Lesbian, gay, and bisexual people's support for transgender and Black people: Effects of perceived societal sexual orientation (in)equity

Abstract

This experiment examined how societal treatment of marginalized groups may influence relations among them. The 310 cisgender White lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) participants were assigned to conditions varying in LGB (in)equity salience (discrimination, affirmation, control) and in outgroup identity (transgender, Black), and completed a survey assessing intergroup relations with the target outgroup. Anti- LGB discrimination was expected to improve intergroup relations with transgender people (i.e., a group readily sharing a superordinate identity with LGB people) but worsen relations with Black people (i.e., a group not readily sharing a superordinate identity). No direct effects of discrimination were found, but effects mediated through affect emerged. Discrimination indirectly improved relations with both transgender and Black people when tasks required consideration of injustices toward the outgroup. For other tasks, discrimination indirectly improved relations with transgender people only. LGB affirmation reduced empathic anger in support of transgender and Black people but had no other effects.