Social Threat, Personal Identity, and Physical Health in Closeted Gay Men.

2006 ◽  
pp. 245-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve W. Cole
Keyword(s):  
Physical Health ◽  
Personal Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Social Threat

scholarly journals Depression and Quality of Life in Older Gay and Bisexual Men in Spain and Portugal

2019 ◽  
Vol 91 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-213
Author(s):  
Henrique Pereira ◽  
Brian de Vries ◽  
Juan Pedro Serrano ◽  
Rosa Marina Afonso ◽  
Graça Esgalhado ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Gay And Bisexual Men ◽  
World Health ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
And Bisexual

The purpose of this study was to assess levels of depressive symptoms and quality of life in older gay and bisexual older Spanish and Portuguese men and explore associations between these two samples and these variables. Using online surveys, 191 older gay and bisexual men from Spain and Portugal (mean age = 70 years) completed the Spanish and Portuguese versions of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies—Depression Scale and World Health Organization Instrument to Assess Quality of Life. Overall, moderate levels of depression and quality of life were found. Gay men and Spanish men report higher levels of depressive symptoms than bisexual and Portuguese men. Gay men score higher on physical health dimensions; bisexual men score higher on the social relationships dimension. Lower levels of physical health, psychological symptoms, and social relationships were significant predictors of depressive symptoms. These exploratory findings offer both similarities and differences between the samples from the two countries—and with U.S. data—and further evidence of the pervasive experience of depression in the lives of sexual minority older men with a renewed awareness of myriad contexts within which individuals age.

scholarly journals "Authentically" Effeminate? Bialystok's Theorization of Authenticity, Gay Male Femmephobia, and Personal Identity

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 104-123
Author(s):  
Adam W.J. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Personal Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Ethical Dilemmas ◽  
Strong Case ◽  
Gay Male ◽  
Positive Identity ◽  
Identity Based ◽  
Gender Based

Authenticity is a commonly heralded ideal in Western modernist discourses, with a large amount of literature describing individuals’ personal journeys towards self-fulfillment (Bialystok, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017; Taylor, 1991; Varga, 2014). This paper examines Lauren Bialystok’s (2013) conception of authenticity in sex/gender identity and proposes that effeminate or ‘femme’ gay men make a strong case for fitting within such a conception of authenticity. Effeminate gay men experience significant in-group discrimination within gay men’s communities, with many gay men “defeminizing” (Taywaditep, 2002) themselves upon entering adulthood and mainstream gay communities. Through this exploration of Bialystok’s (2013) model for authenticity in sex/gender identity and the identity-based challenges effeminate or femme gay men experience, this paper describes why effeminate gay men fit Bialystok’s model, and the ethical dilemmas of theorizing authenticity in personal identity (Bialystok, 2009, 2011). Providing supportive and positive early environments in school while specifically addressing gender-based discrimination in childhood provides more opportunities for positive identity development and the potential of fulfilling self-authenticity within gender identity for femme gay men.

Elevated physical health risk among gay men who conceal their homosexual identity.

1996 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 243-251 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve W. Cole ◽  
Margaret E. Kemeny ◽  
Shelley E. Taylor ◽  
Barbara R. Visscher
Keyword(s):  
Health Risk ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Homosexual Identity

Recent versus lifetime experiences of discrimination and the mental and physical health of older lesbian women and gay men

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Lyons ◽  
Beatrice Alba ◽  
Andrea Waling ◽  
Victor Minichiello ◽  
Mark Hughes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Orientation Discrimination ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Sexual Orientation Discrimination ◽  
Health Related ◽  
Mental And Physical Health

Abstract This study examines the potential health-related impact of recent versus lifetime experiences of sexual orientation discrimination among older Australian lesbian women and gay men. In a nationwide survey, a sample of 243 lesbian women and 513 gay men aged 60 years and over reported on their experiences of sexual orientation discrimination and their mental and physical health, including psychological distress, positive mental health and self-rated health. Among both lesbian women and gay men, recent discrimination uniquely predicted lower positive mental health after adjusting for experiences of discrimination across the lifetime and socio-demographic variables. In addition, recent discrimination uniquely predicted higher psychological distress among gay men. Experiences of discrimination over the lifetime further predicted higher psychological distress and poorer self-rated health among gay men after adjusting for recent experiences of discrimination and socio-demographic variables. However, there were no associations between lifetime discrimination and any of the outcome variables among lesbian women. Overall, recent and lifetime experiences of sexual orientation discrimination were related to mental and physical health in different ways, especially among the men. These findings have potential implications for policy/practice, and suggest that distinguishing between recent and lifetime experiences of discrimination may be useful when assessing potential health-related impacts of sexual orientation discrimination among older lesbian women and gay men, while also taking account of differences between these two groups.

scholarly journals Self-Rated Health by Sexual Orientation Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Canada

2019 ◽  
Vol 75 (8) ◽  
pp. 1747-1757 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gajan Sivakumaran ◽  
Rachel Margolis
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Physical Health ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Poor Health ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Bisexual Women ◽  
Middle Aged

Abstract Objectives This article examines patterns of self-rated physical and mental health by sexual orientation among middle-aged and older adults in Canada, a rapidly growing subpopulation shown to be at risk of poor health. Method We use the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS 2015–2016) to estimate logit models predicting fair/poor self-rated physical and mental health by sexual orientation among middle-aged and older adults, stratifying by sex and age group. Results We find no differences in physical health for gay men and lesbian women compared with their heterosexual counterparts. However, middle-aged gay men are disadvantaged in terms of mental health, but not women. Bisexual women are disadvantaged in terms of physical health, and for mental health in some model specifications. Respondents who did not know their sexual orientation have poorer health across some measures of health and age groups. Discussion Our findings add to the paucity of research on older sexual minorities in Canada. They highlight the importance of separating out sexual minority groups because bisexual women have distinct health profiles. In addition, this is the first study to examine the health of respondents who “do not know” their sexual orientation, and future research should distinguish between different explanations for their poor health.

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