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This study examined the extent to which social stress stemming from a stigmatized social status (i.e., minority stress) was associated with three domains of health in younger as compared with older age cohorts of sexual minority individuals. Data were analyzed from the Generations Study, a longitudinal study using a probability sample (N = 1518) of age cohorts of sexual minority individuals in the USA. Exposure to a variety of minority stressors was associated with poorer health for all age cohorts. We hypothesized that because of improved social and legal environments in recent years, the associations between minority stress and health would be diminished in the younger cohort. As expected, we found that the associations between some minority stressors and health outcomes were diminished in the younger cohort compared to older cohorts. Positive associations between community connectedness and mental health and social well-being were observed for all participants but were attenuated in the younger cohort. Findings demonstrate the continuing negative association between minority stress and health among sexual minorities, which, despite some attenuation, persists even for young cohorts of sexual minority individuals in a more equal and accepting social climate.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with Truvada has emerged as an increasingly common approach to HIV prevention among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men. This study examined generational differences and similarities in narrative accounts of PrEP among a diverse sample of 89 gay and bisexual men in the U.S. Over 50% of men in the older (52-59 years) and younger (18-25 years) generations endorsed positive views, compared with 32% of men in the middle (34-41 years) generation. Men in the middle cohort expressed the most negative (21%) and ambivalent (47%) views of PrEP. Thematic analysis of men's narratives revealed three central stories about the perceived impact of PrEP: (1) PrEP has a positive impact on public health by preventing HIV transmission (endorsed more frequently by men in the older and younger cohorts); (2) PrEP has a positive effect on gay and bisexual men's sexual culture by decreasing anxiety and making sex more enjoyable (endorsed more frequently by men in the middle and younger cohorts); and (3) PrEP has a negative impact on public health and sexual culture by increasing condomless, multi-partner sex (endorsed more frequently by men in the middle and younger cohorts). Results are discussed in terms of the significance of generation cohort in meanings of sexual health and culture and implications for public health approaches to PrEP promotion among gay and bisexual men.

Due to significant historical change in the late 20th and early 21st century related to both health and cultural attitudes toward homosexuality, gay men of distinct birth cohorts may diverge considerably in their health and identity development. We argue that research on gay men's health has not adequately considered the significance of membership in distinct generation-cohorts, and we present a life course paradigm to address this problem. Focusing on the U.S. as an exemplar that can be adapted to other cultural contexts, we identify five generations of gay men alive today and review unique issues related to health and identity development for each. Implications for research, practice, and advocacy on gay men's health and development are discussed.

Voice‐based sexual orientation (SO) judgements can prompt group‐based discrimination. However, the relationships between stigmatization and essentialist beliefs about vocal cues to SO have not been researched. Two studies examined heterosexuals' and gay men's and lesbian women's essentialist beliefs about voice as a cue of SO to uncover essentialist beliefs' role in the perpetration and experience of stigma. In Study 1 (N = 363), heterosexual participants believed voice was a better cue to SO for men than for women, and participants' belief in the discreteness, immutability, and controllability of 'gay‐sounding' voices was correlated with higher avoidant discrimination towards gay‐sounding men. In Study 2 (N = 147), endorsement of essentialist beliefs about voice as a SO cue was associated with self‐perceptions of sounding gay amongst gay men and lesbians. Sexual minority participants, especially gay men, who believed that they sounded gay reported more anticipation of rejection and engaged in vigilance in response. Essentialist beliefs about vocal cues to SO are relevant to explaining both the perpetration of stigma by heterosexuals and the experience of stigma for lesbians and gay men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the role of nonevent stress--in the form of frustrated personal project pursuits in the arenas of relationships and work--as a contributing factor to mental health disparities between heterosexual and lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) populations. A purposive sample of 431 LGB (55%) and heterosexually identified (45%) individuals living in the United States and Canada completed the Personal Project Inventory by describing and rating core personal projects they were pursuing. The intensity of perceived barriers to the achievement of relationship- and work-related personal projects served as indicators nonevent stress. Hierarchical linear regression models tested the hypothesis that nonevent stress contributes to the