Research
Intersectional Stigma
Current Projects
Tool Development: Measuring Internalized Intersectional Stigma
Intersectional stigma, as conceptualized by Michele Tracy Berger, encompasses the unique experiences of stigma that arise from the intersection of multiple marginalized social identities. Rooted in the framework of intersectionality, this concept highlights the influence of power dynamics in perpetuating inequities and explains why individuals with multiple marginalized identities often face disproportionately negative outcomes. Despite its importance, measuring intersectional stigma remains a significant challenge, and as a result, the impact of interventions designed to mitigate it is largely unknown.
Stigma research has traditionally been siloed, focusing separately on areas such as mental health stigma or HIV stigma. However, Stangl et al. (2019) argue that stigma shares common manifestations and drivers across various domains, suggesting the need for a comprehensive, intersectional approach to measurement. Existing tools, like the Intersectional Discrimination Index developed by Scheim et al. (2019), measure certain forms of enacted intersectional stigma. Yet, there remains a critical gap in tools to assess internalized intersectional stigma—the internal adoption of societal stigma, which profoundly shapes health behaviors and identity development in ways distinct from enacted stigma.
This project aims to fill that gap by developing the first tool to measure internalized intersectional stigma, applicable across a range of stigmatized conditions and identities. By capturing the nuanced impact of internalized stigma, this tool will enable more effective intervention outcome measurement and a deeper understanding of its role in shaping health outcomes and identity formation.
Hate Speech: Media and Societal Attitudes Toward Transgender Individuals
Media plays a pivotal role in shaping societal attitudes toward marginalized groups, including transgender individuals. This study examines how traditional news media and social media contribute to societal perceptions and attitudes, particularly in the context of violence and policy debates affecting transgender communities.
In the first phase of the study, we analyze the portrayal of violent crimes against transgender individuals in U.S. newspapers, with a focus on how coverage varies based on the victims’ intersecting social identities. Additionally, we explore the relationship between these crimes, state-level policies, and other key social determinants of health to understand broader systemic influences.
The second phase shifts to social media, analyzing public discourse surrounding recent state bans on gender-affirming care. We investigate the rhetoric and discourse strategies employed in both anti-trans and counter-speech narratives, paying special attention to the use of sarcasm and humor. These elements present unique challenges for current machine learning systems, which struggle to accurately detect such nuanced forms of hate speech. Our analysis aims to uncover how these rhetorical tools are deployed to either perpetuate or resist hate speech in the digital public sphere.
By combining traditional media and social media analyses, this study seeks to illuminate the complex dynamics of hate speech and its broader societal implications for transgender individuals.
Past projects
Stigma-reduction through Education, Empowerment, and Research (SEERs) Tampa Bay
This formative study was funded by the Southern AIDS Coalition and applied a modified version of the ADAPT-ITT model to catalog and contextualize intersectional stigma, neighborhood stressors, and resilience-enhancing resources available to Black and Hispanic same gender loving men in Tampa Bay, Florida. SEERs was originally developed in Nakuru, Kenya (link to RYC site) for youth ages 13-24 to increase HIV knowledge and decrease HIV-related stigma. In this study, the aim was to begin the cultural adaptation of SEERs to meet the needs of Black and/or Latin same-gender-loving men living in Tampa Bay, Florida using qualitative and mixed-methods inquiry.
Eligibility: The study was opened to Black and/or Latin same gender loving men including those who identify as gay, queer, bisexual, and/or gender non-confirming) who have experienced stigma OR anyone between ages 18-65 who has witnessed stigma while living in Tampa Bay, Florida towards someone who was or believed to be Black and/or Hispanic and same gender loving.
Ending Racism to End HIV
A Qualitative Pilot Study to Examine the Impact of Racism and Intersectional Stigmatizing Identities on Black Adolescents Living with HIV in Tampa Bay. Guided by the Stigma and HIV Disparities Model, which identifies the fundamental processes in the relationship between societal stigma and HIV disparities. The purpose of this project is to assess anti-Black racism and resulting HIV health disparities among Black adolescents through the lens of intersectionality. Building upon a larger project, this study involves an in-depth assessment of intersectional stigmatizing identities, neighborhood context, and resilience impacting Black adolescents living with HIV, including those who identify as transgender and/or who identify as gay, bisexual, same-gender-loving, or men who have sex with men, as well as their families. Using focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with Black adolescents living with HIV and their parents, this study (a) applied a phenomenological approach to explore intersectional stigma and stressors among Black adolescents living with HIV; (b) assessed the coping mechanisms and resilience among Black adolescents living with HIV who experience multiple stigmatized identities, and (c) determined the interests, characteristics, and stigma-reduction needs of Black adolescents living with HIV in the Tampa Bay region to refine, improve, and culturally adapt an existing HIV stigma intervention (the SEERs program) local policies affecting HIV treatment for Black adolescents. This project was funded through the USF Research Task Force on Understanding and Addressing Blackness and Anti-Black Racism in our Local, National, and International Communities.
Eligibility: The study was open to Black teens living with HIV ages 13-17 and their caregivers/parents residing in the Tampa Bay area.