LGBT (Lecture)

Question 1

What are “Distal factors”?

Answer 1

Environmental/contextual factors
The highest level of the hierarchy.

Structural prejudice- legal differences even though lots has changed- still impacts today (adoption when people were younger)
Prejudice events- Verbal abuse, not having rent approved, harassment at work
Informal prejudice- Within family settings, church, community settings
Stigma

Question 2

What are “Proximal factors”?

Answer 2

Influenced by distal factors.
How do you deal with these factors? Do you express or suppress your sexuality? Coping structures

Financial status
Concealment or suppression
Internalised homophobia
Self-devaluation

Question 3

What are health outcomes?

Answer 3

Outcomes of how you deal

Anxiety
Suicide ideation
STDs
Substance abuse

Question 4

What is the micro-aggressions theory?

Answer 4

(Nadal 2011)

A less direct verbal expression of indirect disapproval/judgement
“That’s so gay”

Question 5

Inequalities in Adults

How many times more are you likely to suffer depression or depressive disorder if you are gay/bi?

Answer 5

1.5-3.5x

Question 6

Inequalities in Adults

How many times more are you likely to attempt suicide if you are gay/bi?

Answer 6

7-10 x

Question 7

Issue with “self responsibilisation”?

Answer 7

Idea that it’ll be better at some point- self responsibilisation you have to get yourself to get better- do it on your own.

Question 8

What was the focus of questions in the Health in Middlesex Men Matters (HiMMM) Study?

Answer 8

Focus on questions regarding perceived acceptance in:
Broader community
Gay community

Inequalities of perceived social acceptance across age groups

Question 9

Individual Traumas

Answer 9

“… we’re a feeder community drawing from a lot of smaller communities … I grew up in a place called [name withheld], when I came out with my father he said now why do you want to do that … you know how much I hate fags. …there’s this instantaneous revulsion … very few parents … who would even consider that [their] child may be homosexual … for the most part, no, and it’s a sense of failure. It’s like having a disabled, crippled child. You know, there’s tons of guilt. I’m sure my parents went through all of that.”

⁻Steve, 45, gay-identified

Question 10

Major events:

Answer 10

Decriminalization (1969)

Before 1973 = mental disorder, suicides related

Question 11

USA vs UK

Answer 11

UK no you’re not gonna go to jail about it but don’t talk about it

Question 12

3 different ways of defining the LGB population:

Answer 12

Self-identification
‘Attraction’
Having had a same-sex sexual partner in the past 5 years

Question 13

What did we find?
Fair/Poor health:

Why?

Answer 13

Increase in fair/poor health happens earlier in life (25-44) for LGB

The transition to adulthood may be more dramatic for an LGB person.

Question 14

What did we find?
Excess alcohol use:

Why?

Answer 14

No significant reduction after age 24 for LGB as compared to heterosexual.

Could be due to delay in coming out- social life being organised around a set of places- bars and pubs- less chance of having children.

Question 15

What did we find?
Smoke:

Why?

Answer 15

No significant reduction in 2000-2012 for LGB as compared to heterosexual
This was likely due to smoking increasing in the 16-24 age category

In the environment of gay bars, nightlifes- drinking = smoking that kind of environment

Question 16

In the past 10-15 years, improvement of health is lagging for LGB people, why?

Answer 16

Public health interventions (e.g., smoking ban) may not have as much effect
Stigma/stress, unevenness of social outlets.

Question 17

What is the “minority stress theory”?

Answer 17

Illan Meyer in 1990s.

The notion that LGBT people experience a unique set of stresses-due to their sexuality.

Social stigma, remaining closeted, percieving inability to have a normal relationship, percieving don’t have same rights…

Leads to low self-esteem, acceptance etc.

Rooted in society, not the brain.