Barriers and Stigma Experienced by Gay Fathers and Their Children

2021 ◽  
pp. 82-90
Author(s):  
Ellen C. Perrin ◽  
Sean M. Hurley ◽  
Kathryn Mattern ◽  
Lila Flavin ◽  
Ellen E. Pinderhughes
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Psychiatric Symptoms ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Social Contexts ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Gay Fathers ◽  
Heterosexual Relationship

BACKGROUND Gay men have become fathers in the context of a heterosexual relationship, by adoption, by donating sperm to 1 or 2 lesbian women and subsequently sharing parenting responsibilities, and/or by engaging the services of a surrogate pregnancy carrier. Despite legal, medical, and social advances, gay fathers and their children continue to experience stigma and avoid situations because of fear of stigma. Increasing evidence reveals that stigma is associated with reduced well-being of children and adults, including psychiatric symptoms and suicidality. METHODS Men throughout the United States who identified as gay and fathers completed an online survey. Dissemination of the survey was enhanced via a “snowball” method, yielding 732 complete responses from 47 states. The survey asked how the respondent had become a father, whether he had encountered barriers, and whether he and his child(ren) had experienced stigma in various social contexts. RESULTS Gay men are increasingly becoming fathers via adoption and with assistance of an unrelated pregnancy carrier. Their pathways to fatherhood vary with socioeconomic class and the extent of legal protections in their state. Respondents reported barriers to becoming a father and stigma associated with fatherhood in multiple social contexts, most often in religious institutions. Fewer barriers and less stigma were experienced by fathers living in states with more legal protections. CONCLUSIONS Despite growing acceptance of parenting by same-gender adults, barriers and stigma persist. States’ legal and social protections for lesbian and gay individuals and families appear to be effective in reducing experiences of stigma for gay fathers.

scholarly journals Hospital Nursing Staff Perceptions of Resources Provided by Their Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
pp. 216507992098754
Author(s):  
Hyeonmi Cho ◽  
Knar Sagherian ◽  
Linsey M. Steege
Keyword(s):  
Nursing Staff ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Community Support ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Staff Perceptions ◽  
Survey Question ◽  
Hospital Nursing ◽  
Hospital Resources

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted the health and psychological well-being of hospital nursing staff. While additional support is needed to better cope with increased job stressors, little is known about what types of hospital resources have been provided and how nursing staff perceive them. This study addressed this gap by describing nursing staff perceptions of resources provided by hospitals during the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Methods: Registered nurses and nursing assistants who were working in hospitals during the pandemic were recruited to an online survey via social media posts and emails between May and June 2020. A total of 360 free-text responses to an open-ended survey question were analyzed using content analysis. Results: Over half of participants reported being provided with hospital resources. “Basic needs” resources that included food on-site, groceries, and childcare support were the most frequently reported compared with four other types of resources (personal health and safe practice, financial support, managerial support, communication). Four themes emerged related to staff perceptions of support: community support, unequal benefits, decreasing resources, and insufficient personal protective equipment. Conclusion: Our findings can assist organizational leaders in the planning and allocation of different types of resources that are meaningful to nursing staff and thus ensure sustainability, optimal performance, and worker well-being during crises.

scholarly journals COVID-19 as a Stressor: Pandemic Expectations, Perceived Stress, and Negative Affect in Older Adults

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brenda R Whitehead
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Negative Affect ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Stress And Coping ◽  
Regression Analyses ◽  
And Coping

Abstract Objectives The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic is appraised as a stressor influences perceived stress (PS) and psychological well-being during the event. Here, the association of older adults’ expectations concerning the pandemic’s duration and impact with PS and negative affect (NA) is investigated. Based on the stress and coping framework, PS is expected to mediate the association between COVID-19 expectations and NA. Methods Seven hundred fourteen residents of the United States and aged 60 and older completed an anonymous online survey in late March 2020 reporting PS, NA, and expectations regarding the pandemic. Results Regression analyses controlling for demographic factors revealed that more dire pandemic expectations significantly predicted PS and NA directly, and the effects on NA were significantly mediated by PS. Discussion Findings provide evidence that expectations about a pandemic influence the extent to which older adults experience stress and NA in the midst of a pandemic event. Implications for mental health are discussed.

