Bisexual Research Articles

Fertility services for gay men: A website content analysis of US fertility clinics and sperm banks.

Fertility preservation and subsequent third-party reproduction represents a principal pathway by which gay and bisexual cisgender men may have biologically related children. Previous studies of a similar design have commented on the availability of fertility services for sexually and gender diverse communities, but none have investigated access to the aforementioned services for this specific population. To assess the availability of fertility preservation and third-party reproduction services for gay and bisexual cisgender men across US fertility clinics and sperm banks. A content analysis was performed on a sample of fertility clinic and sperm bank websites compiled from three online sources. Sample construction and analysis were completed in 2023. Each website was systematically examined by two separate coders with a third coder deciding any discrepancies. Website coding followed a pre-constructed standardized questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify statistically significant differences. A total of 675 clinic and sperm bank websites (136 academic and 539 private) were analyzed. Five hundred and two (74.4%) offered third-party reproduction and 326 (48.3%) offered fertility preservation for gay and bisexual cisgender men. Furthermore, 248 websites (36.7%) featured some form of disqualifying language either directly communicating or implying exclusion of gay and bisexual cisgender men from these services. Private facilities were more likely to offer third-party reproduction (odds ratio [OR]=1.88, p<0.01) but less likely to offer fertility preservation (OR=0.68, p<0.05) compared with academic affiliated facilities. Lastly, states in the highest Human Rights Campaign Equality Index tier were significantly more likely to offer third-party reproduction (OR=2.50, p<0.01) than the lowest tier. These findings demonstrate great variability in access to fertility preservation and third-party reproduction services. Geography and ambiguity in facility-specific policies represent persistent barriers to family building for gay and bisexual cisgender men.

Revisiting the Prevalence of Unhealthy Alcohol Use Among Ethnic Minority Immigrant Gay, Bisexual Men, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men in North America: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Unhealthy alcohol use is a significant public health concern among ethnic minority immigrant gay, bisexual men, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in North America. The definition of unhealthy alcohol use is any use that increases the risk of health consequences or has already led to negative health consequences. Despite its association with various health problems, this issue remains understudied in this population. Therefore, we aim to synthesize key findings to provide the prevalence of unhealthy alcohol use and related factors among this population in North America. We conducted a comprehensive literature search in multiple scientific databases to identify studies on alcohol use among ethnic minority immigrant GBMSM. Using random-effect modeling strategies, we aggregate and weigh the individual estimates, providing a pooled prevalence of unhealthy alcohol use within this population. Our review included 20 articles with 2971 participants (i.e., 53% were Latino, 45% were Asian/Pacific Islanders, and 2% were African). The meta-analysis revealed that 64% (95% CI 0.50, 0.78) of the participants reported recent alcohol use, while 44% (95% CI 0.30, 0.59) engaged in unhealthy alcohol use. Co-occurring health issues identified in the studies are other substance use (32%; 95% CI 0.21, 0.45), positive HIV status (39%; 95% CI 0.14, 0.67), and mental health issues (39%; 95% CI 0.21, 0.58). We also identified several factors associated with unhealthy alcohol use, including risky sexual behaviors, experiences of discrimination based on race and sexual orientation, and experiences of abuse. However, meta-regression results revealed no statistically significant associations between alcohol use and co-occurring health problems. This is the first study to systematically review unhealthy alcohol use among ethnic minority immigrant GBMSM. Despite the high burden of alcohol use, there is a dearth of research among Asian and African GBMSM. Our findings underscore the need for more research in these groups and provide insights to inform targeted clinical prevention and early intervention strategies to mitigate the adverse consequences of unhealthy alcohol use among ethnic minority immigrant GBMSM.

Characteristics, Influence, Prevention, and Control Measures of the Mpox Infodemic: Scoping Review of Infodemiology Studies.

