Sexual stigma, psychological well-being and social engagement among men who have sex with men in Beirut, Lebanon

Bibliographic Data

ID15099164
AuthorsGlenn J Wagner (0000-0001-9081-3299, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, USA, corresponding author), Frances M Aunon (0000-0003-3377-7994, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, USA), Rachel Kaplan (0000-0001-8745-4002, University of California, Berkeley), Rachel L Kaplan (School of Social Welfare; Mack Center on Mental Health & Social Conflict, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA), Rita Karam (0000-0002-7309-3813, RAND Corporation, Santa Monica, USA), Danielle Khouri (Lebanese AIDS Society, Beirut, Lebanon), Johnny Tohme (0000-0001-6021-413X, Lebanese AIDS Society, Beirut, Lebanon), Jacques Mokhbat (Lebanese AIDS Society, Beirut, Lebanon)
Year2013
Volume15
Issue5
Pages570-582
Publication date2013-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueCulture Health & Sexuality (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1369-1058 • E-ISSN: 1464-5351
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13691058.2013.775345
PMID23730919
PMCIDPMC3742541
OpenAlexW2045698293
LanguageEN
Citations received19
References cited26

This qualitative study sought to explore sexual identity development among men who have sex with men in Beirut, Lebanon; the stigma experienced by these men; and how their psychological well-being and social engagement are shaped by how they cope with this stigma. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 31 men who have sex with men and content analysis was used to identify emergent themes. While many men reported feeling very comfortable with their sexual orientation and had disclosed their sexual orientation to family, most men struggled at least somewhat with their sexuality, often because of perceived stigma from others and internal religious conflict about the immorality of homosexuality. Most participants described experiencing verbal harassment or ridicule or being treated as different or lesser than in social relationships with friends or family. Mechanisms for coping with stigma included social avoidance (trying to pass as heterosexual and limiting interaction with men who have sex with men to the internet) or withdrawal from relationships in an attempt to limit exposure to stigma. Findings suggest that effective coping with both internal and external sexual stigma is central to the psychological well-being and social engagement of men who have sex with men in Beirut, much as has been found in Western gay communities

Developmental psychology · Feeling · Harassment · Homosexuality · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV · Human sexuality · Men who have sex with men · Psychiatry · Sexual orientation · Stigma (botany · African Sexualities and LGBTQ+ Issues · Clinical Psychology · Gender Studies · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology