Page 217 - Microaggressions in Everyday Live Race, Gender, and Sexual Orientation

Sexual-Orientation Microaggressions 191

sexual minorities, deny the humanity of our LGBT brothers and sisters, keep
their existence hidden from public view, pathologize their sexual identities,
contribute to psychological distress, and negatively impact mental health
(Croteau, Lark, Lidderdale, & Chung, 2005; Frost & Meyer, 2009; Herek, Gillis, &
Cogan, 2009; Rostosky, Riggle, Horne, & Miller, 2009).

SEXUAL - ORIENTATION MICROAGGRESSIONS

Sexual - orientation microaggressions are brief and commonplace daily verbal,
behavioral, and environmental indignities, whether intentional or uninten-
tional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative LGBT slights and
insults to the target group or person (Nadal, Rivera, & Corpus, in press; Sue &
Capodilupo, 2008). As with previous chapters on racial and gender microag-
gressions, sexual - orientation microaggressions can span the continuum
from being conscious and deliberate to unconscious and unintentional.
Further, they also can be delivered as microassaults, microinsults, or micro-
invalidations. Sexual - orientation microassaults can occur via hate speech,
terms of disparagement ( “ dyke ” or “ queer ” ), and telling heterosexist jokes;
microinsults are embodied in “ Don ’ t ask, don ’ t tell ” policies; and microinval-
idations might take the form of not inviting a gay or lesbian parent to “ family ”
school days.
As indicated in earlier chapters, probably the most harmful forms of
microaggressions are those that are outside the level of conscious aware-
ness of perpetrators and, oftentimes, the targets as well. Sexual - orientation
microaggressions hold their power because they are invisible, contain
a hidden disparaging message to LGBTs, and when experienced by the
target group, can result in extreme emotional distress and turmoil (Levitt
et al., 2009; Szymanski, 2009; Szymanski & Gupta, 2009). Among sexual
minorities, the process of self - stigma, self - hate, or internalized oppression
is an additional powerful concern that strikes at the core of self - identity
and self - esteem (Herek et al., 2009). A review of the research and schol-
arly literature on sexual - orientation microaggressions has identifi ed a
number of them: Oversexualization, Homophobia, Heterosexist Language/
Terminology, Sinfulness, Assumption of Abnormality, Denial of Individual
Heterosexism, and Endorsement of Heteronormative Culture/Behaviors
(Arm, Horne, & Levitt, 2009; Blank & Slipp, 1994; Frost & Meyer, 2009;
Levitt et al., 2009; Nadal, Rivera, & Corpus, in press; Sue & Capodilupo,
2008; Szymanski, 2009).

1/19/10 6:12:56 PM
c09.indd 191 1/19/10 6:12:56 PM
c09.indd 191