Affective responses to non-sexual imagery depicting gay men and lesbian women.

When examining negative attitudes and behaviors directed toward gay men and lesbian women (i.e., homonegativity), researchers tend to use measures that require participants to respond to belief statements. This methodology is problematic for two reasons: 1) it focuses on the social categories "gay men" and "lesbian women" and ignores the practices of relational intimacy engaged in by gay and lesbian persons (practices that, arguably, are at the crux of homonegativity); and 2) it overlooks the affective responses that sexual minorities evoke in heterosexual people. These issues were tackled in the current study. Specifically, heterosexual participants (N = 241) were asked to report their affective state using six basic emotions while viewing photos depicting male-male, female-female, and heterosexual couples. Findings demonstrated that participants, regardless of gender, reacted most negatively to images of female-female couples engaging in everyday intimacies. Theoretical explanations for these findings are explored.

A Model to Predict Psychological- and Health-Related Adjustment in Men with Prostate Cancer: The Role of Post Traumatic Growth, Physical Post Traumatic Growth, Resilience and Mindfulness.

Background: Post traumatic growth (PTG) can be defined as positive change following a traumatic event. The current conceptualization of PTG encompasses five main dimensions, however, there is no dimension which accounts for the distinct effect of a physical trauma on PTG. The purpose of the present research was to test the role of PTG, physical post traumatic growth (PPTG), resilience and mindfulness in predicting psychological and health related adjustment. Method: Ethical approval was obtained from relevant institutional ethics committees. Participants (N = 241), who were at least 1 year post prostate cancer treatment, were invited to complete a battery of questionnaires either through an online survey or a paper and pencil package received in the post The sample ranged in age from 44 to 88 years (M = 64.02, SD = 7.76). Data were analysis using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. Results: The physical post traumatic growth inventory (P-PTGI) was used to evaluate the role of PPTG in predicting adjustment using structural equation modeling. P-PTGI predicted lower distress and improvement of quality of life, whereas conversely, the traditional PTG measure was linked with poor adjustment. The relationship between resilience and adjustment was found to be mediated by P-PTGI. Conclusion: Findings suggest the central role of PTG in the prostate cancer survivorship experience is enhanced by the inclusion of PPTG. Adjusting to a physical trauma such as illness (internal transgressor) is unlike a trauma with an external transgressor as the physical trauma creates an entirely different framework for adjustment. The current study demonstrates the impact of PPTG on adjustment. This significantly adds to the theory of the development of PTG by highlighting the interplay of resilience with PTG, PPTG, and adjustment.

"Nobody's ever going to make a fag pretty woman": stigma awareness and the putative effects of stigma among a sample of Canadian male sex workers.

The purpose of this study was to examine male sex workers' awareness of the social stigma surrounding involvement in the sex industry and the possible effects of that stigma. Personal interviews were conducted with 21 men (9 independent escorts who advertised via the Internet and 12 escorts/erotic masseurs who were on contract with an agency). Results indicated that a majority of interviewees believed sex work was stigmatized but attributed this stigma to society's tendency to conflate escort/erotic masseur with street-based prostitute and society's negative view of human sexuality in general and homosexuality in particular. It should be noted that interviewees did not necessarily perceive the gay community as more tolerant than the heterosexual community of persons involved in the male sex industry. In terms of how participants saw the sex trade, both prior to and during their involvement, multifarious viewpoints emerged (i.e., some engaged in "whore mythologizing" while others reported having no clearly defined perception of male sex workers). Finally, results suggested that some participants believed their involvement in a stigmatized industry was deleterious to them personally whereas others maintained that the consequences of being an escort/ erotic masseur were largely positive.