Machismo and anabolic steroid misuse among young Latino sexual minority men

Brady, John P.; Kimball, Devon; Mendenhall, Bethany; Blashill, Aaron J.

doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.07.007

Cited by 9 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…The field of androgen abuse has enjoyed several interesting developments over the past 2 years. Of particular note, Brady et al [14 ▪▪ ] published a thoughtful study showing that androgen use is influenced by gay masculinities that are both multifaceted and culture-specific. In a sample of young Latino gay men living in the United States of America, the authors administered a clever self-report measure of traditional Hispanic masculinity that divided the masculine construct into two components: Machismo and Caballerismo.…”

Section: Recent Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior to this study, we knew that western, White heterosexual androgen users were stronger adherents to White, western heterosexual masculinities [17,18]. Brady et al [14 ▪▪ ] reminded us that gay masculinities exist, gay masculinity is multifaceted, gay masculinity is culture-specific, and in the context of androgens, some elements of gay masculinity may facilitate androgen use whilst other elements may deter use.…”

Section: Recent Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Androgen abuse among gay and bisexual men

Griffiths

Jotanovic

Austen

2021

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes &Amp; Obesity

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Purpose of review Androgen abuse is more prevalent among gay and bisexual (i.e. sexual minority) men than heterosexual men. We review recent research about androgen abuse in sexual minority men and provide relevant social, cultural, and historical contexts. Recent findings Androgen abuse among sexual minority men is shaped by the intersections of sexuality, desirability, masculinity, and race. Muscular male bodies are desired and – in erotic settings especially – prized as literal embodiments of masculinity. Racist stereotypes unjustly diminish the desirability and masculinity of sexual minority men who belong to racial minorities, especially those who are Asian or Black, and the higher rates of androgen abuse among these racial minorities may reflect a compensatory motivation for these diminishments. The historical context for sexual minority men – decades of subjugation alongside stereotypes of masculinity-compromising effeminacy – further complicate the intersections of sexuality with androgen abuse. Harm minimization efforts led by empathetic endocrinologists stand the best chance of achieving positive outcomes for sexual minority men who use androgens. Summary More dedicated research on androgen abuse among sexual minority men is needed as this population requires thoughtfully designed research that is incorporative – at a minimum – of the complexities of sexuality, desirability, masculinity, and race.

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Section: Recent Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Recent Research Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Androgen abuse among gay and bisexual men

Griffiths

Jotanovic

Austen

2021

Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes &Amp; Obesity

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“…Individuals start and continue AAS for many reasons, not always for underlying body and/or muscle dysmorphia. The importance of masculinity discussed by participants overlaps with machismo views on masculinity and self-confidence, as described elsewhere …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 84%

“…The importance of masculinity discussed by participants overlaps with machismo views on masculinity and self-confidence, as described elsewhere. [40][41][42] Our work contributes to the literature describing the existence of an AAS use disorder, because many participants continued use despite harm owing to the efficacy of AAS and the fear of losing muscle mass if abstinent. 21,23,43,44 This bias toward an addictive nature may be the result of our inclusion criteria requiring a minimum of 8 weeks of use yet supports the inclusion of AAS use disorder within future iterations of the DSM.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Exploring Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use Among Cisgender Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men

