Challenging Binaries by Saying Good Bi: Perceptions of Bisexual Men's Identity Legitimacy

Morrison, Katheryn E.; Gruenhage, Jordan M.; Pedersen, Cory L.

doi:10.1080/15299716.2016.1183157

Cited by 11 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Intergroup contact and multigroup education interventions have proven effective in reducing bias toward lesbian and gay individuals; however, interventions to reduce anti-bisexual stigma have lagged behind (for a review, see Dyar, Lytle, London, & Levy, 2015). A few studies have begun to explore potential avenues to reducing anti-bisexual stigma (Dyar, Lytle, London, & Levy, 2017; Morrison, Gruenhage, & Pedersen, 2016), but more research is needed given the profound implications that reducing anti-bisexual stigma would have on the health and well-being of the bisexual population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Examination of a Bisexual-Specific Minority Stress Process Among Bisexual Cisgender Women

Dyar

London

2018

Psychology of Women Quarterly

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Bisexual individuals experience increased risk of mental health disorders compared to lesbian, gay, and heterosexual populations. This increased risk is theorized to arise from the stigmatization of bisexuality (i.e., anti-bisexual stigma). Research has linked anti-bisexual experiences with higher internalized binegativity (i.e., internalized anti-bisexual stigma), sexual identity uncertainty, and anxiety and depression. However, researchers have almost exclusively used cross-sectional designs, limiting our ability to draw conclusions about processes through which anti-bisexual stigma affects mental health. In the current study, we longitudinally examined a proposed bisexual-specific minority stress process in a sample of predominately White (92.2%), self-identified bisexual, cisgender women. Results provide support for the proposed process, indicating that experiencing more frequent anti-bisexual stigma predicted subsequent increases in internalized binegativity and sexual identity uncertainty. In turn, these increases in internalized binegativity were associated with concurrent decreases in strength of identification as bisexual, increases in strength of identification with monosexual identity labels (i.e., heterosexual, lesbian), and changes in visibility management strategies. These changes in identification were associated with concurrent increases in symptoms of anxiety and depression, and changes in visibility management were associated with increases in anxiety. Clinicians should consider this process when treating bisexual clients who present with psychological distress arising from anti-bisexual stigma.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Longitudinal Examination of a Bisexual-Specific Minority Stress Process Among Bisexual Cisgender Women

Dyar

London

2018

Psychology of Women Quarterly

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“…Although multicultural education interventions have been shown to reduce prejudice toward gay/lesbian individuals (Bartos et al, 2014), their efficacy for reducing binegativity has rarely been tested. In an exception, Morrison, Gruenhage, and Pedersen (2016) tested a multicultural education intervention that used two New York Times articles about the existence of male bisexuality (one supporting its existence and one denying its existence). These articles included a combination of fact-and personal narrative-based information.…”

Section: Macro-level Interventionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Multilevel Approach for Reducing Mental Health and Substance Use Disparities Affecting Bisexual Individuals

Feinstein

Dyar

Pachankis

2019

Cognitive and Behavioral Practice

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Despite bisexual individuals being at increased risk for mental health and substance use problems, clinicians' ability to provide affirmative and competent care to bisexual clients is limited by their lack of bisexual-specific training. To address this common gap in training, this article provides a brief review of bisexual health disparities and the factors that influence them. Then, we describe a multi-level approach for improving the health and well-being of bisexual individuals. This approach addresses factors that influence health at the micro-level (e.g., strategies that clinicians can use to help bisexual clients cope with stigma-related stressors), mezzo-level (e.g., adaptations to clinical environments and training programs that promote bisexual-affirmative care), and macrolevel (e.g., advocating for political change and implementing strategies to reduce prejudice against bisexual individuals at the population-level). Specifically, we describe how clinicians can adapt evidence-based interventions to tailor them to the needs of their bisexual clients. Additionally, we discuss the need for bisexual-affirmative clinical training and provide recommendations for how clinical training can be adapted to prepare clinicians to work effectively with bisexual clients. Finally, we describe how population-level interventions can be used to reduce prejudice against bisexual individuals in order to reduce bisexual health disparities. Given the striking health disparities affecting bisexual individuals, there is a critical need to develop, test, and disseminate interventions to improve the health of this population and to prepare clinicians to provide bisexualaffirmative care.

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“…Across these findings, an important theme emerges regarding perceptions of bisexual women and men—if a man engages in sexual contact with another man, he is perceived as gay (K. E. Morrison, Gruenhage, & Pedersen, 2016); if a woman engages in sexual contact with another woman, she is perceived as a heterosexual capitalizing on attention heterosexual men give to women’s same-sex sexuality (Callis, 2013).…”

Section: Stereotypes Of and Attitudes Toward Bisexual Women And Menmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bisexual prejudice among lesbian and gay people: Examining the roles of gender and perceived sexual orientation.

Matsick¹,

Rubin²

2018

Psychology of Sexual Orientation and Gender Diversity

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Research on dynamics within communities of sexual and gender minorities is scant, despite reports that people experience prejudice within lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) spaces. The present research examined dynamics within LGBTQ communities and used gender as a lens of understanding bisexual prejudice among lesbian women and gay men. In two online studies with lesbian and gay participants (N Study1 ϭ 120; N Study2 ϭ 165), we randomly assigned participants to reflect on lesbian and gay people's attitudes toward bisexual women or bisexual men. In each study, we evaluated lesbian and gay people's perceptions of identity instability, sexual irresponsibility, and interpersonal hostility. In Study 2, we proposed that beliefs about bisexual people's attraction (to men or to women) serve as a mechanism of bisexual prejudice among lesbian and gay people. We found that people perceived bisexual women and men as being more sexually attracted to men than they are to women, which helps to explain why some lesbian women reported more negative attitudes toward bisexual women than gay men did. Moreover, we tested whether lesbian and gay people's identification with their ingroup, as well as their experiences with dating bisexuals, exacerbated negative perceptions of bisexuals. Taken together, these studies offer implications for reducing bisexual health disparities via improving dynamics within LGBTQ communities. Public Significance StatementThis research suggests that gender dynamics play a critical role in how bisexual women and men are evaluated in LGBTQ communities. Lesbian and gay people perceive bisexual women and men as being more sexually attracted to men than they are to women, which helps to explain why some lesbian women may feel negatively about bisexual women. These results shed light on how and why bisexual individuals may experience prejudice from lesbian and gay people.

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Challenging Binaries by Saying Good Bi: Perceptions of Bisexual Men's Identity Legitimacy

Cited by 11 publications

References 39 publications

Longitudinal Examination of a Bisexual-Specific Minority Stress Process Among Bisexual Cisgender Women

Longitudinal Examination of a Bisexual-Specific Minority Stress Process Among Bisexual Cisgender Women

A Multilevel Approach for Reducing Mental Health and Substance Use Disparities Affecting Bisexual Individuals

Bisexual prejudice among lesbian and gay people: Examining the roles of gender and perceived sexual orientation.

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