To better understand the impact of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) measurement choices on estimates of hazardous health behaviors, we examined the impact of SOGI measurement choices on estimates of relighting, as an example hazardous health behavior. We embedded a 2×2×2 factorial experiment within a convenience sample of US adults ages 18-45 who smoke daily or some days (N=271) and a nationally representative sample of US adults ages 21+ who smoke regularly (20+ days per month and in past week; N=2020) to test three aspects of SOGI measurement: order of gender identity questions, wording of the heterosexual response option when assessing sexual orientation, and order of sexual orientation identity response options. We compared relighting prevalence among individuals classified as being a sexual or gender minority (SGM) across survey conditions. There were large statistically significant differences in relighting behavior by condition, but only in the convenience sample: prevalence was higher if gender identity was assessed by asking gender before sex (95.0% vs 66.7%, p=.029) and if ordering the sexual orientation response options by population prevalence (95.0% vs 66.7%, p=.029). SOGI measurement choices may impact estimates of cigarette relighting, but larger studies are needed to further evaluate this phenomenon.
Sexual racism reinforces a harmful racialized hierarchy of desirability and disproportionately affects Asian American sexual minority men (ASMM). Although researchers have demonstrated that sexual racism negatively impacts mental health, few quantitative studies have focused expressly on the experiences of ASMM using validated measures of sexual racism. The present study surveyed ASMM who use dating apps (N = 155) to explore the interrelations between sexual racism, internalized racism, and mental health. Participants, recruited online, reported on demographic information, sexual racism experiences, and mental health (depression, anxiety, stress symptoms & problematic alcohol use). Partial correlations, adjusting for age, income and education, revealed that sexual racism was significantly and positively correlated with anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms (rs = .24-.25, ps < .01). At the subscale level, higher reports of White rejection were significantly correlated with elevated anxiety, depression, and stress symptoms (rs = .22-.38, ps < .01). Same-race physical objectification (r = .22, p = .007) and degradation (r = .25, p = .002) were significantly correlated with anxiety symptoms. Moderation analyses demonstrated that the association between experiences of sexual racism and depression symptoms varied across levels of internalized racism, ΔR 2 = .033, F(1, 147) = 6.53, p = .012; elevated internalized racism amplified the association between sexual racism and depressive symptoms. Our study supplies evidence of the connections between sexual racism, internalized racism, and poorer mental health. These findings can inform multi-level prevention and intervention efforts to minimize experiences of sexual racism and mitigate its negative effects among ASMM.
The assumption that heterosexual sexuality is an important component of gender identity and that, therefore, a gay/lesbian sexual orientation entails a weaker gender identity is prevalent among the general population and in academic writings. Yet a previous study found that among gay cisgender men, gender identity was positively correlated with self-reported same-gender sexual attraction. Here, we tested whether in cisgender gay/lesbian and straight women and men, stronger heterosexual attraction or stronger sexual attraction to one's preferred gender is related to a stronger gender identity, that is, a stronger inner sense of feeling like a man or a woman. We used both direct and indirect measures to assess gender identity and sexual attraction in an online sample of straight and gay/lesbian cisgender individuals. We found that sexual attraction accounted for only a small portion of the variance in gender identity-the more women and men were sexually attracted to the gender congruent with their declared sexual orientation, the stronger their gender identity was. These results replicate and extend previous findings, challenging traditional views that heterosexuality is a fundamental component of gender identity among gay/lesbian and straight cisgenders. We explore potential mechanisms underlying these associations and propose directions for future research.
Sexual and gender minority (SGM) individuals experience distinct challenges across the life course due to societal cisheterosexism, which privileges heterosexual and cisgender identities above all other sexual orientations and gender identities. Recent research has conceptualized early life exposure to cisheterosexism as a SGM adverse childhood experience (SGM-ACE). The eight-item SGM-ACEs scale was developed and validated with two diverse samples of SGM adults. However, the invariance/equivalence of the scale across sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) groups has yet to be tested. Using data from a large national sample of SGM adults (N = 4,203), this study examined the invariance and equivalence of the SGM-ACEs scale across SOGI groups. Results from the multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis supported full configural and scalar invariance across groups, but partial metric invariance due to item-level differences on one item. Findings demonstrate that SOGI group comparisons can be made cautiously using the SGM-ACEs scale, especially if partial invariance models are properly identified and estimated in future studies.
