Being a gay man in Turkey: internalised sexual prejudice as a function of prevalent hegemonic masculinity perceptions

Attitudes of parents in the role of a father in Turkey toward child sex education and their sexual communication with their children

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The study aimed to evaluate the attitudes of parents in the role of a father in Turkey toward child sex education and their sexual communication with their children.

METHODS

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with the fathers of children in the pediatric outpatient clinic at a state hospital between December 30, 2021, and April 15, 2022. The study was reported based on STROBE. The data were collected from 297 fathers using the Descriptive Information Form, the Attitudes Scale Toward Sex education (ASTSE), and the Sexual Communication Scale for Parents(SCSP).

RESULTS

Sample statistics demonstrate that 67.7% of the participants did not receive sex education in their childhood, and 57.4% stated that their children received sex education only from their mothers. Higher attitudes toward sexual education were found in the fathers with a university or higher education degree (χ² = 15.396; p < 0.01), and those giving sex education to their children (χ² = 18.388;p < 0.001). Higher total scores were obtained on the sexual communication scale by fathers with university and higher education degrees (χ² = 12.898;p < 0.01) and those who received sex education in their childhood (t = 2.330;p = 0.021). There is a highly significant positive correlation between the mean scores of the role of a parent subscale of the ASTSE and the mean total score of the SCSP (r = 0.81;p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

There is a positive correlation between fathers' parental role attitudes toward sex education and their sexual communication with their children.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Supporting fathers' sexual communication with their children can positively affect fathers' attitudes and communication toward sex education.

Homophobia levels of parents of nursing students and affecting factors

PURPOSE

The aim of this study is to determine the homophobia levels of parents of students who receive nursing education and the factors affecting their homophobia levels.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The study was carried out as a descriptive and cross-sectional study on the 375 parents of nursing students.

FINDINGS

There was statistically significant difference between the case when parents know that there is a homosexual individual in their immediate environment and the mean The Hudson and Ricketts Homophobia Scale (HRHS) score, as well as between the case when parents know that a friend of theirs is homosexual and the mean HRHS score (p < 0.05).

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

It should be taken into account that parents' prejudices against homosexuals may also affect the way their children view homosexuals.

It’s a Man’s World: A Qualitative Study of Gender and Sexuality amongst Australian Gay Men

Currently, research explicitly examining masculinity and internalized homonegativity is sparse, and even sparser studies are those using qualitative methods. To address this, this study aims to explore: how gender norms are constructed and experienced amongst gay men; and how gender and sexual identity are experienced in relation to masculine norms amongst gay men. A sample of 32 self-identified gay men aged 22–72 years (M = 34.34, SD = 12.94) participated in an online semi-structured interview on masculinity and homosexuality. The study used Zoom to facilitate the online interviews as it offered privacy, accessibility, ease of use, and voice recording, among other benefits. Thematic analyses revealed gay men’s understandings of masculinity, femininity, and sources of pressure to conform. Furthermore, gay men emphasize the conflict experienced between heteronormative gender and sexuality norms, which highlights the term homosexual male as an oxymoron.

How do we measure gender discrimination? Proposing a construct of gender discrimination through a systematic scoping review

BACKGROUND

Gender discrimination (GD) has been frequently linked to mental health. The heterogeneity of how GD is defined has led to variation around the analysis of GD. This might affect the study of the association between GD and health outcomes. The main goal of this systematic scoping review is to operationalize the definition of the GD construct.

METHODS

Three search strategies were set in Pubmed, CINAHL and PsycINFO. The first strategy obtained results mainly about women, while the second focused on men. The third strategy focused on the identification of GD questionnaires. The prevalence of GD, factors and consequences associated with GD perception, and forms of discrimination were the principal variables collected. Risk of bias was assessed (PROSPERO:CRD42019120719).

RESULTS

Of the 925 studies obtained, 84 were finally included. 60 GD questionnaires were identified. GD prevalence varied between 3.4 and 67 %. Female gender and a younger age were the factors most frequently related to GD. Poorer mental health was the most frequent consequence. Two components of the GD construct were identified: undervaluation (different recognition, opportunities in access, evaluation standards and expectations) and different treatment (verbal abuse and behaviour).

CONCLUSIONS

Two-component GD definition can add order and precision to the measurement, increase response rates and reported GD.

Out of the Closet, Not Yet Out of the House: Gay Men's Experiences of Homonegativity and Internalized Homonegativity

This paper explores how Australian gay men experience gender and sexuality in relation to heteronormative gender norms, specifically masculinity. A sample of 32 gay men 22-72 years of age participated in an online interview, using a videoconferencing software, on masculinity and homosexuality. Thematic analyses revealed that gay men experience gender and sexuality-related strain across all levels of their socioecological environment through social regulation, homophobic discrimination/harassment, and anti-effeminacy prejudice. The gay men expressed feelings of self-loathing, shame, internalized homonegativity, and isolation as a result. In examining interactions at each level of the socioecological environment, future research and practice may gain understanding in the social phenomena and how to ameliorate such strain.

