Despite substantial existing evidence that sexually diverse populations are at increased risk for mental health concerns due primarily to minority stress, how the underlying mechanisms of minority stress lead to specific psychological syndromes among these populations is not adequately understood. On the other hand, sexologists have been encouraged to shift the focus of their work towards understanding the specific characteristics or experiences that facilitate individuals' capacity to adapt and thrive within an oppressive and marginalizing society in order to "depathologize" nonheterosexuals. In attempts to address existing limitations and further the existing body of mental health risk and resiliency research among sexually diverse populations, three studies were conducted that sought to (a) examine how specific aspects of minority stress were individually and collectively associated with depression; (b) develop a new quantitative assessment tool used to evaluate the positive aspects of nonheterosexuality; and (c) explore levels of "outness" within various social contexts, as it relates to individuals' perceptions of the positive aspects of being nonheterosexual. Additionally, sociodemographic differences (e.g., gender, sexual identity, and level of affiliation with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS]) were explored with regard to each study's aims, respectively. Findings for Study 1 indicated that all minority stress factors examined were individually predictive of depression. When collectively examined, needs for others' acceptance was found to be the strongest predictor of depression, followed by internalized homophobia. Associations between specific stressors were moderated by level of affiliation with the LDS Church. Psychometric evaluations of the newly developed measure (Study 2) supported use of the measure by researchers and practitioners to evaluate positive aspects of nonheterosexuality. Finally, Study 3 demonstrated positive associations between perceived benefits of being nonheterosexual and disclosure of one's nonheterosexuality in all four social contexts examined. Results further indicated that levels of "outness" were moderated by gender. Implications for research and practice are discussed for each study.

Cresce no Brasil o investimento em políticas para o combate do preconceito e da discriminação por orientação sexual. Essa investigação tem como justificativa a inexistência de ferramentas para a avaliação desse tipo de preconceito em nosso contexto com boas evidências de validade e fidedignidade e a necessidade do desenvolvimento de instrumentos para esse fim – inclusive para avaliação da política em questão. O objetivo geral é estabelecer critérios para a avaliação do preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais no Brasil, e especificamente, responder às seguintes questões: 1) Qual a implicação do campo da avaliação psicológica com a diversidade sexual? 2) Quais os limites, as possibilidades e as alternativas teóricas ao uso do conceito homofobia? 3) O que tem sido oferecido em termos de avaliação no campo do preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais e quais os limites e potencialidades desses instrumentos? 4) Como as pesquisas realizadas no Brasil descrevem esse fenômeno em nosso contexto? A análise indica o compromisso da avaliação psicológica na inclusão da diversidade e não sua estigmatização. Sugere-se ainda o uso do nexo “preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais” no lugar de “homofobia”, para se referir à manifestação do preconceito do ponto de vista individual. Os quatro instrumentos revisados para avaliar esse tipo de preconceitos apresentam boas evidências de validade e fidedignidade. Por fim, conclui-se que o preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais no Brasil é um fenômeno prevalente e flagrante e aparece ligado ao preconceito contra expressões e gênero discordantes. Sugere-se a adaptação de um instrumento que avalie atitudes explícitas em relação a orientações não heterossexuais incluindo itens que avaliem o domínio preconceito contra expressões de gênero discordantes. / Grows in Brazil the investment in policies to combat prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation. This investigation is justified due the lack of tools to assess such prejudice in our context with good evidences of validity and reliability, and the need to develop instruments for this purpose - including assessment of the policy. The overall objective is to establish criteria for the assessment of prejudice against non-heterosexual orientations in Brazil, and specifically answer the following questions: 1) What is the implication of the field of psychological assessment with sexual diversity? 2) What are the limits, possibilities and theoretical alternatives of the construct homophobia? 3) What has been offered in terms of evaluation in the field of prejudice against non-heterosexual orientations and what the limits and potential of these instruments? 4) How the research conducted in Brazil describe this phenomenon in our context? It is reinforced the commitment of psychological evaluation with the inclusion of diversity and not its stigmatization. It is suggested the use the term "prejudice against non-heterosexual orientation" instead of "homophobia" to refer to the manifestation of prejudice in the individual level. The four instruments reviewed to evaluate this kind of prejudice have good evidence of validity and reliability. Finally, the prejudice in Brazil is a phenomenon widespread and prevalent phenomenon appears to be related to prejudice against discordant gender expressions. It is suggested the adaptation of an instrument to assess explicit attitudes towards non-heterosexual orientations including items that assess the domain related to discordant gender expressions.

