3 - (SYM 81) a Qualitative Examination of Bisexual, Pansexual, and Queer Male Youth's Experiences of and Reactions to Discrimination

Introduction: Bisexual, pansexual and queer (bi+) people have distinct experiences of discrimination compared to other sexual minorities. Bi+ people experience discrimination from both outside and within the LGBTQ+ community. Within the bi+ population, attitudes toward bi+ men are particularly negative and there are unique stereotypes about them (e.g., that they are actually gay, that they have HIV). However, it is unknown if bi+ male youth experience similar or different types of discrimination. Given that bi+ identification continues to increase among youth, it is critical to understand discriminatory experiences in this population. As such, the goal of the current study was to characterize experiences of and responses to discrimination among bi+ male youth.

Methods: Fifty-eight bi+ male youth ages 14-17 completed a survey and an interview. Most identified as bisexual (63%), followed by pansexual (28%) and queer (9%).  Participants were racially/ethnically diverse and included cisgender (77%) and transgender (23%) youth. Interviews were transcribed and thematically analyzed.

Results: Bi+ male youth experienced discrimination across a range of interpersonal contexts (e.g., school, online, dating). While some experienced discrimination firsthand, others described witnessing it or simply being aware that it happens. Their experiences included microaggressions (e.g., being told bisexuality is a phase), macroaggressions (e.g., being broken up with for being bi+), and conditional acceptance (e.g., parents simultaneously expressing love and disapproval). Discrimination contributed to internalized biphobia, feeling like a burden, and identity concealment. Further, some participants minimized their experiences or had become desensitized to them.

Conclusions: Bi+ male youth are subject to discrimination across multiple interpersonal contexts during a sensitive developmental period. How they experience and respond to discrimination likely has important consequences for wellbeing. Clinicians are encouraged to validate the unique experiences of bi+ male youth and to help them identify adaptive coping strategies to promote wellbeing.