Examining the Relationship Among Microaggression, Stigma, Perception of Gender/Sexual Minorities' Socioeconomic Vulnerability, and Emotional Distance from Cisgender Heterosexuals: A Path Analysis on South Korean LGBTQ+ People

Background and Purpose: Microaggressions experienced by queer people have been shown to be associated with stigma regarding LGBTQ+ self-identity and with various other processes, including a perception of socioeconomic vulnerability. Given the pervasive nature of heteronormativity and heterosexism in Korean society, it is important to examine the complex dynamic between LGBTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ groups in this context. This study aims to investigate, through the lens of Korean LGBTQ+ individuals, the specific mechanisms through which microaggressions, perceived stigma, and socioeconomic vulnerability influence the emotional distance between LGTQ+ and non-LGBTQ+ individuals.

Methods: Data was collected from Korean gender/sexual minorities (n=329, primarily in their 20s=65.0%, gender identity female=48.0%, homosexual=54.1%, experienced coming out=81.2%). Microaggression was the independent variable (Korean Version of the Sexual Orientation Microaggression Scale; 24 items; Cronbach’s α=.96), with emotional distance from cisgender heterosexuals (EDCH) being the dependent variable. EDCH was measured using a thermometer scale ranging from 0 to 100 based on a feeling thermometer and was reversely coded for analysis. The mediators were socioeconomic vulnerability among gender/sexual minorities in Korean society (PSV; Likert 5-point scale) and LGBTQ+ stigma (Korean Version of the Perceived Social Stigma Scale; 12 items). Stigma was divided into two sub-scales, the perception of LGBTQ+ stigma (PS; Cronbach’s α=.82) and perceived LGBTQ+ integration in Korean society (PI; Cronbach’s α=.58), and each was included in two separate models for comparative analysis. Process Macro v4.2 was used for both models with 5,000 bootstrap samples (p<.05).

Results: In the first mediation model, the significant direct effects were (a) microaggression on PS (β=.12, p<.001), (b) microaggression (β=.01, p<.001) and PS (β=.05, p<.001) on PSV, and (c) microaggression (β=.16, p<.01) and PS (β=.51, p<.05) on EDCH. However, the pathway from PSV to EDCH was not statistically significant (β=-.72, p=.517), and the indirect mediation effects of PS and PSV were also non-significant. Continuing with the second mediation model, the significant direct effects were (a) microaggression on PI (β=-.04, p<.001), (b) microaggression (β=.01, p<.001) and PI (β=-.12, p<.001) on PSV, and (c) microaggression (β=.14, p<.001), PI (β=-2.80, p<.001), and PSV (β=.-2.42, p<.05) on EDCH. The three indirect mediation effects of microaggression on EDCH via (1) PI (β=.10, 95% CI [.058, .153]), (2) PSV (β=-.02, 95% CI [-.052, -.003]), and (3) sequentially mediating through both PI and PSV (β=-.01, 95% CI [-.023, -.002]) were all significant.

Conclusions and Implications: The major findings suggest that depending on perceived LGBTQ+ stigma or perceived integration of LGBTQ+ individuals in Korean society, microaggressions may operate differently, leading to EDCH. In contrast to PS, the model with PI was significant for all paths between variables and indirect effects, indicating a dual mediation effect of PI and PSV in the pathway from microaggression to EDCH. Based on this result, the study proposed mechanisms underlying the emotional distance LGBTQ+ individuals hold towards counterparts and suggested approaches to address it, focusing on perceived LGBTQ+ integration in Korean society.