Homosexual Discretion and Good Taste: Two Rules That Govern Homosexual Sociability Space in Santiago de Chile

Homosexual sociability space in Santiago is not socially homogenous. Beyond non-heterosexual identities segmentation (gay, lesbian, queer, BDSM, etc.), the present article proposes a reflection observing certain social distinctions or differences that come into play to create a hierarchy among gay and lesbian individuals within that space. Using a qualitative approximation, we analyze the discourse of homosexual men and women about ways to display homosexuality in different places in the city, as well as some sociability practices used in homosexual venues. The resulting social hierarchy is understood through two central subjective rules: discretion and good taste, dynamic mechanisms that perpetuate the distance among groups within the same sociability space, and to some extent reproduce the city’s class structure. Given that material means to privatize and sophisticate homosexual expression are unequally distributed in Santiago, the resulting differentiated social networks end up configuring the visibility strategies of homosexual identity played out in the city in the last years.     

Sexual Orientation Change Efforts and the Search for Authenticity

This article is based on structured interviews of a sample of 15 former participants in sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), who currently identify as gay or lesbian. The primary research question for this study was, “What was the experience of self-identified gay men and lesbians who went through some type of SOCE and eventually asserted themselves as gay or lesbian?” The research concludes that participants sometimes identified as heterosexual during SOCE, but never changed their underlying homosexual orientation, and that suppression, disconnection, and a sense of inauthenticity were significant phenomena of this process.     

Sociopolitical and Cultural Correlates of Internalized Homonegativity in Gay and Bisexual Men: Findings from a Global Study

Objectives: Based on the premise that internalized homonegativity (IH) is a product of the incorporation of environmental heterosexism, the authors examined the influence of sociopolitical and individual influences on IH. Methods: The cross-sectional study consisted of 109,382 gay and bisexual men across 77 countries. Results: Variables at the (European) country-level that were associated with higher levels of IH included lack of laws recognizing same-sex relationships and perceived and actual negative gay-related public opinion about homosexuals. Individual-level variables significantly associated with IH were public opinion about homosexuals and exposure to gay-related victimization/discrimination. Conclusions: An improved sociopolitical climate for LGB individuals is needed.     

BOOK REVIEWS

No abstract available for this article.     

Homosexual role separation: Implications for analyzing and modeling the spread of HIV

The analysis of the spread of HIV in homosexual populations must be based on knowledge of all factors which promote or inhibit transmission. Recently, data were reported from the Amsterdam cohort study that imply that sexual role separation and the changes therein should be taken into account in analyzing and modeling the spread of HIV. In this paper, a role separation mixing model is described and linked to data from the Amsterdam cohort. The model allows one to study the impact of homosexual role separation on the spread of HIV. The homosexual men are classified into four sexual subgroups based on the preference for: 1) no anal intercourse; 2) anal insertive only; 3) anal receptive only; 4) both insertive and receptive. The analysis accounts for variability and change in homosexual role behavior and loss to follow up. The results support the conjecture that there are large differences between the risks of receptive and insertive anal intercourse, with the latter carrying only minimal risk. The analysis indicates that the spread of HIV is mostly restricted to subgroup 4, the largest and sexually most active subgroup. In this subgroup, the estimated probability of HIV transmission from an infected insertive partner (in subgroup 2 or 4) to a receptive susceptible (in subgroup 4) is between 1 and 5 percent (assuming a closed cohort).     

A Pilot Study About the Needs of Older Gays and Lesbians

Abstract

In a pilot study, a population of gay and lesbian elders were surveyed to determine what types of long term plans they have made in preparation for their old age, what types of information they feel service providers need to know to better meet their long-term needs, and what is their perception of aging. The results of this pilot study demonstrated that almost three-fourths of the total sample have started to make plans for growing old. The respondents reported that social workers needed to be more knowledgeable about gay lifestyles and the importance of their partners. It was also found that the views of aging became more positive as the gay and lesbian individuals grow older.     

Mental Health Implications of Same-Sex Marriage

SUMMARY

Marriage is a mental health protective factor and homosexuality is sometimes a risk factor. The combined effect of these factors on mental health was examined in this study. We conducted a secondary analysis of an international, cross-sectional survey completed in 2000 (N = 7,616). We examined risks of suicide ideations and attempts, behavioral problems, and treatment histories for male and female participants from Canada and the United States. We found significant relations between sexual orientation and suicidality in all four gender-country groups. We found significant associations between relationship status and suicidality for men but not women in both countries. Behavioral problems and treatment histories were equivocal. We discuss the mental health implications of these findings for same-sex marriage.     

Minority Stress,Parenting Styles,and Mental Health in Brazilian Homosexual Men

ABSTRACT

Homosexual men are constantly exposed to prejudice and violence in Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between minority stress, parenting styles, and indicators of mental health problems in a sample of homosexual men. Method: quantitative, cross-sectional, correlational, and retrospective design. Participants were 101 Brazilian men who selfidentified as homosexuals, aged between 18 and 55 years. Results: concealing sexual identity was a predictor of depression and stress. Parental responsiveness was associated with a lower incidence of enacted stigma and depression. Conclusions: the mental health of homosexual men can be negatively affected by the need to conceal their sexual orientation. Parental responsiveness is a protective factor in terms of experiencing enacted stigma and depression. The results found in the study may be useful for counselors and social workers who are working with LGBT people and their families.     

Big lie, small world: what e. Lynn harris wanted readers to understand about the struggle for african american, homosexual males seeking to attain the american dream

This article will examine the social implications for African American homosexual males seeking to achieve the American Dream. Invisible Life and Just as I Am-the first two novels in a trilogy by the late E. Lynn Harris writing from a semi-autobiographical perspective in late-twentieth century America-will serve as the texts that drive this research topic. Careful analysis of these works will substantiate the assertion that the American Dream, even on the cusp of the new millennium, is just beyond the grasp of this specific subpopulation.     

Pierre Elliott Trudeau and Bill C-150: A Rational Approach to Homosexual Acts, 1968–69

Between 1968 and 1969, Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau sparked a controversy surrounding his liberal government's passage of Bill C-150, which not only decriminalized homosexual acts between consenting adults in private, but also polarized supporters of natural law and positive law. What tipped the balance in favor of a more secular analysis of homosexuality? In the post-World War II era, three events were particularly relevant to the successful passage of Bill C-150: the Kinsey (1948 Kinsey, A. C. 1948. Sexual behavior in the human male, Philadelphia: W.B. Sanders.  [Google Scholar]) studies, Britain's Wolfenden Report (1957), and the Supreme Court of Canada case Klippert v. The Queen (des Rivieres & Shipley, 1967 des Rivieres, F. and Shipley, M. 1967. “Canada law reports: The Supreme Court of Canada”. In Klippert v. The Queen, Ottawa: King's Printer.  [Google Scholar]). However, the Liberals, Conservatives, Social Credit Party, and the Ralliement Créditistes were all influenced by the social construction of inversion, openly expressing a Judeo-Christian natural law bias during Debates of the House of Commons (1968-69). Nonetheless, it was the Liberals that were identified as forces within Canadian politics that could separate legalism from moralism, even while retaining personal moral stances against homosexuals. It is this paradox that is often forgotten when discussing liberal policy in Canada during the late 1960s.