The Career Stories of LGB-Q in Turkey

The purpose of this study is to delineate the career stories of LGB-Q in Turkey. The research questions looked at here are as follows: (1) What are their childhood career aspirations? (2) What are the important features that they care about at workplace? (3) How does their gender orientation impact their career development? (4) What kind of social support resources do they have according to which stages are they at the coming out process? (5) What are their future career aspirations? (6) What are their career needs? To this end, life story inquiry, a qualitative data analysis method, was used in this study. A total of seven LGB-Q people participated in the study. The study revealed that participants' sexual orientation is influential in their career development, that LGB-Q people do not openly live their identities in Turkey and that they are faced with many pressures of society.

The Relationship between Masculinity and Internalized Homophobia amongst Australian Gay Men

Due to the heterosexist ideals associated with gender norms, gay men often experience negative attitudes towards their own sexuality—internalized homophobia. As a result, gay men often feel compelled to compensate for their perceived lack of masculinity. The study aimed to investigate the relationship and predictive power of masculinity on gay men’s experiences of internalized homophobia. A sample of 489 self-identified Australian gay men 18–72 years old participated in an online survey on masculinity and homosexuality. Descriptive statistics, bivariate correlations, and sequential multiple regressions were used to test the study’s aims. Sequential multiple regressions revealed that conformity to masculine norms and threats to masculinity contingency were stronger predictors of internalized homophobia over and above demographic and other factors. Given the already known psychological risks associated with social isolation, internalized homophobia, and the poor mental health outcomes associated with sexual minority groups, it is suggested that gay men who are experiencing high degrees of internalized homophobia should not be distancing themselves from other gay men but, conversely, seek a strong relationship with the LGBTI community.

This is who we are: building community for HIV prevention with young gay and bisexual men in Beirut, Lebanon

Young gay men in Beirut are at significantly elevated risk of HIV infection compared with the general Lebanese population. Despite nascent HIV prevention efforts in the region, there is a need for effective community-level HIV prevention interventions tailored for young gay men. This qualitative study examined internal dynamics within Beirut's gay community as a basis for developing community-level interventions. Peer ethnographers were trained to collect field notes on conversations between young gay men in public spaces in Beirut, and conducted follow-up focus groups with young gay men. Analyses revealed three major themes: (1) the need for safe spaces in which to socialise, (2) the importance of being able to locate and connect with other young gay men, and (3) ambivalence regarding a gay community that was supportive in some ways but also fragmented and often judgemental. Study findings also confirm the existence of external threats to community such as stigma, cultural and familial norms regarding heterosexuality and criminalisation of refugee status. Understanding such community dynamics and the environmental context is central to designing effective community-based HIV prevention programmes.

HIV prevalence among men who have sex with men in Istanbul

OBJECTIVES

The re-emergence of the HIV epidemic among men who have sex with men (MSM) represents a serious health issue. This study aimed to assess the HIV prevalence among MSM in a very low prevalence population of a large city.

METHODS

A public campaign to raise awareness of HIV infection and to provide access to anonymous testing was conducted in places frequented by MSM and through a mobile phone application. No identity information was requested from individuals contacting the call centre, and anonymous and free HIV testing was offered proactively. Those who agreed to have a test were provided a code number, which was used in blood sampling procedures.

RESULTS

Of 1200 subjects who contacted the call centre, 197 consented to undergo HIV testing and visited the laboratory to give a blood sample. Twenty-five subjects were found to have a reactive ELISA result on two different occasions plus a positive Western blot test result. Thus, the HIV prevalence in this group of MSM was 12.7%.

CONCLUSIONS

MSM remain a high risk group for HIV infection in a low prevalence setting, and thus represent a key target population for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.

Global identification predicts gay-male identity integration and well-being among Turkish gay men

In most parts of the world, hegemonic masculinity requires men to endorse traditional masculine ideals, one of which is rejection of homosexuality. Wherever hegemonic masculinity favours heterosexuality over homosexuality, gay males may feel under pressure to negotiate their conflicting male gender and gay sexual identities to maintain positive self-perceptions. However, globalization, as a source of intercultural interaction, might provide a beneficial context for people wishing to create alternative masculinities in the face of hegemonic masculinity. Hence, we tested if global identification would predict higher levels of gay-male identity integration, and indirectly subjective well-being, via alternative masculinity representations for gay and male identities. A community sample of 219 gay and bisexual men from Turkey completed the study. Structural equation modelling revealed that global identification positively predicted gay-male identity integration, and indirectly subjective well-being; however, alternative masculinity representations did not mediate this relationship. Our findings illustrate how identity categories in different domains can intersect and affect each other in complex ways. Moreover, we discuss mental health and well-being implications for gay men living in cultures where they experience high levels of prejudice and stigma.