Abstract
While previous research has identified a significant relationship between adult sexual minority men's (SMM) peer crowd affiliation and health risk and promotion behaviors such as substance, drug, and condom use, these associations have not been investigated in a focused exploration with emerging adult SMM. The current study investigated the association between health risk and promotion behaviors with peer crowd affiliation among emerging adult SMM. Data in this study came from the first of the seven-wave longitudinal P18 Cohort Study and included N = 568 18-year-old SMM in New York City. Researchers regressed 17 SMM peer crowds with health risk behaviors while controlling for socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity. SMM who affiliated with the peer crowds, guy next door, sexpig, trendy, hipster, fashionista, circuit boy/club kid, ballroom drag, and twink endorsed engaging in significantly more or less health risk behaviors (i.e., drug use, substance use, and condom use) compared to nonaffiliates. For example, twink peer crowd affiliates engaged in significantly more condomless anal receptive sex behaviors compared to nonaffiliates while also engaging in substantially less marijuana use. Sexpig peer crowd affiliates demonstrated no relationship with condom use but used cocaine and other drugs (e.g., poppers, ecstasy, Viagra, heroin, methamphetamine) significantly more compared to nonaffiliates, while drag/ballroom affiliates used significantly more cocaine and less alcohol than nonaffiliates. Findings suggest that affiliating with SMM-specific peer crowds may protect or encourage SMM emerging adults' engagement in substance, drug, and condom use. Researchers discuss the implications of culture-specific peer crowd behavioral norms in emerging adult SMMs' lives.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alevizou, P., Henninger, C. E., Stokoe, J., & Cheng, R. (2021). The hoarder, the oniomaniac and the fashionista in me: A life histories perspective on self-concept and consumption practices. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 20(4), 913–922. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1916
Bastos, M., Mercea, D., & Goveia, F. (2021). Guy next door and implausibly attractive young women: The visual frames of social media propaganda. New Media & Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211026580
Bitterman, A., & Hess, D. B. (2021). Understanding generation gaps in LGBTQ+ communities: Perspectives about gay neighborhoods among heteronormative and homonormative generational cohorts. The life and afterlife of gay neighborhoods (pp. 307–338). Cham: Springer.
Brechwald, W. A., & Prinstein, M. J. (2011). Beyond homophily: A decade of advances in understanding peer influence processes. Journal of Research on Adolescence, 21(1), 166–179. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1532-7795.2010.00721.x
Brown, B. B., Eicher, S. A., & Petrie, S. (1986). The importance of peer group (“crowd”) affiliation in adolescence. Journal of Adolescence, 9(1), 73–96. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-1971(86)80029-X
Brown, B., Galea, J. T., Dubé, K., Davidson, P., Khoshnood, K., Holtzman, L., Holtzman, L., Marg, L., & Taylor, J. (2018). The need to track payment incentives to participate in HIV research. IRB: Ethics & Human Research, 40(4), 8–12. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30387975/
Cialdini, R. B., & Trost, M. R. (1998). Social influence: Social norms, conformity and compliance. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), The handbook of social psychology (pp. 151–192). McGraw-Hill.
Creswell, J. W., & Clark, C. N. (2018). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five approaches (4th ed.). Sage publications.
Daroya, E. (2020). Online “barebacking” community and the creation of “sex pig” identities: Exploring affordances of a Web forum in celebrating sexual excess. First Monday. https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v25i10.10259
Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity: Youth and crisis. Norton & Company Inc.
Fallin, A., Neilands, T. B., Jordan, J. W., & Ling, P. M. (2015). Social branding to decrease lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender young adult smoking. Nicotine & Tobacco Research, 17(8), 983–989. https://doi.org/10.1093/ntr/ntu265
Filiault, S. M., & Drummond, M. J. (2007). The hegemonic aesthetic. Gay & Lesbian Issues and Psychology Review, 3(3), 175–184.