This study aimed to examine the association between gender-congruent markers on identity cards and mental health among transgender people in Hong Kong. In 2019-2020, 234 transgender people participated in a community-driven survey. Multiple linear regression and logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between the intention and status of changing gender markers on identity cards and depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, and current suicidal ideation. Those who wanted to change their gender markers on their identity cards but were unable to or had not tried reported significantly higher levels of depressive symptoms (beta = .32, p = .023) and anxiety symptoms (beta = .31, p = .004), compared with those who had already changed their gender markers. There was no significant difference in suicidal ideation between these groups. This finding underscores the influence of lacking gender-congruent identity markers on transgender individuals' mental health.
Internalized transphobia is a key driver of mental-health inequities among Korean transgender and nonbinary (TNB) people, yet no validated Korean-language measure exists. To address this gap, we translated and psychometrically validated an 18-item Korean Transgender Identity Survey (TIS) to provide a culturally relevant tool for assessing multidimensional internalized transphobia in Korean TNB adults. Using community-based online recruitment, 303 Korean TNB adults (27 % trans women, 35 % trans men, 38 % nonbinary; M-age = 26.9 years) completed a Korean translated version of the TIS (Bockting et al., 2020). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, conducted on randomly split subsamples, supported a refined 18-item, four-factor structure-Passing, Pride, Shame, and Alienation-with good fit (comparative fit index = .93, root mean square error of approximation = .08) and high internal consistency (omega = .81-.93). Multiple-group confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated configural, metric, scalar, and residual invariance across binary and nonbinary identities. Bifactor indices showed a strong general factor alongside meaningful subscales, justifying the use of both total and subscale scores. Convergent validity was evidenced by moderate correlations with generalized shame (r = .36), and discriminant validity by nonsignificant correlations with age at coming out. The 18-item Korean TIS is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring internalized transphobia among Korean TNB populations that can guide research, clinical assessment, and advocacy targeting stigma-related mental-health disparities in Korea.
Social transition, a gender-affirming process in which transgender and gender-diverse youth adopt names, pronouns, and expressions aligned with their identity, has been linked to improved well-being. However, school-based transitions remain relatively rare, and prior research has largely been cross-sectional or retrospective. Using a longitudinal data set of 38,248 students from a large, ethnically diverse U.S. public-school district (2002-2020), followed from preschool through 12th grade, this study examined the prevalence, timing, and correlates of social transition among transgender and gender-diverse students. At age 4, children were assessed on cognitive, language, motor, and socioemotional development, with annual academic and attendance records collected thereafter. A total of 139 students (0.36%) socially transitioned, as indicated by a gender change in school administrative records. Transitions occurred most frequently during elementary school, with 33% by third grade and an additional 30% by fifth grade. Early transitioners demonstrated stronger preschool language, fine motor, and math skills, better social functioning, and fewer kindergarten absences. Making a social transition was not associated with ethnicity, disability status, family income, English learner status, or suspensions. Students assigned female at birth were slightly, but not significantly, more likely to transition. Social transitions often coincided with a change in school site. These findings suggest that early academic and social readiness may facilitate earlier social transitions in school. Identifying developmental precursors of school-based social transition can inform gender-affirming educational and clinical practices as support for gender-diverse youth continues to evolve.
Chest binding, the compression of chest tissue with garments such as commercial chest binders, sports bras, and other methods, has been shown to be a prevalent, meaningful, and health-relevant gender affirmation strategy among transmasculine adults. Less is known about the meaning-making, motives, and practices of adolescents who chest bind, nor about the communication strategies used by adolescents to learn about chest binding. In the current study, we aimed to expand limited understandings of adolescent chest binding by leveraging qualitative data from national networks of LGBTQ+ community centers that hosted online chats with adolescents ages 13-19 about LGBTQ+-related topics. Using content analysis, we found that nearly 20% of chats (266/1,373) contained unplanned conversations about chest binding, and that discussions arose most frequently in "open discussion" chats. Through thematic analysis, we identified three communication strategies that adolescents often used to discuss chest binding: information seeking, advising and educating, and sharing excitement. In addition, we generated five content themes that characterize chest binding meanings, motives, and practices: binding to reduce distress and promote well-being, navigating the logistics of binding, adults gatekeeping binding possibilities, experiencing physical discomfort, and binding safety. Findings from the current study can inform the advancement of evidence-based standards for chest binding and highlight an urgent need for caregivers, health care providers, researchers, and educators to increase awareness and support for adolescent chest binding.
