Minority Stress Among South Asian LGBTQ+ Communities in the United States

Although the South Asian population in the United States is one of the country’s most rapidly growing ethnic groups, no known studies have established a portrait of the minority stressors experienced by LGBTQ+ individuals in this demographic. Addressing this gap serves to identify if and how their intersectionality is experienced in the form of minority stress, which is an established determinant for their mental health and well-being. Minority stress theory and the subaltern status of sexual and gender minorities common in South Asian cultures offer reasons to expect challenges linked to these specific identities. Using data from a survey of South Asians residing in the United States (n = 101), we examine participants’ range of outness and experiences of discrimination within the LGBTQ+ community and beyond in this descriptive study. Results indicate substantial numbers of South Asian American LGBTQ+ individuals restrict their levels of outness to only close relatives and friends, while most experience challenges due to their sexual/gender identity and their ethnic identity. Perceptions of discrimination based on ethnic identity within and beyond the broader LGBTQ+ community are correlated with more depressive symptoms. We conclude the South Asian American LGBTQ+ population’s experiences reflect a considerable mental health burden, with important clinical implications, requiring future research using representative data at the national level.