‘It is very subtle, but it’s still a kind of exclusion’: a mixed-method study on microaggressions within Spain’s LGBTQ+ communities

As a marginalised group, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, non-cisgender and non-straight (LGBTQ+) individuals often face discrimination and rejection due to the intersection of multiple social identities – that is, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, mental health and disabilities and identities related to appearance – which position them in subordinate roles within social hierarchies and expose them to power dynamics and oppression. While there has been extensive research on discrimination and oppression perpetrated by cisgender heterosexual individuals, there is a notable gap in scholarly attention when it comes to microaggressions within the LGBTQ+ communities. The current study employed a mixed-method design to identify the different types of microaggression experienced by LGBTQ+ adults from Spain based on multiple social identities. Fifty-eight participants took the quantitative survey and 17 completed the qualitative interviews. Integration of analyses were conducted in joint display. Findings revealed elevated instances of microaggressions targeting LGBTQ+ individuals with marginalised intersecting identities, including those identifying as gender diverse, bisexual or pansexual, people of colour or those whose appearance does not conform to dominant societal standards. Findings offer insight into the LGBTQ+ communities’ underlying power hierarchies. Furthermore, reported microaggressions can be useful in developing standardised instruments aimed at capturing experiences of discrimination and oppression.