Gay Individuals Research Articles

Sexual orientation and gender influence perceptions of disciplinary fit: Implications for sexual and gender diversity in STEM

AbstractScience, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) represent a highly valued academic discipline and career path in the 21st century; yet some individuals are excluded or discouraged from pursuing STEM because of their social group membership. Despite decades of research on social identity and fit within STEM (e.g., by gender and race), the psychological literature on issues within STEM based on sexual orientation is scant. We draw on notions of false dichotomies (i.e., social versus technical, personal versus professional, and subjectivity and interpretivism versus objectivity and positivism) to theorize how gender and sexual orientation influence perceived congruity with STEM as well as the Humanities. In the current study, we randomly assigned heterosexual participants (N = 318, Mage = 40, 52% women, 74% White) to rate one of five target groups (lesbian women, gay men, heterosexual women, heterosexual men, scientists) in terms of their perceived overlap with STEM and Humanities. We also assessed differences between target groups in terms of being rated as communal, agentic, and scientific. Results indicated that participants perceived lesbian women and gay men as less close to STEM than heterosexual men because they perceived lesbian and gay people as less agentic. In contrast, participants perceived lesbian women and gay men as closer to the Humanities than heterosexual men because they perceived lesbian and gay people as more communal. Drawing from these findings, we emphasize the profound implications of academic exclusion for lesbian and gay individuals.

Hemşirelik Öğrencilerinin Toplumsal Cinsiyet Rollerine İlişkin Tutumları ile Lezbiyen ve Gey Bireylere Yönelik Tutumları Arasındaki İlişki

Objective: This study’s aim was conducted to reveal the relationship between the attitudes of the Nursing Department students towards gender roles and their attitudes towards lesbian and gay individuals. Materials and Methods: 1079 students studying in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th grade at related University Faculty of Health Sciences Nursing Department in the spring semester of the 2018-2019 academic year constituted the population of the study. In the study, no sample selection was made and it was studied with 606 nursing students (Power=99.0%). The data were collected using the Socio-Demographic Data Form, the Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men Scale-Short Version(ATLG-R), and the Gender Role Attitude Scale(GRAS). Results: It was determined that 90.3% of the participants knew the concept of gender roles. When the students were asked whether they would discriminate against LGBTs individual due to their sexual orientation/identity, 69.6% of them stated that they would not discriminate, 15% of them stated that they were undecided, and 14.8% of them stated that they would discriminate. It was concluded that the mean score of the GRAS of the participating students was 65.044±14.622, and the ATLG-R scale score were 30.533±8.454. It was found that there was a significant negative relationship between the ATLG-R scale scores and the GRAS scores (p<0.01). Conclusion: It was found that nursing students' gender role scores were low, that they exhibited traditional attitudes and that there was a negative relationship between students' gender roles and their attitudes towards lesbians and gays.

Framing Effects, Social Norm Perception, and Tolerance of Lesbian and Gay Individuals: Experimental Evidence from Slovakia

ABSTRACT Perceptions of social norms can have downstream consequences for attitudes and behaviors, especially when it comes to the acceptance of marginalized groups. While interventions focusing on social norms may boost tolerance, few studies test whether variations in norm communication affect individuals’ perceptions. Thus, in this paper, we test the effectiveness of three communicative aspects—valence framing (Experiments 1–3), point of view (Experiment 1), and group centrism (Experiment 3)—in shifting perceptions of social norms. Specifically, we investigate whether manipulating these aspects affects perceptions of tolerance of lesbian and gay individuals in Slovakia, where LGBTQ+ acceptance is among the lowest in Europe. We found that while positively valenced messages shifted perceptions toward tolerance, manipulating point of view and group-centrism did not. We believe that these findings can inform interventions intended to shift perceptions of social norms in hostile contexts, an important first step in changing prejudiced attitudes and behaviors.

A Narrative Understanding for Counselors: An Inquiry into Gay Christian Male Identity

Gay individuals may have a variety of experiences, both positive and negative, as they integrate their Christian and gay identities. These experiences can lead to internal struggles and mental heal...

