Definition
Minority Stress
Definition
Minority stress describes the additional, chronic stress that members of marginalized groups experience as a result of stigma, discrimination, and systemic inequity. The stress includes both external events (discrimination, microaggressions, violence) and internalized responses (vigilance, internalized oppression, identity concealment).
Clinical Context
The minority stress model was developed in the LGBTQIA+ research literature and has been extended to other marginalized identities. The model explains a portion of the elevated mental health burden in these populations without locating the cause inside the person.
How This Shows Up in Our Work
Affirming practice names minority stress as context and helps the person separate their responses from the systems generating them. The work is not just coping; it is recognizing the cost of the context and reclaiming a relationship with your own life.