Being a good boy: pup play, body image, and the self for gay, bi, trans, and queer men.

Puppy play is a kink activity, in which people dress as, take on the role of, and mimic the physical and emotional behaviours of young canines or pups. We explore how the pup identity, depicted in cellphilms by queer men who are part of the pup community, influences men's body image perceptions using multimodal critical discourse analysis. Participants expressed feelings of dissonance, shame, and self-rejection when viewing themselves as humans, but conveyed excitement, pleasure, and self-celebration when viewing themselves as pups. Participants depicted their body images being transformed by way of puppy gear, puppy spaces, handlers, and playmates, which was said to foster more (self-)acceptance, playfulness, and freedom. This study highlights the potential for puppy play to provide a transformative experience for individuals, allowing participants to explore, re-signify, and embrace their bodies as pups.

Exploring Food Security and Mental Health Among Street-Involved Canadian 2S/LGBTQI+ Youth: A Review of the Literature.

The purpose of this literature review is to evaluate the extant research addressing food insecurity and mental health among street-involved 2S/LGBTQI+ youth in Canada. Searches were undertaken in academic databases, Google, and Google Scholar for relevant research articles, reports, and grey literature. Our team found nil research specifically addressing food insecurity and the mental health of street-involved 2S/LGBTQI+ youth in Canada. Given that, contextual and contributory factors affecting the mental health and food security of this population are discussed. The available research demonstrates a significant misalignment between the existing support mechanisms and the requirements of this specific population. This underscores the urgent necessity for the establishment of structurally competent, safe, and easily accessible resources. Moreover, there is a clear imperative for additional research endeavors aimed at addressing knowledge deficiencies. These efforts are crucial in empowering dietitians to facilitate enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration, thereby fostering the creation of sustainable, accessible, and appropriate food systems tailored to the needs of this vulnerable demographic.

"There's an Etiquette to Zoom That's Not Really Present In-Person": A Qualitative Study Showing How the Mute Button Shapes Virtual Postpartum Support for New Parents.

Virtual spaces that allow parents in the postpartum period to connect, support each other, and exchange information have been increasing in popularity. With the COVID-19 pandemic, many parents had to rely on virtual platforms as a primary means to connect with others and attend to their postpartum health. This study explored virtual postpartum support sessions through the web-based videoconferencing software, Zoom. Guided by feminist poststructuralism and sociomaterialism, we held seven virtual support sessions for parents caring for a baby 0-12 months in age, in Canada, and interviewed 19 participants about their experiences in the sessions. Our methodological approach allowed us to analyze discourses of (1) parenthood, (2) material realities of virtual environments, and (3) support and information on this virtual platform. The purpose of this research was to understand how technology influences postpartum support and learning through online videoconferencing for parents. Our findings document an overarching discourse of Zoom etiquette by which muting was a discursive practice that all participants used. The consistent use of the mute button while not talking structured conversation in virtual postpartum sessions and resulted in three themes: (1) minimizing disruptions; (2) taking turns; and (3) staying on task. The norm of using the mute button changed how parents received and gave support and information. Based on findings and broader literature, we discuss considerations for facilitation of virtual postpartum support sessions.

Wicked Bodies: A Health and Well-Being Toolkit Addressing Eating Disorders Within LGBTQIA2S+ Communities.

Wicked Bodies is a toolkit for addressing eating disorder in LGBTQIA2S+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual, Two-Spirit, and other sexual and gender minority) communities, an increasing prevalent issue that can have serious consequences on the health and well-being for LGBTQIA2S+ people. The toolkit consists of a series of short films and a discussion guidebook that provide a template that can be used for engaging with LGBTQIA2S+ youth through a lens of compassion and cultural humility. Wicked Bodies does this by presenting the lived experiences of a diverse range of LGBTQIA2S+ individuals navigating sociocultural pressures, gender expectations, and peer-based ideals around body weight and shape. Feedback from three screening events revealed that Wicked Bodies has the potential to be transformative as a health promotion initiative.

Exploring Food and Nutrition Programming for People Living With HIV/AIDS: Interviews With Service Providers in Nova Scotia, Canada.