The mpox pandemic has caused widespread public concern around the world. The spread of misinformation through the internet and social media could lead to an infodemic that poses challenges to mpox control. This review aims to summarize mpox-related infodemiology studies to determine the characteristics, influence, prevention, and control measures of the mpox infodemic and propose prospects for future research. The scoping review was conducted based on a structured 5-step methodological framework. A comprehensive search for mpox-related infodemiology studies was performed using PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, with searches completed by April 30, 2024. After study selection and data extraction, the main topics of the mpox infodemic were categorized and summarized in 4 aspects, including a trend analysis of online information search volume, content topics of mpox-related online posts and comments, emotional and sentiment characteristics of online content, and prevention and control measures for the mpox infodemic. A total of 1607 articles were retrieved from the databases according to the keywords, and 61 studies were included in the final analysis. After the World Health Organization's declaration of an mpox public health emergency of international concern in July 2022, the number of related studies began growing rapidly. Google was the most widely used search engine platform (9/61, 15%), and Twitter was the most used social media app (32/61, 52%) for researchers. Researchers from 33 countries were concerned about mpox infodemic-related topics. Among them, the top 3 countries for article publication were the United States (27 studies), India (9 studies), and the United Kingdom (7 studies). Studies of online information search trends showed that mpox-related online search volume skyrocketed at the beginning of the mpox outbreak, especially when the World Health Organization provided important declarations. There was a large amount of misinformation with negative sentiment and discriminatory and hostile content against gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. Given the characteristics of the mpox infodemic, the studies provided several positive prevention and control measures, including the timely and active publishing of professional, high-quality, and easy-to-understand information online; strengthening surveillance and early warning for the infodemic based on internet data; and taking measures to protect key populations from the harm of the mpox infodemic. This comprehensive summary of evidence from previous mpox infodemiology studies is valuable for understanding the characteristics of the mpox infodemic and for formulating prevention and control measures. It is essential for researchers and policy makers to establish prediction and early warning approaches and targeted intervention methods for dealing with the mpox infodemic in the future.

Masculine Threat and Stigma: Barriers to Help-Seeking for Gay and Bisexual Men Survivors

Sexual assault and abuse have detrimental impacts on gay and bisexual (GB) men’s mental health. Nevertheless, many GB men survivors avoid seeking services due to concerns about non-affirming treatment from mental-health professionals and negative perceptions of masculinity if one seeks help for sexual trauma. This study investigated the impact of anticipated sexual assault stigma from mental-health professionals and masculine threat (the degree to which not feeling masculine lowers self-esteem) on help-seeking self-stigma among GB men survivors (N = 99). Both anticipated stigma and masculine threat associated with greater self-stigma of seeking help. When examining gay and bisexual men separately, anticipated stigma and masculine threat were significant for bisexual men, whereas anticipated stigma was the only significant variable for gay men. Implications discuss increasing attention toward the role of masculinity and anticipated stigma in help-seeking for sexual-minority men survivors and examining the unique experiences of these two populations rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

Long-term trends in mental health disparities across sexual orientations in the UK: a longitudinal analysis (2010-2021).

In the context of increasing hate crimes, legislative challenges, and anti-LGBTQ + sentiment, we conducted the first study that comprehensively examined long-term mental health disparities across sexual orientations in the UK from 2010 to 2021. Prior studies predominantly relied on cross-sectional or limited longitudinal designs, thus failing to capture evolving trends over a decade and providing crucial insights into the dynamics of mental health challenges faced by sexual minorities, essential for devising targeted public health interventions and policies. Waves 2-12 of the UK Longitudinal Household Survey for adults (n = 52,591) were used. MCS-12 (Mental Health Component Scale of the Short-Form Health Survey) for mental functioning and GHQ (General Health Questionnaire) for psychological distress were included as the main outcomes, along with other measures of well-being. Mixed-effect longitudinal models were used to examine the trends of mental health disparities across sexual orientations. Relative to their heterosexual counterparts, psychological distress (GHQ) increased for gay men, lesbians, and women with "other" orientations. Bisexual women saw the steepest increase from 1.69 higher GHQ vs. their heterosexual counterparts in 2010 (95%CI: 0.81 to 2.57), up to 3.37 in 2021 (95%CI: 2.28 to 4.45). Similar trends were also shown in the other measures. The study highlights increases in mental health disparities between sexual minorities and heterosexuals. The escalating psychological distress among sexual minorities, particularly bisexual women, calls for an urgent, multi-faceted, and intersectoral response. This approach must address both symptoms and the social structures perpetuating these disparities across sexual orientations.

