Growing old as a gay man: how life has changed for the gay liberation generation

2014 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 2229-2250 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTHONY LYONS ◽  
SAMANTHA CROY ◽  
CATHERINE BARRETT ◽  
CAROLYN WHYTE
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Gay Rights ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Aged Care ◽  
Gay Liberation ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Related Stigma

ABSTRACTMen in the gay liberation generation are approaching or entering older age. Being at the forefront of gay rights movements since the 1970s and 1980s, this generation has experienced dramatic changes in gay life. The present study aimed to provide a greater understanding of this generation by examining some of the ways these men perceive their changing lives. Participants included 439 Australian gay-identified men aged 50 years and older who completed an online survey of their health and wellbeing. These men gave unrestricted open-ended responses to a question on how life had changed for them as a gay man since being aged in their twenties. Responses were analysed qualitatively using a thematic analysis approach to identify main themes. Participants expressed many positive changes to their lives, including greater public- and self-acceptance of their sexuality, greater confidence and self-esteem, and more freedom for same-sex relationships. However, some men expressed a loss of gay community compared to their younger years and a perception that the younger generation under-appreciated the struggles they had endured. Age- and HIV-related stigma from within the gay community, as well as a loss of sexual attractiveness, also emerged as concerns for some participants. These findings may assist researchers, health professionals and aged care services to further understand the needs and experiences of this older generation of gay men.

An exploratory study of gay travelers: socio-demographic analysis

2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Heejung Ro ◽  
Eric D. Olson ◽  
Youngsoo Choi
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gay Couples ◽  
Demographic Profiles ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Collective Self ◽  
Collective Self Esteem

Purpose This exploratory study aims to examine gay travelers’ travel psychographics (allocentricity and psychocentricity) in relation to openness about sexual orientation, collective self-esteem and socio-demographic variables. Design/methodology/approach A survey is developed and study participants are recruited from attendees at a large annual gay event. A total of 196 gay men were used as samples for correlation analysis and independent samples t-tests. Findings The findings suggest that collective self-esteem is positively correlated with allocentricity. Also, gay couples showed higher allocentricity than single gay men, and white/Caucasian gay men showed higher allocentricity than other ethnic minorities gay men. Yet, psychocentricity was higher for lower income gay men than higher income gay men. Practical implications Tourism marketers should recognize that the gay market is not as homogenous as it has been portrayed in the tourism literature. Hospitality service providers and destination marketers should be aware of the importance of the gay community, gay travelers’ psychographics and, more importantly, the diversity within the gay market to develop effective products and services to better position themselves in this niche market. Originality/value This research contributes to the tourism literature by enhancing the understanding of gay travelers’ socio-demographic profiles and their travel-related behaviors and perceptions.

Conclusion

2019 ◽  
pp. 226-230
Author(s):  
Andrew E. Stoner
Keyword(s):  
Gay Rights ◽  
Cutting Edge ◽  
Gay Liberation ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Liberation Movement ◽  
Gay Liberation Movement

Timing played a key role in all of Shilts’s success, and failures. His reporting and books on cutting-edge issues in the emerging gay liberation movement withstood strong push back on his work while establishing himself as an openly gay reporter in mainstream journalism. Shilts unapologetically approached his reporting as he had approached his earlier life – that information granted power and understanding and journalists played a key role in conveying that information. Important questions remain about whether Shilts helped or hindered the understanding of AIDS in the context of the gay community, with serious reservations raised about his use of the “Patient Zero” posit. He was praised, however, for advocacy for gay rights via Conduct Unbecoming.

scholarly journals Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on persons with multiple sclerosis: Early findings from a survey on disruptions in care and self-reported outcomes

2020 ◽  
pp. 135581962097506
Author(s):  
Tommaso Manacorda ◽  
Paolo Bandiera ◽  
Federica Terzuoli ◽  
Michela Ponzio ◽  
Giampaolo Brichetto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Multiple Sclerosis ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Psychological Consequences ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Health And Social Care ◽  
Negative Impacts

Objective To describe the disruptions in care experienced by persons with Multiple Sclerosis in Italy due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the self-reported impact on their health and wellbeing. Methods A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 2722 persons with Multiple Sclerosis, after Italy instituted a national lockdown in response to the pandemic. Results Persons with Multiple Sclerosis reported that the pandemic caused broad disruptions to usual health and social care services, which impacted on their health and wellbeing. Disruptions in care were consistently associated with negative self-reported impacts on the expected progression of the disease, on out-of-pocket expenditure and on carer’s stress. Psychological consequences were associated with interruption to usual psychological support, and concerns about the safety of care delivered in person. Conclusions The quality of life of persons with Multiple Sclerosis depends greatly on prompt access to a broad range of health and care services. Negative psychological impacts reported by persons with Multiple Sclerosis with less severe disabilities show that accessible integrated services are crucial for maintenance of their wellbeing. Most persons with Multiple Sclerosis with more severe disability experienced negative impacts on perceived health. Their carers compensating for lack of social input resulted in care overburden. As continuity of care is crucial for persons with Multiple Sclerosis, as well as for persons with chronic conditions in general, strategies must be in place to ensure it is included in future pandemic response plans.