Discovery of new genetic loci for male sexual orientation in Han population

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that the genetic factors partly influence the development of same-sex sexual behavior, but most genetic studies have focused on people of primarily European ancestry, potentially missing important biological insights. Here, we performed a two-stage genome-wide association study (GWAS) with a total sample of 1478 homosexual males and 3313 heterosexual males in Han Chinese populations and identified two genetic loci (rs17320865, Xq27.3, FMR1NB, Pmeta = 8.36 × 10−8, OR = 1.29; rs7259428, 19q12, ZNF536, Pmeta = 7.58 × 10−8, OR = 0.75) showing consistent association with male sexual orientation. A fixed-effect meta-analysis including individuals of Han Chinese (n = 4791) and European ancestries (n = 408,995) revealed 3 genome-wide significant loci of same-sex sexual behavior (rs9677294, 2p22.1, SLC8A1, Pmeta = 1.95 × 10−8; rs2414487, 15q21.3, LOC145783, Pmeta = 4.53 × 10−9; rs2106525, 7q31.1, MDFIC, Pmeta = 6.24 × 10−9). These findings may provide new insights into the genetic basis of male sexual orientation from a wider population scope. Furthermore, we defined the average ZNF536-immunoreactivity (ZNF536-ir) concentration in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) as lower in homosexual individuals than in heterosexual individuals (0.011 ± 0.001 vs 0.021 ± 0.004, P = 0.013) in a postmortem study. In addition, compared with heterosexuals, the percentage of ZNF536 stained area in the SCN was also smaller in the homosexuals (0.075 ± 0.040 vs 0.137 ± 0.103, P = 0.043). More homosexual preference was observed in FMR1NB-knockout mice and we also found significant differences in the expression of serotonin, dopamine, and inflammation pathways that were reported to be related to sexual orientation when comparing CRISPR-mediated FMR1NB knockout mice to matched wild-type target C57 male mice.

Public attitudes in Japan toward the reproductive use of gametes derived from human-induced pluripotent stem cells.

Purpose:To investigate the interests of the Japanese general public in the reproductive use of in vitro derived (IVD)-gametes.Methods:We conducted an online survey and obtained answers from 3096 respondents.Results:More than half of the respondents agreed with the reproductive use of IVD-gametes by infertile heterosexual married couples but disagreed with the same use by unmarried or homosexual individuals. Nearly 70.0% disagreed with the use for designing a baby.Discussion:In Japan at present, the use of IVD-gametes that deviate from societal values regarding reproduction and family prescribed by the conventional marriage system is unlikely to be accepted. It is also unlikely to be accepted for non-treatment purposes in reproduction.

A systematic review of quantitative studies capturing measures of psychological and mental health for Gay and Lesbian individuals of faith

ABSTRACT The association between religion or spirituality and psychological concepts (e.g., subjective well-being), have received frequent support, however, recent evidence has noted that cultural factors may affect this relationship. The consideration of these concepts for sexual orientation minorities has been neglected in previous years and now a body of evidence is beginning to develop around concerns for this population, with some speculation for the changes of ‘stressors' for future generations and the implication on mental health outcomes. Lesbian and Gay individuals of faith (or spirituality), are susceptible to unique ‘stressors’, whilst others suggest religion can provide a support network providing protective health benefits. This review explores the evidence for psychological measures associated with LGB people of faith. The evidence suggests following a religion or faith can provide good social support, reducing health risks, however, can have negative implications for mental and physical health such as, internalised homophobia, anxiety and rejection.

A disaggregated, categorical analyses of depression among sexual gender minority university students

Attending college and belonging to a sexual or gender minority (SGM) are associated with increased depression. The severity of symptoms may be more pronounced due to gender identity and sexual orientation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate SGM college student depression levels and depression-related functional difficulty using a validated instrument. University students (n = 780) completed a web-based survey. Reported depression (Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9) was compared between gender (female, male, and nonbinary) and sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, gay, and self-identified individuals). Nonparametric analyses were employed. Thirty percent of the students’ PHQ-9 summed score indicated moderate to severe depression. Heterosexual males were the least depressed (lowest score). Bisexual and lesbian females had the highest depression scores. Bisexual (p = 0.01) and lesbian females (p = 0.006) reported increased levels of depression-related functional difficulty when compared to straight females. Significant differences between gender identity and depression in-treatment status (X 2 = 11.76, p = 0.003, Cramer’s V = .123) were also found. These results provide salient information regarding mental health disparities in SGM college students that is useful for designing and implementing mental health promotion programs in this subgroup.

Culture-Specific Form of Stress Based on Sexual Orientation Among Childless Lesbian and Gay Individuals in China: Perceived Difficulties of Future Parenthood.

China's long historical and cultural traditions that overemphasize the continuity of the family bloodline have a profound impact on the desire to become parents. Indeed, many Chinese lesbian and gay (LG) individuals want to become parents, despite same-sex parenting being illegal in mainland China. Faced with a conflict between their sexual orientation and desire for parenthood, childless LG individuals in China experience additional stress. However, no empirical study has examined such stress, which has been termed perceived difficulties of future parenthood. The present study aimed to explore the influence of perceived difficulties of future parenthood on mental health and the moderating effect of parenting desire on the relationship between them among 737 childless Chinese LG individuals (216 lesbian women and 521 gay men). A new measure was developed consisting of four dimensions: restricted pathways, social discrimination, uncertain affective ties, and parental opposition. As predicted, perceived difficulties of future parenthood were associated with poorer mental health in the sample. However, the interaction effects between parenting desire and perceived difficulties of future parenthood on mental health were not significant. These findings highlight common existing perceived difficulties about future parenthood in childless LG individuals in China and their negative effects on mental health.