Cresce no Brasil o investimento em políticas para o combate do preconceito e da discriminação por orientação sexual. Essa investigação tem como justificativa a inexistência de ferramentas para a avaliação desse tipo de preconceito em nosso contexto com boas evidências de validade e fidedignidade e a necessidade do desenvolvimento de instrumentos para esse fim – inclusive para avaliação da política em questão. O objetivo geral é estabelecer critérios para a avaliação do preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais no Brasil, e especificamente, responder às seguintes questões: 1) Qual a implicação do campo da avaliação psicológica com a diversidade sexual? 2) Quais os limites, as possibilidades e as alternativas teóricas ao uso do conceito homofobia? 3) O que tem sido oferecido em termos de avaliação no campo do preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais e quais os limites e potencialidades desses instrumentos? 4) Como as pesquisas realizadas no Brasil descrevem esse fenômeno em nosso contexto? A análise indica o compromisso da avaliação psicológica na inclusão da diversidade e não sua estigmatização. Sugere-se ainda o uso do nexo “preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais” no lugar de “homofobia”, para se referir à manifestação do preconceito do ponto de vista individual. Os quatro instrumentos revisados para avaliar esse tipo de preconceitos apresentam boas evidências de validade e fidedignidade. Por fim, conclui-se que o preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais no Brasil é um fenômeno prevalente e flagrante e aparece ligado ao preconceito contra expressões e gênero discordantes. Sugere-se a adaptação de um instrumento que avalie atitudes explícitas em relação a orientações não heterossexuais incluindo itens que avaliem o domínio preconceito contra expressões de gênero discordantes. / Grows in Brazil the investment in policies to combat prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation. This investigation is justified due the lack of tools to assess such prejudice in our context with good evidences of validity and reliability, and the need to develop instruments for this purpose - including assessment of the policy. The overall objective is to establish criteria for the assessment of prejudice against non-heterosexual orientations in Brazil, and specifically answer the following questions: 1) What is the implication of the field of psychological assessment with sexual diversity? 2) What are the limits, possibilities and theoretical alternatives of the construct homophobia? 3) What has been offered in terms of evaluation in the field of prejudice against non-heterosexual orientations and what the limits and potential of these instruments? 4) How the research conducted in Brazil describe this phenomenon in our context? It is reinforced the commitment of psychological evaluation with the inclusion of diversity and not its stigmatization. It is suggested the use the term "prejudice against non-heterosexual orientation" instead of "homophobia" to refer to the manifestation of prejudice in the individual level. The four instruments reviewed to evaluate this kind of prejudice have good evidence of validity and reliability. Finally, the prejudice in Brazil is a phenomenon widespread and prevalent phenomenon appears to be related to prejudice against discordant gender expressions. It is suggested the adaptation of an instrument to assess explicit attitudes towards non-heterosexual orientations including items that assess the domain related to discordant gender expressions.

