Impacts of Marriage Legalization on the Experiences of Sexual Minority Women in Work and Community Contexts

Associations of adult roles and minority stressors with trajectories of alcohol dependence symptoms throughout adulthood among sexual minority women

OBJECTIVE

In the present study, we sought to identify trajectories of symptoms of potential alcohol dependence (AD) among adult sexual minority women (SMW). Theoretical correlates were examined in relation to the empirically identified trajectories.

METHOD

Data were collected at three time points between 2000 and 2012 from SMW drinkers (n = 434) enrolled in a longitudinal study (M Age = 37.49 at baseline, SD = 11.55). Using an accelerated-cohort longitudinal design, latent growth curve mixture models identified homogeneous patterns of any past-year symptoms of potential AD. Correlates of trajectories included alcohol-related developmental risk factors, adult roles, and exposure to minority stressors.

RESULTS

Three trajectories were identified that captured risk of symptoms of potential AD over time, reflecting: (a) relatively consistent, low risk over time; (b) deceleration in risk throughout adulthood; (c) relatively persistent, high risk over time. Consistent with prior work, SMW drinkers who reported higher levels of perceived stigma or masculinity showed persistently high risk of reporting at least one past-year symptom of potential AD.

CONCLUSIONS

Most SMW drinkers report deceleration in risk of AD symptoms over time. Findings have implications for prevention and intervention efforts tailored to SMW drinkers. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Examining perceived effects of same-sex marriage legalization among sexual minority women: Identifying demographic differences and factors related to alcohol use disorder, depression, and self-perceived health

Background

Reductions in structural stigma, such as gaining access to legalized same-sex marriage, is associated with positive psychological and physical health outcomes among sexual minorities. However, these positive outcomes may be less robust among sexual minority women (SMW).

Methods

This study examined how perceptions of the impact of legalized same-sex marriage among SMW may 1) differ by demographic characteristics and 2) predict alcohol use disorder, depression, and self-perceived health. A diverse sample of SMW (N=446) completed an online survey in 2020 assessing the perceived impact of legalized same-sex marriage across six social-ecological domains: 1) personal impact, 2) stigma-related concerns, 3) couple impact, 4) family support, 5) work/school impact, and 6) local social climate towards LGBTQ people.

Results

Perceived impact across multiple domains differed by relationship status and sexual identity (e.g., lesbian compared to bisexual identity); only family support differed by race/ethnicity. Stigma-related concerns (e.g., experiencing or witnessing hostility or discrimination because of sexual identity, despite legalized same-sex marriage) were associated with greater odds of depression and lower odds of reporting excellent, very good, or good health. Odds of depression were lower among participants who reported higher personal impact, a greater number of family members supportive of same-sex marriage, and a more positive local social climate. Family support also predicted self-perceived health. However, participants who perceived increased support in work/school contexts after legalized same-sex marriage had higher odds of alcohol use disorder.

Conclusions

Overall, findings underscore the importance of policy in improving health outcomes through reducing stigma-related concerns and improving social acceptance.

Measuring the impact of legal recognition of same-sex marriage among sexual minority women

Reductions in structural stigma, such as gaining access to legalized same-sex marriage, is associated with positive psychological and physical health outcomes among sexual minority adults. However, these positive outcomes may be less robust among sexual minority women (SMW; e.g., lesbian, bisexual, queer) than sexual minority men and new measures are needed to develop a more nuanced understanding of the impact of affirming policies on the health and well-being of SMW. This study assessed the psychometric properties of measures developed to assess the psychosocial impacts of legalized same-sex marriage on the lives of SMW. Participants (N=446) completed an online survey assessing the psychosocial impact of legalized same-sex marriage in five domains: 1) personal impact, 2) stigma-related concerns, 3) couple impact, 4) LGBTQ community impact, and 5) political/social environment. Psychometric properties of the scales were examined using traditional and Rasch analyses. Personal, concerns, couple, and political/social environment scales demonstrated high internal consistency (α > 0.80), and acceptable levels of reliability even when scales reduced to five items each. The LGBTQ community scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (α = 0.79) and could only be reduced to 9 items. These scales may be useful in future studies of SMW health and well-being.

Perceived psychosocial impacts of legalized same-sex marriage: A scoping review of sexual minority adults' experiences

A growing body of literature provides important insights into the meaning and impact of the right to marry a same-sex partner among sexual minority people. We conducted a scoping review to 1) identify and describe the psychosocial impacts of equal marriage rights among sexual minority adults, and 2) explore sexual minority women (SMW) perceptions of equal marriage rights and whether psychosocial impacts differ by sex. Using Arksey and O'Malley's framework we reviewed peer-reviewed English-language publications from 2000 through 2019. We searched six databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Web of Science, JSTOR, and Sociological Abstracts) to identify English language, peer-reviewed journal articles reporting findings from empirical studies with an explicit focus on the experiences and perceived impact of equal marriage rights among sexual minority adults. We found 59 studies that met our inclusion criteria. Studies identified positive psychosocial impacts of same-sex marriage (e.g., increased social acceptance, reduced stigma) across individual, interpersonal (dyad, family), community (sexual minority), and broader societal levels. Studies also found that, despite equal marriage rights, sexual minority stigma persists across these levels. Only a few studies examined differences by sex, and findings were mixed. Research to date has several limitations; for example, it disproportionately represents samples from the U.S. and White populations, and rarely examines differences by sexual or gender identity or other demographic characteristics. There is a need for additional research on the impact of equal marriage rights and same-sex marriage on the health and well-being of diverse sexual minorities across the globe.