Trends in HIV testing among homosexual and bisexual men in eastern Australian states

Sexual Health ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garrett Prestage ◽  
Fengyi Jin ◽  
Iryna B. Zablotska ◽  
John Imrie ◽  
Andrew E. Grulich ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Testing ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Homosexual Men ◽  
Bisexual Men ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Private Lives ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
And Bisexual

Objectives: We examined whether trends in HIV testing in community-based samples of homosexual men may account for the convergence in HIV notification rates in homosexual men across the eastern states of Australia. Methods: We examined data on self-reported HIV testing from annual cross-sectional, self-completed anonymous surveys of homosexual men conducted between 1998 and 2006 in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Men were recruited at gay community venues and events. Comparisons of HIV testing between the three cities and across time were carried out. We also compared reported rates of HIV testing across states in Private Lives, the 2005 online survey of health and wellbeing among non-heterosexual people. Results: Men recruited from clinics had a much higher prevalence of HIV testing and were excluded from further analyses. Among the 48 263 completed questionnaires obtained in non-clinic sites, there was a marked decline in the proportion of men who had never been tested for HIV in Sydney (from 8.1 to 5.1%, P trend < 0.001) and Brisbane (from 11.8 to 7.9%, P trend = 0.002) but no change in Melbourne. This proportion of men who had never been tested was lower in Sydney than in either Melbourne or Brisbane (P < 0.001). There were increases in the proportion of non-HIV-positive men who had been tested for HIV in the previous year across all three cities, although the proportion in Melbourne was lower than in the other two cities. Conclusion: These data suggest that changes in HIV testing rates among homosexual men are insufficient to account for the recent differences in trends in HIV notifications in eastern Australia.

Death Rites in the San Francisco Gay Community: Cultural Developments of the Aids Epidemic

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 335-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Anne Richards ◽  
Judith Wrubel ◽  
Susan Folkman
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
San Francisco ◽  
Final Stage ◽  
San Francisco Bay Area ◽  
Time Of Death ◽  
Gay Liberation ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Bay Area ◽  
Aids Epidemic ◽  
And Control

This study of rituals of dying and death is based on narrative accounts of fifty-two gay men whose partners died of AIDS in the San Francisco Bay Area between 1991 and 1994. Sixty-seven percent of the deaths occurred at home, 71 percent of the caregiving partners were present at the time of death, and 71 percent of the dying partners chose cremation as a means of disposition. These factors influenced the nature of rituals enacted during the final stage of life, immediately after the death, and in the two months following the death. Culturally unique rituals included division of ashes with multiple distribution sites, multiple memorials, self-designed and delivered religious and secular memorials, and private dispersion of ashes without the use of mortuary services. The rites of death described in these data are reflective of the mobile life style among gay men as well as the drive for freedom and control of their own lives that is characteristic of gay liberation.

The impact of living with HIV: differences in experiences of stigma for heterosexual and homosexual people living with HIV in Australia

Sexual Health ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Loren Brener ◽  
Hannah Wilson ◽  
Sean Slavin ◽  
John de Wit
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Treatment ◽  
Hiv Stigma ◽  
Heterosexual Transmission ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Hiv Status ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Gay Community ◽  
Related Stigma ◽  
Living With Hiv ◽  
The Impact

Background HIV in Australia has been closely aligned with the gay community and continues to disproportionately affect members of this community. Although heterosexual transmission remains low, recently there has been an increase in new HIV diagnoses attributable to heterosexual sex. This highlights the need to address the health and social consequences for heterosexual people living with HIV (PLHIV). This subanalysis of a larger study compared the experiences of stigma, health and wellbeing of a sample of gay and heterosexual PLHIV. Methods: Data were drawn from a study of experiences of stigma among PLHIV in Australia. All 49 participants who reported being heterosexual were included, as were 49 participants randomly selected from the 611 gay participants. The samples were compared on perceived HIV stigma, HIV treatment-related stigma, perceived negative reactions of others, HIV status disclosure, and health and wellbeing measures. Results: The findings illustrate that heterosexual PLHIV have more negative experiences in terms of both general HIV stigma and treatment-related stigma than gay PLHIV. The heterosexual PLHIV also perceived greater negative reactions in relation to their HIV status by different people in their social environment and were less likely to access treatment than the gay PLHIV. There were no differences between the two groups in any of the health and wellbeing measures. Conclusions: This study shows that in the Australian context, heterosexual PLHIV may feel more stigmatised than gay PLHIV. In view of lower HIV treatment uptake in heterosexual PLHIV, addressing HIV-related stigma could contribute to increasing access to HIV treatment.

scholarly journals Do Rates of Mental Health Symptoms in Currently Competing Elite Athletes in Paralympic Sports Differ from Non-Para-Athletes?

