<p> Building off of previous research, the study undertook to design a taxonomic classification: defining, codifying, and validating microaggressions experienced by sexual minorities. The resultant classification is intended to serve as a conceptual framework if utilized to effectuate an assessment tool assessing microaggressions against sexual minorities. Initial points of interest included an overview of complex historical shifts increasingly traversing the present zeitgeist, and additionally, theoretical justifications for the chosen methodological approach and subsequent suppositions. This served two purposes; the first availed the reader with a contextual narrative to help facilitate a conceptual overview of the target group(s), and additionally, orient readers to the theoretical underpinnings of this study, preserving the integrity and trustworthiness of the present research. Second, variegated extant research was reviewed and elucidated to explore and explain the covert and insidious phenomenon. Concurrently, research related to racial microaggressions was included due to the abundant and judicious literature, furthering one&rsquo;s conceptualization of microaggressions as well as fortifying external validation among relevant sexual minority categories. </p><p> Heterogeneous literature and the deconstruction of sexual minority microaggressions were examined, interpreted, and presented. Attention to operational definitions&mdash;consistent or otherwise, implicit forms of communication, and sociocultural relationships and interactions, including any purported causal and risk factors were investigated. This study identified categorical constructs related to sexual minority microaggressions, tools for design of an assessment measure, and a methodological approach, served to validate and substantiate a future proposed measurement using additional studies were discussed and recommended.</p>

<p> Using an ecological perspective, this dissertation examined experiences of homonegativity in different settings and its influence on internalized homonegativity. It also examined whether there were significant paths between internalized homonegativity and experiences of homonegativity and self-efficacy to practice safe sex. In addition, it examined paths between self-efficacy to practice safe sex and internalized homonegativity and unprotected anal intercourse at 3 month and last sexual encounters. Men who have sex with men (N = 136) completed an on-line survey designed to address these questions. A measure of experiences of homonegativity was adapted to include four specific settings: church, family, neighborhood, and friends. Participants reported experiences of homonegativity highest from church and the lowest from friends. Experiences of homonegativity from family, friends, and neighborhood were all significantly positively associated with internalized homonegativity. Results indicated significant paths between internalized homonegativity and experiences of homonegativity in different settings (i.e., friends, family, and neighborhood) and self-efficacy to practice safe sex. Significant paths between self-efficacy to practice safe sex and internalized homonegativity and unprotected anal intercourse at last sexual encounter and within the last three months were also found. Implications for future research and clinicians working with individuals who experience homonegativity are discussed. </p>

<p> This study sought to examine the ways in which sexual identity development may be changing for young gay men as they grow to adulthood with the expectation that they will have the ability to choose marriage for themselves in their lifetime. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with six self-identified gay men between the ages of 20 and 24 living in a large metropolitan area. </p><p> This study aimed to explore several questions. In general, how does the possibility that one may be able to marry impact an individual's imagined future and life story? How do these men envision their future relationships, and if they hope to marry, what do they imagine their marriage might be like? How do increasing legal recognition and equality impact one's self-view and the comfort with which one learns to accept and disclose one's sexual orientation? How do men with same-sex attraction who experienced adolescence while marriage equality was becoming legal throughout the United States define their sexual orientation?</p><p> The interviews revealed several themes, including others' reactions to the sexual identity of the individual, attitudes and beliefs about the "gay community", attitudes and beliefs about the role sexual identity plays in one's overall identity, attitudes and beliefs about relationship goals, awareness during childhood/adolescence about the advancement of marriage equality, attitudes about the current push toward gaining marriage equality, the anticipated impact of marriage equality on relationships, and attitudes and beliefs about the impact of marriage equality on gay culture.</p><p> Participants' relationship ideals were largely shaped by the values and attitudes of the culture in which they were raised. Their awareness that marriage equality was being fought for allowed them to believe that heteronormative relationship ideals regarding long-term, monogamous relationships for the purpose of childrearing were (or should be) available to them in a same-sex relationship. While participants were aware that non-monogamy in relationships was an available option, most participants rejected non-monogamy in favor of seeking long-term monogamous relationships with the possibility of raising children. Participants were aware of, and often internalized, stereotypes and negative judgments about gay men that are still prevalent in society, and most participants believed stereotypical characteristics or judgments were somewhat accurate depictions of the "gay community." Perhaps it was for this reason that the gay men interviewed for this study often distanced themselves from identifying with the "gay community." This suggested they felt that characteristics inherent to gay identity were not descriptive of themselves as individual people. In spite of the fact that participants did not feel they had much in common with the greater "gay community," they nonetheless adopted "gay" as the identity label that best described their sexual orientation.</p>

<p> In this study, I explored the impact legal marriage has had on gay men in legally sanctioned same-sex marriages. Participants included five gay men who were legally married in Massachusetts. Each participant was interviewed three times; twice using a semi-structured interview guide developed for this study plus a feedback session for clarification and validity check. Narrative information was coded for emergent categories and themes using a constructivist-interpretivist phenomenological approach. I sought to explore how gay men perceive their relationships after being able to marry, the extent to which being married has impacted how they view themselves and their relationships, as well as how the availability of legal marriage has affected social acceptance and community support. Three categories emerged from coded narrative data: (a) Entering Marriage, which included themes of how participants defined marriage, as well as processes that led them to marry; (b) Mechanics and Meaning-Making in Marriage, which included themes relating to changes participants noticed in themselves since being married, as well as differences in how aspects of marriage such as division of labor, finance, intimacy, and family expansion were navigated; and (c) Marriage in Context, which included themes relating to community, social, and political influences on participants&rsquo; marriages. The findings revealed that legal marriage has had a positive impact for these five men across intrapsychic, interpersonal, and social domains, though each participant experienced these impacts differently. I hope the information gathered will help contextualize the issue of gay male marriage equality reflected in real life experience as the field of psychology continues to expand the notions of healthy family relationships and their constellations.</p>