Born this Way-or Not? The Relationship Between Essentialism and Sexual Minorities' LGBTQ+ Identification and Belonging.

Bisexual people experience lower levels of belonging in the LGBTQ+ community than gay and lesbian people. We investigated one of the factors that may reduce bisexual individuals' feelings of belonging in and identification with the LGBTQ+ community: Sexual orientation essentialism. Across two online studies with participants recruited through Prolific, we tested whether bisexual people endorsed sexual orientation essentialism less than lesbian and gay individuals and, in turn, feel lower levels of identification and belonging with the LGBTQ+ community. Essentialism separated into three dimensions in Study 1 (N = 375): Entitativity, naturalness, and discreteness. Relative to lesbian and gay individuals, bisexual individuals viewed sexual orientation as less natural, in turn reporting lower levels of belonging and identification. They also viewed sexual orientation groups as less discrete, which instead translated to higher levels of belonging and identification. Sexual orientation groups did not differ in their endorsement of entitativity beliefs. In Study 2 (N = 390), we focused on naturalness and replicated findings from Study 1. In addition, lower naturalness beliefs were associated with the belief that one's own views were different from those held by the LGBTQ+ community, which also contributed to lower levels of belonging and identification. Together, these studies contribute to understanding the role of essentialism in intragroup processes and paint a nuanced picture of essentialism in different sexual minority groups.

Couple and Family Therapies and Interventions with Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Individuals: A Systematic Review

This paper presents a systematic review study that aimed to map how the scientific literature is characterized concerning family or couple interventions and therapies regarding lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) individuals. The searches were conducted in the Web of Science, BVS, PsycINFO, and PUBMED databases, from 2009 to 2019, in Portuguese and English. The PRISMA protocol guidelines were followed and the CONSORT Statement and its extension for non-pharmacological interventions instruments were used. Frequencies and content analysis were performed at software NVivo. After considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria, gender-nonconforming19 articles were retrieved. The results revealed a greater focus on the North American context, mainly on psychoeducational interventions that worked on marital status and family systems with LGB teenagers or young adults. Adaptation of well-consolidated practical approaches was the most used and multiple formats were applied to conduct interventions, using film-based, cognitive-behavioral and systemic techniques. It is argued that theoretical and empirical research focused on stigma and discrimination at marital and family levels is needed in other contexts, such as Global South countries. Future directions and limitations are presented.

All Hail, the Baklang Kanal!: Subversive frivolity in two Filipino influencers

In November 2020, in a now-deleted tweet, twelve queer Filipino influencers on Twitter were branded as “baklang kanal,” for their noted expressions of dissent against the Rodrigo Duterte regime. Soon after, an online debate ensued: among these twelve influencers, who are the most rightful to be considered as baklang kanal ? While the term as commonly used now in Twitter is understood to refer to “gay individuals who are unapologetically outspoken about their views” (Vilog, 2020a), this paper intuits baklang kanal as a means to symbolically negotiate with the audience, toward construction of a seeming authenticity that is crucial for the establishment, maintenance, and expansion of their influencer status—what can be nominated as subversive frivolity, or the “generative power…arising from (populist) discursive framing as marginal, inconsequential, and unproductive” (Abidin, 2016, p. 2). We explore such harnessing of baklang kanal as generative power through a case study of two social media influencers, namely Pipay (@pipaykipayy) and Sassa Gurl (@Itssassagurl), exemplary not only for their large followings, but as well as their inclusion in the inaugural Bardy’s, a parodic people’s choice award facilitated over Twitter, for the Cannes’al (i.e., “kanal”) category.