There is a lack of nutritional programming and resources available for people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Nova Scotia, Canada. This is problematic for several reasons, including that adequate food and nutrition knowledge is integrated to effective medical therapy and wellness for PLWHA. The aim of this research was to explore and describe the beliefs, values, and experiences of HIV-service providers involved programming for PLWHA in Nova Scotia. Using a post-structuralist lens, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine service providers. Thematic analysis of interview transcripts identified four main themes: (1) recognizing the social determinants of health, (2) acknowledging and disrupting layered stigma, (3) understanding the commensality, and (4) navigating and utilizing networks of care. These findings suggest that those developing, delivering, and evaluating food and nutrition-related programming must engage in community-inclusive approaches that recognize the varied social determinants of health that shape the lived of PLWHA, leverage existing networks and resources, and actively disrupt layered stigma. Also, in agreement with existing evidence, participants stressed the value of communicating and supporting the practice of eating together (commensality) and cultivating networks of care.

Safe, Seen, and Supported: Navigating Eating Disorders Recovery in the 2SLGBTQ+ Communities.

Purpose: Our purpose was to explore the experiences of self-identifying Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (2SLGBTQ+) Canadians in treatments for their eating disorders (EDs). By knowing more about their experiences, we hoped to better understand how dietitians and ED service providers can better support 2SLGBTQ+ clients.Methods: Ten self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ individuals reporting concerns regarding body image or eating patterns, as well as accessing support services or treatments, within Canada were recruited through social media platforms. Participants took part in semi-structured interviews. Data were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Four themes are presented: (i) feelings of judgement and otherness, (ii) experiencing shame in EDs and 2SLGBTQ+ identity, (iii) perceiving a lack of understanding and knowledge, and (iv) sharing lived experiences with the care team.Conclusions: Increased focus on trauma-informed approaches to ED treatment in 2SLGBTQ+ populations are indicated so that 2SLGBTQ+ clients feel comfortable to share. Increased education in 2SLGBTQ+ terminology and gender expression is recommended for dietetic professionals. We also recommend increased recruitment efforts for more diverse care teams.

The Cost of a Nutritious Diet for Households Including People Living with HIV/AIDS in Nova Scotia: Findings and Lessons Learned by FoodNOW 2020 to 2022.

Purpose: FoodNOW (Food to eNhance Our Wellness) engaged in assessment of simulated households that include a person living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Nova Scotia to determine if a basic nutritious diet is affordable.Methods: We used supermarket websites to cost food and beverage items listed in the National Nutritious Food Basket (NNFB) for simulated households, each with a PLWHA. Food costing methodologies were co-developed and adapted with community members in response to barriers presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.Results: We found that simulated households, each with one PLWHA, that had a potential deficit after monthly expenses were a household of four on Income Assistance (-$1,058.70), a lone mother with two children on Income Assistance (-$973.65), a lone man on Income Assistance (-$677.40), and a household of four with one minimum-wage earner (-$383.45).Conclusions: Nova Scotia households with a PLWHA living on Income Assistance or with a minimum-wage earner cannot reasonably afford a nutritious diet in addition to basic household expenses. Using these food costing data can allow dietitians to efficiently inform government action and policy change to improve the health and wellness of individuals and families.

Compassionate Discourses: A Qualitative Study Exploring How Compassion Can Transform Healthcare for 2SLGBTQ+ People.

Compassion can be seen as a necessary, but often lacking, concept and practice in healthcare. Due to the cis-heteronormative nature of societies, people who identify as Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (2SLGBTQ+) often experience health disparities and disparities in accessing compassionate healthcare. We aimed to explore the meanings of compassion in healthcare for Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ people. Using a poststructuralist framework, 20 self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ participants were interviewed. Data was analyzed through discourse analysis. Three main discursive considerations are discussed, including (1) meanings and expectations of compassion in healthcare, (2) compassionate healthcare is not guaranteed, and (3) prescription for care: self-compassion for healing and health. The results provide insights into how compassionate healthcare is framed for 2SLGBTQ+ participants and how compassion is often lacking for them due to discourses of cis-heteronormativity and healthism.

"It Literally Can Save Lives": How Challenging Structural Inequities in Sexual Orientation and Gender Priorities Can Create Change in the Canadian Dietetic Profession.

