Strategies for managing heterosexism used among African American gay and bisexual men

B. Della, M. Wilson, R. Miller

Oppression and oppression management are focal topics of inquiry in research on African Americans_ social behaviors. Previous research has failed to investigate the methods that African Americans who are also bisexual and gay use to cope with oppressive experiences associated with their status as sexual minorities. In the current study, the authors use in-depth interviews with gay and bisexual African American men (n = 37) to examine the strategies that they employ to manage their sexual minority status. Six minority status management strategies for coping with heterosexism and the contexts in which these strategies are used are identified. The functions these strategies serve, such as avoiding stigma or building support systems, are also identified. The data suggest similarities among the strategies these men use to cope with heterosexism and the strategies that theorists have identified for coping with racism. Implications for research and theory about dual oppression management are discussed.