Sexual Identity Development, Stigma, and Health in Sexual Minority Women and Men

Three separate studies were conducted to explore associations among sexual minority identity development, stigma, mental health, and social support. Each of these studies used a cross-sectional study design. The first study drew on the life course perspective to examine the association between age at three sexual identity developmental milestones (i.e., first wonder about, decide about and disclose sexual identity) and lifetime suicidal ideation in a sample of sexual minority women. The women who first wondered about their sexual minority identity in early, middle, or late adolescence had an increased risk of lifetime suicidal ideation compared to those who first wondered in adulthood. Neither parental support nor historical time had an impact on this association. The second study also drew on the life course perspective to evaluate the association between age at reaching one sexual identity milestone (i.e., age at firs same-sex sexual experience) and different dimensions of experienced and internalized homosexual stigma in a sample of Latino gay and bisexual men. Men who reached the milestone in early adolescence reported less internalized homosexual stigma compared to those who reached the milestone in adulthood. Historical time moderated this association, such that the association between age at the milestone and feelings of shame varied by historical period. The third study examined whether experienced and internalized homosexual stigma were associated with lower levels of social support and social integration. Two dimensions of experienced and internalized stigma were associated with lower levels of social support. One dimension of experienced stigma was associated with a greater sense of LGB community, while two other dimensions of internalized stigma were associated with less of a sense of LGB community. Furthermore, internalized stigma appeared to be the mechanism by which experiences of stigma were linked to social support. Overall, these findings suggest that age at sexual identity milestones is important to understanding suicidal ideation in sexual minority women and experiences of homosexual stigma in Latino gay and bisexual men. Additionally, homosexual stigma appears to influence levels of social support and integration among Latino gay and bisexual men.