Purpose: Our aim was to explore Canadian dietitians' knowledge, beliefs, and values relating to the nutritional care of Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and other queer groups (2SLGBTQ+).Methods: The research was qualitative and used a poststructural theoretical lens. Interviews were conducted with 16 Canadian dietitians. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis.Results: Three themes were noted: (i) moving away from the binary; (ii) systemic discrimination and 2SLGBTQ+ experiences; and (iii) professional organizations and advocacy. The participants discussed structural, professional, and cultural barriers that affect the nutrition and health experiences of sexual and gender diverse groups.Conclusion: Dietetic institutions and regulatory bodies must provide sexual and gender diversity resources and engage in activities that acknowledge the lives and nutritional concerns of sexual and gender diverse people. Such advocacy is a means to provide more inclusive and equitable care. Key recommendations for structural changes within the profession include using an intersectional lens and a critical dietetic approach to nutritional care.

Assemblages of excess and pleasures: The sociosexual uses of online and chemical technologies among men who have sex with men.

Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with new online and mobile technologies used to seek pleasures and connections. Poststructuralist (including queer) explorations of these new intensities show how bodies exist in the form of (political) surfaces able to connect with other bodies and with other objects where they may find/create a function (e.g., reproduce or disrupt hegemonies). This federally funded netnographic study explored how a variety of chemicals such as recreational drugs, pharmaceuticals and steroids are contributing to the construction of gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men (GBMSM) communities and their interactions with idealized masculinities in the age of increasing technology. Five major thematic categories emerged from our analysis: (1) assembling bodies and technologies, (2) becoming orgiastic, (3) experiencing stigma, (4) becoming machinic and (5) negotiating practices. Our analysis explores how and why GBMSM pursue excesses of pleasure and connection through the assemblages they make with sexualized drug use, online platforms and other men.

Empirical Evaluation of Rainbow Reflections: A Comic Book Anthology on Body Image for Queer Men.

Gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) men are at higher risk of negative body image. As having a negative body image is related to negative mood, sexual, and health outcomes, identifying and providing community-friendly tools for GBQ men is important. This paper describes the creation and evaluation of Rainbow Reflections, a comic anthology developed to promote awareness of and communication about body image. Rainbow Reflections includes comics from 38 trans- and cis-GBQ artists who drew inspiration from personal narratives based on pre-determined themes in the empirical literature and interactive inserts based on evidence-based practice. To evaluate Rainbow Reflections, 167 trans- and cis-GBQ men completed pre-post measures before/after viewing a selection of comics and responded to an open-ended question about their experience. Overall, participants rated the comic book positively, with a majority (61.1%) indicating that they would recommend the book to a friend. After viewing the comics, participants reported greater comfort with initiating conversations about body image, greater satisfaction with their bodies, and reported higher estimates of how common body image concerns are for queer men. Themes that emerged from open-ended responses included participants reflecting on personal struggles (~ 30%), relating with the stories of others (~ 22%), reflecting on the standards of queer men (~ 18%), recognizing cis-privilege (~ 11%), reflecting on others' struggles (~ 9%), negative feedback about the comics (~ 7%), and balancing masculine and feminine (~ 3%). Results of the study provide preliminary evidence for Rainbow Reflections as an effective community-friendly tool to promote awareness of and communication about body image for GBQ men.

Exploring the Experiences and the Nutritional Supports of LGBTQ+ Canadians during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, and other groups (LGBTQ+) within Canada. This research aimed to explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ Canadians in relation to their nutritional needs, practices, and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: The qualitative study was framed within a poststructuralism and queer theory paradigm and consisted of an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited and asked to complete open-ended questions. Responses were coded using thematic analysis.Results: Seventy participants completed the questionnaire. Data analysis resulted in 3 major themes, including (i) (dis)comforts of food and eating, (ii) shifting views of food and food practices, and (iii) what supports? The themes revealed that many LGBTQ+ individuals experienced stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a time in which their views and practices of food, cooking, and eating were changed. Nutritional supports were discussed in terms of family, friends, and partners.Conclusion: The findings highlight the complexity to the meanings people give to food, cooking, and eating during stressful times. It is recommended that dietitians familiarize themselves with the experiences of LGBTQ+ people, especially during times of global health emergencies to ensure equitable health care for LGBTQ+ communities.

Compassionate Bodies, Compassionate Practice: Navigating Body Image Tensions among Gay Men.

Our purpose in writing this Perspective in Practice is to create awareness about the role of compassion within dietetic practice, particularly the role of compassion for body image tensions. Nine self-identifying gay men were recruited to a photovoice research study that explored their beliefs, values, and practices relating to food and their bodies. Compassion was found as one way to navigate body images tensions. It is not the intent of this article to review all aspects of this research study but to use it as an example to illustrate compassion in dietetics. We suggest that our findings reveal the strength of using compassionate practice within the dietetic profession. In doing so, we call upon dietitians to incorporate compassion into their clinical and client care practices to foster health and healing for all communities, especially among those who struggle with body image tensions.