Cresce no Brasil o investimento em políticas para o combate do preconceito e da discriminação por orientação sexual. Essa investigação tem como justificativa a inexistência de ferramentas para a avaliação desse tipo de preconceito em nosso contexto com boas evidências de validade e fidedignidade e a necessidade do desenvolvimento de instrumentos para esse fim – inclusive para avaliação da política em questão. O objetivo geral é estabelecer critérios para a avaliação do preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais no Brasil, e especificamente, responder às seguintes questões: 1) Qual a implicação do campo da avaliação psicológica com a diversidade sexual? 2) Quais os limites, as possibilidades e as alternativas teóricas ao uso do conceito homofobia? 3) O que tem sido oferecido em termos de avaliação no campo do preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais e quais os limites e potencialidades desses instrumentos? 4) Como as pesquisas realizadas no Brasil descrevem esse fenômeno em nosso contexto? A análise indica o compromisso da avaliação psicológica na inclusão da diversidade e não sua estigmatização. Sugere-se ainda o uso do nexo “preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais” no lugar de “homofobia”, para se referir à manifestação do preconceito do ponto de vista individual. Os quatro instrumentos revisados para avaliar esse tipo de preconceitos apresentam boas evidências de validade e fidedignidade. Por fim, conclui-se que o preconceito contra orientações não heterossexuais no Brasil é um fenômeno prevalente e flagrante e aparece ligado ao preconceito contra expressões e gênero discordantes. Sugere-se a adaptação de um instrumento que avalie atitudes explícitas em relação a orientações não heterossexuais incluindo itens que avaliem o domínio preconceito contra expressões de gênero discordantes. / Grows in Brazil the investment in policies to combat prejudice and discrimination based on sexual orientation. This investigation is justified due the lack of tools to assess such prejudice in our context with good evidences of validity and reliability, and the need to develop instruments for this purpose - including assessment of the policy. The overall objective is to establish criteria for the assessment of prejudice against non-heterosexual orientations in Brazil, and specifically answer the following questions: 1) What is the implication of the field of psychological assessment with sexual diversity? 2) What are the limits, possibilities and theoretical alternatives of the construct homophobia? 3) What has been offered in terms of evaluation in the field of prejudice against non-heterosexual orientations and what the limits and potential of these instruments? 4) How the research conducted in Brazil describe this phenomenon in our context? It is reinforced the commitment of psychological evaluation with the inclusion of diversity and not its stigmatization. It is suggested the use the term "prejudice against non-heterosexual orientation" instead of "homophobia" to refer to the manifestation of prejudice in the individual level. The four instruments reviewed to evaluate this kind of prejudice have good evidence of validity and reliability. Finally, the prejudice in Brazil is a phenomenon widespread and prevalent phenomenon appears to be related to prejudice against discordant gender expressions. It is suggested the adaptation of an instrument to assess explicit attitudes towards non-heterosexual orientations including items that assess the domain related to discordant gender expressions.

In a heteronormative society where hegemonic masculinity prevails, beauty is often synonymous with, and presented as, feminine. For example, pictures of tall, thin women with perfect teeth and perfect skin gloss the covers of magazines and other forms of media as representative of some beauty ideal. This “ideal” is the barometer by which, on many levels, all women are judged. While some women may choose to ignore these messages, few women can always escape comparison. Our society constantly informs us that appearance matters. More specifically for women, a feminine physical appearance is often considered “ideal.” But what exactly does this construct, feminine, signify? Fundamentally, femininity is not static. To speak of it as a logical, simple construct is problematic for it means different things and is expressed in different ways in different environments. Furthermore, to assert one definition by which all others will be measured is difficult in that it presumes a homogenous population and/or idealizes one specific representation. In this research project I conducted in-depth interviews with 43 non-heterosexual women to discern how they constructed “femininity.” What did it look like? What meanings did it connote? When was it important and how was it negotiated? Applying a cognitive sociological lens and using grounded theory methods, I describe what femininity, or arguably femininities, look(s) like within this subpopulation. This project contributes to and extends the literature on gender, sexuality, and appearance. It does this by demonstrating the importance of analyzing non-heterosexual women’s experiences and understandings of femininity within a patriarchal society that valorizes hegemonic masculinity. Most literature contemplating appearance and related misogynistic messages emphasizes a heteronormative perspective. However, feminine and femininity uniquely impact non-heteronormative women. Non-heterosexual women must negotiate both misogynistic and heterosexist messages concurrently. By simultaneously addressing this “double” subordination or marginalization, this research endeavors to provide a more comprehensive overview of meanings and ramifications of appearance choices.