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Abstract
Internet use provides a vital opportunity for sexual-minority youth to learn about sexual desires and pursue partnerships otherwise publically stigmatized. Researchers, however, have portrayed the Internet as an inherently risky venue for HIV or sexually transmitted infection (STI) transmission among young gay men (YGM). We therefore investigated how YGM use the Internet during adolescence and emerging adulthood. In the course of 34 in-depth, semistructured interviews with a sample of self-identified YGM, 18 to 24 years of age, we inquired about initial experiences of online dating. We found that YGM benefit online through exploration of their sexual identities, while simultaneously encountering and negotiating sources of risk. In examining YGM’s perceptions of risk, we hope to reach a greater understanding of the opportunities for HIV prevention and health promotion among YGM.
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Author Biographies
Emily S. Pingel is the managing director of the Sexuality and Health Research Laboratory at the University of Michigan School of Public Health. She specializes in qualitative research, with her most recent endeavors exploring LGBT youth development and identity. She holds a BA in anthropology and French from Tufts University and a master’s degree in public health from the University of Michigan.
Jose A. Bauermeister is assistant professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Originally from San Juan, Puerto Rico, he completed his MPH and PhD in public health from the University of Michigan. His primary research interests focus on sexuality and health and interpersonal prevention and health promotion strategies for high-risk adolescents and young adults.
Michelle M. Johns is a second-year PhD student in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education at the University of Michigan. A native of the deserts of Arizona, she holds a BA in psychology and gender studies from Whitman College and a master’s of public health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Her research focuses on issues of health and well-being among women and LGBT people.
Anna Eisenberg is a research coordinator at the University of Michigan. She received her master’s of public health from the University of Michigan School of Public Health in health behavior and health education in 2010. She has worked at the University of California, San Francisco on international studies exploring female-controlled STI prevention methods. Her research interests include issues related to communication regarding sexuality and STI prevention.
Matthew Leslie-Santana is a graduate of the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre, and Dance with a major in violin performance and a minor in Latin American and Caribbean studies. Additionally, he interned at the YES Institute in Miami, a not-for-profit organization focusing on suicide prevention among LGBT and all youth through community-based education on gender and orientation. He recently completed a master’s in music at the Cleveland Institute of Music.
