A Preliminary Model of Intersectional Minority Stress Among Sexual and Gender Diverse Black, Indigenous, and People of Color

Abstract

Sexual and gender diverse (SGD) and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) live at the intersection of statuses that create unique experiences of marginalization. Minority stress theory is often utilized to examine how distal and proximal minority stressors contribute to mental health disparities among SGD communities. However, existing minority stress scholarship often relies on single-axis (e.g., SGD or BIPOC) frameworks or modifies SGD measures to map onto SGD-BIPOC populations, missing opportunities to capture the unique intersectional experiences of SGD-BIPOC. Further, research continues to not center the voices of plurisexual BIPOC within research. Utilizing a sample of 418 SGD-BIPOC (Mage = 36.09, SD = 13.71), the present study tested a preliminary model of intersectional minority stress among SGD-BIPOC exploring the moderating effects of plurisexual identity on the association between intersectional distal stress and depression. Results from mediation analysis found that a significant relation between intersectional microaggressions (intersectional distal stressor–predictor) and depression (mental health outcome) was best explained by its relation with conflict in allegiances (intersectional proximal stressor–mediator). Furthermore, moderated meditation findings reveal specific differences where plurisexual identity moderated these effects. Findings point to the expansion of minority stress theory to attend to the unique intersectional experiences of SGD-BIPOC communities, with specific attention to the experiences of plurisexual BIPOC. Implications for clinical practice, outreach, and the expansion of intersectional minority stress research are discussed.