ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the stigmatization of non-binary/genderqueer people. First, the Non-binary/Genderqueer Stigma Scale is examined. Second, Norm-Centered Stigma Theory (NCST) is utilized to explore the relationships among the Non-binary/Genderqueer Stigma Scale, the Hetero-cis-normativity Scale (HCN Scale), gender, sexuality, additional gender/sexuality, race/ethnicity, and basic needs. Third, non-binary/genderqueer people’s experiences with gender- and sexuality-based discrimination, harassment, and violence (DHV) are investigated. In line with the three tenets and hypotheses derived from NCST, there are six patterns found in this chapter: (1) sex-act related stigma is a driving force in the stigmatization of non-binary/genderqueer people for both hetero-cis and LGBTQ people, especially the damaging perspectives that non-binary/genderqueer people are too sexual—however, discomfort with non-binary/genderqueer people’s sex acts are also quite concerning for hetero-cis people and the perspective that non-binary/genderqueer people are unfaithful is evident among the LGBTQ subsample; (2) for both hetero-cis and LGBTQ people, there is strong support for the stigmatizing beliefs that non-binary/genderqueer people’s identities are temporary and that they should be either masculine or feminine; (3) hetero-cis-normativity is positively related to non-binary/genderqueer stigma for both subsamples—however, the interaction effects between the HCN Scale and social power axes that moderate these relationships differ for the hetero-cis and LGBTQ subsamples. In addition, there are more significant interaction effects between the HCN Scale and social power axes for the hetero-cis subsample than there are for the LGBTQ subsample; (4) individual social power axes are significantly related to non-binary/genderqueer stigma for both subsamples—however, the interaction effects between the social power axes that moderate these relationships differ for the hetero-cis and LGBTQ subsamples. In addition, there are more significant interaction effects between the social power axes for the LGBTQ subsample than there are for the hetero-cis subsample; (5) non-binary/genderqueer people experience extremely high levels of gender-based DHV in comparison nearly all other groups and higher levels of sexuality-based discrimination in comparison to both the women and men subsamples (but not the LGBTQ subsample); and (6) being a non-binary/genderqueer person is not significantly related to gender-based DHV; however, being non-binary/genderqueer person and bisexual identities among non-binary/genderqueer people decrease the likelihood of sexuality-based DHV.
