Chubby gay men
These health inequalities have been explained and studied within the minority stress framework, according to which living in an unfavorable social environment-characterized by prejudice and discrimination towards members of minority groups-is associated with chronically elevated levels of stress, and therefore adversely affects the well-being of burdened populations.
Multiple studies associated exposure to stigma with health disparities in various populations, including the gay and bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM), disproportionately affected by both physical and mental health problems compared to the general population.
Chubby gay men drivers#
Over the last few decades, stigma has been recognized as one of the fundamental drivers of population health. Our results suggest that although Bear-identified men are characterized by their similarities to other gay men, subcultural identities create unique social contexts that are important for health and health interventions in this population. Higher BMI in the case of Bear-identified men predicted higher self-esteem. In the case of Bear-identified men, age, perceived exposure to weight discrimination, and BMI were also significant predictors of self-esteem. Perceived sexual minority stigma negatively, and resilience positively, predicted self-esteem. Linear regression models were performed for the entire sample (N = 60) and for Bear-identified men (N = 31). Our sample consisted of 60 men from the Polish Bear community (i.e., Bears, Cubs, Otters, Wolves). We explored the significance of such predictors as: perceived sexual minority and weight stigma, age, resilience, and physique as reflected by the BMI. In this study we focused on the determinants of self-esteem in Bears. Previous research documented the various health risks, and the exposure to both sexual minority and weight stigma, of this population.
Bears are distinguished by a particular body look-body hirsuteness and heavy-set physique. Bear subculture exists within a larger gay community, which has been recognized by public health experts as disproportionately burdened with stigma and related health adversities.