Kromholz G, Barak A. The Experience of Loneliness Among Gay Men in Israel: A Qualitative Study.
JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2023;
70:2784-2805. [PMID:
35604306 DOI:
10.1080/00918369.2022.2076575]
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Abstract
The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the experience of loneliness among Israeli gay men in their early and mid-adulthood, ages 30-50 (N = 14). The findings demonstrate three main categories of loneliness that study participants experienced: childhood loneliness as an initial experience of gay identity; loneliness in the context of other gay men, via sexual encounters, friendships, and the use of dating apps; and loneliness in the context of heterosexual society. The findings point to the centrality of the experience of loneliness among Israeli gay men in their mid-adulthood years and emphasize how this loneliness is rooted in socio-cultural and political perceptions concerning hetero-normative as well as gay identities.
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