Use of different strategies to make one’s bisexual+ identity visible

Associations with dimensions of identity, minority stress, and health

Bibliographic Data

ID17827706
AuthorsBrian A Feinstein (0000-0002-1360-9320, corresponding author), Christina Dyar (0000-0003-2802-1949), J Samuel Milstone (0000-0002-9423-3379), Jeremy Jabbour (0000-0002-1116-1155), Joanne Davila (0000-0003-1250-5068, Stony Brook University)
Year2020
Volume6
Issue2
Pages184-191
Publication date2020-03-19
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueStigma and Health (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2376-6964 • E-ISSN: 2376-6972
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1037/sah0000225
PMID34514123
OpenAlexW3010717930
LanguageEN
Citations received17
References cited27

Bisexual+ people (i.e., those who are attracted to more than one gender or regardless of gender) use a variety of strategies to make their identity visible to others, but little is known about the extent to which using different strategies is related to other dimensions of identity, minority stress, and health. To address this, we surveyed 715 bi+ people about their use of five different types of visibility strategies (direct communication, indirect communication, community engagement, gender-based visual displays, and public behavioral displays). Results indicated that people who used visibility strategies more often (aggregated across types) reported higher identity centrality and affirmation, and lower internalized bi-illegitimacy and internalized binegativity. However, they also reported more discrimination from heterosexual and gay/lesbian individuals and higher depression and anxiety. When we examined the unique associations between each of the five types of visibility strategies and our other variables, we found different patterns of associations for different strategies. For example, direct communication was uniquely associated with more discrimination from gay/lesbian individuals, while indirect communication, gender-based visual displays, and public behavioral displays were uniquely associated with more discrimination from heterosexual individuals. Only indirect communication was uniquely associated with higher depression and anxiety, while community engagement was uniquely associated with lower anxiety. Finally, public behavioral displays were uniquely associated with more alcohol use problems and a higher likelihood of cigarette use. These findings highlight the importance of examining the specific strategies that people use to make their bi+ identity visible in order to understand their experiences and health

Anxiety · Centrality · Developmental psychology · Lesbian · Minority stress · Psychiatry · Public health · Sexual minority · Sexual orientation · Visibility · Clinical Psychology · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Social and Intergroup Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology

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