexual stigma across the lifespan and life domains -Identity development and “coming out” -Health (mental and physical) -Relationships and families -Education and Work ▼Where do we go next?


Slide 5:Stigma Hate Crime Heterosexism Prejudice Homophobia Discrimination


Brief History of Sexual Stigma :Brief History of Sexual Stigma ▼Late 1800s: Homosexuality as status variable is articulated; stigmatization inherent in early conceptualizations, remains largely unquestioned until mid-twentieth century ▼1950s,1960s: Kinsey and Hooker offer pioneering research ▼ 1950s-1970s: Rights movements raise consciousness, tolerance ▼1972: Weinberg introduces term “homophobia” and idea that hostility to homosexuality, not homosexuality itself, posed threat to mental health ▼1973, 1975: Both APAs vote to remove homosexuality from DSM; our APA enjoins psychologists to “take the lead in removing the stigma of mental illness that has long been associated with homosexual orientations” ▼1980s, 1990s: Data accumulating on bias in therapy, research, and education/training regarding sexual orientation; personal phobia model losing explanatory power ▼2000s: Herek offers new conceptual model of sexual stigma


Slide 7:SEXUAL STIGMA Societal Manifestations Individual Manifestations Enacted Felt Internalized ▼Self-stigma ▼Sexual Prejudice Heterosexism E.g.: ▼Law/Civil Rights ▼Religion ▼Health/Health Care


Structural/Institutional Sexual Stigma :Structural/Institutional Sexual Stigma Heterosexism ▼Promotes heterosexual assumption, renders sexual minorities invisible ▼Perpetuates view of heterosexual behavior and relationships as normal, natural, and superior ▼By embedding in societal institutions, ensure sexual minorities have less power and status -Law/Civil Rights (e.g., couples/families, work) -Religion -Health/Health Care (mental, physical)


Psychological :Psychological Enacted Defn Courtesy stigma Hate crimes Felt Defn Stereotype threat Concealment Minority stress models Internalized Defn Attitudes Self-stigma Sexual prejudice


Psychological/Personal Sexual Stigma :Psychological/Personal Sexual Stigma Enacted Stigma Individual behaviors that enact stigma ▼1/5 LGB adults experienced violence or property crime based on s.o. at least once in lifetime ▼1/2 LGB adults experienced verbal harassment ▼1/10 experienced employment or housing discrimination ▼Est. 37,800 hate crimes motivated by s.o. 2000-2003 ▼Men more likely than women to be victims of hate crimes ▼Hate crimes based on s.o. inflict greater psychological trauma than other violent crimes


Psychological/Personal Sexual Stigma :Psychological/Personal Sexual Stigma Felt Stigma Individual awareness of stigma and its consequences ▼Stigma consciousness ▼Minority stress and anticipatory coping -identity concealment linked to psychological distress and health problems -being out correlates with positive psychological and physical states ▼Stereotype threat


Psychological/Personal Sexual Stigma :Psychological/Personal Sexual Stigma Internalized Stigma acceptance of legitimacy of stigma and incorporation into self-concept ▼Self-Stigma -characterizes stigmatized, minority group ▼Sexual Prejudice -characterizes non-stigmatized, majority group -distinct from attitudes toward heterosexist policies -concealable nature of s.o. creates threat, opportunity -correlates: gender, conservative political & religious beliefs, dogmatism, choice beliefs, little or no contact -acceptable in contemporary society


Sexual Stigma Across the Lifespan and Life Domains :Sexual Stigma Across the Lifespan and Life Domains ▼Identity development and “coming out” ▼Health and health care (mental, physical) ▼Relationships and families ▼Education and Work


Identity Development :Identity Development ▼Where heterosexuality is “normal,” deviant status demands declaration, explanation ▼In context of sexual stigmatization, recognizing, accepting, affirming, and disclosing one’s identity as sexual minority becomes important developmental task ▼Disclosure of identity (“coming out”) represents strategy for managing stigma with both negative and positive consequences ▼Enacted, Felt, and Internalized Stigma play central roles in identity development and disclosure


