title: Community involvement among behaviourally bisexual men in the Midwestern USA: experiences and perceptions across communities.
abstract: Limited research exists regarding community involvement and social support among behaviourally bisexual men. Previous studies suggest that bisexual men experience high levels of social stigma in both heterosexual and homosexual community settings. Research focusing on social support has demonstrated that individuals with limited access to similar individuals experience greater risk for negative health outcomes. Using a community-based research design, participants were recruited using multiple methods. Researchers conducted in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 75 men who reported having engaged in bisexual behaviour within the past six months. Interviews elucidated the experiences of behaviourally bisexual men in heterosexual and homosexual settings, as well as their perceptions of the existence of a bisexual community or bisexual spaces. All participants perceived a lack of a visible bisexual community and expressed difficulty with being comfortable, or a feeling of belonging, within a variety of heterosexual and homosexual community spaces. Findings suggest the need for interventions focused on community building among, as well as creating spaces specifically designed for, bisexual men in order to increase perceived social support and decrease isolation and possible negative health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA. bmdodge@indiana.edu
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dodge
authors.forename: Phillip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Schnarrs
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reece
authors.forename: Gabriel
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Goncalves
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: Ryan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nix
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Malebranche
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Van Der Pol
authors.forename: Maresa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: J Dennis
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Fortenberry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015146:Midwestern United States; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D057545:Social Stigma; D012944:Social Support