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Sexual Empowerment for Sexual Minority Men

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Sexual Empowerment for Sexual Minority Men SEXUAL EMPOWERMENT FOR SEXUAL MINORITY MEN: A CRITICAL QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION A Dissertation Presented to The Graduate Faculty of The University of Akron In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy Steven A. Palmieri August, 2020 SEXUAL EMPOWERMENT FOR SEXUAL MINORITY MEN: A CRITICAL QUALITATIVE EXPLORATION Steven A. Palmieri Dissertation Approved: Accepted: Committee Chair Department Chair Suzette L. Speight, Ph.D. Paul E. Levy, Ph.D. Committee Member Interim Dean of the College Dawn M. Johnson, Ph.D. Linda M. Subich Committee Member Dean of the Graduate School Toni L. Bisconti, Ph.D. Chand Midha, Ph.D. Committee Member Date Varunee Faii Sangganjanavanich, Ph.D. Committee Member Kevin Kaut, Ph.D. ii ABSTRACT Sexuality research in psychology has historiCally taken a pathologizing view of seX. ReCently, a growing body of seX-positive literature has provided a counter-narrative that positions sex as something that is fundamentally good and healthy. However, the perspeCtives and experiences of sexual minority men have been critiCally absent from this disCourse. Grounded in empowerment theory and using a critiCal queer lens, this qualitative study aimed to extend seX-positive research to the topiC of sexual minority men’s sexual empowerment. The present study used interviews with sex workers, aCtivists, educators, therapists, and sexual assault survivors with a range of interseCting identities to shed light on the ways in whiCh these sexual minority men understand and experience sexual empowerment. Results of these interviews indiCated that partiCipants understood sexual empowerment to include elements of sexual selF-humanization, sexual liberation, sexual sovereignty, and belonging to a sexually empowering community. These results are presented along with speCifiC reCommendations and impliCations that are written speCifiCally for sexual minority male psychologists Conducting research, training, praCtiCe, and advocaCy for sexual minority men’s sexual empowerment. iii DEDICATION This work is dediCated to all future generations of sexual minority men. I hope that you read this dissertation one day and cringe, wondering how someone who Claimed to be seX-positive could be so seX-negative. BeCause then, we will have seen true progress. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS To the generations of sexual minority men before me who organized, fought, and died for my sexual freedom. Thank you for empowering me. This work was only possible beCause of your aCtivism. I can only hope to pay it forward. To my parents, Anne and Joe Palmieri, to my sister Abby, and to my brother Joey. Thank you for setting high expeCtations for me and giving me strength, courage, love, motivation, and support as I strive to meet them. And thank you for encouraging me to take pride in being my authentiC selF. Speaking of whiCh, you’re about to learn quite a bit about my sex life in Chapter 3. I hope that when you do, you can be just as proud of it as I am. To Jasmine, Zika, Donnell, and RaChel. Thank you for celebrating with me and Cheering me on as I started my own journey towards sexual empowerment. To Brian. Thank you for being the best friend I could ever ask for, and for always reminding me of the importance of having a life outside of work. You’ve been with me through heartaChe and headaChes, joy and triumph. I could not have survived this process without you. To Sam. Thank you for forcing me to start this process, and delivering enough Cookies to fuel my late nights at the offiCe. To Kieran. Thank you for giving me a love worth fighting for. You remind me that silliness and intelligence are not mutually eXClusive, and that both were needed to v Complete my dissertation with some sanity remaining. Thank you for helping me explore and artiCulate what sexual empowerment means to me. And thank you for seeing me through to the end. To Lau, Taylor, RebeCCa, Kathleen, Sarah, Myriam, Ginelle, Shuyan, Baron, Tray, Jasmine, April, Kristin, ZaCh, Stefan, Mae, Nancy, and Tofunmi. Thank you for laughing with me, crying with me, venting with me, procrastinating with me, and motivating me. You all make me so proud to be part of this new generation of psychologists, fighting for justiCe, and lifting up the voiCes of those communities that have been silenced for far too long. To my partiCipants. Thank you for sharing with me your time, your voiCe, and your truth. Your lives will change the world. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES .............................................................................................................. ix LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................ .x CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................ 1 Sex-Positivity .......................................................................................................... 1 Empowerment Theory ............................................................................................. 5 Sexual Minority Men’s Sexual Empowerment ....................................................... 7 Purpose of the Present Study ................................................................................... 9 II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE ....................................................................................... 10 Sexual Empowerment ............................................................................................ 10 Sexual Minority Men’s Sexual Empowerment ..................................................... 27 A New Understanding of Sexual Empowerment for Sexual Minority Men ......... 53 III. METHODOLOGY ...................................................................................................... 55 Critical Queer Theory ............................................................................................ 55 Participants ............................................................................................................ 57 Data Collection ...................................................................................................... 61 Data Analysis ......................................................................................................... 63 Trustworthiness ..................................................................................................... 65 vii Researcher Role and Background ......................................................................... 66 Ethical Considerations ........................................................................................... 71 IV. RESULTS .................................................................................................................... 73 Theme One: Sexual Self-Humanization ................................................................ 75 Theme Two: Sexual Sovereignty .......................................................................... 85 Theme Three: Sexual Liberation ........................................................................... 98 Theme Four: Belonging to a Sexually Empowering Community ....................... 120 Summary .............................................................................................................. 135 V. DISCUSSION ............................................................................................................. 137 Summary and Interpretation of Results ............................................................... 137 Strengths and Limitations of the Study ............................................................... 151 Implications for Research, Training, Practice, and Advocacy ............................ 154 Personal Reflections ............................................................................................ 165 Conclusion ........................................................................................................... 167 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................ 169 APPENDICES ................................................................................................................. 194 APPENDIX A. PARTICIPANT DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILES ........................ 195 APPENDIX B. DEMOGRAPHIC QUESTIONNAIRE ..................................... 204 APPENDIX C. INTERVIEW PROTOCOL ....................................................... 210 APPENDIX D. INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD APPROVAL ............... 212 viii LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Participant Demographics ........................................................................................... 60 2. Themes and Sub-Themes ............................................................................................ 74 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Sexual Self-Humanization ........................................................................................... 75 2. Sexual Sovereignty ...................................................................................................... 86 3. Sexual Liberation ......................................................................................................... 99 4. Belonging to a Sexually Empowering Community ................................................... 120 x CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION Sexuality is a multifaceted and integral part of the human experience. For sexual minority men in particular, sexuality occupies an important position in individual and collective identity
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