Race, Gender, and Homelessness Stigma: Effects of Perceived Blameworthiness and Dangerousness

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Abstract
Males and black persons are overrepresented among the homeless population and experience differential trajectories in homelessness and access to services. However, research has not fully examined the extent to which the race and sex of homeless persons affect stigmatizing responses toward them. Drawing on stigma and attribution theories and using data from experimental vignettes administered to a sample of public university students (n = 195), we examine the effects of the race and gender of homeless persons on perceptions of blameworthiness, dangerousness, and social distance. We find that black and male homeless persons are perceived as more dangerous, but not more blameworthy. Both perceived dangerousness and blameworthiness are associated with increased desired social distance. Also, we find that subjects who are more politically conservative desire greater social distance from homeless persons because they consider them more blameworthy and more dangerous.

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