Society for Social Work and Research 19th Annual Conference: The Social and Behavioral Importance of Increased Longevity

January 14 - 18, 2015

Stigma and discrimination targeting LGBTQ+ youth are pervasive global phenomena that have devastating impacts on health and wellbeing. Stigmatizing sociocultural and institutional contexts contribute to sexual health disparities, such as higher rates of HIV and sexually transmitted infections, and mental health disparities, including substance use and suicide, among LGBTQ+ persons in comparison with heterosexual individuals.

Sexual stigma refers to devaluing of sexual minorities, negative attitudes and lower status afforded to non-heterosexual behaviors, identities, relationships and communities. HIV stigma refers to social and structural processes of devaluing people living with HIV and people associated with HIV. The deleterious impacts of multiple and intersecting forms of stigma may be exacerbated among youth as identity formation is central to ones developing sense of self; as a result of negotiating a stigmatized identity, many LGBTQ+ youth are placed at increased risk to their physical, social and emotional health.

This symposium will advance knowledge of stigma and its manifestations among sexually and gender diverse youth (SGDY) by:

1. defining and exploring the concept of intersectional stigma;
2. employing a global perspective by including ethnically and socioeconomically diverse populations of SGDY across low-, middle- and high-income country contexts;
3. focusing on the lived experience of SGDY; and,
4. specifically linking stigmatizing processes to outcomes in the health and wellbeing of SGDY.

The symposium will also demonstrate the use of different methods, both qualitative and quantitative, in deepening our understanding of stigma in diverse cultural and geographical contexts. Each presenter will specifically address the ramifications of study findings for social work practice, policy and research with SGDY in diverse global settings.

After the presentations, the audience will be engaged in discussion with presenters to address methodological and implementation challenges of the studies in different settings as well as implications for social work research and interventions. The presenters will also compare and contrast forms, mechanisms, levels and outcomes of stigma among SGDY in the different global contexts, with implications for advancing the field of stigma and intervention research in social work.