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Cooper S, Péloquin T, Lachowsky NJ, Salway T, Oliffe JL, Klassen B, Brennan DJ, Houle J, Ferlatte O. Conformity to Masculinity Norms and Mental Health Outcomes Among Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Two-Spirit, and Queer Men and Non-Binary Individuals. Am J Mens Health 2023; 17:15579883231206618. [PMID: 37886907 PMCID: PMC10612460 DOI: 10.1177/15579883231206618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Homophobia and biphobia negatively impact the mental health of gay, bisexual, trans, Two-Spirit, and queer men and non-binary individuals (GBT2Q) and sexual and gender minority men, but little is known about the impact of gender-related oppression. The current study examines the impact of pressure to conform to masculine norms in Canada-based GBT2Q individuals. Specifically, the associations between (a) gender expression and pressure to be masculine and (b) pressure to be masculine and depression, anxiety, and self-rated mental health were investigated. Drawing from an online national cross-sectional survey of 8,977 GBT2Q individuals and sexual and gender minority men living in Canada aged 15 years or older, 56.4% (n = 5,067) of respondents reported experiencing pressure to conform to masculine norms. Respondents were more likely to report masculine pressure if they were younger than 30 years, described their gender expression as fluid, identified their sexuality as queer, were an ethnoracial minority, and were trans. Pressure to be masculine was associated with increased odds of depression, anxiety, and reporting poor or fair mental health. The current study provides evidence of the detrimental impact of pressure to conform to masculine norms on the mental health of gay, bisexual, trans, Two-Spirit, and queer men and non-binary peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Cooper
- École de Santé Publique de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Tristan Péloquin
- École de Santé Publique de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nathan J. Lachowsky
- Community-Based Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- School of Public Health & Social Policy, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Travis Salway
- Community-Based Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
- BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Centre for Gender & Sexual Health Equity, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - John L. Oliffe
- School of Nursing, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Department of Nursing, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Benjamin Klassen
- Community-Based Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - David J. Brennan
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Janie Houle
- Department of Psychology, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Olivier Ferlatte
- École de Santé Publique de l’Université de Montréal, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de Recherche en Santé Publique, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
- Community-Based Research Centre, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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