Anti-Bisexual Discrimination as Insidious Trauma and Impacts on Mental and Physical Health

Using a minority stress framework (Meyer, 2003), and conceptualizing antibisexual discrimination as a type of trauma, we examined relations between experiences of antibisexual discrimination, trauma symptoms, internalized biphobia, depression symptoms, and physical health in a sample of 387 self-identified bisexual adults from the United States who completed an online survey. Path analysis using structural equation modeling indicated partial support for the hypothesized model. Antibisexual experiences from heterosexuals related to physical health and depressive symptoms, both indirectly through trauma symptoms. No support was found for the hypothesized indirect relation between antibisexual experiences from lesbians and gay men and physical health or depression. No support was found for the hypothesized relations between anti-bisexual experiences from lesbians and gay men and trauma symptoms or internalized biphobia. Overall, results support the notion that experiencing antibisexual prejudice, specifically discrimination from heterosexuals, relates to trauma symptoms, and these symptoms have implications for physical and mental well-being. Implications for mental health workers, medical professionals, and researchers are discussed. Public Significance Statement This study shows relations between discrimination and mental and physical well-being for bisexual individuals. Specifically, we found the antibisexual discrimination bisexual people experience from heterosexuals relates to physical health, trauma symptoms, and depressive symptoms. The antibisexual discrimination perpetrated by lesbians and gay men did not demonstrate the same significant relations.