Two additional proximal stressors identified by Meyer (2003) include concealment and expectations of rejection. Homosexuality is a stigma that can be concealed. Although this can often serve a protective function, there are numerous ways in which concealment can lead to negative mental health outcomes, including hypervigilance, threat of discovery, and social isolation (Pachankis, 2008). One consequence of discrimination is that individuals begin to expect rejection based on their stigmatized identity (Mendoza-Denton, Downey, Purdie, Davis, & Pietrzak, 2002). Among sexual minorities, sensitivity to status-based rejection is predictive of both adverse physical (Cole, Kemeny & Taylor, 1997) and mental (Hatzenbuehler, Nolen-Hoeksema, & Erickson, 2008) health outcomes.