This study investigated the effects of Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) training on the mental health of gender and sexually diverse young adults (aged 18-25 years) in Australia. A single-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted in 2020-2022 comparing an online-delivered 8-week group MSC training program with a waitlist control. Participants completed self-report measures of self-compassion (Self-Compassion Scale-Short Form), depression (Patient Health Questionnaire), anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale), self-criticism (Forms of Self-Criticism and Self-Reassurance Scale; FSCSRS), self-hate (FSCSRS), and emotion regulation (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation-Short Form) at baseline (prerandomization), 8 weeks (intervention completion), 16 weeks (follow-up 1), and 24 weeks (follow-up 2; MSC participants only). Items assessing program acceptability were administered at the conclusion of the training. In all 105 gender and sexually diverse participants from across Australia were randomized to the intervention (n = 56; 53%) and waitlist control group (n = 49; 47%). Participants allocated to the MSC group had significantly higher self-compassion, less perceived stress, anxiety, depression, self-criticism, and better emotional regulation than the waitlist control participants at 8 and 16-weeks posttraining. All outcomes remained above baseline levels at 24 weeks. Mediation analyses revealed different mechanisms may underlie improvements in different aspects of psychological well-being. Most participants described the program as "helpful" and the videoconferencing format as "very effective." In summary, MSC training can improve mental health, decrease self-criticism, and increase self-compassion in gender and sexually diverse young adults. Future research should investigate the scalability potential of the program.
Alcohol use and related problems have been linked to college stress and discrimination experiences. Individuals who drink to cope with stress are particularly at risk for negative alcohol-related consequences. Negative drinking-related consequences are greater among LGBTQ-identified individuals compared with their heterosexual counterparts, and among people of color compared with Whites. Given their visible racial minority status, LGBTQ-identified students of color may be disproportionately impacted by racial discrimination. Yet, little is known about how racial discrimination predicts alcohol use outcomes above and beyond college stress, and whether drinking to cope moderates these links among students at the intersections of ethnoracial and sexual/gender minority backgrounds. We examined college stress and racial discrimination as predictors of alcohol use outcomes and explored the moderating role of drinking to cope in a sample of LGBTQ-identified students of color (N = 512, M-age = 20.19, 77.5% women). Accounting for demographics, negative binomial regressions showed that college stress and racial discrimination independently predicted hazardous drinking and negative drinking consequences. Racial discrimination did not predict either of the alcohol use outcomes over and above college stress. Drinking to cope predicted hazardous drinking and negative drinking-related consequences but did not moderate the associations of racial discrimination or college stress with these drinking outcomes. Future research should unpack individuals' racial, sexual, and gender identity and use an intersectional framework to examine possible effects of discrimination.
This study uses an intersectional (Crenshaw, 1989) framework to examine the experiences of sexual racism for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people of color (LGBTQ POC) in online dating/hooking-up. This study expands the literature by including LGBTQ POC of all genders and employing more robust measures of sexual racism. The study examined the association between sexual racism and symptoms of anxiety and depression among LGBTQ POC and whether levels of sexual racism and these associations differed between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer cisgender men and women. It also explored the potential moderating effect of ethnic-racial identity. Cross-sectional data from 102 LGBTQ POC adults were collected and analyzed using hierarchical linear regression analyses. Sexual racism significantly predicted depression and anxiety among the full sample of LGBTQ POC of all genders. Ethnic-racial identity and binary gender did not moderate these associations. There were no differences in the level of sexual racism between lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer cisgender men and women. The implication of these results suggests that sexual racism in online dating context/hooking up is a pervasive stressor associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression among LGBTQ POC of all genders. These findings highlight the need for greater awareness of sexual racism and the development of clinical and community-based interventions that addresses its mental health impacts among LGBTQ POC. Future research should examine other moderators, mediators, and health outcomes. Public Significance Statement This study suggests that experiencing sexual racism is associated with greater symptoms of anxiety and depression among LGBTQ POC when online dating/hooking-up.