Exploring Reflections, Motivations, and Experiential Outcomes of First Same-Sex/Gender Sexual Experiences among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Other Sexual Minority Individuals

ABSTRACT First sex is an important event in an individual’s sexual development. Previous literature has, however, primarily investigated first heterosexual sex, overlooking important contextual factors specific to same-sex/gender sexual experiences. Seventeen in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority (LGB+) individuals, ages 18–23 years. Four themes emerged from thematic analysis of reported thoughts, affect, and behavior. First, participants reported difficulty defining sex between same-sex/gender partners, especially women who reported that this undermined their personal relationships and identity. Second, participants met partners through several means; however, it was almost exclusively men who reported meeting their first partners online. Third, motivations for first same sex/gender sex included affirmation of personal sexual identity, sexual exploration, social expectation, and spontaneity. Fourth, participants felt underprepared for their first same-sex/gender sex, noting that their earlier sex and relationship education had not included information on same-sex/gender sex or LGB+ identities. Consequently, participants reported relying on experienced partners and seeking information on the internet, including pornography and social media. Greater cultural representation and more comprehensive sex education that recognizes sexual diversity is needed to better prepare LGB+ young people for early sexual encounters.

From conservatism to support for gay conversion therapy: the role of prejudice and beliefs about same-sex sexuality

ABSTRACT Support for Gay Conversion Therapy may be motivated by homophobic prejudice driven by conservative groups. We propose that Support for Gay Conversion Therapy (SGCT) is motivated by conservatism and that this relationship is mediated by prejudice against gay individuals. We tested these hypotheses in three studies. In Study 1 (N = 249), we found that conservative values predict SGCT, and that this effect is partly mediated by prejudice. In Study 2 (N = 247), we replicated this mediation and found that ethical-religious and psychological essentialist beliefs differently moderated it. Study 3 (N = 210) went further by experimentally showing the political consequences of SGCT. We showed that more conservative individuals tend to absolve psychologists who practice sexual conversion, and that both prejudice and conservative-motivated SGCT mediated this effect. We discussed these results by emphasizing the psychosocial process that motivates SGCT.

Parenting Desire Among Childless Lesbian and Gay Individuals in China: The Influence of Traditional Family Values, Minority Stress, and Parenting Motivation

The current study aimed to explore the roles of traditional family values (specifically, filial piety and traditional gender stereotypes), minority stress, and parenting motivation in parenting desire among Chinese lesbian women and gay men. 1042 childless lesbian women and gay men between the ages of 18 and 46 were recruited to respond to an online survey, which covered measures assessing parenting desire, traditional family values, minority stress, and parenting motivation. The results indicated that traditional family values, minority stress, and parenting motivation each showed positive correlations with parenting desire. Additionally, minority stress alone mediated the relationship between filial piety/traditional gender stereotypes and parenting desire. However, minority stress was not significantly associated with parenting desire when controlling for parenting motivation. Parenting motivation mediated the associations between filial piety/traditional gender stereotypes, and parenting desire controlling for minority stress. The findings indicated that traditional family values, minority stress, and parenting motivation can be considered predictors of the desire to become a parent among Chinese lesbian women and gay men.

Police violence: sexual political dehumanisation strategies used by Chilean gendered institutions

ABSTRACT In Chile, the ‘social outbreak' that began on 18th October 2019, closely questioned the transitional processes of the last 30 years. In the context of a neoliberal society crisis, political mobilisation could problematise the country's democratic statute. One of the phenomena most worrisome to observe was the confirmation of a police vocation which, far from banning human rights violations, exerted cruel and systematic violence against social mobilisations. This was not new. In the past 15 years, social irruptions resulting from environmental, university, mapuche, and workers' revindications had already experienced the police voracity that trampled corporalities and subjectivities, reaching dehumanising extremes. These events became the anteroom for the violent practices from spring 2019 onwards. From the various expressions of police violence, this paper explores the ‘sexual political violence' aspect. This term encapsulates the inflicting of pain and suffering on a subject due to political motivations, via violence on the sexed body. The study ‘Institutional violence against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transexual individuals: a systemic view’ aroused interest in exploring police sexual political violence against LGBT collectives during mobilisations in 2019. Although direct physical violence is also present, this paper focuses on sexual political violence accompanied by psychological violence, insults, mockery, and threats of sexual suffering, thus highlighting the gendered aspects of this violence. Hence, evidence collected in this study makes it interesting to reflect on the presence of this violence and on how gender and sexuality concur with a disciplining strategy on the bodies that are driven back from the street.

Identifying barriers to care and support: Aging in Central Kentucky

ABSTRACT Gay and lesbian individuals, as they age, may experience trouble navigating the variety of community and social systems that have been put in place to assist older adults. In this study, we worked with the local gay and lesbian communities to identify the most significant challenges facing aging lesbian and gay individuals in Central Kentucky. Data were collected through key informant one-on-one interviews and focus groups. We relied on a community-based snowball approach for participant recruitment. The research team conducted three focus groups (one gay-male focused (n = 3) and two lesbians focused (n = 7)) and eight (n = 8) key informant interviews. Three key themes were found in these interviews, broadly categorized into long-term care, social support, and health care. Initial findings support the further development and expansion of a community-generated needs assessment to understand better the challenges facing aging sexual minority Kentuckians.

