Sense of belonging in lesbian, gay, and bisexual people in the United Kingdom: Cross-sectional data

Belonging in relevant social groups and communities is an important psychological need and can perform many positive functions for identity and psychological wellbeing. This is especially true of members of stigmatized minority groups, such as lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people, who may face rejection, marginalization, and rejection due to their identity. Belonging can be conceptualized in terms of its cognitive and affective dimensions. In the two cross-sectional survey studies, belonging was operationalized as LGB community connectedness (cognitive) and LGB community pride (affective), and the factors that predict them were examined. It was hypothesized that general support and outness as LGB would be positively, and exposure to minority stressors negatively, associated with LGB community connectedness and pride. Study 1, based on a sample of 154 LGB people in the United Kingdom (UK), showed that outness was positively, and internalized homonegativity negatively, associated with LGB community connectedness. Study 2, based on a sample of 295 LGB people in the UK, showed that being female, outness, and stigma sensitivity were positively, and age and internalized homonegativity negatively, associated with LGB community pride. In both studies, internalized homonegativity was the strongest predictor of LGB community connectedness and pride, comprising the majority of the explained variance in both variables. The findings suggest that interventions to reduce feelings of internalized homonegativity and to facilitate outness may enhance belonging in LGB people. A focus on gay and bisexual men and older LGB people who generally report lower LGB community pride would be especially impactful.