Clinical Psychologist Konjit Page, Ph.D., Makes APA Editor’s Choice

Konjit Page, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist and Fielding faculty, Konjit Page, Ph.D., had a recent article selected for the prestigious APA Editor’s Choice newsletter. APA’s Editor’s Choice Newsletter offers a free, bi-weekly compilation of APA Journal articles selected as outstanding, noteworthy, and impactful for the field by APA Journal editors. Dr. Page’s article, “Creating space for ourselves: Black sexual minority women and gender diverse individuals countering anti-Black racism and heterosexism,” explores the experiences of identity validation and/or conflict within Black and sexual- and gender-diverse community spaces.

The following is from the abstract of this important research. In this qualitative study, researchers used constructivist grounded theory with 13 Black sexual-minority women and gender-diverse individuals in the northeastern United States to explore participants’ experiences of identity validation and/or conflict within Black and sexual- and gender-diverse community spaces. Each participant completed a semistructured interview and 7 participants also completed a follow-up member check.

Data revealed 4 major themes: (a) rainbow is not enough, (b) negotiating one’s space within the Black community, (c) not looking the part, and (d) resistance. Across the board, participants reported facing ongoing anti-Black racism in sexual- and gender-diverse community spaces as well as subtle and explicit marginalization in Black spaces related to their sexual orientation. Resistance emerged as a core aspect of participants’ identity formation, shaping how participants learned to negotiate individual and community relationships.