In these situations, the more integral the hyper-masculine norms are to a man’s identity, the more psychological distress he may experience.”įor her study, Fischgrund recruited 311 gay and bisexual men, nearly a third of which reported an HIV positive status. “Gay men who endorse hyper-masculine norms might then experience identity incongruence when they are presented with general society’s norms that differ and contradict their own.
She added that some men may exhibit hyper-masculine behaviors when they feel their masculinity is being threatened. “Society’s messages about sexuality are not the only cultural attitudes that sexual minority men are confronted with cultural attitudes also delineate what it means to be a man,” said Fischgrund. The way gay and bisexual men perceive their masculinity has a significant impact on mental health. “Empirical studies show that a strong adherence to masculine norms is correlated with poor health outcomes, such as mental health problems and risky sexual behaviors.” National studies have shown that gay men are nearly twice as likely to suffer from depression and anxiety as heterosexual men, and that suicide rates for these men are nearly double those of other men. Fischgrund of the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Northwestern University, and lead author of a new study examining masculinity and mental health in gay and bisexual men. “Gay and bisexual men experience numerous negative health conditions, including high rates of mental health problems,” said Beth N.
#MASCULINE GAY MEN FROT HOW TO#