The Weight of the Rainbow: LGBTQ+ Journalists’ Navigation of Mental Health and Identity in Digital News Ecosystems

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

10-2025

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Source Publication

Digital Journalism

Source ISSN

2167-0811

Original Item ID

DOI: 10.1080/21670811.2025.2573080

Abstract

This study explores how LGBTQ+ journalists in American newsrooms navigate the complex intersections of professional expectations, personal identity, and emotional well-being. Drawing on theories of emotional labor and identity negotiation, it examines how queer journalists manage visibility, authenticity, and safety in environments that often demand objectivity and discourage emotional expression. Through interviews with 15 LGBTQ+ journalists, this research highlights the emotional and cognitive burden of “re-coming out,” the negotiation of personal identity in professional contexts, and the structural challenges that undermine inclusion. The findings underscore that identity is not peripheral but central to journalistic practice, shaping relationships with sources, newsroom dynamics, and the mental health of journalists. This study calls for more inclusive newsroom cultures and institutional recognition of the unique emotional labor performed by LGBTQ+ journalists.

Comments

Digital Journalism, (October 2025). DOI.

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