Fogarty, S. M., & Walker, D. C. (2022). Twinks, jocks, and bears, oh my! Differing subcultural appearance identifications among gay men and their associated eating disorder psychopathology. Body Image, 42, 126–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.05.010
Gates, G. J. (2012). LGBT identity: demographer’s perspective. Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review, 45(3), 693–714.
Greenwood, G. L., & Gruskin, E. P. (2007). LGBT tobacco and alcohol disparities. In I. H. Meyer & M. E. Northridge (Eds.), The health of sexual minorities (pp. 566–583). Boston: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-31334-4_23
Halkitis, P. N., Moeller, R. W., Siconolfi, D. E., Storholm, E. D., Solomon, T. M., Bub, K. L. (2013). Measurement Model Exploring a Syndemic in Emerging Adult Gay and Bisexual Men. AIDS Behavior 17, 662–673. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0273-3
Hennen, P. (2008). Faeries, bears, and Leathermen. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/9780226327297
Horn, A., Kaneshiro, K., & Tsui, B. C. (2020). Preemptive and preventive pain psychoeducation and its potential application as a multimodal perioperative pain control option: A systematic review. Anesthesia & Analgesia, 130(3), 559–573. https://doi.org/10.1213/ANE.0000000000004319
Hutchinson, D. M., & Rapee, R. M. (2007). Do friends share similar body image and eating problems? The role of social networks and peer influences in early adolescence. Behavior Research and Therapy, 45(7), 1557–1577. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2006.11.007
Jin, S. V., & Ryu, E. (2019). Instagram fashionistas, luxury visual image strategies and vanity. Journal of Product & Brand Management., 29(2), 355–368. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-08-2018-1987
Jones, R. P., & Cox, D. (2015). How race and religion shape millennial attitudes on sexuality and reproductive health. Public Religion Research Institute.
Kann, L., McManus, T., Harris, W. A., Shanklin, S. L., Flint, K. H., Queen, B., Lowry, R., Chyen, D., Whittle, L., Thornton, J., Lim, C., Bradford, D., Yamakawa, Y., Leon, M., Brener, N., & Ethier, K. A. (2018). Youth risk behavior surveillance—United States, (2018). MMWR-Surveillance Summaries, 67(8), 1–114. https://doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.ss6708a1
Kecojevic, A., Wong, C. F., Schrager, S. M., Silva, K., Bloom, J. J., Iverson, E., & Lankenau, S. E. (2012). Initiation into prescription drug misuse: Differences between lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) and heterosexual high-risk young adults in Los Angeles and New York. Addictive Behaviors, 37(11), 1289–1293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2012.06.006
King, M., Semlyen, J., Tai, S. S., Killaspy, H., Osborn, D., Popelyuk, D., & Nazareth, I. (2008). A systematic review of mental disorder, suicide, and deliberate self-harm in lesbian, gay and bisexual people. BMC Psychiatry, 8(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-244X-8-70
Kubicek, K., McNeeley, M., Holloway, I. W., Weiss, G., & Kipke, M. D. (2013). “It’s like our own little world”: Resilience as a factor in participating in the ballroom community subculture. AIDS and Behavior, 17(4), 1524–1539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0205-2
Levesque, R. (2005). SPSS programming and data management: A guide for SPSS and SAS users. Spss.
