Structural Stigma and Bisexual + People: Effects of the Rejection of the Zan Bill in Italy on Minority Stress and Mental Health

Abstract

Bisexual + people experience severe forms of structural stigma that are associated to negative mental health outcomes. In order to eradicate hate crimes against LGBTQIAPK + people, on the 4th of November 2020, the Italian deputy Alessandro Zan proposed a Bill entitled “Measures to prevent and combat discrimination and violence on grounds of sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity and disability” (also known as “Zan Bill”). On October 27, 2021, the Italian Senate silenced the Bill. This study aimed to explore whether a worsening in mental health before and after the Zan Bill’s rejection occurred among bisexual + people. Data from 299 Italian bisexual + people after the Zan Bill’s rejection were compared with data on the same measures from 381 Italian bisexual + people before the Zan Bill’s rejection. We observed a worsening in the levels of discrimination, anticipated and internalized binegativity, resilience, anxiety, and depression after the rejection of the Zan Bill. Outness remained unchanged in the two groups. Results suggested that the rejection of the Zan Bill has had a strong effect on the well-being of Italian bisexual + people.

Keywords:

• Bisexual+
• mental health
• structural stigma
• Zan Bill
• Italy

Disclosure statement

The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Daniele Rucco

Daniele Rucco is a psychologist and second-year PhD student in Clinical Psychology at the University of Milan-Bicocca, Italy. His research concerns the mental health and well-being of LGBTQIAPK + people, with a specific focus on the relationship between minority stress and suicidality in transgender and gender-diverse people.

Annalisa Anzani

Annalisa Anzani is a clinical psychologist and Postdoctoral Researcher. Her research interests focus on LGBTQ + psychological health and well-being. She currently works at the Department of Psychology of the University of Milan-Bicocca and as a private practitioner with mostly gender minority clients.

Cristiano Scandurra

Cristiano Scandurra is a Researcher in Clinical Psychology at the University of Naples Federico II, PhD in Gender Studies, and Psychodynamic Psychotherapist. He carried out a training fellowship at the Summer Institute in LGBT Population Health at The Fenway Institute (Boston) and a visiting internship at Columbia University (New York). His research areas of interest are LGBTQI + minority stress and clinical health psychology.

Andrea Pennasilico

Andrea Pennasilico is a Clinical Psychologist specializing in Psychotherapy. He carried out several projects regarding bisexual health and non-monogamous relationships. His research areas of interest are LGBTQIA + mental health, with a focus on biphobia and bisexual erasure, and minority stress.

Antonio Prunas

Antonio Prunas, Ph.D., is a psychologist, psychotherapist and a sex therapist. He is a European Certified Psychosexologist (European Society of Sexual Medicine) and also completed the Post-Graduate Diploma in Gender, sexuality and relationship diversity at Pink Therapy, London in 2019. He runs a private clinical practice with LGBTQ-specific therapy and sex therapy as an area of expertise. He is Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at Milano Bicocca State University, Milan (Italy), since December 2008 and is the scientific Director of the post-graduate program in sex counseling. His main research interests are trans-specific issues in psychotherapy and sex-therapy, discrimination against LGBTQIA + people and its impact on their well-being, in everyday life and in the context of clinical consultation with mental health professionals.