“Straight-acting white for same”: In-person and online/app-based discrimination exposure among sexual minority men

Abstract

This study quantitatively and qualitatively examined the prevalence, frequency, and content of discrimination exposure among gay, bisexual, and other sexually minoritized men (SMM) within sexual minority contexts. Participants were an online, U.S. national sample of 14,133 SMM who reported discrimination exposure within sexual minority contexts targeting: body type, race, sexual behavior, HIV status, gender expression, age, and income/employment. Quantitative analyses included prevalence percentages and frequencies and ANOVAs, t-tests, and correlations to examine the frequency of discrimination exposure type across participant race/ethnicity, sexual identity, gender identity, HIV status, age, and income. Qualitative analyses included conventional content analysis of responses to an open-ended discrimination exposure item. Results showed that discrimination exposure was nearly universal (99%). Discrimination exposure frequency was lowest among White men and, other than for income/employment discrimination exposure, highest among Asian/Pacific Islander men. For several discrimination types, exposure frequency was highest among groups targeted by group-specific negative stereotypes (e.g., Black men were exposed to the most income/employment discrimination). Qualitative analyses highlighted specific exposures to discrimination targeting body type, race/ethnicity, gender identity, attractiveness, education, and intersections between forms of discrimination. Over 69% of write-in responses were relevant to online/app-based discrimination. Findings underscore the importance of examining individual and intersectional discrimination exposure targeting marginalized social positions within sexual minority communities, particularly in online/app contexts.

Keywords:

• Discrimination exposure
• intersectionality
• intracommunity discrimination
• men who have sex with men (MSM)
• sexual minority communities

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank the participants who volunteered their time, without whom this study would not have been possible. Data collection for this paper was supported in part by the Fordham HIV Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute (RETI) via a training grant sponsored by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (R25DA031608, PI: Fisher). The authors also acknowledge the generous funding provided by the offices of the President, the Provost, and the Dean of Arts & Sciences of Hunter College, CUNY. This study was supported by research grants from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (K01DA039030, PI: Rendina) and National Institute on Mental Health (K01MH118091, PI: English) and we are grateful for the work of the NIH staff who supported these grants, particularly Gregory Greenwood. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, the Fordham HIV Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute, or Hunter College, CUNY. The authors would like to acknowledge the mentorship and feedback provided by the Fordham HIV Prevention Research Ethics Training Institute, particularly that of Dr. Celia B. Fisher and Dr. Brenda Curtis. The authors would also like to thank all the staff, students, and volunteers who made this study possible, particularly those who worked closely on the study: Ruben Jimenez, Chloe Mirzayi, and Scott Jones.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).