“It's like holding a Two-Edged Sword”: Being Middle Eastern and Lesbian, Gay, or Bisexual in Southeast Michigan

Background:  Access to healthcare among LGBTQ individuals may be hindered by stigma and discrimination. These experiences are often compounded for LGBTQ people of color, who may face additional barriers related to their race/ethnicity. The unique experiences of Middle Eastern (ME) LGB individuals, in both healthcare and community settings, remain largely unexamined. Southeast Michigan is home to a substantial proportion of Arab Americans in the United States. Therefore, we explored how LGB people of ME descent conceptualize their multiple identities and how these processes may shape their health.

Methods:  We formed an academic-community partnership with Al Gamea, a community-based organization that caters to LGB people of ME descent.  To understand the needs and experiences of LGB people of ME descent, we conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews with community members. Guided by a phenomenological framework, we analyzed these data through open and focus coding and conducted a thematic analysis to identify patterns related to identity, community, gender roles, and healthcare access.

Results: Participants’ narrated how their sexual identity was as central to their self-conception as their ethnic and religious identities. However, they acknowledged the challenges of aligning these identities when interacting with their families, peers, and community. Furthermore, participants acknowledged having to make decisions regarding the compartmentalization or integration of their identities in healthcare settings, particularly those that serve the ME population in the area.

Conclusions:  Based on our analyses, we discuss the implications of public health practice involving LGB individuals of ME descent and explore possibilities for further research.