Marginalizing Black Gay Men in Anti-Racism and Anti-Homophobia Leadership

Abstract

Bridging the Model of Intersectional Invisibility and the Role Congruity Theory, we hypothesized that Black gay men were overlooked as leaders in both anti-racism advocacy groups, where Black heterosexual men were preferred, and in anti-homophobia groups, where White gay men were favored. In three studies (N = 512), White heterosexual participants allocated two funds, one addressing racism and one addressing homophobia, to one of four advocacy groups whose leaders’ race (Black vs. White men) and sexual orientation (gay vs. heterosexual men) were orthogonally varied. For the anti-racism fund, participants preferred to fund advocacy groups led by Black over White men, but preferred to fund a Black heterosexual rather than a Black gay male leader. For the anti-homophobia fund, participants preferred to fund groups led by gay over heterosexual men, yet preferred to fund a White than a Black gay male leader. Results are discussed in the context of intersectionality.