Self-Reported PrEP Use and Risk of Bacterial STIs Among Ontarian Men Who Are Gay or Bisexual or Have Sex With Men.

HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) may increase rates of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) through risk compensation (eg, an increase in condomless sex or number of partners); however, longitudinal studies exploring the time-dependent nature of PrEP uptake and bacterial STIs are limited. We used marginal structural models to estimate the effect of PrEP uptake on STI incidence. We analyzed data from the iCruise study, an online longitudinal study of 535 Ontarian GBM from July 2017 to April 2018, to estimate the effects of PrEP uptake on incidence of self-reported bacterial STIs (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis) collected with 12 weekly diaries. The incidence rate was calculated as the number of infections per 100 person-months, with evaluation of the STIs overall and individually. We used marginal structural models to account for time-varying confounding and quantitative bias analysis to evaluate the sensitivity of estimates to nondifferential outcome misclassification. Participating GBM were followed up for a total of 1,623.5 person-months. Overall, 70 participants (13.1%) took PrEP during the study period. Relative to no uptake, PrEP uptake was associated with an increased incidence rate of gonorrhea (incidence rate ratio = 4.00; 95% CI, 1.67-9.58), but not of chlamydia or syphilis, and not of any bacterial STI overall. Accounting for misclassification, the median incidence rate ratio for gonorrhea was 2.36 (95% simulation interval, 1.08-5.06). We observed an increased incidence rate of gonorrhea associated with PrEP uptake among Ontarian GBM that was robust to misclassification. Although our findings support current guidelines for integrating gonorrhea screening with PrEP services, additional research should consider the long-term impact of PrEP among this population.Annals Early Access article.

Sexual behaviors and HIV-related knowledge among GBMSM: evidence from 2011 to 2021 in Hangzhou, China.

Considering that many new HIV infections are transmitted by homosexual behaviors, gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are more likely to be infected with HIV than other groups due to the higher risk associated with unprotected anal intercourse. It is important to explore the changes in sexual behaviors and HIV-related knowledge among GBMSM in the last 10 years, which could provide evidence for improving public health interventions to reduce HIV infections. The study sought to explore the changes of 3 sexual behaviors and HIV knowledge among men who have sex with men from 2011 to 2021. Data were collected from national HIV sentinel surveillance among GBMSM in Hangzhou conducted between 2011 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the associated factors of sexual behaviors. The variation trend of variables was evaluated based on the linear trend test in the regression model. A total of 5111 GBMSM with an average age of 32.00years were incorporated in the analysis. From 2011 to 2021, the HIV-related knowledge score of GBMSM ranged from 6 to 7.5, and it increased significantly (P trend < .001). The rate of homosexual sex in the past 6months remained at a high level (75.06%-82.75%). Homosexual behavior was associated with a higher HIV-related knowledge score (P = .004). Heterosexual sex was associated with an increase in the old age, married persons, and domicile outside the province (P < .05). Commercial sex was associated with an increase in drug users (P <.001). In the past 10 years, HIV-related knowledge of GBMSM increased and the rate of unprotected sex was at a high level among GBMSM, especially in heterosexual behaviors. Moreover, the likelihood of having homosexual behaviors is raised with the increasing HIV-related knowledge. Conducting precise behavioral interventions for GBMSM are crucial for preventing HIV infection.

Identifying Effective Components of a Social Marketing Campaign to Improve Engagement With Express Sexual Health Services Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Case Study.

