“Sexuality” through the Kaleidoscope: Sexual Orientation, Identity, and Behaviour in Asylum Claims in the United Kingdom

The asylum system is a key site in which disputes over “sexuality” are contested. In refugee status determinations, administrative bodies are required to determine the actual or perceived sexuality of a claimant. This article draws on eight semi-structured interviews with refugees who claimed asylum in the United Kingdom based on their sexual diversity to deconstruct the distinct conceptions of sexual orientation, identity, and behaviour prevalent within the asylum system. It argues that the UK system overly privileges identity, falsely construing this as determinative of other aspects of sexuality. In doing so, it proposes a new framework of sexual diversity as a more relativist and inclusive way of making sense of sexual difference.

Sexual Orientation Identity Development Milestones Among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer People: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This paper is a systematic review and meta-analysis on sexual orientation identity development milestones among people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or another sexual minority identity (LGB+). Common milestones measured in the 30 studies reviewed were becoming aware of queer attractions, questioning one’s sexual orientation, self-identifying as LGB+, coming out to others, engaging in sexual activity, and initiating a romantic relationship. Milestones occurred in different sequences, although attraction was almost always first, often followed by self-identification and/or sexual activity; coming out and initiating a romantic relationship often followed these milestones. Meta-analysis results showed that the mean effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals varied by milestone: attraction [Mage=12.7 (10.1, 15.3)], questioning one’s orientation [Mage=13.2 [12.8, 13.6]), self-identifying [Mage=17.8 (11.6, 24.0)], sexual activity [Mage=18.1 (17.6, 18.6)], coming out [Mage=19.6 (17.2, 22.0)], and romantic relationship [Mage=20.9 (13.2, 28.6)]. Nonetheless, results also showed substantial heterogeneity in the mean effect sizes. Additional meta-analyses showed that milestone timing varied by sex, sexual orientation, race/ethnicity, and birth cohort. Although patterns were found in LGB+ identity development, there was considerable diversity in milestone trajectories.

Hierarchical Analysis of Disparities in Suicidal Outcomes With Intersection of Sexual Minority and Gender Among U.S. Youth, 2017

Sexual minority youth have a higher risk of suicidal behaviors than their straight peers. Despite this alarming trend, there is limited information on how health-risk factors are systematically associated with suicidal outcomes in relation to the intersection of sex and sexual orientation identity. Data from the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey (Grades 9–12, N = 14,108) were analyzed to examine three distinct suicidal outcomes (i.e., suicidal ideation, suicide planning, and suicide attempt). Separate hierarchical logistic regression models were performed to gradually adjust for influencing factors in examining the association between suicidal outcomes and sexual orientation identity (i.e., heterosexual, gay/lesbian, bisexual, and unsure), stratified by self-reported sex. There exist significant differences in youth suicidal behaviors based on sexual orientation identity and sex: lesbians (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.7, 95% CI [1.5, 5.0]), bisexual girls (AOR = 1.9, 95% CI [1.3, 2.6]) and bisexual boys (AOR = 2.6, 95% CI [1.3, 5.2]) had higher odds of suicide attempts than their straight peers. Unsure boys and girls also reported higher risks of suicidal ideation and suicide plan as compared with their straight peers. Having a very short sleep duration, reporting ever use of illicit drugs, being bullied, and feeling sad/hopeless were associated with elevated risks of suicidality across males and females. This study identified potential disparities in suicidal outcomes by sexual orientation identity as well as factors that attenuate or strengthen this relationship in a representative sample of adolescents across the United States. An improved understanding of the differences in suicidal outcomes will serve as an opportunity to ameliorate any potential inequalities and improve sexual minority youth’ health outcomes.

Sex/gender differences in interactions between sexual self-schema and monosexual vs. bisexual attractions

Sexual self-schema (SSS) – the cognitive frameworks that organize information about one’s own sexuality – are known to guide sexual attitudes and behaviors, and are thus likely to interact with the kinds of people to whom one is attracted (i.e., heterosexual, same-sex/gender, monosexual or bisexual patterns of attraction). Extending prior work highlighting differences in SSS between discrete sexual orientation identity groups, we investigated associations between multiple aspects of SSS and attraction patterns among 602 young adults with a range of sexual orientations. Generally, there were more similarities than differences in SSS across individuals with monosexual vs. bisexual patterns of attraction. However, a few significant effects emerged, with significant differences across sex/gender. For women, the greatest differences were seen between romantic self-schema in women with asexual vs. non-asexual patterns of attractions, while women with bisexual attractions were relatively similar to those with monosexual attractions (either exclusively heterosexual or same-sex/gender attracted). For men, however, the greatest differences were seen between open/liberal self-schema in exclusively same-sex/gender attracted men vs. either bisexual or heterosexually attracted men. Broadly, these findings point to subtle sex/gender differences in how bisexual attractions interact with one’s conceptualization of one’s sexual self. Also, a non-trivial portion (22%) of participants reported attractions to gender non-binary people, and these attractions significantly predicted different SSS, suggesting the need to measure attractions outside of the gender binary.

Predictors of Disclosing Sexual Orientation to Parents, Classmates, and School Adults among Latinx Sexual Minority High School and College Youth

The current study examined predictors associated with the degree of sexual orientation disclosure across social contexts (parents, classmates, and school adults) and educational context (high school and college) among Latinx sexual minority youth (SMY; N = 238). Results revealed that perceptions of more supportive social attitudes to sexual minority communities were associated with higher levels of sexual orientation disclosure across social contexts, including parents, classmates, and school adults. Compared to monosexual Latinx SMY, plurisexual Latinx SMY reported lower levels of sexual orientation disclosure to parents and school adults but not to classmates. Sexual orientation identity centrality was only associated with sexual orientation disclosure to parents but not to classmates or school adults. Degree of romantic attraction to the same gender was not associated with sexual orientation disclosure. Findings provide preliminary support for critical nuances in sexual orientation disclosure across social and educational contexts among Latinx SMY.

Direct and Moderating Effects of Sexual Minority Identity Dimensions on Mental Health

Sexual minorities experience minority stress, which is associated with mental health disparities. However, specific dimensions of identity may buffer against these disparities. While research in other stigmatized populations has found evidence for direct and moderating effects of identity on mental health, limited research has examined these dimensions in sexual minorities. We explored the potential direct and moderating effects of identity dimensions with regards to sexual stigma and mental health. Findings from 209 lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals revealed higher centrality of sexual orientation identity and more positive private regard predicted lower psychological distress and more positive private regard predicted higher self-esteem. Additionally, centrality moderated the effect of public stigma, such that those who reported higher centrality did not report decrements to self-esteem in the face of public stigma to the extent of those with low centrality. Findings suggest centrality and private regard contribute to the psychological wellbeing of sexual minorities.