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RESEARCH PRODUCT

That Man Behind the Curtain: Investigating the Sexual Online Dating Behavior of Men Who Have Sex With Men but Hide Their Same-Sex Sexual Attraction in Offline Surroundings

Mathias WeberRichard Lemke

subject

AdultMaleSelf DisclosureAdolescentSocial PsychologySexual BehaviorSocial StigmaIdentity (social science)050109 social psychologyEducationMen who have sex with menStigma managementGender StudiesYoung Adult03 medical and health sciencesSurveys and QuestionnairesHumansInterpersonal Relations0501 psychology and cognitive sciencesHomosexuality MaleHeterosexualityGeneral PsychologyInternet030505 public healthSexual attraction05 social sciencesGeneral MedicineMiddle AgedRomanceSexual PartnersSame sexSelf-disclosure0305 other medical sciencePsychologySocial psychology

description

This study investigates how men who have sex with men (MSM) use chat and dating sites based on theories of stigma-related offline behavior and online self-disclosure. We hypothesize that hidden MSM (those who self-label as heterosexual or who hide their same-sex sexual attraction from family, friends, acquaintances, or a female romantic partner) differ from open MSM in how they behave on gay chat and dating sites and in offline gay venues. Drawing on a survey of 12,002 MSM, we show that hidden MSM tend to mask their identity on gay chat and dating sites while avoiding offline gay venues. They also focus more strongly on online sexual activities (e.g., masturbating during online chats) when using gay chat and dating sites. However, they spend the same amount of time on these sites, and they use them to initiate offline sexual encounters as often and as fast as open MSM.

yearjournalcountryeditionlanguage
2016-10-18Journal of Homosexuality
https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2016.1249735