Abstract
Gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) experience many sexual orientation-related stressors that negatively influence physical and mental health, making it imperative to understand their experiences of resilience-promoting resources such as social support. We utilized qualitative and participatory methodologies to examine sources of social support and types of social support received by GBMSM in Western Kenya through in-depth interviews with 60 GBMSM, including both peer educators and community members. GBMSM received emotional, informational, and instrumental support from six different relationship types: friends and peer groups, family of origin, sexual and romantic partners, healthcare providers, peer educators, and other people including work colleagues and police officers. A key finding from this study is the centrality of sexuality-specific support across all sources and types of support. Implications for clinics and LGBTQ organizations, policy, and future research are discussed.
Highlights
IntroductionAnti-lesbian, -gay, -bisexual, -transgender, and -queer (LGBTQ) structural and socio-political conditions in Kenya create a harsh environment for gay and bisexual men
The current study extends the literature on the different types of social support received by GBMSM in Kisumu, Kenya and the ways in which that support contributes to their sexual health, including PrEP use, as well as their mental health and general wellbeing
We identified six types of relationships from which GBMSM received various types of social support: friends and peer groups, family of origin, sexual and romantic partners, healthcare providers, peer educators, and other people including work colleagues and police officers
Summary
Anti-lesbian, -gay, -bisexual, -transgender, and -queer (LGBTQ) structural and socio-political conditions in Kenya create a harsh environment for gay and bisexual men. In Kenya, same-sex behavior is punishable by up to 14 years in jail [1]. Though local LGBTQ human rights organizations petitioned the High Court of Kenya to declare the relevant sections of the penal code unconstitutional, decriminalizing same-sex behavior among consenting adults, in 2019 the High Court rejected this petition and upheld the criminalization [2,3]. This further emboldened some members of the public as well as
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