Gayborhoods as Spaces of Risk and Resilience: Associations of Gayborhood Residence with Psychological Distress and Substance Use among Ethnically Diverse Sexual Minority Men.

Abstract

Gayborhoods are urban neighborhoods characterized by a high concentration of LGBTQ + residents, businesses, community spaces, and subcultures. Living in gayborhoods may foster a sense of community and belonging that can be particularly beneficial for sexual minority men. However, existing research on gayborhoods has predominantly centered on the experiences of White gay men. The extent to which gayborhoods serve as an inclusive space for ethnically diverse sexual minority men remains largely unexplored. This paper examines the associations of gayborhood residence with LGBTQ + community connectedness, psychological distress, and substance use among ethnically diverse sexual minority men. Utilizing data from the 2023 Gay Asian Men Survey, this paper included 1071 cisgender sexual minority men of Asian backgrounds in Australia. The results indicated that older, middle-class, and gay men were more likely to live in gayborhoods than their younger, lower-class, and bisexual counterparts. The mediation analysis revealed the coexistence of positive and negative impacts of living in gayborhoods. Specifically, gayborhood residence was positively associated with LGBTQ + community connectedness, which was in turn associated with reduced levels of psychological distress but heightened levels of alcohol and drug use. The findings have significant implications for community organizing, mental health support, and substance use prevention. While leveraging gayborhoods to foster support networks and improve mental health among Asian sexual minority men is beneficial, it is equally crucial to address the pressures associated with conforming to community norms, particularly regarding social drinking and recreational drug use.