The intersection of race and sexuality in a national sample : examining discrimination and mental health

The current study examined the experiences of race and sexuality related mistreatment in 2,335 racially diverse sexual minorities, the impact of those experiences on depression and anxiety symptoms, and the buffering effects of racial identity and social support. Zero inflated Poisson regression models were utilized for data analysis. Despite sexual minorities of color endorsing more frequent racial- and sexuality-based discrimination compared to their White counterparts, findings indicate they had similar levels of anxiety and depression. Positive racial identity and social support varied by race. Importantly, social support was significantly associated with a decrease in depression and anxiety symptoms for Black sexual minorities with any symptoms. These findings suggest that at low levels of discrimination, sexual minorities of color appear to have resilience against some of the negative psychological consequences of experiencing both race- and sexuality-based discrimination, when compared to White sexual minorities. The resilience against racial discrimination, taught through racial socialization from an early age for many people of color, may generalize to resilience against sexuality-based discrimination. Given the variation of results across racial minorities, this study underscores the importance of an approach to race that preserves each racial groups' unique experiences of discrimination and mental health. Implications of a multidimensional approach to sexuality, challenges in addressing intersectional experiences, and considerations for clinicians working with these vulnerable populations are discussed.