2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisa S. Olive ◽  
Simon Rice ◽  
Matt Butterworth ◽  
Matti Clements ◽  
Rosemary Purcell
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Alcohol Consumption ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Elite Athletes ◽  
Participation Rate ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Mental Health Symptoms ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Health Symptoms ◽  
Health And Wellbeing

Abstract Background This study addresses the lack of comparative data on the mental health of athletes in Paralympic sports (‘para-athletes’) and non-para athletes by examining the prevalence and correlates of mental health symptoms in a national sample of elite athletes representative of the population from which it was drawn on age and para-status. Methods A cross-sectional, anonymous, online-survey was provided to all categorised (e.g. highest level) athletes, aged 17 years and older, registered with the Australian Institute of Sport (n = 1566). Measures included psychological distress, mental health caseness, risky alcohol consumption, body weight and shape dissatisfaction, self-esteem, life satisfaction, and problem gambling. Correlates of outcomes included individual (e.g. demographic and psychosocial) and sport-related variables. Results The participation rate was 51.7% (n = 810), with valid data available from 749 athletes. No significant differences were observed between athletes from para- and non-para-sports on most mental health symptoms, with the exception of alcohol consumption (p < .001) and self-esteem (p = .007), both lower in athletes from para-sports. A trend for an interaction was found for anxiety and insomnia (p = .018), whereby the difference between athletes from para- and non-para-sports was qualified by gender. Conclusions In a large sample of elite athletes, mental health and wellbeing symptoms are comparable between athletes from para- and non-para-sports, with the exception of para-athletes reporting lower alcohol consumption but also lower self-esteem. While overall mental health and wellbeing symptom profiles are largely similar, attention to areas of differences will help to better address the unmet and distinct mental health needs of athletes from para-sports.

scholarly journals The Influence of Friends on Teen Vaping: A Mixed-Methods Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (13) ◽  
pp. 6784
Author(s):  
Allison L. Groom ◽  
Thanh-Huyen T. Vu ◽  
Robyn L. Landry ◽  
Anshula Kesh ◽  
Joy L. Hart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Peer Influence ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Strong Association ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Demographic Variables ◽  
Common Source ◽  
Sources Of Information

Vaping is popular among adolescents. Previous research has explored sources of information and influence on youth vaping, including marketing, ads, family, peers, social media, and the internet. This research endeavors to expand understanding of peer influence. Our hypothesis is that friends’ influence on teen vapers’ first electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS) use varies by demographic variables and awareness of ENDS advertising. In August–October 2017, youth (n = 3174) aged 13–18 completed an online survey to quantify ENDS behaviors and attitudes and were invited to participate in follow-up online research in November-December 2017 to probe qualitative context around perceptions and motivations (n = 76). This analysis focused on the ENDS users, defined as having ever tried any ENDS product, from the survey (n = 1549) and the follow-up research (n = 39). Among survey respondents, friends were the most common source of vapers’ first ENDS product (60%). Most survey respondents tried their first ENDS product while “hanging out with friends” (54%). Among follow-up research participants, the theme of socializing was also prominent. ENDS advertising and marketing through social media had a strong association with friend networks; in fact, the odds of friends as source of the first vaping experience were 2 times higher for those who had seen ENDS ads on social media compared with other types of media. The influence of friends is particularly evident among non-Hispanic Whites, Hispanics/Latinos, those living in urban areas, those living in high-income households, those with higher self-esteem, and those who experiment with vaping. These findings support the premise that peer influence is a primary social influencer and reinforcer for vaping. Being included in a popular activity appears to be a strong driving force.

scholarly journals The Stress-Induced Impact of COVID-19 on Tourism and Hospitality Workers

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 1327
Author(s):  
Sung-Eun Kang ◽  
Changyeon Park ◽  
Choong-Ki Lee ◽  
Seunghoon Lee
Keyword(s):  
Job Satisfaction ◽  
Organizational Commitment ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Organizational Trust ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Latex Gloves ◽  
Hospitality Organizations ◽  
Tourism And Hospitality

This study explores how COVID-19-induced stress (CID) influences organizational trust, job satisfaction, self-esteem, and commitment in tourism and hospitality organizations. A total of 427 tourism affiliated employees in South Korea participated in an online survey. Using structural equation modelling (SEM), the proposed conceptual model reveals that CID stress in tourism/hospitality employees is negatively related to organizational trust, job satisfaction, and self-esteem which, in turn, is positively related to organizational commitment. CID stress also indirectly affects organizational commitment. The findings have significant strategic implications for tourism and hospitality organizations‒specifically, the provision of instrumental resources (e.g., safety glasses, latex gloves, hand sanitizers, facial masks) to alleviate their employees’ work-related stress during pandemics.

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