Interlocking affirmations : self-affirming individual and intersecting minoritized identities among sexual minority people of color

This report will review relevant literature regarding the experiences of sexual minority people of color and how they might navigate their intersected racial/ethnic and sexual identities and its associated experiences. Theories related to the minoritized identity and discrimination-based stress will frame our understanding of these experiences. Much of the current literature focuses on singular identities, so this report will integrate and present the limited extant research examining the intersection of race/ethnicity and sexual orientation. Identity affirmation and centrality are discussed as constructs that may aid in observing how intersected identities conflict and harmonize in its applications to outcomes in mental health and education. Implications for research focus on enhancing our understanding of the intersectional identity and leveraging the findings to improve outcomes for sexual minority people of color.