Sexual minorities report experiencing more stigma, fewer psychosocial resources, and less positive regard. While differences within sexual minority subgroups may exist in terms of both experience and attitudes, the current literature lacks an exploration of those differences as well as an exploration of intersectionality (the concept of belonging to multiple minority groups thus creating a novel and distinctive experience). Our study aimed to examine sub-group differences as well as take an intersectional approach using data on heterosexuals, homosexuals, and bisexuals (N=1,725) from across the U.S. Bisexuals differed significantly from homosexuals on reported experiences, such as higher outness (p<.001, MD=-0.573). Further, significant differences were found between female (n=106) and male (n=136) homosexuals with lesbians reporting less direct help-seeking (t=-2.255, p=.026) and less perceived social support (t=-2.014, p=.046) than gay men, indicating that the intersection of gender and sexual orientation creates a novel experience for each group. These findings along with the lack of racial diversity lead us to conclude that a more extensive study must be done that targets racial minority individuals and expands the intersectional framework by including more gender and sexual orientation options. A full spectrum intersectionality study will be proposed.

Sexual minorities must deal daily with their stigmatized identities. Specifically, depression and anxiety as well as psychological distress and self-stigma are common among people with stigmatized identities. Self-compassion has been linked to enhanced psychological well-being and less negative feelings toward the self. The aim of this study was to investigate selfcompassion as a potential buffer of the effects of sexual minority related rejection experiences on self-perceptions of stigma and psychological symptoms. Participants were randomly assigned to a self-compassion induction group versus 1 of 3 control groups (self-esteem only induction; expressive writing condition; true control) to examine whether self-compassion can be induced to reduce self-stigma, negative mood, and fear of negative evaluation. Results did not support hypotheses; analyses revealed nonsignificant effects for the self-compassion induction. However, results revealed a significant main effect for trait self-compassion predicting outcomes of decreased self-stigma, fear of negative evaluation, and negative mood, and increased positive mood.

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Considérant la « nouveauté » du phénomène de dénonciation auprès des policiers et l’utilisation croissante du concept social de « crime motivé par la haine », peu d’études ont été réalisées au Canada sur l’incidence de ces crimes pour les personnes comme pour la société. Cette recherche exploratoire a comme objectif de comprendre la façon dont ce type de crime se distingue des autres manifestations de conflits ou d’incidents et de comprendre les impacts de ce type de victimisation pour les homosexuels en particulier. Plus spécifiquement, ce mémoire vise à approfondir la compréhension du stigmate homosexuel et son impact sur la reportabilité des événements de victimisation criminelle aux autorités judiciaires. Pour ce faire, cinq intervenants communautaires, deux policiers, un avocat et quatre victimes considérant avoir vécu des événements de violence homophobe ont été interviewés. Cet échantillon diversifié a permis de mieux comprendre le phénomène de sous-déclaration des incidents de violences homophobes de la part des victimes et d’obtenir une vue d’ensemble des perceptions des acteurs clés qui peuvent être confrontés au phénomène. L’analyse des entretiens suggère d’importantes lacunes sur le plan de la formation des divers intervenants qui entrainent des difficultés à reconnaître une violence homophobe. Les intervenants confient ne pas se sentir pas suffisamment outillés pour intervenir auprès d’une victime de violence homophobe, n’estiment pas tous posséder les compétences et une compréhension suffisante des réalités des minorités sexuelles, de l'homophobie et de l'hétérosexisme, en somme, l’ensemble des savoirs ultimement nécessaires à une assistance et un accompagnement efficaces pour la déclaration aux autorités d’une telle violence vécue par les victimes. Du côté des victimes de violence(s) homophobe(s), il ressort que la discrimination basée sur l’orientation sexuelle est encore prégnante dans leurs interactions quotidiennes. De leur point de vue, la banalisation et l’impunité de certains comportements homophobes par les instances judiciaires viennent renforcer l’idée chez les victimes et la société d’une forme d’infériorité de l’orientation homosexuelle. L’apposition d’une étiquette homosexuelle paraît ainsi avoir de multiples conséquences psychologiques et sociales sur les victimes, notamment sur leur développement identitaire et sexuel. L’intégration des stigmates homosexuels et l’autostigmatisation, qui les poussent à se déprécier, voire à déprécier l’ensemble de la communauté homosexuelle, surgissent de leur perception de la présence de forts stéréotypes homosexuels, d’une société majoritairement hétérosexiste et de l’opérationnalisation sociale d’une distanciation entre le « nous » hétérosexuel et le « eux » homosexuel. Par leur marginalisation, leur mise en infériorité historique, l’ambiguïté du concept de « crimes motivés par la haine », la noncompréhension de la violence et des répercussions qu’ont les intervenants communautaires et judiciaires de la situation et partant, dans bien des cas, de la prise en charge inadéquate qui en découle pour les victimes des violences homophobes, il est possible de comprendre les appréhensions mentales que les victimes entretiennent ainsi que leur réticence à solliciter de l’aide et encore plus à rapporter la victimisation vécue aux autorités judiciaires. / Given the “novelty” of the denunciation phenomenon with the police and the increasing use of the social concept of "hate crime", few studies have been conducted in Canada on the impact of these crimes for individuals and for society. This exploratory research aims to understand how this type of crime is different from other conflicts of events or incidents and to understand the impacts of this type of victimization on homosexuals in particular. More specifically, this paper aims to deepen understanding of the homosexual stigma and its impact on reportability of criminal victimization events to judicial authorities. For those purposes, five community stakeholder, two policemen, a lawyer and four victims who believes that they have experienced homophobic violence events were interviewed. This diversified sample allowed a better understanding of the phenomenon of underreporting of homophobic violence incidents by victims and a comprehensive overview of the perceptions of key stakeholders who may face this phenomenon. The interviews analysis suggests significant deficiencies in the training of the various stakeholders that cause difficulties to acknowledge homophobic violence. Stakeholders entrust feeling not sufficiently equipped to intervene with a victim of homophobic violence, acknowledge that they do not have the necessary skills and a sufficient understanding of the realities of sexual minorities, homophobia and heterosexism, in sum, all the knowledge ultimately necessary to provide assistance and effective support to report to authorities such violence experienced by victims. As for victims of homophobic (s) violence (s), it is clear that discrimination based on sexual orientation is still vivid in their daily interactions. From their perspective, the trivialization and impunity of some homophobic behavior by the courts reinforce the idea among victims and society of a form of inferiority of the homosexual orientation. The affixing of homosexual label appears to have multiple social and psychological consequences for victims, in particular on their identity and sexual development. The integration of gay stigma and self-stigma that drive homosexuals to depreciate themselves or the entire gay community, arise from their perception of the presence of strong homosexual stereotypes, a predominantly heterosexist society operationalizing social distancing between "us" heterosexuals and "them" gays. By their marginalization, their social inferiority position throughout History, the ambiguity of the concept of "hate motivated crimes", the lack of understanding of violence and the impact that community and judicial stakeholders of the situation and thus, in many cases, may be a consequence of inadequate care for victims of homophobic violence, it is possible to understand the mental apprehensions that victims have and their reluctance to seek help and even more, to report to judicial authorities their victimization.