Kutscher,

Arshed,

Greene

et al. 2024

JAMA Netw Open

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ImportanceAnabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are disproportionately used by sexual minority men, with the physical and mental health implications of AAS use incompletely understood.ObjectiveTo understand the reasons for use and health care needs of gay, bisexual, and queer cisgender men using AAS.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis qualitative study was conducted from November 2021 to May 2023 using self-administered questionnaires and semistructured interviews that were transcribed and coded using reflexive thematic analysis. Participants were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer clinical centers in New York, New York, as well as through online platforms. All patients self-identified as cisgender and gay, bisexual, or queer.ExposuresHistory of nonprescribed AAS use for a minimum of 8 consecutive weeks was required.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary outcomes were reasons for and health implications of AAS use and interactions with health care practitioners, as determined through interviews. Interview transcripts were collected and analyzed.ResultsThematic saturation was reached after interviews with 12 male participants (mean [SD] age, 44 [11] years), with the majority of participants identifying as gay (10 participants [83%]), White non-Hispanic (9 participants [75%]), being in their 30s and 40s (9 participants [75%]), holding a bachelor’s degree or higher (11 participants [92%]), and having used steroids for a mean (SD) of 7.5 (7.1) years. One participant (8%) self-identified as Black, and 2 (17%) identified as Hispanic. Seven men (58%) met the criteria for muscle dysmorphia on screening. Nine overarching themes were found, including internal and external motivators for initial use, continued use because of effectiveness or fear of losses, intensive personal research, physical and emotional harms experienced from use, using community-based harm reduction techniques, frustration with interactions with the medical community focused on AAS cessation, and concerns around the illegality of AAS.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this qualitative study, AAS use among cisgender gay, bisexual, and queer men was found to be associated with multifactorial motivators, including a likely AAS use disorder and muscle dysmorphia. Despite all participants experiencing harms from use, men seeking medical help found insufficient support with practitioners insistent on AAS cessation and, thus, developed their own harm reduction techniques. Further research is needed to assess the utility of practitioner education efforts, the safety and efficacy of community-developed harm reduction methods, and the impact of AAS decriminalization on health care outcomes for this patient population.

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“…Traditional machismo is akin to hypermasculinity (Arciniega et al, 2008) and is frequently perceived as the traditional masculine ideal among Latino men. Traditional machismo is associated with unhealthy behaviors, such as lower odds of consistent HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) medication adherence, high anabolic steroid misuse, increased internalized homophobia, and fewer discussions surrounding sex with partners (Brady et al, 2019; Estrada et al, 2011; Galvan et al, 2014; Robles et al, 2021). In a sample of Latino men, Liang et al (2011) discovered positive bivariate associations between traditional machismo and constricting emotions ( r = .37, p < .001) and incongruent gender role ideals ( r = .55, p < .001).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

An examination of cigarette smoking, traditional machismo, and caballerismo among sexual minority Latino men.

Rivera,

Rozzell-Voss,

Blashill

2024

Psychology of Men & Masculinities

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Despite Latino sexual minority men (SMM) reporting high cigarette smoking rates compared to their heterosexual counterparts, limited research has investigated culturally relevant associations of smoking among this population. The gender role component of caballerismo may relate to no/low smoking to avoid smoking-related comorbidities with the potential of indirectly impacting the family. The other component, traditional machismo, may relate to difficulty expressing emotions, resulting in reliance on avoidant coping strategies to regulate negative affect, such as smoking. The present study's objective was to investigate how traditional machismo and caballerismo are associated with smoking among Latino SMM. Self-identified Latino SMM were recruited resulting in a sample of 151 individuals. Participants were recruited from within Southern California and were, on average, 24.19 years of age (SD = 3.19). Logistic regression analyses examined the associations between traditional machismo, caballerismo, and cigarette smoking. Bivariate results showed a significant positive correlation between traditional machismo and the number of cigarettes smoked per day and a significant negative correlation between caballerismo and the number of cigarettes smoked per day. In a multivariable model, traditional machismo scores were associated with 3.56 increased odds of smoking 1+ cigarette(s)/day and 2.15 increased odds of smoking 10+ cigarettes/day. Caballerismo scores were not significantly associated with smoking 1+ nor 10+ cigarettes/day. Traditional machismo may be a risk factor for cigarette smoking among Latino SMM. Caballerismo may, to an extent, be associated with low cigarette smoking. Smoking prevention/cessation programs with this vulnerable population may wish to address traditional machismo and caballerismo. Public Significance StatementTwo prominent gender role components among men in Latino culture are traditional machismo and caballerismo. In the present study, sexual minority Latino men with heightened traditional machismo were more probable to be daily cigarette smokers as well as moderate cigarette smokers. While caballerismo was not found to be related to being a daily cigarette smoker nor a moderate cigarette smoker, it was found that as caballerismo increased, the number of cigarettes that sexual minority Latino men smoked daily tended to decrease.

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Machismo and anabolic steroid misuse among young Latino sexual minority men

Cited by 9 publications

References 32 publications

Androgen abuse among gay and bisexual men

Androgen abuse among gay and bisexual men

Exploring Anabolic Androgenic Steroid Use Among Cisgender Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men

An examination of cigarette smoking, traditional machismo, and caballerismo among sexual minority Latino men.

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