Men who are Dietitians: Deconstructing Gender within the Profession to Inform Recruitment.

Purpose: In Canada, few men are dietitians. Literature is sparse regarding why so few men are drawn to dietetics. This study, part of a larger qualitative study, explores the experiences of men who are dietitians throughout their training and careers using a phenomenology framework. The study examines the meanings participants make about dietetics in relation to recruitment. Methods: Semi-structured individual interviews with 6 men who are dietitians were completed, transcribed, and analyzed. Results: An overarching theme, "experiences and outcomes of a gendered profession", was related to the participants' perspectives concerning recruitment into the dietetic profession. Four sub-themes are reported: (i) societal gender division, (ii) gender division within the profession, (iii) isolation from men who are mentors and other men, and (iv) the need to deconstruct and change. The results provide insight into recruitment barriers and potential approaches for increasing the number of men within dietetics, including changing the perceptions of the profession, increasing role models for men, and dismantling gendered practices. Conclusion: Participants believed that increasing men within dietetics would be beneficial and would increase diversity. It is unlikely that recruitment of men will increase if the status quo and gender norms of the profession are not disrupted and challenged.

Queering Educational Practices in Dietetics Training: A Critical Review of LGBTQ Inclusion Strategies.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer people (LGBTQ) have unique concerns regarding their nutritional health while experiencing disparities within the Canadian healthcare system. Dietetic training programs often do not provide adequate knowledge or skills to students to be competent in meeting the needs of this population. Drawing from literature from other health programs, this paper outlines key strategies to the integration of LGBTQ curriculum into dietetic training programs. LGBTQ training can help students gain cultural competencies, knowledge and understanding of the LGBTQ communities, and the nutritional concerns within them.

Creation of University Wellness Program Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle Supports: A Knowledge-to-Action Process.

With the burdens that preventable health conditions place on individuals, workplaces, and society, workplace wellness programs (WWP) are critical to ensuring employees have access to health promotion supports tailored to their work environments. Such programs are best guided by a knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework; a theoretically grounded, systematic process that considers the ongoing exchange of knowledge with employees to engage them in health behaviour change and to garner employers' support for the interventions. Therefore the purpose of this project was to develop, implement, and evaluate WWP healthy eating and active lifestyle supports at a university. A KTA process guided the consultations with employees and stakeholders that led to the development and implementation of a range of resource effective supports and the incorporation of wellness in the organization culture. A key support was the Wellness Passport that encouraged participation in scheduled WWP activities, as well as allowing for self-identified ones. Quality assurance assessments demonstrated a desire for a continuation of these WWP supports and activities. Dietitians, as health promotion leaders, can play key roles in the emerging field of WWPs. University dietetic and internship programs should consider adding WWP and KTA training components.

A Qualitative Study Exploring the Experience of the Male Dietitian from Student to Professional.

PURPOSE: In Canada, dietitians serve a sex-diverse population despite the profession being predominately female (>95%). It is unknown why there are so few male dietitians. The objective of the present study was to explore the experience of the male dietitian, as a minority, in female-dominated dietetics. METHODS: Two semi-structured interviews were conducted, approximately 6 weeks apart, with Nova Scotian male dietitians. The interviews prompted participants to reflect on their experience of being a male dietitian. Interviews were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. RESULTS: Male dietitians with between 1 and 17 years of experience participated (n = 6). Participant experiences were expressed as 4 themes: (i) feelings of difference and otherness, (ii) adapting to the female-dominated culture, (iii) constructing a professional identity, and (iv) passion as the driver for success. A theoretical framework for understanding the male dietitian's experience was outlined. CONCLUSION: The experience of the male dietitian is unique and is a consequence of training and practicing in a female-dominated space. The effect of adaptation and construction of a professional identity that is a response to female-dominated cultural norms is wide ranging and may be constraining for male practitioners thereby affecting their contributions to the field.

Identification of Healthy Eating and Active Lifestyle Issues through Photo Elicitation.