Lyons, A., & Hosking, W. (2014). Health disparities among common subcultural identities of young gay men: Physical, mental, and sexual health. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 43(8), 1621–1635. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-014-0315-1
Moran, M. B., Villanti, A. C., Johnson, A., & Rath, J. (2019). Patterns of alcohol, tobacco, and substance use among young adult peer crowds. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 56(6), 185–193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2019.02.010
Morgan, T. (2022). How 19th century drag balls evolved into house balls, birthplace of voguing. History. https://www.history.com/news/drag-balls-house-ballroom-voguing
Morse, A. M., Wax, A., Malmquist, E. J., & Hopmeyer, A. (2021). Protester, partygoer, or simply playing it down? The impact of crowd affiliations on LGBT emerging adults’ Socioemotional and Academic Adjustment to College. Journal of Homosexuality, 65(5), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1080/00918369.2019.1657752
Prestage, G., Brown, G., De Wit, J., Bavinton, B., Fairley, C., Maycock, B., Batrouney, C., Keen, P., Down, I., Hammound, M., & Zablotska, I. (2015). Understanding gay community subcultures: Implications for HIV prevention. AIDS and Behavior, 19(12), 2224–2233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1027-9
Ramchand, R., Fisher, M. P., Griffin, B. A., Becker, K., & Iguchi, M. Y. (2013). Drug use among gay and bisexual men at weekend dance parties: The role of intentions and perceptions of peers’ behaviors. AIDS and Behavior, 17(4), 1540–1549. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-012-0382-z
Ramli, N. A., Latan, H., & Nartea, G. V. (2018). Why should PLS-SEM be used rather than regression? Evidence from the capital structure perspective. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (pp. 171–209). Springer.
Robbins, B. (2021). “The straight queer”: Hipster appropriation in the work of james franco. In H. Steinhoff (Ed.), Hipster culture: transnational and intersectional perspectives (pp. 215–234). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. James Franco. In H. Steinhoff (Ed.), Hipster Culture: Transnational and Intersectional Perspectives, (pp. 215–234). Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.
Savin-Williams, R. C. (2009). Why the new gay teenager? Harvard University Press. https://doi.org/10.4159/9780674043138
Sevtap, Ü., Deniz, E., & Nisa, A. (2019). Determining the factors that influence the intention to purchase luxury fashion brands of young consumers. Ege Academic Review, 19(2), 221–236. https://doi.org/10.21121/eab.511806
Smalley, K. B., Warren, J. C., & Barefoot, K. N. (2016). Differences in health risk and promotion behaviors across understudied LGBT subgroups. Health Psychology, 35(2), 103. https://doi.org/10.1037/hea0000231
Sobell, L. C., Sobell, M. B., & Followback, T. (1996). A calendar method for assessing alcohol and drug use. Toronto, Canada: Addiction Research Foundation
Tolles, J., & Meurer, W. J. (2016). Logistic regression: Relating patient characteristics to outcomes. Jama Guide to Statistics and Methods, 316(5), 533–534. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.7653
Willoughby, B. L., Lai, B. S., Doty, N. D., Mackey, E. R., & Malik, N. M. (2008). Peer crowd affiliations of adult gay men: Linkages with health risk behaviors. Psychology of Men & Masculinity, 9(4), 235. https://doi.org/10.1037/1524-9220.9.4.235
Funding
This work was supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (HHS—NIH). (Grant numbers 1R01DA025537; 2R01DA025537). Author P. N. Halkitis received research support from this funding source.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
Sarah Kiperman led the paper writing and submission process. Gabriel DeLong led this paper's analysis and contributed to writing the manuscript. Rich Martino gathered the data and cleaned the variables for analysis. Perry N. Halkitis secured the grant funding for the project, led the data collection process, and maintains all raw data. All authors reviewed the final manuscript prior to submission.
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
National Institute on Drug Abuse (HHS—NIH). (Grant numbers 1R01DA025537; 2R01DA025537). Authors have no financial interests to disclose.
Ethical Approval
This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. The Ethics Committee of New York University granted approval.
Consent to Participate
Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.
Consent to Publish
Within the consent to participate, participants acknowledged their anonymous data would be depicted in future publications, which demonstrates their consent to publish content within this article.
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
About this article
Cite this article
Kiperman, S., DeLong, G., Martino, R.J. et al. Peer Crowd Affiliation's Relationship with Health Risk and Promotion Behaviors in Emerging Adult Sexual Minoritized Men: The P18 Cohort Study. Sexuality & Culture 27, 1300–1327 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-023-10064-4
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-023-10064-4