Sexual-minority men more empathic towards fellow minorities

White sexual-minority men may be more empathic toward other minority groups compared to their heterosexual white peers. A new study from the University of Houston College of Education compared the attitudes of white heterosexual men to those of white sexual-minority men.

“Racial empathy is a crucial component of social justice,” said Nathan Smith, associate professor in the college’s Department of Psychological, Health, and Learning Sciences. “‘Coming out’ as asexual minority may lead to added introspection that, in turn, can lead to increased empathy towards other minority groups.”

The research paper, “Translating Oppression: Understanding How Sexual Minority Status is Associated with White Men’s Racial Attitudes,” was published in the journal Psychology of Men and Masculinity, a publication of the American Psychological Association.