Sexuality & Gender Diversity

Gay and bisexual (GB) men report greater body dissatisfaction compared with heterosexual men, and this dissatisfaction has been found to increase with age. It has been posited that this difference arises in part due to characteristics of the gay community. Strategies regarding fitness (behavioral and intentional) have the potential to buffer the relationship between gay community connections and negative self-appraisals of body image and aging. Further, these effects may differ for older GB men, such as those with HIV. The current study uses data from the “Understanding Patterns of Healthy Aging among Men Who Have Sex with Men” (HAMSM) study, a substudy of the MACS/WIHS Combined Cohort Study (MWCCS). We will examine the relationships between connection to the gay community and self-appraisals of body image discrepancy and aging, and whether these relationships are affected by fitness coping strategies. Findings will inform our understanding of the impact of aging among GB men and potentially identify intervention targets to lessen distress.