association between sexual orientation and two indicators of mental health: depressive symptoms and psychological well-being. LGB individuals had significantly more depressive symptoms and lower levels of psychological well-being than heterosexuals. Indicators of nonevent stress were significantly associated with mental health outcomes and their inclusion in models attenuated sexual orientation differences in mental health. The critical indirect pathway leading from sexual minority status to mental health occurred via barriers to relationship projects from interpersonal sources. This research suggests that nonevent stress because of structural and interpersonal stigma may contribute to mental health disparities between LGB and heterosexual individuals. The findings have important implications for policy reform around same-sex relationship recognition and workplace discrimination. Future research and clinical work will benefit by expanding existing foci on stress to include nonevent stressors to better understand and address mental health problems, particularly in LGB populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In psychotherapeutic and lesbian popular culture literatures, there is an assumption that female same-sex couples are overly close and lack boundaries, a concept called “fusion.” Empirical efforts have yet to demonstrate whether fusion is experienced more often among women in same-sex relationships than among men in same-sex relationships or among men and women in heterosexual relationships. Furthermore, research on the topic has yet to fully incorporate feminist perspectives that challenge assumptions that high levels of closeness in and of themselves are problematic. Our study employed measures of Inclusion of Other in Self (Aron, Aron, & Smollan, 1992) to examine the distribution of indicators of fusion among 76 women and 58 men in same-sex relationships and 1,221 women and 285 men in heterosexual relationships. Women in same-sex couples differed from the other groups on only one indicator of fusion—they were more likely to desire less closeness in their relationships, even though their current relationships were rated as close as other types of relationships. Our study suggests that widely held assumptions that women in same-sex couples experience and idealize pathologically high closeness are not accurate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents an integrative review of current and classic theory and research on social stigma and its consequences for the socially stigmatized. Specific attention is paid to stigma-related processes surrounding race/ethnicity, gender, and sexual orientation. The origins and perpetration of social stigma are discussed alongside perspectives on how stigmatized groups and individuals experience stigma-related stress. Consideration is given to responses to stigma in the form of coping, social support, and meaning-making processes. Both the potential negative and positive consequences of social stigma are highlighted in this review through the integration of predominant social psychological theory with emerging critical and feminist theories of positive marginality and resistance. The paper culminates in a theoretical process model designed to provoke future theory and research that share its integrative aims. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voice-based categorisation of others’ sexual orientations, known as auditory gaydar judgments, can represent stressful and stigmatising events for targets. This mixed-methods study examined sense-making about others’ auditory gaydar judgements. Sixty-seven lesbian women and 77 gay men described negative episodes in which they thought that their sexual orientation was inferred from their voices. Those reporting such experiences also rated their emotional distress and their engagement with coping strategies. Those reporting no experiences explained why they might have had none. We analysed whether participants’ judgements represented stigmatising experiences and how gender conformity perceptions shaped individuals’ sense-making. Gay men reported experiencing auditory gaydar more often, rated such experiences as more emotionally distressing, and reported engaging more with coping strategies than lesbian women did. Gay men described both being stigmatised by others’ gaydar judgements and their own attempts to sound straight. Gaydar experiences of gay men were occasioned by deviations from gender conformity. Lesbians’ experiences were sometimes interpreted through emic subcultural gender concepts. In line with the minority stress model, auditory gaydar judgements should be considered as stressors contributing to individuals’ wellbeing, at least for gay men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its centrality to social stress theory, research on the social patterning of stress exposure and coping resources has been sparse and existing research shows conflicting results. We interviewed 396 gay, lesbian and bisexual, and 128 heterosexual people in New York City to examine variability in exposure to stress related to sexual orientation, gender, and race/ethnicity. Multiple linear regressions showed clear support for the social stress hypothesis with regard to race/ethnic minority status, somewhat mixed support with regard to sexual orientation, and no support with regard to gender. We discuss this lack of parsimony in social stress explanations for health disparities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]