***Recruitment has ended for this study***
“You’re cute for a Brown guy.” Termed ‘microaggressions’, these statements reflect the subtle and often unintentional incursions that members of historically marginalized populations (e.g., gay and bisexual men, ethnic minorities) continue to face daily, resulting in psychological distress. With few exceptions, the literature on microaggressions rarely incorporates intersectional identities (i.e., membership to more than one minority group). For example, research examining the lived experiences of Canadian, South Asian gay and bisexual men (GSAM) is scarce. Moreover, despite incidents of discrimination as predictive of sexual risk taking behaviours (e.g., condomless anal sex), no research has investigated the impact of microaggressions on sexual risk taking behaviours among GSAM. As such, this study will lead to a better understanding of GSAM’s experiences of microaggressions and its impact on mental and sexual health. Operating from a strengths-based framework, the study will also highlight effective coping strategies used by GSAM in face of microaggressions.
This study involves a one on one, audio-recorded interview with an interviewer that can be completed over the phone, in person, or through a secure video service. All in person interviews will take place at the HIV Prevention Lab at Ryerson University. You will be asked questions about your experiences with microaggressions across different settings (e.g., race/ethnic communities, the gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men community), sex (e.g., sex with others, sexual practices and consent), and your experiences with mental health difficulties and health services (e.g., psychological, sexual). You will be compensated $50 for your participation.
To participate in the study, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Identify as South Asian*
- Identify as male (including self-identified trans-masculine men who have sex with men)
- Report condomless anal sex within the last 6 months with another male
- Be able to communicate orally and read in English
*In the present study, the term ‘South Asian’ includes individuals with heritage from countries including Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Guyana, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Tibet and Trinidad.
For more information, and to see if you are eligible to participate in this study, please call us at 416-979-5000 ext. 2180 (after pressing “1”) or email us at notsomicrostudy@ryerson.ca.
Ammaar Kidwai, M.A., is the Principal Investigator on this study.
This research study has been reviewed and approved by the Ryerson University Research Ethics Board (2019-093) and is being done as part of my graduate studies for the partial completion of my PhD.