“We’d Be Free”: Narratives of Life Without Homophobia, Racism, or Sexism

Meyer, Ilan H.; Ouellette, Suzanne C.; Haile, Rahwa; McFarlane, Tracy A.

doi:10.1007/s13178-011-0063-0

Cited by 83 publications

(89 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Likewise, culture and religion have also been explored as resiliencies. These factors may be very important for YBGBM, as studies have shown Black MSM to draw upon positive associations with Black and gay identities in response to stigma (Meyer, Ouellette, Haile & McFarlane, 2011) and engage in religious-focused coping in response to life stressors (Pitt, 2010;Woodyard, Peterson & Stokes, 2000). Second, we took a compensatory or main effects view of resilience in this study, in that we aimed to see how different forms of resilience were related to psychosocial factors.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Profiles of Resilience and Psychosocial Outcomes among Young Black Gay and Bisexual Men

Wilson

Meyer

Antebi-Gruszka

et al. 2016

American J of Comm Psychol

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Young Black gay/bisexual men (YBGBM) are affected by contextual stressors-namely syndemic conditions and minority stress-that threaten their health and well-being. Resilience is a process through which YBGBM achieve positive psychosocial outcomes in the face of adverse conditions. Self-efficacy, hardiness and adaptive coping, and social support may be important resilience factors for YBGBM. This study explores different profiles of these resilience factors in 228 YBGBM in New York City and compares profiles on psychological distress, mental health, and other psychosocial factors. Four profiles of resilience were identified: (a) Low self-efficacy and hardiness/adaptive coping (23.5%); (b) Low peer and parental support (21.2%); (c) High peer support, low father support (34.5%); and (d) High father and mother support, selfefficacy, and hardiness/adaptive coping (20.8%). YBGBM in profile 1 scored markedly higher on distress (d = .74) and lower on mental health functioning (d = .93) compared to men in the other profiles. Results suggest that self-efficacy and hardiness/adaptive coping may play a more important role in protecting YBGBM from risks compared to social support and should be targeted in interventions. The findings show that resilience is a multidimensional construct and support the notion that there are different patterns of resilience among YBGBM.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Profiles of Resilience and Psychosocial Outcomes among Young Black Gay and Bisexual Men

Wilson

Meyer

Antebi-Gruszka

et al. 2016

American J of Comm Psychol

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“…More recent research has identified non-event stressors-or stress that results from denial of opportunities and hoped for accomplishments that do not come to pass-as an additional source of minority stress given sexual minority individuals are more often blocked from achieving their life goals that heterosexuals because of their stigmatized status (Frost & LeBlanc, 2014;Frost, 2011;Meyer & Dean, 1998;Meyer, Ouellette, Haile, & McFarlane, 2011;Pearlin, 1999).…”

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confidence: 99%

Daily exposure to negative campaign messages decreases same-sex couples’ psychological and relational well-being

Frost

Fingerhut

2016

Group Processes & Intergroup Relations

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Throughout history, the rights of stigmatized minority group members have been subject to popular debate and voter referenda. The impact of the resulting devaluing social discourse on the well-being of minority group members remains unknown. For example, exposure to the discourse leading up to decisions on same-sex marriage may have negative consequences for sexual minority individuals and same-sex couples. We examined the impact of exposure to same-sex marriage campaign messages (e.g., commercials, billboards, yard signs) on the psychological and relational well-being of couples living in the four states that had same-sex marriage voter initiatives in the 2012 general election. Sixty-two same-sex couples ( N = 124) completed a baseline survey and 10 daily diary reports during the month before the election. Daily exposure to negative campaign messages was associated with increased negative affect and decreased positive affect and relationship satisfaction. These associations persisted controlling for baseline levels of depression and daily fluctuations in general stress among both members of the couple. Exposure to a devaluing social discourse regarding the rights of same-sex couples represents a unique form of social stress resulting in negative consequences for the psychological and relational well-being of same-sex couples. Thus, the health of same-sex couples may be of particular concern in contexts where marriage policy decisions are pending and the subject of popular debate.

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“…Narrative research also has the potential to illustrate what effect social policy change may have on LGB lives (Meyer et al 2011). For example, Meyer et al (2011) employed narrative methods to investigate what the lives of sexual minority individuals would be like without homophobia, heterosexism, and discrimination.…”

Section: Narrative Research and Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Meyer et al (2011) employed narrative methods to investigate what the lives of sexual minority individuals would be like without homophobia, heterosexism, and discrimination. Likely impossible to study with quantitative survey methods, asking about what this experience would look like highlights the need for policy interventions by demonstrating the potential outcomes of policy change and providing interventionists with clear goals.…”

Section: Narrative Research and Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Likely impossible to study with quantitative survey methods, asking about what this experience would look like highlights the need for policy interventions by demonstrating the potential outcomes of policy change and providing interventionists with clear goals. This approach demonstrates the ills of social stigma and restrictive policies that need to be changed (e.g., denial of marriage and adoption rights, exclusion from the military) alongside "positive" effects of stigmatized identities that must be preserved in attempts to eradicate homophobia and heterosexism (e.g., supporting sexual minority communities) (Meyer et al 2011).…”

Section: Narrative Research and Social Justicementioning

confidence: 99%

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A Search for Meaning: Recognizing the Potential of Narrative Research in Social Policy-Making Efforts

Frost

Ouellette

2011

Sex Res Soc Policy

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In recent decades, narrative research has gained increasing prominence in social and health sciences. However, the role that narrative research has played in social policy-making efforts has been small compared to that of quantitative research. This paper highlights the ways in which theoretical stances, questions, methods, and findings from narrative research can be useful in social policy-making arenas. Particular attention is paid to research conducted in the narrative study of lives tradition in psychology, gerontology, and related social sciences. Narrative research that seeks to understand individual lives in all their complexity and in the contexts in which they are lived can be particularly useful in informing sexuality-related policy concerns given the complex nature of sexuality. By focusing on the current policy concern of same-sex relationship recognition, this paper demonstrates that (a) narrative research offers much to the study of social policy and social justice via its ability to illuminate the complex interplay between everyday lived experience and social structures and (b) there is a need to redefine what counts as research evidence in policy-making efforts to be more inclusive of narrative work. In making these arguments, examples of recent narrative research are highlighted regarding their direct relevance to sexuality-related social policy. The paper concludes with suggestions by which researchers and policy makers can productively incorporate narrative research into their work by focusing on the complimentary potential for findings from quantitative and narrative research.

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“We’d Be Free”: Narratives of Life Without Homophobia, Racism, or Sexism

Cited by 83 publications

References 23 publications

Profiles of Resilience and Psychosocial Outcomes among Young Black Gay and Bisexual Men

Profiles of Resilience and Psychosocial Outcomes among Young Black Gay and Bisexual Men

Daily exposure to negative campaign messages decreases same-sex couples’ psychological and relational well-being

A Search for Meaning: Recognizing the Potential of Narrative Research in Social Policy-Making Efforts

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