The correlation between heterosexism, resiliency, and authenticity in adult gay men

Heterosexism and homophobia affect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) people on societal, community, and personal levels. On the macrosystem level, laws and regulations such as constitutional amendments and laws against same-sex marriage put LGBTQ people at risk of becoming second-class citizens. On a mesosystem level, these societal constructs put into practice marginalize LGBTQ people in educational, work, and community settings. Within this mesosystem level LGBTQ people often experience the overt practices of prejudice and homophobia. On the microsystem level, LGBTQ people feel the effects of these overt homophobic practices, which can lead to low self-esteem and internalized homophobia. These marginalizing feelings are manifested in at-risk behavior, and depression for many LGBTQ people. Due to heterosexism and homophobia it is difficult for many LGBTQ people to develop the resiliency and authenticity that are needed to contribute to one's mental health. This study aimed to explore the possible relationship between experiences of workplace heterosexism and resiliency to authenticity among adult gay men. While this study did not show a significant relationship between experiences of workplace heterosexism and authenticity, it did show a significant relationship between resiliency and authenticity, specifically the subscales of authenticity: authentic living, accepting external influences, and self-alienation. This study contributes to the existing literature about psychological and emotional health of gay men, and should help leaders in public service in making decisions about policies, regulations, and laws that are more inclusive for a diverse soceity.