Islamic Headcovering and Political Engagement: The Power of Social Networks

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aubrey Westfall ◽  
Özge Çelik Russell ◽  
Bozena Welborne ◽  
Sarah Tobin
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Political Participation ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Political Engagement ◽  
The United States ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Muslim Americans ◽  
Muslim American ◽  
American Muslim ◽  
Muslim American Women

AbstractThis article explores the relationship between headcovering and women's political participation through an original online survey of 1,917 Muslim-American women. As a visible marker of religious group identity, wearing the headscarf can orient the integration of Muslim women into the American political system via its impact on the openness of their associational life. Our survey respondents who cover are more likely to form insular, strong ties with predominantly Muslim friend networks, which decreased their likelihood of voting and affiliating with a political party. Interestingly, frequency of mosque attendance across both covered and uncovered respondents is associated with a higher probability of political participation, an effect noted in other religious institutions in the United States. Yet, mosque attendance can simultaneously decrease the political engagement of congregants if they are steered into exclusively religious friend groups. This discovery reveals a tension within American Muslim religious life and elaborates on the role of religious institutions vs. social networks in politically mobilizing Muslim-Americans.

scholarly journals Conflict between Religious Beliefs and Sexuality: An Autoethnography

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Gerena
Keyword(s):  
Social Work ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Sex Behavior ◽  
Religious Institutions ◽  
Research And Practice ◽  
Social Work Research ◽  
Latino Community ◽  
Beliefs And Values

Despite the shift in attitudes in religious institutions toward homosexuals in the United States, there are some religions that continue to view same-sex behavior as a deviant and damning sin. For many, religious beliefs and values provide meaning and impact personal identity. Using autoethnography, I will explicate my own experiences with religious institutions and the ongoing conflict between religious beliefs and sexuality. I will discuss messages received from the Pentecostal church, family, and Latino community, and how these messages influenced my human development and emotional well-being. I show that internalization of the principles taught by the Pentecostal Church triggered a conflict when I became aware of my homosexuality. In this article, I discuss the mental health challenges I faced, and strategies I used to reconcile conflicting identities. I also discuss the use of autoethnography in social work and its implications in social work research and practice.

scholarly journals Psychological Distress Among the U.S. General Population During the COVID-19 Pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christi J. Guerrini ◽  
Sophie C. Schneider ◽  
Andrew G. Guzick ◽  
Gifty N. Amos Nwankwo ◽  
Isabel Canfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Healthy Behaviors ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Clinically Significant ◽  
Amazon's Mechanical Turk

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a significant global toll on emotional well-being, but evidence of mental health impacts in the United States remains limited. In April 2020, we conducted an exploratory survey of U.S. residents to understand prevalence of and factors associated with psychological distress during the pandemic. Data collection was conducted using Qualtrics, an online survey platform, and U.S. adult respondents were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk platform. Among 1,366 respondents, 42% (n = 571) reported clinically significant anxiety and 38% (n = 519) reported clinically significant depression. Factors associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms included Hispanic/Latino ethnicity; younger age; lower income; employment as or living with a health care worker-first responder; caregiver status; SARS-CoV-2 infection status; decreased frequency of engagement in healthy behaviors; and changed frequency of engagement in unhealthy behaviors. That some of these factors are associated with elevated distress during the pandemic is not yet widely appreciated and might be useful in informing management of mental health care resources.

Tolerance and the labor supply of cohabiting gays and lesbians

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-28
Author(s):  
Mary Eschelbach Hansen ◽  
Michael E. Martell ◽  
Leanne Roncolato
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Labor Supply ◽  
Division Of Labor ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
The United States ◽  
Paid Work ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Heterosexual Women ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Average State

Abstract Tolerance of sexual minorities is presumed to matter, but its effects are under-studied. Because tolerance can affect both experiences at work and division of labor in the household, we study the relationship between tolerance and the time cohabiting gay men and lesbian women spend in paid work across the United States. In the average state, the increase in tolerance between 2003 and 2015 is associated with an increase in paid work of about 1 week per year among cohabiting gay men. Though not robustly statistically significant, the increase in tolerance is associated with a decrease in paid work among cohabiting lesbian women relative to heterosexual women.

Volunteering among Older Lesbian and Gay Adults: Associations with Mental, Physical and Social Well-Being

2020 ◽  
pp. 089826432095291
Author(s):  
Anthony Lyons ◽  
Beatrice Alba ◽  
Andrea Waling ◽  
Victor Minichiello ◽  
Mark Hughes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Community Connectedness ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Lesbian And Gay ◽  
Survey Results ◽  
Potential Factors ◽  
Insight Into

Objectives: Volunteering is associated with positive well-being among older people, providing opportunities to stay active and socially connected. This may be especially relevant for older lesbian and gay people, who are less likely than heterosexual people to have a partner, children or support from their family of origin. Methods: Patterns of volunteering and mental, physical and social well-being were examined in a sample of 754 lesbian and gay adults in Australia aged 60 years and older who completed a nationwide survey. Results: Volunteers reported greater positive mental health than non-volunteers. Among the gay men, volunteers additionally reported higher self-rated health and social support and lower psychological distress. Both the lesbian women and gay men who volunteered for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) organisations also reported greater LGBTI community connectedness than volunteers for non-LGBTI organisations. Discussion: These findings provide further insight into potential factors associated with the well-being of older lesbian and gay adults.