Challenges to Sexual Minority Identity Development :Challenges to Sexual Minority Identity Development Invisibility, lack of role models, lack of reference group Lack of family modeling or support Religious prohibitions Isolation, lack of accurate information Confusion about sexuality in general Negative peer and societal messages, behaviors Internalized sexual stigma or self-stigmatization Uninformed or biased helping professionals Childhood events and background Repetition and continuity of coming out process


Health :Health Mental and Physical Health ▼Although most sexual minorities function well, this population may be at heightened risk for psychological distress (including suicide) and substance use ▼Correlations between s.o. and mental health largely explained by experiences with discrimination ▼Self-stigmatization has important consequences for physical and psychological health and well-being ▼Collective identity appears to moderate minority stress, reduce psychological distress ▼Multiple identities suggest both costs and benefits ▼Health care difficulties well-documented, particularly for transgender people


Relationships and Families :Relationships and Families Same-sex couples/families must negotiate the same issues as heterosexual couples/families: ▼Adjusting to one another’s habits, tastes, styles ▼Maintaining a household ▼Managing finances ▼Dealing with extended family ▼Making decisions about children ▼Negotiating the home-work interface ▼Coping with life crises ▼Maintaining emotional and physical intimacy


Relationships and Families :Relationships and Families BUT same-sex couples must negotiate these tasks within societal context of: ▼STIGMA ▼ISOLATION ▼INVISIBILITY AND face additional complexities and barriers if they possess another stigmatized status


Structural/Institutional Impact :Structural/Institutional Impact ▼Lack of legal and fiscal supports for the relationship Marriage rights Adoption, child custody rights Immigration rights Health and tax benefits ▼Lack of support, denial, censure from families and communities ▼Social denial of the relationship, regardless of commitment or longevity ▼Men: Threat of HIV/AIDS ▼Women: Invisibility of sexuality


Individual/Relational Impact :Individual/Relational Impact ▼ Lack of experience or role-modeling of same-sex relationships ▼ Sexual definitions of relationships Daily stresses and conflicts of identity development, management Close same-sex friendships Background events (e.g., sexual violence) that complicate intimacy


Education and Work :Education and Work Education: ▼In 37 states, LGB students can be legally harassed ▼In 47 states, transgender students can be legally harassed ▼ 5 states prohibit discussion of homosexuality in schools or mandate negative references only ▼ Almost half of sexual minority youth report experiencing harassment or violence in school; 1/3 report missing school out of fear for personal safety ▼Drop-out rates for sexual minority youth as high as 28%


Education and Work :Education and Work Workplace: ▼In 31 states, is legal to fire someone based on sexual orientation ▼In 39 states, is legal to fire someone based on gender identity ▼Gay men earn 10-32% less than similarly qualified heterosexual men ▼22-64% transgender people report incomes below $25,000 ▼16-68% sexual minorities report experiencing employment discrimination ▼ Controlled experiments find discrimination effects in 7/8 studies


Slide 31:Workplace Discrimination ▼Formal and Informal ▼Potential and Encountered ▼Perceived and Real Formal Informal Potential Encountered Perceived Real


Stigma and Vocational Development :Stigma and Vocational Development ▼Delays due to coming out ▼“Chilly” educational and workplace climates ▼Bias in vocational counseling/testing ▼Occupational stereotyping ▼Occupational restrictions (e.g. military, sports, religion) ▼Vocational displacement ▼Lack of mentors/role models ▼Identity management/disclosure ▼Invisibility of dual career issues


Where Do We Go Next? :Where Do We Go Next? ▼Individual commitment Personal Professional ▼APA Governance Inclusion ▼Local and national advocacy/policy


Slide 34:Given what you have just heard, what you already know, and what you feel and have experienced, what will you do in your sphere of influence to help address issues of diversity and inclusiveness relative to sexual orientation and gender identity within APA and in your professional life? ▼Write a response to the question on an index card, which will be collected ▼Complete Learning Assessment and Evaluation forms INSTRUCTIONS ▼In groups of six, discuss this question for 30 minutes: Responses from index cards and didactic presentation will be posted on Council website. Follow-up of personal goals will be conducted at August Council meeting.