Little is known about how best to reach people with social marketing messages promoting use of clinical HIV and sexually transmitted infection (STI) services. We evaluated a multiplatform, digital social marketing campaign intended to increase use of HIV/STI testing, treatment, and prevention services among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) at an LGBTQ+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and/or questioning) community health center. We evaluated engagement with a social marketing campaign launched by Open Door Health, the only LGBTQ+ community health center in Rhode Island, during the first 8 months of implementation (April to November 2021). Three types of advertisements encouraging use of HIV/STI services were developed and implemented on Google Search, Google Display, Grindr, and Facebook. Platforms tracked the number of times that an advertisement was displayed to a user (impressions), that a user clicked through to a landing page that facilitated scheduling (clicks), and that a user requested a call to schedule an appointment from the landing page (conversions). We calculated the click-through rate (clicks per impression), conversion rate (conversions per click), and the dollar amount spent per 1000 impressions and per click and conversion. Overall, Google Search yielded the highest click-through rate (7.1%) and conversion rate (7.0%) compared to Google Display, Grindr, and Facebook (click-through rates=0.4%-3.3%; conversion rates=0%-0.03%). Although the spend per 1000 impressions and per click was higher for Google Search compared to other platforms, the spend per conversion-which measures the number of people intending to attend the clinic for services-was substantially lower for Google Search (US $48.19 vs US $3120.42-US $3436.03). Campaigns using the Google Search platform may yield the greatest return on investment for engaging MSM in HIV/STI services at community health clinics. Future studies are needed to measure clinical outcomes among those who present to the clinic for services after viewing campaign advertisements and to compare the return on investment with use of social marketing campaigns relative to other approaches.

Mpox and Vaccine Knowledge, Beliefs, and Sources of Trusted Information Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in the U.S.

ObjectivesThis research aims to characterize disparities in mpox- and vaccine-related knowledge in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in the U.S. MethodsWe conducted a study using the American Men's Internet Survey (AMIS), which includes 823 cisgender (defined as their gender identity matching their sex assigned at birth) males aged 15 and older from August 5 – 15, 2022. We evaluated sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with mpox knowledge, including race/ethnicity, region, age group, and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use using chi-squared tests. ResultsWe identified knowledge gaps with many participants unsure about whether individuals need two doses of the vaccine (34.4%), and if the vaccine confers immediate protection (27.2%). We observed racial and regional disparities (p<0.01), with 24.4% of Non-Hispanic Black men and 18.1% of men living in the South reporting little to no mpox awareness. Among the 707 self-reported HIV-negative participants, people who used PrEP within the past year were more likely to exhibit high awareness about mpox compared to people who did not use PrEP. ConclusionsFindings suggest the potential to leverage existing networks (i.e., STI or general healthcare services with PrEP use) for future targeted health service programming or education campaigns for mpox vaccination amongst GBMSM.

Receptiveness to monkeypox vaccines and public health communication strategies among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men in Singapore: cross-sectional quantitative and qualitative insights

ObjectivesMonkeypox (mpox) was declared as a global health emergency by the WHO, with most reported cases disproportionately involving gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). This...

The intersection of bisexuality and gender modality: exploring differences in sexual interest and satisfaction

