(PS8-18) Sexual Stigma and Dating Patterns Among Sexual Minority Adolescents

The emergence of intimate relationships is a common developmental milestone during the teenage years. Nonetheless, involvement in intimate relationships may present unique complexities for sexual minority adolescents, who experience stigma on the basis of their sexual identity (i.e., sexual stigma). The current study sought to better understand how experiences of sexual stigma were associated with sexual minority youths’ dating patterns. Specifically, we examined how intrapersonal sexual stigma (i.e., internalized heterosexism) and interpersonal sexual stigma (i.e., heterosexist bullying and heterosexist-based parental/caregiver rejection) were associated with sexual minority youths’ relational involvement (i.e., currently dating, ever dated, and ever engaged in a non-heterosexual relationship).

Data were from a large national sample of sexual and gender minority adolescents (N = 15,502). Participants averaged 15.80 (SD = 1.48) years of age. All had sexual minority identities, with the most common being gay/lesbian (30%), bisexual (29%), and pansexual (15%). Approximately half (54%) of participants identified as transgender or gender nonconforming, and the majority identified as White (70%).

Results from logistic regression models indicated that higher levels of internalized heterosexism were significantly associated with a lower likelihood of currently dating (OR = .88, 95% CI [.83, .93]), and of having ever dated (OR = .89, 95% CI [.84, .94]) or having ever engaged in a non-heterosexual relationship (OR = .94, 95% CI [.89, 1.00]). Regarding interpersonal stigma, higher levels of heterosexist bullying, independent of outness to peers, were significantly associated with a greater likelihood of currently dating (OR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.20, 1.29]), and of having ever dated (OR = 1.48, 95% CI [1.42, 1.54]) or having ever engaged in a non-heterosexual relationship (OR = 1.57, 95% CI [1.51, 1.63]). Last, higher levels of heterosexist-based parental/caregiver rejection, independent of outness to parents/caregivers, were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of currently dating (OR = 1.21, 95% CI [1.15, 1.28]), and of having ever dated (OR = 1.29, 95% CI [1.21, 1.37]) or having ever engaged in a non-heterosexual relationship (OR = 1.24, 95% CI [1.17, 1.31]).

Together, results indicate that more intrapersonal stigma was associated with reduced relational involvement, whereas more interpersonal stigma was associated with greater relational involvement. Findings call for greater consideration of how stigma processes impact intimate relationship development among sexual minority youth in future research, and for relational programming for this population to address the role of stigma as they navigate dating and relationships.