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In summary, our understanding of the associated risk factors underlying problematic alcohol and drug use, as well as the gender and sexual identity differences in these negative outcomes among sexual minorities, remains underdeveloped, thereby hindering the advancement of culturally competent substance abuse prevention and intervention programs that may benefit this population. Experiences of heightened stigma may help explain, at least in part, the emerging body of evidence suggesting higher rates of alcohol-related problems and other negative outcomes among bisexuals compared to GLs, as well as compared to heterosexual men and women ( McCabe, Hughes, & Boyd, 2004 McCabe, Hughes, Bostwick, & Boyd, 2005 McCabe, Hughes, Bostwick, West, & Boyd, 2009, Tucker, Ellickson, & Klein, 2008 Wilsnack, et al., 2008).
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Consequently, bisexuals may experience heightened levels of stigma compared to gays and lesbians (GLs) because they have fewer social supports and validations for their sexual identities. For example, although GLBs share a number of commonalities in their experiences of sexual minority stigma, bisexuals also report feelings of exclusion and negativity even within the GLB community ( Burleson, 2005 Hequembourg & Brallier, 2009 Rust, 1992). In other words, from a sexual minority stress perspective ( Meyer, 2003), alcohol and drug use may be a maladaptive coping strategy that helps some sexual minority individuals manage the stress associated with internalized stigma ( Bobbe, 2002 Hatzenbuehler, 2009 Weber, 2008).Įxperiences of stress and associated negative outcomes also may vary by gender and/or sexual identity among sexual minorities. A growing body of research suggests that elevated rates of substance use among GLBs may be a symptom of stress associated with identity-related stigma (for a review, see Hughes, 2005). 1154) that operate as part of cultural sexual minority stigma. Internalized heterosexism, therefore, is “a set of negative attitudes and affects toward homosexuality in other persons and oneself” ( Amadio, 2006, p. Sexual minority stigma is the articulation of negative attitudes and feelings about homosexuality that are interwoven into the cultural, legal, and social landscape this generalized negativity can become internalized into one’s own sense of self, resulting in internalized heterosexism 1. Despite growing acceptance of sexual minority individuals in the United States, gay men, lesbians, and bisexual men and women (GLBs) continue to experience social stigma related to sexual identity.