Abstract
Introduction
Sexual minority women (SMW) may have different experiences of macro-level events, such as changes in marriage laws or election outcomes, related to their multiple identities. African American, Latina/x, and White identities intersect with gender/sex and sexual identity to influence experiences at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, social, and political levels of the socio-ecological environment.
Methods
Participants include 100 African American, 35 Latina/x, and 164 White SMW (N = 299) in wave 4 (2017–2019) of a longitudinal study of SMW’s health conducted in the USA (Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women Study). Responses to nine open-ended survey questions about marriage equality and the 2016 Presidential election were examined.
Results
Thematic analysis noted similarities across groups and focused on group differences in four areas: (1) personal well-being (including fear and anxiety about discrimination; risk associated with masculine presentation; and religion as stress and support); (2) interpersonal relationships (including relationships with partners, family, and in a community); (3) societal discrimination and prejudice (including harassment in public spaces and concerns about travel); and (4) civil rights, government harassment, and police-state violence.
Conclusions
Emerging differences emphasized the impact of race/ethnicity and the intersection of race/ethnicity and gender on experiences of marriage equality and the 2016 election.
Policy Implications
Findings suggest that a more nuanced understanding of the experiences of individuals with different racial/racialized identities and the intersection of race/ethnicity with sexual identities is essential to creating culturally competent and effective supports for SMW.
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Funding
Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) of the National Institutes of Health under award number R01AA013328-14 (PI: T. L. Hughes). Dr. Veldhuis' participation in this research was supported by the NIAAA of the National Institutes of Health under the Ruth Kirschstein Postdoctoral Research Fellowship award number F32AA025816 (PI: C. Veldhuis). The content is solely the responsiblity of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIAAA or the National Institutes of Health.
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Riggle, E.D.B., Drabble, L.A., Matthews, A.K. et al. First Comes Marriage, Then Comes the Election: Macro-level Event Impacts on African American, Latina/x, and White Sexual Minority Women. Sex Res Soc Policy 18, 112–126 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-020-00435-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-020-00435-z