<p> The purpose of this study was to examine moral disengagement strategies, such as dehumanization, responsibility displacement, and victim blame, in mock juror decision making in a case involving the gay panic defense. Mock jurors with high levels of moral disengagement were expected to find the defendant guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter more often than mock jurors with low levels of moral disengagement. Mock jurors read one of two vignettes that outlined a murder case in which the defendant claimed he was provoked either by an unwanted homosexual advanced from the victim, or an attempted robbery and assault by the victim. They were then asked choose between the charges of manslaughter and murder for the defendant. It was hypothesized that the defendant using the gay panic defense would receive more findings of manslaughter than the defendant in the robbery and assault vignette. This hypothesis was not supported, as the defendant in the robbery and assault vignette received more verdicts finding him guilty of manslaughter than the defendant in the gay panic vignette. However, 57% of mock jurors still supported the use of the gay panic defense. Moral disengagement did not have a significant effect on mock juror decision making in either vignette. Mock jurors with high levels of victim blame found the defendant guilty of manslaughter more often than those with low levels of victim blame. Limitations of this study and implications for society and the legal system are discussed, and future directions for research are offered.</p>

<p> The present study explores the emotion culture of polyamorists from 11 qualitative interviews. Drawing on the theories of Arlie Russell Hochschild (1979), I utilize the concept of emotion work to depict the ways individuals adhere to, and break from, monogamous relationship norms. Polyamory is a diverse practice that entails the conscious maintenance of multiple romantic and sexual relationships, under the terms of honesty and mutual respect. I utilize the concept of edgework, originally conceived by Stephen Lyng (1990), to illuminate the voluntary risk-taking behaviors of polyamorists as they enact counter-hegemonic relationship practices. Findings reveal the way polyamorists use emotional edgework (from Lois 2001), the intentional stretching of emotional boundaries, as they transition from mainstream emotion culture towards a polyamorous one. Motivations for emotional edgework are varied among the sample, and reveal two chief reasons individuals engage in this kind of emotion work: 1) to have or retain a specific partner, and 2) to reach goals of growth and self-actualization. Although the practice of polyamory challenges the dominant relationship culture, the narratives continue to reflect the lingering influence of a neoliberal capitalist economic structure.</p>

<p> In recent years, growing attention has been paid to the subtle forms of discrimination towards disadvantaged groups that occur in the work place. The result has been a growing understanding of the underlying stereotypes and biases that affect social interaction and decision-making. However, there is currently still a dearth of research addressing the stereotypes that affect transgender individuals in the workplace. This is of particular concern as sources suggest transgender individuals often feel as though their gender identity hinders their employment opportunities. This study sought to address that issue by exploring perceptions of agency and communality in the decision to hire and recommend salary to an openly transgender job applicant. This study examined this by having individuals rate their impression of either a transgender or cisgender job applicant&rsquo;s agency, communality, and eligibility for a provided position. Results suggested that although being transgender did not affect perceptions of hireability or salary recommendations, being transgender did influence perceived agentic and communal traits negatively. These results provide implications for openly transgender job applicants who are hesitant to disclose their gender identity in the application process. </p>

<p> The present study examined the possible relationship between sexual orientation, stigma consciousness, and intimate partner violence reporting (IPV). The study focused on the influence of sexual orientation on decision to report, reasons for reporting, and history of IPV. The study explored the relationship between stigma consciousness and decision to report, reasons for reporting, history of intimate partner violence, and ability to identify discriminatory reasons in reporting decisions and who IPV was reported to regarding same-sex IPV. Twenty-two participants filled out a demographic questionnaire and a self-made qualitative survey regarding IPV experiences/reporting. Those who experienced same-sex IPV filled out a modified stigma consciousness questionnaire. Results showed sexual orientation and stigma consciousness were not significant factors regarding decision to report, reasons for reporting, and history of IPV among opposite-sex and same-sex IPV. Exploratory and overall results suggest a possible correlation between stigma consciousness and same-sex IPV reporting.</p>

<p> When marriage equality became legal in 2015, more gay men started getting married. With minimal research on qualities leading to perceived marital success, mental health professionals could not offer guidance on strengthening marital satisfaction for these couples. Further, gay men had few gay role models for marital success to provide guidance and insights. To help address this lack of research, this dissertation focused on how gay men fostered marital success. </p><p> In this study, constructivist grounded theory was utilized to flexibly examine and analyze the qualities that lead to perceived marital success for eight married gay men from across the United States. Two rounds of interviews were conducted to gather narrative data and distinguish categories and properties that captured the success characteristics identified through participants lived experiences. </p><p> Findings indicate that gay men feel successful when their relationship needs and feelings of belongingness are satisfied, and they have the ability to dexterously apply relationship skills to build a strong relationship framework while working as a team to overcome potential barriers. Parenting, feelings of security, and negotiating sexual agreements were important relationship experiences for these couples. </p><p> Mental health professionals who are looking to help married gay men should consider the individual histories, environmental supports available, communication style, and the dyadic aspirations for these couples. Future research should focus on ethnic and socioeconomic diversity, and researchers should investigate marital success for couples whose marriages were not preceded by ceremonial commitments or legally binding partnerships. These parameters would expand the scope of generalizability.</p><p>

<p> This study examined sexual victimization, resilience, and revictimization in the transgender community. Participants were recruited nationally through targeted Facebook advertising. This study observed that transgender participants were more likely to experience victimization and revictimization when compared to cisgender participants. It was also observed that transgender participants had more positive attitudes toward help-seeking but scored lower on a resilience scale than cisgender and sexual minorities. Implications will be discussed. </p><p>