Impact of Family Rejection and Racism on Sexual and Gender Minority Stress Among LGBTQ Young People of Color During COVID-19

Objective: Given the inequitable impact of COVID-19 on sexual and gender minority (SGM) youth and current sociopolitical racial justice concerns in the United States, this study examines the impact of SGM-related family rejection and racism since the start of COVID-19 on SGM-related internalized homophobia and identity concealment among SGM college students of color (SOC). Method: Participants were a subset of SOC (n = 200) from a larger nonprobability cross-sectional study about minority stress and COVID-19 pandemic experiences among SGM college students. Participants completed survey items specifically related to changes in minority stress and racism experiences since the start of COVID-19. Logistic regression models were used to examine the independent and interactive effects of racism and family rejection on identity concealment and internalized homophobia since the start of COVID-19 (adjusting for covariates). Results: Main effects models revealed that increased racism and family rejection were significantly associated with greater odds of experiencing identity concealment since the start of COVID-19. The interaction of increased racism and family rejection was also significantly associated with greater odds of experiencing identity concealment since the start of COVID-19. Conclusions: Study findings suggest that the intersection of racism and family rejection since the start of COVID-19 consequently translates to increased experiences of identity concealment. Such experiences are known to negatively impact mental health across the life course among SGM young people. Public health, medical, mental health, and higher education stakeholders must implement SGM-affirmative and antiracist practices and interventions to support SGM SOC during COVID-19 and beyond its containment. Clinical Impact Statement The COVID-19 pandemic will result in long-term negative physical and mental health effects for LGBTQ young people. This study indicates that among LGBTQ young people of color specifically, experiencing LGBTQ-related family rejection and racism leads to more experiences of LGBTQ-related identity concealment, which is known to negatively impact mental health and wellbeing. These findings are important for public health, medical, mental health, and higher education practitioners to know so that they can support LGBTQ youth of color during COVID-19 and beyond its containment, via the use of antiracist and LGBTQ-affirming practices that promote psychological and physical wellbeing.