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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Background: Despite growing acceptance of same-sex sexuality in Portugal, identity
development of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals is still restricted by
negative societal attitudes, which maintain the experience of stigmatization and
discrimination. The purpose of this study is to document the frequency of
discriminatory events experienced by sexual minorities and their association with
indicators of physical and mental health in Portugal. Methods: A total of 610 LGB
participants completed an online survey (mean age = 34.48, SD = 11.54). Most
participants were single and self-identified as gay (73.8%). The survey included five
categories of survey items: demographic information, social support, physical health,
mental health, and discrimination experiences. Results: Physical and mental health
results revealed that bisexual people were more likely to report higher levels of
psychological distress than gay men. Overall, between one-fifth and one-fourth of
the participants in this sample frequently felt the need to hide their sexual orientation
to prevent discrimination experiences across the different settings. Regarding actual
discrimination experiences, close to 20% reported having suffered from verbal abuse,
followed by close to 10% who suffered from written threats, harassment, and
physical threats. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to assess
the effects of anticipated and actual discrimination on mental health. Possible
confounding variables were added in the first block – age, sexual orientation, being
in a relationship, body mass index, and HIV status. Anticipated and actual
discrimination experiences were added in the second block. The first block of the
analysis explained 6% of the overall variance, while the second block –
discrimination experiences – explained an additional 17%. Conclusion: Portuguese
culture and stigma/discrimination create discriminatory experiences which impact
LGB people’s health. Unless policies are changed to allow for the acceptance of
LGB people, they will continue to experience violence and discrimination as a result
of homophobia.
Description
Keywords
Social discrimination Health LGB people Portugal
Citation
Innovation: The European Journal of Social Science Research, 29, 205-217. doi:10.1080/13511610.2016.1157683
Publisher
Routledge