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Symposia

LGBTQ+

Session: Weight Bias and Disordered Eating among Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals

4 - (SYM 145) a Qualitative Study on the Embodied Experiences of Casual Sex Among Larger-bodied, Sexual Minority Men

Sunday, November 19, 2023
10:30 AM – 11:30 AM PST
Location: Skagit (603), Level 6

Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, sexual minority men (SMM) are more likely to report that their own body image negatively impacts their sex lives and have more thoughts relating to their body image during sexual intimacy. Moreover, SMM are also more vulnerable to weight stigma and more frequently experience body size-based discrimination, compared to heterosexual men. Additionally, in comparison to heterosexual men, SMM report higher levels of anti-fat bias, both directed at themselves and when evaluating intimate partners. Given this literature, it is worth considering how SMM, specifically fat SMM, experience weight stigma and navigate anti-fat bias as it pertains to casual sexual encounters. However, no study to date has examined these embodied experiences in this intersection, highlighting the importance of conducting inductive research that allows for data-driven conclusions and amplifies the voices of a minoritized population that has received little research attention. To contribute to this literature, we will recruit participants via social media (e.g., Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Reddit). Participants must: (1) be 18 years of age or older; (2) speak fluent English; (3) identify as a man who has sex with other men; (4) identify as larger-bodied/plus-size/heavy/overweight/obese/fat; (5) have an experience of casual sex (penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with a body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person between people who are not established sexual partners or do not know each other well [e.g., one-night stands, hookups, friends with benefits]). SMM will complete one-hour interviews surrounding their experiences with weight bias and body-related shame, specifically in the context of casual sex with men within the past 3 months. Data collection for this study is underway (current N = 4), with an estimated sample size of ten to twelve participants expected to complete procedures by May 2023. Data analyses will begin in June 2023. Specifically, a reflexive thematic analysis will be utilized to extract themes from the qualitative data. Project results will be updated accordingly. The findings from this study allow for a more comprehensive understanding of experiences of weight stigma that are unique to casual sexual encounters in fat SMM.