Hearing yourself say, “Not tonight honey, I have a headache,” a lot? Good reason. A recent study by San Francisco State University sociology professor Allen LeBlanc found that same-sex couples experience as many as 17 unique stressors that heterosexual couples don’t — including lack of acceptance by bio-families, discrimination at work, and the experience of being devalued. Conflict between same-sex couples can arise when “stress discrepancies” occur, as in when one partner is more out, or one has a more accepting family.
Stressors unique to same-sex couples include:
• Internalized stigma
• Coming out as a couple
• Exclusion from social supports
• Lack of role models
• Negotiating gender roles
• Navigating legal benefits (or lack thereof)
• Limitations to participation in family
• Managing stereotypes
• Public scrutiny
• Seeking safety and community
• Terminology regarding the relationship
• Being invisible as a couple and being tempted to hide
• Efforts required to have children
• Rejection, devaluation, and discrimination
• Consequences of unequal legal recognition
Source: Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 2018
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