abstract: Relative to their heterosexual peers, sexual minority youth experience significant mental health disparities. This, in part, is due to prejudicial encounters (e.g., discrimination, victimization) because of their sexual minority status, and potential compounding stressors from prejudicial experiences related to their ethnic minority status, which could lead to worse mental health outcomes due to intersecting minority stress processes. Surprisingly, even though religiosity has been identified as a protective factor in the general literature for adolescents and young adults, few studies have examined whether religiosity serves as a potential buffer of the relations between stress and mental health outcomes in sexual minority Latinx youth. Thus, the goals of this study were to examine: (1) whether ethnic discrimination and sexuality discrimination have additive or interactive effects on depressive symptoms, and (2) whether self or family religiosity moderate the relations between discrimination and depressive symptoms, in a sample of 377 sexual minority Latinx youth (Mage = 20.29, SD = 2.61, age range 14-24). Results showed that there was no interactive effect between ethnic discrimination and sexuality discrimination in predicting depressive symptoms. There was a significant interaction between own religiosity and sexuality discrimination in predicting depressive symptoms, in which own religiosity was negatively associated with depressive symptoms only at low level of sexuality discrimination. No significant interaction emerged between own religiosity and ethnic discrimination. Finally, there were significant interactive effects between family religiosity and discrimination (ethnic and sexuality), in which family religiosity was negatively associated with depressive symptoms only at average and low level of discrimination. These findings highlight the importance of examining the intersection of religion, sexuality, and Latinx minority status in relation to mental health outcome. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Psychology 2020

This project is an invitation for lesbians within Metropolitan Community Churches to speak the truth of their lived experiences, describe their experiences and encounters with God, and through that, create a lesbian theology. This author has observed that even in welcoming faith communities such as Metropolitan Community Churches, lesbian voices are missing from theological conversation. By critically engaging with various feminist, women’s, and queer theologies, this project envisions the modification of a Holy Conversations resource created by Metropolitan Community Churches that will consider how lesbians encounter God in various aspects of their lives. This author hopes that the creation of a lesbian theological resource will encourage other marginalized communities to speak of their God experiences and to create theologies that will connect them with God and with others.

Sexual minorities (SM) are at particular risk for experiencing psychological distress due to the unique stressors they face based upon their identity. There is a well-established link between anticipatory stigma and increased anxiety symptoms among this population; however, this relation may vary due to other factors such as actively hiding one’s sexual orientation from others, or concealment. SM often conceal as a means for self-protection from rejection or violence, yet in doing so SM have to deal with the affective (e.g., shame, guilt), cognitive (e.g. preoccupation about hiding sexual orientation, negative self-evaluation, hypervigilance), and behavioral (e.g., social avoidance and isolation) burden of concealment that places them at increased risk for psychological distress. Concealment is documented as having a robust effect on both anticipated stigma and anxiety symptoms. Thus, the act of concealing may affect the relation between anticipated stigma and anxiety symptoms. We hypothesize that positive correlations will exist between anticipated stigma, concealment, and anxiety symptoms; and, concealment will moderate the anticipated stigma-anxiety symptoms linkage where, for individuals with greater levels of concealment, a stronger positive relationship between anticipated stigma and anxiety symptoms will exist. Participants were recruited from targeted social media advertisements and asked to complete measures of stigma, concealment, and psychopathology. Data was entered into SPSS and missing data was omitted from analyses. Pearson’s product-moment correlations and Hayes’ moderation analyses were utilized. Our sample (N=151) was predominantly White (n=127; 84.1%), identified as being a woman (n=108; 71.5%), and LGB (n=118; 78%). Concealment significantly moderated the relation between anticipated stigma and anxiety symptoms,t(147)=2.63,p=.01. Hypotheses were supported and higher concealment revealed a stronger relation between anticipated stigma and anxiety symptoms than for those with lower concealment.Our findings are limited due to using cross-sectional data and a sample predominantly comprised of White women. Interventions that help SM effectively cope with the emotional and cognitive burden of anticipated stigma and concealment may be of interest.

The progression of the LGBTQ+ community’s steps towards equality, by the way of the court systems, has been met with a backlash from some public opinion. Therefore, the legislative branch has created laws that can hinder the progression of LGBTQ+ rights in the United States, making it incredibly difficult for the community to progress forward. We can also see this in the executive branch under the Trump administration, which some consider to be a backlash from the previous administration’s policies. But,there is a sizable gap in the scholarly articles within this time frame. This research aims to quantify the extent of backlash, and examine its effects. Preliminary results indicate that the backlash does indeed exist, and is getting increasingly worse over the years, especially in the past two. The method I use to approach this subject is a comparative analysis of the two administrations; Obama and Trump. The research is based on gathering information via scholarly articles and law databases to document what laws have been passed that affect the LGBTQ+ community, both good and bad. Although the research is not yet completed, information so far leans towards the theory that the backlash politics exists in the United States.