Marginalization and stigmatization heighten the vulnerability of sexual minorities to inequitable health outcomes. Although men who have sex with men (MSM) are at elevated risk for HIV infection in India in comparison with the general population, there is a lack of MSM-focused research—particularly regarding stigma and mental health outcomes. This dissertation aimed to explore the influence of sexual stigma, gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma on depression and life satisfaction among MSM in South India. This study used a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted with MSM (n=200) in two locations in Tamil Nadu, South India: Chennai (urban) and Kumbakonam (semi-urban). Due to multicollinearity between sexual stigma and gender non-conformity stigma, the stronger predictor of each outcome (gender non-conformity stigma) was included in regression models. Results were analyzed to identify the associations between independent (gender non-conformity stigma, HIV-related stigma), moderator (social support, resilient coping) and dependent (depression, life satisfaction) variables. Due to significant differences between locations across a substantial number of variables, block regression analyses were conducted separately for each location. Higher levels of depression were predicted by gender non-conformity stigma in both locations, and also by HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam. Lower levels of depression in both locations were predicted by higher levels of social support and resilient coping. Higher life satisfaction was predicted by social support and resilient coping in both Chennai and Kumbakonam. Lower life satisfaction was predicted by gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam, but not in Chennai. Social support and resilient coping did not moderate the impact of stigma(s) on depression or life satisfaction in either location. The results indicate that the majority of participants experienced stigmatization based on same-sex sexual behaviour and/or gender non-conformity. Another striking finding of the study was the alarmingly high rates of depression, whereby over half of participants in each region reported moderate to severe depression scores. Practice and policy implications include the development, implementation and evaluation of: multi-level stigma reduction interventions that account for socio-environmental and contextual factors; mental health interventions that promote resiliency and build social support; and policy initiatives to advance human rights protection.

Marginalization and stigmatization heighten the vulnerability of sexual minorities to inequitable health outcomes. Although men who have sex with men (MSM) are at elevated risk for HIV infection in India in comparison with the general population, there is a lack of MSM-focused research—particularly regarding stigma and mental health outcomes. This dissertation aimed to explore the influence of sexual stigma, gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma on depression and life satisfaction among MSM in South India. This study used a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted with MSM (n=200) in two locations in Tamil Nadu, South India: Chennai (urban) and Kumbakonam (semi-urban). Due to multicollinearity between sexual stigma and gender non-conformity stigma, the stronger predictor of each outcome (gender non-conformity stigma) was included in regression models. Results were analyzed to identify the associations between independent (gender non-conformity stigma, HIV-related stigma), moderator (social support, resilient coping) and dependent (depression, life satisfaction) variables. Due to significant differences between locations across a substantial number of variables, block regression analyses were conducted separately for each location. Higher levels of depression were predicted by gender non-conformity stigma in both locations, and also by HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam. Lower levels of depression in both locations were predicted by higher levels of social support and resilient coping. Higher life satisfaction was predicted by social support and resilient coping in both Chennai and Kumbakonam. Lower life satisfaction was predicted by gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam, but not in Chennai. Social support and resilient coping did not moderate the impact of stigma(s) on depression or life satisfaction in either location. The results indicate that the majority of participants experienced stigmatization based on same-sex sexual behaviour and/or gender non-conformity. Another striking finding of the study was the alarmingly high rates of depression, whereby over half of participants in each region reported moderate to severe depression scores. Practice and policy implications include the development, implementation and evaluation of: multi-level stigma reduction interventions that account for socio-environmental and contextual factors; mental health interventions that promote resiliency and build social support; and policy initiatives to advance human rights protection.