Background Sexual well-being is crucial for overall health, but research on bisexual individuals’ sexual experiences across gender modalities is limited. This study aims to address this gap by examining differences in sexual interest and satisfaction among bisexual adults of various gender modalities. Objectives To investigate whether there are differences in sexual interest and satisfaction levels among bisexual adults across gender modalities (cisgender men, cisgender women, and transgender/gender diverse individuals). Methods A cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 475 self-identified bisexual adults (161 cisgender men, 228 cisgender women, 86 transgender/gender diverse). Participants completed demographic questionnaires and standardized measures of sexual interest and satisfaction from the PROMIS Sexual Function and Satisfaction Version 2.0. One-way ANOVAs were used to compare scores across gender modality groups. Results Significant differences were found in sexual interest across gender modalities (F(2, 472) = 10.131, p < .001). Cisgender men reported higher sexual interest (M = 52.958) compared to cisgender women (M = 48.563, p < .001) and transgender/gender diverse individuals (M = 50.566, p = .170). No significant differences were found in sexual satisfaction across gender modalities (i(2, 387) = 2.102, p = .124). Conclusions While cisgender bisexual men reported higher levels of sexual interest, sexual satisfaction was comparable across all gender modalities. These findings highlight the need for nuanced understanding of sexual experiences among bisexual individuals and underscore the importance of considering gender modality in research and clinical practice related to sexual health. Implications This study contributes to the limited research on bisexual individuals’ sexual experiences across gender modalities. The findings can inform more inclusive and tailored approaches to sexual health care and support for bisexual individuals of all gender modalities.

The misappropriation of knowledge: unravelling the narratives of efficiency and donor fear in the medicalisation of reproduction for lesbian and bisexual women

The intersection between the feminist movement and the LGBTQIA + movement regarding assisted reproductive techniques has fostered greater openness towards the reproductive possibilities of lesbian and bisexual motherhood in Spain. Until February 2023, lesbian couples were obliged to marry in order to jointly register their children. Access to assisted reproductive technologies in Spain requires medicalised processes and the mandatory anonymity of sperm donors. In this context, we explore how lesbian mothers narrate their journeys towards parenthood through an analysis of interviews. As reproductive rights are individualised through the use of medical interventions, we apply the notion of reproductive justice as a lens to question how women’s bodies are medicalised through a cultural and socio-legal system that imposes mandatory anonymous sperm donation over other possible forms of kinship construction.

HIV-related knowledge, risk perception, and minority stressors among South Asian sexual minority men in the United States.

South Asian gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in the United States have been persistently overlooked in HIV research and programming. To address this limitation, this article describes their HIV-related knowledge, risk perception, and minority stressors, with a focus on identifying variations between American-born individuals and immigrants. Participants were recruited from April-July 2022 through social media advertising and peer referral and surveyed about their sociodemographic and HIV-related behavioral characteristics. Previously validated scales were used to assess their HIV-related knowledge, risk perception, disclosure of sexual identity, experienced homophobia, and perceived racism within the sexual and gender minority community. Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon tests were conducted to compare those born in the United States and those born abroad. Of the 112 participants, 26 (23.21%) were American-born individuals and 86 (76.79%) were immigrants. Despite similar levels of sexual risk behaviors, such as having multiple male sex partners, engaging in condomless anal sex, and using alcohol or drugs immediately before or during sex, immigrants had lower levels of HIV-related knowledge (p = .0480) and risk perception (p = .0114) compared to American-born individuals. Immigrants were also less likely to have disclosed their sexual identity to family, friends, and society compared to American-born individuals (p = .0004). No differences were identified with respect to experiences of homophobia (p = .2303) or perceptions of racism (p = .4011). Comprehensive HIV prevention efforts that address the social and cultural norms of South Asian GBM in the United States are needed.

Differences in Thinness- and Muscularity-Oriented Eating and Body Image Disturbances and Psychosocial Well-Being in Chinese Sexual Minority Men Reporting Top, Bottom, and Versatile Sexual Self-Labels.