PURPOSE: Effective workplace wellness programs, featuring supports for healthy eating and active lifestyle behaviours, have been found to reduce health risks and the associated economic burdens for individuals, organizations, and their communities. As part of a larger study, the purpose of this research was to engage volunteer participants from a university community to identify healthy eating and active lifestyle barriers and supports. METHODS: An ethics-approved, action-research design with photo elicitation technique was used to engage employees and students. Data were analyzed using qualitative analysis software. RESULTS: Participants identified barriers and both current and future supports for healthy eating and active lifestyle on campus. These were coded under the sub-themes of food environment, food and nutrition quality, physical environment, physical activity, fitness centre, and awareness/communication. CONCLUSION: Photo elicitation was determined to be an effective technique to engage participants. Despite many supports, members of the university community still found it difficult to follow healthy eating and active lifestyle behaviours; however, a number of practical future supports were identified. This study also provided valuable insight into the role that dietitians can play in the development of successful wellness programs.

"It's beautiful and it's messy and it's tragic": exploring the role of compassion in the eating disorder recovery processes of 2S/LGBTQ + Canadians.

This research explores experiences of compassion among 2S/LGBTQ + Canadians living with eating disorders in the context of eating disorder treatment and community support. There is a growing body of scholarship showing disparities in eating disorder care for those within 2S/LGBTQ + communities. Among the reported concerns is a potential lack of compassion in eating disorder treatment and recovery settings, something which may serve to exacerbate feelings of isolation and perpetuate misunderstandings of 2S/LGBTQ + people's experiences. In an effort to understand these dynamics more deeply, we conducted semi-structured interviews with 2S/LGBTQ + Canadians who have experienced eating disorder care. The data collected were then subjected to Foucauldian discourse analysis, which produced three interconnected discursive considerations: feeling lack of structural compassion, 2S/LGBTQ + communities as places of respite, and 2S/LGBTQ + caregiving. One of the common threads among these discursive considerations was cis-heteronormativity ingrained in eating disorder treatment settings and health care systems more broadly. Our findings underscore the critical need for more enhanced compassion for 2S/LGBTQ + patients in eating disorder care settings. We conclude that compassion, when implemented on the levels of individual clinicians, policy and procedure, and institutions, may represent an avenue toward disrupting ingrained cis-heteronormativity and the associated discursive power structures contained in health care systems.

Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and other sexually or gender diverse (2S/LGBTQ+) are at increased risk for eating disorders often related to minority stress, discrimination, and heteronormative gender expectations. Compassion is believed to be a fundamental aspect of healthcare that builds human connections and enhances positive outcomes. Healthcare, however, is steeped in heteronormative assumptions that may further isolate many 2S/LGBTQ+ patients. This study explored how 2S/LGBTQ+ Canadians living with eating disorders felt about their care and the role of compassion in their recovery journeys. We found that these individuals often felt misunderstood and isolated during treatment. However, they often experienced understanding by connecting with other 2S/LGBTQ+ people both in care and in the community, which provided the compassionate spaces lacking in their healthcare experiences. These findings highlight a need for making healthcare more compassionate for 2S/LGBTQ+ people. This can be done by changing policies, mandatory training for healthcare professionals, and treatment that recognizes and discusses minority stresses, uses trauma-informed practices, and gender-affirming approaches. By doing such items, standard norms can be challenged and the care for 2S/LGBTQ+ people living with eating disorders can be improved.

Examining How Postpartum Videoconferencing Support Sessions Can Facilitate Connections between Parents: A Poststructural and Sociomaterial Analysis.

Postpartum support for new parents can normalize experiences, increase confidence, and lead to positive health outcomes. While in-person gatherings may be the preferred choice, not all parents can or want to join parenting groups in person. Online asynchronous chat spaces for parents have increased over the past 10 years, especially during the COVID pandemic, when "online" became the norm. However, synchronous postpartum support groups have not been as accessible. The purpose of our study was to examine how parents experienced postpartum videoconferencing support sessions. Seven one-hour videoconferencing sessions were conducted with 4-8 parents in each group (n = 37). Nineteen parents from these groups then participated in semi-structured interviews. Feminist poststructuralism and sociomaterialism were used to guide the research process and analysis. Parents used their agency to actively think about and interact using visual (camera) and audio (microphone) technologies to navigate socially constructed online discourses. Although videoconferencing fostered supportive connections and parents felt less alone and more confident, the participants also expressed a lack of opportunities for individual conversations. Nurses should be aware of the emerging opportunities that connecting online may present. This study was not registered.