The price of negotiation

This chapter provides some perspective on the mental and emotional cost incurred when a key element of one’s identity requires such a high level of constant navigation and negotiation. The discussion here employs the minority stress model ( Meyer, 2003 ) to provide context for understanding the impacts of stigma, both described by those interviewed and observed more generally in their narratives. Further, the recent model of LGBTQ battle fatigue (2024) is considered a helpful paradigm to illustrate the consequences of the “safety dance.” The narratives of the effects of the “dance” evoke consistent patterns of mental health issues, substance use issues, as well as fear and experiences with victimization and harassment. Many respondents described an existential exhaustion that they bear. The consequences of constant vigilance, assessment, and adjustment are not to be underestimated.