In addition to describing sexual partner preferences, sexual self-labels in gay and bisexual (henceforth, sexual minority) men, such as top, bottom, and versatile, are associated with psychological characteristics (e.g., gendered personality traits). No research has explored the association between sexual self-labels and eating and body image disturbances in sexual minority men. Research in sexual minority men from China is particularly valuable and needed due to recent rises in rates of eating and body image disturbances and unique, minority-specific stressors experienced by Chinese sexual minority populations. We adopted an online, cross-sectional study in a sample of sexual minority men from China (N = 403; tops, n = 256, bottoms, n = 95, versatiles, n = 52). Bottoms reported higher thinness internalization, lower muscularity internalization, higher body fat dissatisfaction, and higher psychological distress than tops. Bottoms' weight bias internalization was higher than tops' and versatiles' reports and, compared to versatiles, bottoms also reported higher psychosocial impairment related to eating disorder psychopathology. Compared to versatiles, tops reported higher drive for muscularity and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Adjusting for age, psychological distress, and psychosocial impairment, tops reported higher muscularity internalization than bottoms and higher drive for muscularity and muscularity-oriented disordered eating than both bottoms and versatiles. Findings suggested unique relations between sexual self-labels and eating and body image disturbances in Chinese sexual minority men. Replication and validation of the temporal order between sexual self-labels and eating and body image disturbances is needed, including assessment of social factors (e.g., femmephobia, minority stress) that may help explain the links between sexual self-labels and eating pathology.

Gay and Bisexual Men's Perceptions about a Potential HIV Vaccine within a Post-COVID-19 Era: A Qualitative Study.

To end the HIV epidemic, there is need for targeted strategies to reduce HIV incidence for those most vulnerable, including an HIV vaccine. This study seeks to understand the perceptions that non-PrEP using gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) have about a potential HIV vaccine, while contextualizing their perspectives within the context of heightened vaccine hesitancy that has emerged since the COVID-19 pandemic. Between March and May of 2022, GBMSM (N = 20) participated in in-depth interviews, which assessed their perceptions about an HIV vaccine. Interviews were analysed using a codebook approach to thematic analysis. We oversampled for those unvaccinated against COVID-19 as a proxy for vaccine hesitation. Participants expressed a range of enthusiastic support, cautious optimism and skepticism when presented with the possibility of an HIV vaccine. Factors that drove willingness to receive an HIV vaccine included community-oriented altruism, individualized risk-benefit assessment, and/or the perception that a vaccine could provide a beneficial shift in sexual experiences. Participants also expressed hesitations about receiving an HIV vaccine, including concerns about potential side-effects and efficacy, as well as mistrust in the vaccine development process. Notably, participants often evaluated the vaccine in comparison to PrEP and condoms. Participants offered specific insights into information they would like to receive about an HIV and where/how they would like to receive it. Our findings can help inform future HIV vaccine implementation efforts by offering insights into the factors that motivate and deter GBMSM to receive an HIV vaccine.

Use of Doxycycline and Other Antibiotics as Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infection Prophylaxis in a US Sample of Primarily Gay and Bisexual Men.

Doxycycline used as postexposure prophylaxis (doxyPEP) within 72 hours of sex reduces the risk of bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in people assigned male sex at birth. Little is known about current use of antibiotics as STI prophylaxis in US populations likely to benefit from doxyPEP. We conducted an online survey in September 2023 of US adults recruited via sexual networking apps used mainly by gay and bisexual men (GBM). Respondents were asked about the use of antibiotics around the time of sex to prevent bacterial STIs. Of 903 respondents, most (96.2%) identified as GBM; 19.0% were living with HIV and 42.5% were using HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Half (49.1%) had heard of using antibiotics to prevent STIs, and 95.6% were interested in use. Overall, 21.0% had used antibiotic STI prophylaxis, and 15.9% had done so in the past year. Among those reporting any use, most (78.1%) had used doxycycline; some used amoxicillin (16.7%), azithromycin (14.5%), or other antibiotics (14.1%). Among those reporting use in the past year, 46.9% used it for some, 28.1% for most, and 25.0% for all sex acts with casual partners during that period. Most (78.3%) of STI prophylaxis users reported their condom use did not change during periods of STI prophylaxis use, 17.2% indicated their condom use declined, and 4.5% indicated their condom use increased. For doxyPEP specifically, 35.7% had heard of it, and 13.0% had used it in the past year, of whom 21.0% had used a dosage other than the 200-mg dose shown to be effective. In this sample of primarily GBM, interest in bacterial STI prophylaxis was nearly universal. However, some of the use was not informed by current clinical guidance or evidence from research studies. Efforts are needed to increase awareness of effective dosing and monitor real-world use.