Within sexual and gender minority groups, trans and nonbinary (TNB) individuals are known to have more minority stress experiences and higher rates of mental health symptoms than cisgender lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals. However, it is unclear whether gender identity affects the relationships between minority stress experiences and mental health symptoms. This study used data from a large sample of diverse adults (n = 312 TNB; n = 612 LGB) to examine minority stress experiences and mental health symptoms and test whether the associations between them were moderated by gender identity (TNB vs. LGB). Participants reported their minority stress experiences (Minority Stress Measure; Outland, 2016) and mental health symptoms (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale-21; Lovibond & Lovibond, 1996; Negative Suicide Ideation subscale of the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory; Osman et al., 1998).All measures showed adequate measurement invariance for TNB versus LGB groups. Replicating prior findings, compared with LGB participants, TNB participants reported more discrimination, victimization, microaggressions, and rejection anticipation and had higher levels of depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation. A multigroup structural equation model did not show that associations between minority stress experiences and depression, anxiety, stress, and suicidal ideation were moderated by group. Findings provide partial support for a dosage effect of minority stress, such that TNB individuals' experiences of more minority stressors, which may explain their more severe mental health symptoms. Findings point to similarities in the mental health implications of minority stress experiences for sexual and gender minority groups.
Trans panic defense is a line of defense consisting of an attempt to justify an act of violence against a trans woman with a claim that the victim has deceived the perpetrator by concealing the fact that she had been assigned male sex at birth. Our studies aimed to assess the perception of trans panic defense in Poland. In Study 1, N = 240 social science students took part. The participants were randomly assigned to one of the two vignettes depicting the murder of a woman. One of them included information that the woman was transgender. Our hypotheses were partially supported-the trans panic condition predicted shorter sentences and a higher level of perception of the crime as a passion crime, but only in participants with a high level of biological determinism. In Study 2, N = 80 law students took part. The result of Study 1 was not replicated. Moreover, participants of Study 2 were less inclined to perceive the murder as a crime of passion when the victim was transgender than when there was no such information. That may suggest that law students are aware of the problem of hate crimes.
Asexuality (i.e., having little to no sexual attraction or interest that is enduring in nature), is often not seen as a legitimate sexual identity, but research on how LGBTQ+ individuals perceive asexuality has been largely unexplored. We examined to what extent allosexual LGBTQ+ individuals believe that asexuality is a legitimate sexual identity, and that asexual people belong within the LGBTQ+ community. Participants (n = 181; data collected 2023-2024) read four profiles about an asexual, straight, gay, and bisexual individual (who also differed in filler information such as their hobbies), respectively and rated each on how much they belong in the LGBTQ+ community and how legitimate their sexual identity is. We found that asexual people were rated as belonging less within the LGBTQ+ community and as a less legitimate identity in comparison to gay and bisexual people. Distinguishing further between asexual people with a hetero-romantic dating history and asexual people with a homo-romantic dating history, we found that the former were rated as belonging less within the LGBTQ+ community than the latter, illustrating that asexuality alone is not always seen as being "enough" to fit under the LGBTQ+ umbrella. An analysis of open-response data shed further light onto perceptions of asexuality. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that antiasexual bias exists among LGBTQ+ people.
There is a significant rise in public discourse related to use of personal pronouns, especially when different from pronouns assigned at birth or gender-neutral pronouns; however, there is little empirical exploration of contextual factors influencing how individuals experience stating and sharing pronouns in different situations. In the current exploratory online survey (N = 301) of participants aged 23 and over (M = 36.0, SD = 10.2), recruited from the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community, results suggest pronouns fit well for most participants, especially those using binary (she or he) versus gender-neutral (they) pronouns. Participants using pronouns different than assigned at birth (Affirmed She/He; n = 68) or they (They+; n = 171) experienced more negative emotions when stating pronouns compared with those who use pronouns assigned at birth (Assigned He/She; n = 62). Participants using They+ pronouns were least likely to have correct pronouns used by others and least comfortable sharing their pronouns or correcting others using the wrong pronouns. Participants using Affirmed She/He pronouns also made active decisions about pronoun sharing. They+ and Affirmed She/He groups were more likely to report being hypervigilant, a form of minority stress, around people perceived as conservative or religious. This study provides a more nuanced understanding of contextual factors impacting feelings of safety and expressions of gender identity using personal pronouns. Implications include suggestions for understanding decision-making processes for stating pronouns and reducing distress, particularly for individuals who use affirmed or gender-neutral pronouns.