scholarly journals Using Grounded Theory to Understand a Cutting-Edge Issue: Effects of Integrative Tactics on Chinese Gay Men’s and Lesbians’ Social Well-Being

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 ◽  
pp. 160940691989834
Author(s):  
Xuan Ning ◽  
Chau-Kiu Cheung ◽  
Sijia Guo
Keyword(s):  
Grounded Theory ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Soft Power ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Critical Conditions ◽  
Primary Concern ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Power Bases ◽  
Negotiation Processes ◽  
Social Minorities

This study aims to demonstrate how grounded theory can be used to explore and analyze negotiation processes between self-identified gay men and lesbians and their parents. For a majority of Chinese gay men and lesbians, marriage proves to be the primary concern that drives negotiations with parents. Extant research documents the precarious consequences of gay men’s and lesbians’ social well-being yielded by these negotiations, which primarily employ distributive negotiating tactics. As integrative tactics prove to be conducive to favorable outcomes, their application in same-sex children’s negotiation with parents informs the present study. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 25 Chinese participants (15 gay men and 10 lesbian women). Grounded theory analysis of interviewee data identified a grounded theory of soft-power-based negotiation, which illustrated detailed negotiation processes between gay men and lesbians and their parents and critical conditions mediating this process. The grounded theory elaborated concrete soft-power bases and integrative tactics used by participants and their parents. Conditions for integrative tactics to sustain gay men and lesbians’ social well-being emerged. Results implied viable solutions for resolving conflicts between social minorities and social majorities in general.

Gender Role Conflict Scale: Validation for a Sample of Gay Men and Lesbian Women

2012 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 227-232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin J. Herdman ◽  
Dale R. Fuqua ◽  
Namok Choi ◽  
Jody L. Newman
Keyword(s):  
Gender Role ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Role Conflict ◽  
Gender Role Conflict ◽  
Scale Validation ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
The United States ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Expressive Dimension ◽  
Conflict Scale

This study tested the oblique four-factor model of the Gender Role Conflict Scale for a sample of gay men and lesbian women residing in the United States. 400 gay men and 292 lesbian women recruited from university and college gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender LISTSERVs participated. The internal consistency reliability of the Gender Role Conflict Scale scores was high, but low means on the expressive dimension of gender role conflict were noted. The results of two separate sets of confirmatory factor analyses indicated that the four-factor model's fit to the data could be enhanced for both groups by applying item parceling to lower the number of indicators per factor, suggesting that the actual structural validity of the Gender Role Conflict Scale may be better than suggested by the reported fit indices.

An Examination of Domestic Violence Advocates’ Responses to Reproductive Coercion

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (9-10) ◽  
pp. 2082-2106
Author(s):  
Sara A. McGirr ◽  
Heather D. Bomsta ◽  
Cortney Vandegrift ◽  
Katie Gregory ◽  
Beth Ann Hamilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Domestic Violence ◽  
Organizational Support ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Female Partners ◽  
Reproductive Coercion ◽  
Marginalized Women ◽  
Type Of Abuse

Reproductive coercion (RC) is a form of intimate partner violence (IPV) that continues to lack adequate attention by both researchers and practitioners. RC is defined as “male partners’ attempts to promote pregnancy in their female partners through verbal pressure and threats to become pregnant (pregnancy coercion), direct interference with contraception (birth control sabotage), and threats and coercion related to pregnancy continuation or termination (control of pregnancy outcomes).” This type of partner violence can have serious consequences on a survivor’s health and well-being. Despite the fact that RC has been reported by many women experiencing IPV, and that this type of abuse appears to be disproportionately targeted against marginalized women, little is known about the extent to which advocates either proactively or reactively address it. To redress this, the current study involved a brief online survey sent to domestic violence victim service advocates across the United States and its territories. More than 700 advocates responded about their comfort, practices, and perceived barriers related to RC and survivors’ sexual health. Despite identifying (a) low levels of discomfort when discussing most topics relating to RC and (b) few barriers to discussing RC, few advocates reported regularly engaging in RC-related practices. Both greater levels of discomfort and identification of more barriers were associated with less frequent coercion-related practice. Study implications highlight the need for more specialized advocate training, and organizational support for advocates to comfortably and safely provide information and support about RC to survivors.

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