Toward a Multidimensional Construct of Racialized Sexual Discrimination (RSD): Implications for Scale Development

Racialized sexual discrimination (RSD), also known as "sexual racism," is an understudied phenomenon in psychology and other social sciences. Young gay or bisexual men of color (YGBMoC) commonly report experiencing RSD in online partner-seeking venues (e.g., mobile hookup apps and websites). RSD may be associated with adverse health outcomes (e.g., poor psychosocial functioning, HIV exposure) among YGBMoC. These associations remain unclear, however, because the construct of RSD is still relatively novel, and there are no validated measures that evaluate the full scope of the phenomenon. Thus, the investigators sought to gain a robust understanding of RSD and establish the groundwork for developing a comprehensive scale to measure the phenomenon. Using a hybrid deductive-inductive qualitative approach, we conducted focus groups with YGBMoC and service providers to (a) gain a deeper understanding of RSD; (b) verify, augment, and/or reconceptualize emergent subcategories of RSD from the existing literature; and (c) develop a list of specific experiences (i.e., potential survey items) within each subcategory. A 4-domain structure of RSD was supported (Exclusion, Rejection, Degradation, and Erotic Objectification). Participants endorsed (a) measuring the frequency, effect, and beliefs associated with RSD experiences; (b) assessing multiple social contexts in which RSD is experienced; and (c) capturing data on RSD experiences based on the race or ethnicity of individuals perpetrating RSD. RSD is a complex and multidimensional construct. Measurement of this construct should account for multiple components and contexts of an experience within 4 discrete RSD domains, while accounting for the race or ethnicity of individuals who perpetrate RSD. Public Significance Statement This study qualitatively examines the phenomenon of racialized sexual discrimination (RSD) and attempts to organize RSD into categories to develop a scale of the phenomenon. We found support for four discrete categories (Rejection, Exclusion, Degradation, and Erotic Objectification). Study participants endorsed measuring three different components of RSD experiences (effect, frequency, and beliefs) across three different social or interactive contexts (browsing for partners online, interacting with partners online, and interacting with partners in person).