Body image and associated factors among sexual minority men: A systematic review

Beyond “not my type”: A quantitative examination of intraminority stigma among gay men who use dating apps.

“…As expected, more frequent dating/hookup app use was associated with more frequent experiences of intraminority body stigma among participants, 55% of whom perceived themselves on the higher end of the weight spectrum, and higher perceived weight was associated with these experiences. Unexpectedly, the association between dating app use and intraminority body stigma was not moderated by perceived weight, possibly due to the mesomorphic (i.e., lean and muscular) body ideal that is widespread and persistent among gay men across the weight spectrum, an ideal that takes into account not only weight but also adiposity and muscularity, neither of which were measured in this study (Hammack et al, 2022; Nowicki et al, 2022; Tylka & Andorka, 2012). It is also possible this effect was obscured by bias in self-perception, as gay men are more likely to experience body dysmorphic concerns than heterosexual men and therefore more likely to overestimate their own weight or body size (Schmidt et al, 2022).…”

Demographic predictors of internalized weight stigma in a diverse sample of U.S. adults.

“…This article is intended solely for the personal use of the individual user and is not to be disseminated broadly. PREDICTORS OF INTERNALIZED WEIGHT STIGMA body image concerns; those concerns may in part reflect the intense focus on physical appearance within the male sexual minority community, which tends to prioritize lean, toned bodies (Nowicki et al, 2022). Some work also suggests that exposure to discrimination based on sexual orientation may contribute to body dissatisfaction among sexual minority men (Nowicki et al, 2022).…”

“…While the study used quotas to increase the representation of individuals from socially marginalized groups, sexual minority men were one of the smallest subgroups in the sample ( n = 282), which may have reduced our ability to detect potential differences. Gay and bisexual men are at higher risk for body image concerns; those concerns may in part reflect the intense focus on physical appearance within the male sexual minority community, which tends to prioritize lean, toned bodies (Nowicki et al, 2022). Some work also suggests that exposure to discrimination based on sexual orientation may contribute to body dissatisfaction among sexual minority men (Nowicki et al, 2022).…”

The role of minority stress in disordered eating: a systematic review of the literature

“…Finally, while some interactions between sexual orientation and gender identity were highlighted in the included studies, another understudied aspect relates to how minority stress interacts with other aspects of identity, such as race and class, which may offer an intersectional perspective [ 73 ]. This appears to be a common issue in literature [ 24 , 73 ], where an intersectional perspective is often limited to studies whose focus is explicitly on intersectional analyses rather than being integrated in studies surveying other aspects. As highlighted by this review’s risk of bias evaluation, several of the included studies did not provide complete sociodemographic information, which may additionally prove limiting when trying to compare results across populations.…”