Examining the Impact of Intersectional Microaggressions and Pride on the Mental Health of Black Nonbinary Adults

Black individuals and transgender and nonbinary (TNB) populations encounter daily microaggressions that negatively impact their mental health. Identity pride has been shown to moderate this association for Black and TNB populations separately. Unfortunately, research has not examined the impacts of simultaneously experiencing race-based and gender-based microaggressions in populations such as Black nonbinary individuals. Given this, there remains a significant gap in understanding the mental health impacts of racial and gender microaggressions and potential buffers for Black nonbinary individuals. The current study (N = 65) aimed to evaluate the association between intersectional microaggressions (IM) and depression and anxiety in Black nonbinary adults and the potential moderating effects of Black pride and nonbinary pride. A sample of Black nonbinary individuals was obtained from a larger longitudinal study with nonbinary adults. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were run to examine the association between intersectional microaggressions and mental health outcomes and the interactions of Black pride and nonbinary pride. Results showed that intersectional microaggressions did not significantly predict depression or anxiety. Neither Black nor nonbinary pride were significant moderators of the association between IM and depression. For anxiety, results showed that Black pride was a significant moderator, such that those with higher levels of Black pride showed a stronger association between IM and anxiety. Further research is needed to investigate the impact of Black pride on anxiety and identify additional protective factors outside of pride for Black nonbinary individuals.