A little bit of this and that..
Higher levels of discrimination may underlie recent observations of greater psychiatric morbidity risk among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.
Quite recently, inclusion in general population–based surveys of both screening and diagnostic assessments for common mental health disorders and direct or proxy measures of sexual orientation has led to findings of somewhat elevated prevalence of psychiatric morbidity in lesbian, gay, and bisexual respondents as compared with their heterosexual counterparts.1–9 For example, several studies have documented greater risk for suicide attempts among adolescents and young adults who report same-sex sexual partners or a minority sexual orientation.2,7–9
A growing body of research on social inequality and mental health outcomes premises that certain social statuses, such as race/ethnicity, sex, and socioeconomic status, influence likelihood of exposure to deleterious experiences that may affect acquisition of social and personal resources, such as mastery, self-esteem, and social support.14–19 In particular, experiences with discrimination and stigmatization have been shown to lead to greater vulnerability to depressive distress and anxiety and perhaps to higher rates of some psychiatric disorders.13,20–22
For lesbians and gay men, in particular, some studies have shown that they may be exposed to higher levels of unpredictable, episodic, and day-to-day social stress than are others because of the stigmatization of homosexuality in American culture.
Day-to-day experiences with discrimination also varied by sexual orientation (see Table 3 [triangle]). Across a wide range of behaviors indicating discriminatory treatment, homosexual and bisexual women and men were significantly more likely than heterosexual respondents to report their relatively frequent occurrence. These differences between the 2 groups changed little when different cutpoints for classification of occurrence of discrimination were used (e.g., never vs any). Furthermore, restricting comparisons to only White respondents had no appreciable effect on study findings. White homosexual and bisexual respondents were still more likely than White heterosexual individuals to report at least 1 discriminatory behavior, occurring at least sometimes on a day-to-day basis (adjusted OR = 2.66; 95% CI = 1.52, 4.65).
In general, many respondents in the MIDUS viewed discrimination as having had harmful effects on their lives, although homosexual and bisexual respondents reported this more frequently than did others. Specifically, homosexual and bisexual individuals (62.5%, SE = 9.2, of women; 41.0%, SE = 6.1, of men) were more likely than heterosexual respondents (23.1%, SE = 1.2, of women; 20.6%, SE = 1.1, of men) to report that discrimination had made life harder (adjusted OR = 5.50; 95% CI = 3.08, 9.81). Furthermore, homosexual and bisexual respondents (55.2%, SE = 9.4, of women; 34.3%, SE = 6.0, of men) were more likely than heterosexual individuals (20.5%, SE = 1.2, of women; 18.2%, SE = 1.1, of men) to indicate that discrimination had interfered with having a full and productive life (adjusted OR = 5.13; 95% CI = 2.91, 9.05). These differences remained even after comparisons were restricted to White respondents for reports of both making life harder (adjusted OR = 5.64; 95% CI = 3.17, 10.03) and interfering with life (adjusted OR = 4.92; 95% CI = 2.77, 8.73).
Perceived discrimination also was positively associated with the 3 indices of mental health status. The odds of having any psychiatric disorder were significantly increased in individuals reporting any lifetime discriminatory event (adjusted OR = 1.60; 95% CI = 1.29, 1.99) or any day-to-day experiences with discrimination (adjusted OR = 2.13; 95% CI = 1.69, 2.68), after adjustment for possible demographic confounding other than that due to sexual orientation. Similarly, self-rated “fair” or “poor” current mental health was positively associated with reporting any lifetime discriminatory event (adjusted OR = 1.81; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.45) or any day-to-day experiences with discrimination (adjusted OR = 1.87; 95% CI = 1.34, 2.59), after adjustment for demographic confounding other than that due to sexual orientation. Finally, the odds of having high current psychologic distress were related to positive reports of experiencing any lifetime events (adjusted OR = 1.78; 95% CI = 1.40, 2.26) or any day-to-day behaviors (adjusted OR = 2.46; 95% CI = 1.91, 3.17). In all 3 instances, the relation between sexual orientation and each mental health indicator was attenuated by including the possible moderating effects of lifetime events and day-to-day behaviors in the logistic regression model.
Growing evidence13,15,59 suggests that the experience of discrimination can result in negative psychologic and physiologic changes, underscoring its possible role as a morbidity risk factor. Our findings are consistent with this view; we found a relatively robust association between experiences of discrimination and indicators of psychiatric morbidity.
[Mental Health Correlates of Perceived Discrimination Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in the United States]
So next time certain individuals wish to embark on arguments where they sit on their high horses and demonize homosexuality and declare homosexuality to be "wrong", they should keep in mind that we have many homosexual members who participate on this site and I'd like you to sit and think for one second, just how your words and your actions might affect someone else.
Because when you demonize someone's identity and their sexuality, they you are quite literally saying that who they are is wicked and evil. Now, some of you seem to believe this is somehow or somewhat acceptable because you don't think this is a form of discrimination. Wrong. If you tell someone or comment that who they are is evil or wicked, then you are already setting them aside as being different - and you are deliberately setting them aside for this difference because you believe it is wicked and "wrong".
I mean sure, you might not call for laws that penalise homosexuals, for example, and you may not support violence against them. Great. But those who employ such tactics as calling it wrong and condemning their sexuality are part of the problem. You are part of the reasons why there is violence against homosexuals and you are the reason and cause of discrimination and hatred against them. Your ideologies and your beliefs feed that sick and evil machine.
I don't need to name names. You know who you are. We all do.
I advised some of my colleagues today that the level of homophobia being allowed to on this sub-forum was quite literally about to result in my losing my shit. Quite literally. I have avoided some of these particular discussions in the last few days because I have reached the point where I am about to simply lose it altogether. I considered just letting it all out. I considered whether I wanted to work alongside a colleague who had beliefs that were so repulsive to me and I had to think about whether I could actually work with someone who spouted so much bigoted hatred while masking it and trying to say that he doesn't hate gays, he just condemns who they are and actually believe that this in itself is not bigoted or discriminatory. And to see this type of ideology encouraged and protected.. It absolutely kills me.
The denial and the questioning of whether condemning homosexuality or demonizing them is actually harmful.. This needs to be asked?
If you need or want proof of what your behaviour does to people, you only have to read the experiences of people who suffered through such condemnation from their loved ones and communities. Who were loved and adored, but told that who they were and what they were was wrong, unnatural. How they are broken down, made to believe they were wrong and the self loathing that comes from that and ultimately, the path to self destruction that always comes from self loathing and the desire to just be accepted and loved for who they are instead of for who they are not.
But if you want to know what happens when you condemn homosexuality and demonize it,
then you only have to look at the victims attitudes and beliefs like yours create.
And if you think that you aren't the problem, then think again.
