ASSOCIATIONS OF STRUCTURAL STIGMA ON NONBINARY GENDERQUEER PERSONS' HEALTH

Nonbinary adults experience growing anti-transgender laws/policies across the United States, yet few studies have explored how such policies are associated with health. Using an intersectional and minority stress framework, this study explores the relationship among structural stigma, race/ethnicity, sex assigned at birth, and experiences of psychological distress and hazardous drinking in a nonbinary adult sample. Two binomial logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the structural stigma, race/ethnicity, and sex assigned at birth as predictors of severe psychological distress and hazardous alcohol use from a large national sample of 9,438 nonbinary adults. Results indicated that individuals assigned female at birth were more likely to report severe psychological distress, while individuals assigned male at birth and Black/African American participants were more likely to report hazardous drinking. Living in states with higher levels of restrictive gender-identity legislation was associated with greater odds of psychological distress, but not hazardous drinking. These findings highlight how both group statuses and structural stigma shape nonbinary health outcomes. Affirming mental health treatment and policy advocacy for protective gender-oriented policies are needed to address structural stigma and negative health consequences.