Young gay men's experience of homophobic bullying during adolescence

Eight self-identified gay men ages 18 to 22 years were interviewed about their subjective experiences of being bullied during adolescence for being gay. The participants were asked what impact being bullied during adolescence had on their sense of self, what they did at the time to cope with the bullying, and what coping needs and sources of support were important to them. Qualitative methods were used to analyze the interviews and identify themes and patterns in the participant's responses. Participants indicated that bullying of gay adolescents is primarily a male activity and is a learned behavior taught, reinforced, and in some cases encouraged by social systems including religion and family. While bullies are primarily males, supporters are primarily females and include parents, guardians, and peers. Participants described a stage of development prior to embracing the concept of a gay sexuality during which they felt different but did not have the vocabulary to describe their experience. Some participants, who felt pressured to conform to heteronormative standards of sexual expression, described conscious attempts to inhibit their more gender-divergent expressions or change their sexual preference to avoid being targeted by homophobic bullies. The long-term challenges participants faced were related to the added stress of being bullied during the developmental stage of adolescence. Depression symptoms were universally endorsed, and positive and maladaptive coping strategies for dealing with the emotional impact of bullying were used. Having someone to confide in when bullied and after coming out was identified as the single most important coping strategy and source of support. Participants felt that community acceptance would lead to greater self-acceptance and a feeling of safety to express the true self. Those who lived in nonsupportive environments said their main objective was to relocate to more accepting ones and construct a supportive social system. All participants felt that religion was integral to homophobic attitudes and actions and none endorsed religious affiliation. The long-term personal and interpersonal challenges for young men who are bullied for being gay are discussed with implications for clinical practice.