In general, young men who have sex with men (YMSM) have low rates of minority stress and good sexual function. But some would benefit from sexual health interventions, according to a recent Journal of Sexual Medicine study.
In particular, the researchers looked at the effects of minority stress, defined as chronic stigmatization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) individuals.
The 678 study participants were cisgender men who have sex with men. They ranged in age from 16 to 29 years, with an average age of 23 years. About three-quarters identified as gay, and 81% were HIV-negative. During the previous six months, 82% had been sexually active. About half said they’d had at least one serious partner during that time, and over half had had at least one casual partner.
The men completed a series of questionnaires that evaluated their sexual function during the previous 30 days (sexual interest, erectile function, orgasm satisfaction, global satisfaction with their sex lives, and anal discomfort).
They also answered questions on minority stress, which evaluated internalized stigma (the desire to be straight), LGBT victimization, frequency of experienced microaggressions, and comfort with neighbors’ knowing their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Average levels of minority stress were low for the group. “On average, participants did not feel internally stigmatized, did not experience victimization, experienced microaggressions less than a few times, and felt comfortable in their neighborhoods,” the authors wrote.
Sexual function assessments were also generally positive. However, almost 14% of the men said they had trouble with erections, and 7% rated their satisfaction with orgasms as “less than ‘good.’” Twenty percent said they were “somewhat” or less satisfied with their recent sexual experiences, and 9% had problems during receptive anal sex.
The researchers had hypothesized that minority stress would affect sexual interest and erectile function, but this was not the case. They noted that the biological bases of these aspects might make them “less sensitive to the effects of stigma.”
They noted that race, sexual orientation, HIV status, and sexual partner characteristics did appear to influence sexual function.
Internalized stigma was negatively associated with overall sexual satisfaction, but neighborhood acceptance was linked to better orgasm satisfaction. Sexually active men tended to have more sexual interest and orgasm satisfaction. A recent serious partnership was associated with interest and overall satisfaction.
The authors recommended further research along with interventions and policies that address LGBT stigmas.
Resources
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Li, Dennis H., PhD, MPH, et al.
“Stigma on the Streets, Dissatisfaction in the Sheets: Is Minority Stress Associated with Decreased Sexual Functioning Among Young Men Who Have Sex with Men?”
(Full-text. Published online: January 21, 2019)
https://www.jsm.jsexmed.org/article/S1743-6095(18)31384-5/fulltext