Predictors of Attitudes toward Lesbian and Gay Parenting in an Ecuadorian Sample

In the past few years, Ecuador has experienced legal changes toward the recognition of sexual minority rights. However, lesbian and gay (LG) individuals and couples still face legal obstacles to become parents and social barriers that place their families in disadvantage compared to their heterosexual counterparts. To date, it is not known whether the legal changes reflect society’s move toward a more progressive and accepting climate. This study analyzed the attitudes toward LG parenting in an Ecuadorian online-recruited sample. Three hundred thirty-eight (338) participants answered an online questionnaire about the negative effects and the benefits of having LG parents. The strongest belief among participants was that children of LG parents would be victimized because of their parents’ sexual orientation. Analyses indicated differences in attitudes based on age, sexual orientation, marital status, education level, as well as religiosity. Finally, regression models suggested that beliefs about the origins of sexual orientation and contact with LG people predicted attitude scores. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Sexual orientation and quality of life of people living with HIV/AIDS in China: evidence from an institutional-based cross-sectional study.

At the end of 2019, there were approximately one million people known to be living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in China. Different sexual orientation groups were observed within the people living with HIV in general, and studies have found that socially marginalized groups exist among this population, such as men who have sex with men (MSM) and bisexual individuals. Correspondingly, sexual orientation may pose challenges to the emotional and psychological development of PLWHA. Under this background, we aim to analyze whether sexual orientation affects the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of PLWHA in order to provide evidence and suggestions for how wellbeing can be enhanced for sexual minorities living with HIV/AIDS. An institutional-based cross-sectional study design was used to collect data from PLWHA in Yunnan province and Beijing municipality in China. In our study, sexual orientation was classified as heterosexual, homosexual and bisexual, and HRQOL was measured using the Chinese WHOQOL-HIV-BREF scale. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationships of participants' sexual orientation and HRQOL. In addition, multivariable stepwise liner regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing HRQOL of PLWHA. In total, 2610 PLWHA were included in the study, 36.5% of the participants identified as homosexual and most were males, 13.8% were bisexuals and 49.7% were heterosexuals. For the overall HRQOL, the homosexual PLWHA group scored highest (81.53 ± 12.45) with a high HRQOL score signifying a better health-related quality of life, followed by bisexuals (79.72 ± 12.81) and heterosexuals (78.02 ± 13.06). However, the bisexual group showed a markedly higher level of spiritual health. In addition, there was no statistical difference in the total HRQOL scores and domains by sex roles among the homosexual group (p > 0.01). However, sexual orientation was statistically associated with the physical and spiritual domains of HRQOL (p < 0.05). In terms of sexual orientation for those living with HIV/AIDS, a better quality of life was found for homosexual individuals, whilst being a heterosexual individual saw a negative impact on quality of life, especially in the physical and spiritual domains. Strengthening the individualized and comprehensive care for heterosexual group as well as other sexual minority populations is imperative. Moreover, heterosexual PLWHA are more likely to be ignored and require more support and care to improve their HRQOL than do those in sexual minorities.

Structural, Functional, and Metabolic Brain Differences as a Function of Gender Identity or Sexual Orientation: A Systematic Review of the Human Neuroimaging Literature

This review systematically explored structural, functional, and metabolic features of the cisgender brain compared with the transgender brain before hormonal treatment and the heterosexual brain compared to the homosexual brain from the analysis of the neuroimaging literature up to 2018, and identified and discussed subsequent studies published up to March 2021. Our main aim was to help identifying neuroradiological brain features that have been related to human sexuality to contribute to the understanding of the biological elements involved in gender identity and sexual orientation. We analyzed 39 studies on gender identity and 24 on sexual orientation. Our results suggest that some neuroanatomical, neurophysiological, and neurometabolic features in transgender individuals resemble those of their experienced gender despite the majority resembling those from their natal sex. In homosexual individuals the majority resemble those of their same-sex heterosexual population rather than their opposite-sex heterosexual population. However, it is always difficult to interpret findings with noninvasive neuroimaging. Given the gross nature of these measures, it is possible that more differences too subtle to measure with available tools yet contributing to gender identity and sexual orientation could be found. Conflicting results contributed to the difficulty of identifying specific brain features which consistently differ between cisgender and transgender or between heterosexual and homosexual groups. The small number of studies, the small-to-moderate sample size of each study, and the heterogeneity of the investigations made it impossible to meta-analyze all the data extracted. Further studies are necessary to increase the understanding of the neurological substrates of human sexuality.