WORLDEATER is a collection of poetry exploring the intersections of ghosts, familial trauma, queerness, and constructing one's own mythology.

Openly LGBTQ+ Faculty have a positive effect on LGBTQ+ students. LGBTQ+ students are often highly stigmatized, especially within STEM focused academic programs and universities, (Cooper, K.M., et al, 2020). This is seen through the ways LGBTQ+ students are treated, excluded and the fear of coming out, or letting someone in on their sexuality. This study uses Queer Theory. Queer Theory is a sociological look at how examining and representing gender and sexuality in media, entertainment and daily life affects the interpretation of LGBTQ+ individuals, (Valoochi, S., 2005). Looking through the lens of queer theory, we can see that having representation makes people feel more comfortable and gives permission for authenticity. Through looking at the effects and knowledge of queer theory in correlation with this research, the connection between having openly LGBTQ+ faculty representation and the positive effect on LGBTQ+ students. Faculty includes all individuals who teach and are tenured. This may include those who serve in administrative positions such as a deanship or a directorship.

<p> <i>The Most Fantastic Lie</i> explores the troubled realm of lesbian history through contemporary art practice, visual culture, and activist collectives, arguing the necessity of new strategies toward the construction of marginalized histories in the absence of traditional evidence-based documentation. I identify three overlapping strategies toward the reconstruction of lesbian and queer histories: the documentation and collection of existing material evidence by grassroots archivists and contemporary artists who base their practice in affective relationships to archival objects; the manipulation of found objects, in the tradition of Claude Levi-Strauss&rsquo;s concept of bricolage, to serve as visual placeholders for absent histories; and the fabrication of material evidence by artists working in a mode referred to by Carrie Lambert-Beatty as parafiction: deceptions that have productive power in the creation of new senses of plausibility. These strategies, in addition to providing visual pleasure to those seeking lesbian and queer histories, each mount critiques of institutionalized notions of legitimate history. In shucking the burden of proof and elevating denigrated forms of evidence such as gossip, oral history, and fantasy, artists and collectives are able to construct lesbian histories while simultaneously demonstrating the unstable foundations of historical truths.</p>

<p> Using hermeneutics research methodology, this thesis explores the impact of negative attitudes towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals and the importance of a positive support system to help decrease self-harm and suicidality rates among the LGBT community. This thesis investigates the negative effects long-standing rejection, discrimination, oppression, and scapegoating of the LGBT community throughout history have had. This will provide a greater understanding of how rejection and scapegoating negatively affect the LGBT community and the individuals who comprise it. This thesis also suggests ways for family, friends, and society to become a positive support system for an LGBT individual and looks at possible interventions marriage and family therapists can apply to their clients who identify as LGBT.</p>

<p> The purpose of this project was to develop a grant application for the True Palette Fund for a permanent supportive housing project for 20 homeless LGBTQQI youth in Sonoma County. This is an over-represented subgroup of the homeless youth population faced with limited support services, leaving them at risk for many negative outcomes. </p><p> Permanent supportive housing that is LGBTQQI culture specific provides the best chance for the target population to embark on a fulfilling life as contributing members of society. The grant writer is collaborating with the local agency, Social Advocates for Youth, to create a dedicated LGBTQQI program as part of the Dream Center subsidized housing. </p><p> The LGBTQQI enhanced services provided by staff and volunteers will include case management/life coaching, mentoring, independent living skills training, employment and mental health counseling, and community building activities </p>

<p> Christian college environments remain connected to Biblical doctrine that can create a challenge for student affairs practitioners responsible for supporting all students but then instructed to take &ldquo;corrective&rdquo; (e.g., disciplinary) action against LGBTQ students. This study examined experiences of ten student affairs staff at Christian campuses negotiating institutional context, professional relationships, and personal values when interacting with LGBTQ students. Interview data was organized along three themes: campus culture, tensions, and strategies to manage tension. Participants perceived campus culture as familial, but also as silent, fearful, and confusing on LGBTQ issues. Consequently, they experienced tensions between personal beliefs in serving students versus supporting institutional values about LGBTQ identity and behavior. Participants employed cognitive, interpersonal, and intrapersonal strategies to negotiate these tensions and balance service to their institution with advocacy for LGBTQ students. Recommendations provided relate to staff development, graduate level training, and sustainability of the Christian college approach to human sexuality.</p>