Minority stress is a form of stress, which has its origin in negative experiences that are connected to belonging to a minority.

What is a minority?

If you’re part of a minority, you are part of a group that isn’t part of the majority in your society. In Sweden, a few examples of minorities are homosexual and bisexual people, trans people, people with a skin colour that isn’t white, Muslims, Jews and differently abled people. There are many minorities besides those. Being part of a minority is not a bad thing, it doesn’t mean that you’ll experience minority stress by default. The causes of minority stress lies with how other people treat you and others belonging to the minority. In other words, it’s the people and environment around you that cause minority stress, not the fact that you belong to a minority.

What is minority stress?

Many who belong to a minority have experienced discriminating, rudeness, abuse and/or harassment. Such experiences can make you worried that they might happen again. You might feel alert or on edge in new situations or in situations that are similar to the ones where you’ve been abused. Alternatively, you might know that others from the same minority as you have experienced, for example, rude treatment, which can make you worried that it’ll happen to you too.

Minority stress can also be caused by less obvious things, like looks, being disbelieved, or comments. These can be difficult to handle. It’s not always crystal clear if how you’re treated is abusive or discriminating. Sometimes, it might even sound like the one talking to you means well, even though it feels wrong. This could be because of microaggressions.

It can be very difficult to constantly be anxious and on edge because of the people around you. It can cause headaches, stomach pains, a general sense of feeling unwell, or frequently being stressed out and anxious. It can also lead to anxiety or depression. You might have a harder time trusting people around you, which in turn can make it more difficult to ask for help.
 

Examples of situations that can contribute to experiencing minority stress

• You and your partner holding hands if your relationship breaks the hetero norm. You might be worried that someone will comment on it, you might feel that people are looking at you a lot.

• You go to school in norm breaking clothes and are afraid that someone will say mean things to you because of that.

• It can also be about feeling stressed when entering a shop if you have been followed by the employees, that have viewed you with suspicion, because of the colour of your skin.

• You might be stressed and anxious to seek medical care because of a worry that they will treat you badly or not take you seriously.

• You’re afraid that someone will think that you’re exaggerating when you talk about your disability, because you know that someone has thought that way before.

  Do you recognise yourself in the descriptions of minority stress, or have thoughts or concerns about it that you want to talk about? You don’t have to worry about that when you talk to the support groups listed on ungasjourer.se
  
  

  We hear you and take you seriously
  
  

  
  

  Written by Hanna Liljehag, Uppsala tjej- och transjour

  Translated by Dannie Milve, Förenade tjej-, trans och ungdomsjourer