The Legal Vulnerability Model for Same-Sex Parent Families: A Mixed Methods Systematic Review and Theoretical Integration

Globally, parents and children in same-sex parent families are impacted by many laws related to the parental sexual orientation. These laws vary considerably from one country to another, ranging from full legal recognition to criminalization. The psychological consequences of living in an ambiguous or hostile legal climate likely interfere with parental health, family functioning, and child development. However, a systematic evidence synthesis of the pertinent literature and its placement within a broader psychological model are currently lacking. The aims of this review were thus (1) to systematically review qualitative and quantitative evidence on the impact of sexual orientation laws on same-sex parent families in key domains and (2) to place these findings within a broader model informed by minority stress and family theories. Our review was preregistered and conducted in line with PRISMA guidelines. We searched for qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods studies on the impact of sexual orientation laws on target outcomes (parental health, family functioning, child outcomes) via systematic database search (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science) and forward-backward searches. Fifty-five studies published between 1999 and 2020 were eligible for inclusion and were synthesized using a data-based convergent synthesis design. Thirteen descriptive and three overarching analytical themes were identified through thematic synthesis. Linking our findings with minority stress and family theories, we propose a novel legal vulnerability model for same-sex parent families. The model posits that legal vulnerability constitutes an increased risk for parental and child health as well as family functioning through individual and shared pathways between family members. Additionally, the model introduces counteractions that families engage in on the personal, familial, and systemic level to mitigate the impact of legal vulnerability, as well as moderators on the contextual, familial, couple, and individual level that modulate this impact. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.

First comes marriage, then comes the election: Macro-level event impacts on African-American, Latina/x, and White sexual minority women

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. 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 United States (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. 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. 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. 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.

Investigating differential protective effects of marriage on substance use by sexual identity status

BACKGROUND

Research suggests that marriage is protective against substance use. However, few studies have examined whether this protective effect differs for sexual minorities, a population at increased risk for substance use. Using data from four waves of the cross-sectional U.S. National Alcohol Survey (NAS; 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015), we investigated whether the protective effects of marriage varied by sexual identity.

METHODS

Sex-stratified logistic regression models were used to examine independent and interactive effects of current marital status (being married vs. not) and sexual minority status (lesbian/gay/bisexual vs. heterosexual) on high-intensity drinking, alcohol use disorder, and marijuana use in the past year.

RESULTS

Among both women and men, sexual minority status was generally associated with higher odds of these outcomes and marriage was consistently associated with lower odds. Differential effects of marriage by sexual identity with respect to marijuana use were found only among men; marriage was significantly associated with decreased odds of marijuana use among heterosexual men but increased odds among sexual minority men.

CONCLUSIONS

Marriage may be less consistently protective against hazardous drinking and marijuana use among sexual minorities than heterosexuals. Findings underscore the importance of both quantitative and qualitative studies designed to better understand disparities in substance use across both sexual identity and relationship statuses.

It's complicated: The impact of marriage legalization among sexual minority women and gender diverse individuals in the United States

This mixed-methods study explored perceptions of the impact of marriage legalization in all U.S. states among sexual minority women and gender diverse individuals. Survey data were collected from a nonprobability sample of individuals 18 years or older who identified as lesbian, bisexual, queer, same-sex attracted or something other than exclusively heterosexual-as well as individuals who identified as transgender or gender nonbinary (for example, genderqueer, trans woman, trans man, nonbinary, or gender non-conforming). The analytic sample included 418 participants in an online survey who responded to open-ended questions about the perceived impact of marriage legalization. Qualitative analyses revealed perceptions of marriage legalization that situated individual meanings in the context of broader political and social factors. Four themes represented the complex perceptions of participants about marriage legalization: 1) establishing a victory in civil rights, social inclusion, and acceptance; 2) creating a paradox between positives of legalization and limitations of marriage as an institution; 3) amplifying concerns for unaddressed safety and rights issues; and 4) contributing to the erosion of queer identity and community. Quantitative analyses revealed several differences by demographic characteristics, such as greater concern about the erosion of community among unmarried participants compared to participants who were married. Findings underscore the importance of policies that advance equality for sexual and gender minorities (SGMs), as well as the importance of research exploring how policies are perceived by and impact SGM subpopulations.