# Understanding Intersectional Discrimination and Adversities among Black Queer Women Living with HIV

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI CORAL GABLES · 2023 · $72,588

## Abstract

Background: Black women represent the largest group of women with HIV, both nationally, and locally in Miami, a U.S.
HIV epicenter; and 40% are not virally suppressed. Further, they live at the intersection of multiple marginalized identities
and within social structures that take a daily toll. Microaggressions are every day and subtle insults via comments, jokes,
and behaviors that are demeaning to a marginalized group (e.g. Black individuals, women, people living with HIV,
LGBTQ+). Despite their frequency and potential importance, microaggressions have largely been ignored in the scientific
literature on Black women living with HIV (BWLWH). Further, little research has been done to understand the
experiences of Black cisgender queer women who are living with HIV. Logie et al. found that amongst an ethnically, and
sexually diverse group of women living with HIV in Canada, systemic multilevel forms of discrimination such as HIV-
related stigma, sexism, racism, and homophobia were interconnected with barriers to HIV-related care, well-being, and
development of coping strategies. Among Black queer women living with HIV Logie et al. found that increased levels of
quality of life are associated with having control over their HIV care and having a supportive team of healthcare
professionals. However, studies are limited among Black queer women living with HIV and no prior studies examining
the relationships among microaggressions, discrimination, reoccurring violence, mental health, and HIV outcomes
specifically among Black queer women living with HIV in a U.S. epicenter (Miami, FL). Parent Grant: MMAGIC
(Monitoring Microaggressions and Adversities to Generate Interventions for Change) focuses on microaggressions and
other adversities as negative predictors of HIV viral suppression (main outcome) mediated by mental health symptoms
and health behaviors (ART adherence and engagement in care) among Black women. It is longitudinally examining both
potential direct effects and moderation by resilience factors at the individual (e.g., self-efficacy), interpersonal (e.g., social
support), and neighborhood level (e.g., community health centers). Supplement Research Plan: This project will (a)
examine the quantitative data for the queer women in MMAGIC (compared to non-queer women) on microaggressions
(LGBTQ-, race-, gender- and HIV-related), macro discrimination (LGBTQ-, race-, gender- and HIV-related),
trauma/violence, mental health, and HIV outcomes and observe how the variables relate and change over time and (b)
conduct in-depth qualitative interviews with 20-30 of the women on their experiences of intersectional discrimination and
microaggressions and how they are navigating these experiences (e.g., helpful coping and resources). Training Plan:
This supplement would provide an unmatched training opportunity for Mya Wright, an African American queer PhD
student in Clinical Health Psychology at the University of Miami. She will be (a) mentored by renown sc...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10756693
- **Project number:** 3R01MH121194-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI CORAL GABLES
- **Principal Investigator:** Sannisha K Dale
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $72,588
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-04-01 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10756693

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10756693, Understanding Intersectional Discrimination and Adversities among Black Queer Women Living with HIV (3R01MH121194-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10756693. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*