Irresponsibility Stereotypes Exacerbate Effects of Sexual Violence on Cisgender Bisexual Women's Coping Drinking Motives.

Bisexual women experience disparities in alcohol use outcomes compared to both lesbian and heterosexual women. Bisexual women also experience higher rates of sexual violence (SV) and alcohol use following SV. We examined whether coping drinking motives mediate the link between adult SV severity and alcohol use and whether dimensions of binegativity (i.e., hostility, instability, irresponsibility) moderate the effects of SV. The sample consisted of 355 young (ages 18-35) cisgender bisexual women drinkers (Mage=25.8, 84.2% White) recruited via MTurk. Measures included: Sexual Experiences Survey-Short Form Victimization (Koss et al., 2007), Anti-Bisexual Experiences Scale (Brewster & Moradi, 2010), Modified Drinking Motives Questionnaire-Revised (Grant et al., 2007), and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test Consumption subscale (Babor et al., 2001). The PROCESS macro for SPSS was used. There was an interaction between SV severity and irresponsibility stereotypes in predicting coping motives. SV severity related to greater coping motives at mean and high, but not low, levels of irresponsibility stereotypes. Indirect effects of SV severity on alcohol use via coping motives were significant at mean and high, but not low, levels of irresponsibility stereotypes. Hostility and instability dimensions of binegativity did not interact with SV severity in predicting coping motives. Results identified SV severity and irresponsibility stereotypes as compounding experiences that may explain greater alcohol use. Bisexual women exposed to this dimension of binegativity may be particularly vulnerable to drink alcohol to cope with distress following SV. Interventions for alcohol use may be enhanced by helping bisexual women cope with SV-related distress and irresponsibility stereotypes.

Adopting Cross-Dressing: A Strategy for Coping with Loss for a Bisexual Man

Adopting Cross-Dressing: A Strategy for Coping with Loss for a Bisexual Man

HIV Treatment Optimism Moderates the Relationship between Sexual Risk Behavior and HIV Risk Perception among Urban HIV-negative Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who have Sex With Men.

Using baseline data of the Engage Cohort Study, a Canadian study of sexually active gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBM), we evaluated the association between sexual behavior and risk perception among HIV-negative participants and whether HIV treatment optimism moderated this relationship. Participants were recruited by respondent-driven-sampling (RDS). We defined high-risk sexual behavior in the past six months as any condomless anal sex with a casual partner (i.e. not the participant's main partner) with either unknown HIV-status where neither used pre-exposure prophylaxis or with a partner living with HIV having detectable/unknown viral load. We assessed HIV treatment optimism-skepticism using a 12-item scale. RDS-II-weighted adjusted logistic regression models examined associations with risk perception measured by the question "How would you assess your current risk of getting HIV?" (response options were on a 6-point Likert-scale ranging from "very unlikely" to "very likely", dichotomized into "No Perceived Risk" (very unlikely/unlikely) and "Perceived Risk" (somewhat likely/likely/very likely/I think I already have HIV). Of 1961 participants, engagement in high-risk sexual behavior was reported by 155 (17.0%), 62 (12.4%), 128 (17.2%) of participants in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver, respectively. High-risk sexual behavior increased the odds of perceived HIV risk (pooled adjusted odds ratio = 2.9, 95%CI = 2.2-3.8). HIV treatment optimism-skepticism scores moderated the relationship: for GBM engaging in high-risk sexual behavior, higher HIV treatment optimism-skepticism scores increased perceived HIV risk. Promoting awareness around advances related to HIV prevention and treatment is important for appropriate risk assessment and for increased engagement in prevention interventions.

Fostering Inclusivity: Revealing Law Enforcement's Stance on Gay and Bisexual Men in the Police Force

Fostering Inclusivity: Revealing Law Enforcement's Stance on Gay and Bisexual Men in the Police Force