View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DCU Online Research Access Service A Phenomenological Research Study of Gay Men in Ireland: From Disrespect to Respect: The Power of Social Critique for Self-Transcendence Gerard Paul Rodgers DPsych 2016 II A Phenomenological Research Study of Gay Men in Ireland: From Disrespect to Respect: The Power of Social Critique for Self-Transcendence 2016 For the award of DPsych Gerard Paul Rodgers BTS, BSc Psych, DPsych Grad Cert in Systemic Family Therapy and Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy Supervisor Dr. Evelyn Gordon School of Nursing and Human Sciences Dublin City University i Declaration I hereby certify that this material, which I now submit for assessment on the programme of study leading to the award of DPsych is entirely my own work, that I have exercised reasonable care to ensure that the work is original, and does not to the best of my knowledge breach any law of copyright, and has not been taken from the work of others save and to the extent that such work has been cited and acknowledged within the text of my work. Signed: ______Gerard Rodgers________________ Date: 23 January 2016 Student ID No: 56123868 II Acknowledgements I would like to extend heartfelt gratitude to the nine men who gave so generously of their time in their sharing of intimate and personal life experiences, without whom the study would not have been possible, and to the editor of Gay Community News for publishing a detailed recruitment notice about the research project. I would also like to thank those whom I consulted, who encouraged and widened my theoretical focus for the benefit of practice. I have also benefitted from having an abridged literature review and methodology published as journal articles. I would like to thank the initial supervisory accompaniment and support of Dr. Evelyn Gordon and Dr. Mel Duffy and the subsequent support and encouragement of the replacement supervision panel consisting of Professor Pamela Gallagher and Dr. Rita Glover. I am much indebted to Dr. Gordon for her consistent emphasis on transparency. In the writing of this thesis I have always enjoyed the support and patience of my partner Paul, my recently deceased mother, family, partial philanthropic support, close friends, recovery support and acquaintances. Thank you too to our dog Sam who took me for a walk everyday and brightened all the lives of those who meet and are touched by him. Finally, I offer the work of the thesis in the reflective spirit of the following: “It means simply to say no to darkness and to resolutely turn towards the Light and in so doing to remember and proclaim once again that the darkness will never overcome it” Philip McKinley et al (2015) Inter-Faith Centre Dublin City University III Abbreviations AIDS An acronym for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome Amnesty International Ireland Global Movement for the Promotion of Human Rights APA American Psychological Association APA American Psychiatric Association (1973; 1952). BACP/IACP/IAHIP/ICP Counselling and Psychotherapy Organisations BeLonG To National Organisation for LGBT young persons aged 14 and 23 BPS British Psychological Society CSA Childhood Sexual Abuse CDF Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (Catholic) Coming Out Term used to describe discovery and acceptance of orientation/identity EGPA European Gay Police Association GCN Gay Community News G-Force Garda Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual & Transgender Employee Resource Group GLEN Gay and Lesbian Equality Network GRA Garda Representative Association GRC Gender Role Conflict HIV Human Immunodeficiency Virus ICCL Irish Council for Civil Liberties LGBT An acronym for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender LGBT/NXF National Federation works with organisations and produces print/digital media GCN etc. LGBT Noise Independent non-party political group campaigning for civil marriage equality etc. Marriage Equality Organisation in Ireland working for equal marriage rights MSM Males who have Sex with Males PrEP Pre-exposure prophylaxis therapy in HIV prevention PSI Psychological Society of Ireland Queer Has been adopted by LGBTQ persons beyond rigid binary/identity definitions IV Sexual Orientation An enduring pattern of attraction, feeling and sense of identity SIPTU Services Industrial Professional and Technical Union STI Sexually Transmitted Infections TENI Transgender Equality Network Ireland YMSM A project whose goal is to reduce the risk of HIV and STI infections. V Table of Contents Chapter One Mapping the Territory Page 1.1. Introduction 1 1.2. Background 1 1.3. Rationale: Aims and Objectives of the Current Study 2 1.4. Outline of Remaining Chapters 3 Chapter Two Literature Review 2.1. Introduction and Literature Search Strategy 5 2.2. Defining and Measuring Sexual Orientation 6 2.3. Bio Science and Evolutionary Understandings of Sexual Orientation 7 2.4. Changing Representation of Homosexuality in Cultural/ Clinical Literature 8 2.5. Structural Stigma and Mental Health 11 2.6. The Decline of Homophobia 13 2.7. Suicidality and Being Gay 17 2.8. Current Rise of Sexually Transmitted Infections 19 2.9. Gender Socialisation and Gay Male Relationships 21 2.10. Critical Social Psychology and Queer Theory Contributions to Identity Studies 24 2.11. The Historical Context of Being Gay in Ireland 25 2.12. Minority Visibility in a Changing Ireland 34 2.13. Marriage Equality 36 2.14. Conclusion 42 VI Chapter Three Methodology A Phenomenological Approach 3.1. Introduction 44 3.2. Why Phenomenology 44 3.3. The Historical Context of Phenomenology 47 3.4. Core Theoretical Concepts of Phenomenology 48 3.5. Method 53 A. Research Design 53 B. Procedure 55 C. Sample 56 D. Analysis 56 3.6. Ethical Considerations 58 3.7. Evaluation of Phenomenological Research 60 3.8. Conclusion 61 Chapter Four The Findings of the Study 4.1. Introduction 62 4.2. The Participants P1: Oscar 63 P2: Edward 67 P3: David 72 P4: Jonathan 77 P5: Andre 82 VII P6: Karol 87 P7: Walt 93 P8: Harvey 97 P9: Edmund 103 4.3. Key Findings and Reflection 106 4.4. Summary and Conclusions 111 Chapter Five Discussion of Findings 5.1. Introduction 112 5.2. Recognition Theory 113 5.3. The Findings 116 5.4. Summary 130 Chapter Six Conclusion 6.1. Study Summary 132 6.2. Key Implications for Practice 132 6.3. Training 135 6.4. Further Research 136 6.5. Evaluation 136 6.6. Summary 137 VIII References 138 Appendices Appendix A: Recruitment Notice A Appendix B: Plain Language Statement B-C Appendix C: Informed Consent Form D-E Appendix D: Interview Guide F Appendix E: Debrief G IX Abstract Gerard Rodgers A Phenomenological Research Study of Gay Men in Ireland: From Disrespect to Respect – The Power of Social Critique for Self-Transcendence Research has consistently reported sexual and gender minority persons are more vulnerable to adverse wellbeing experience, often mediated by negative social projections and interactions within high prejudice societies. On a general population level, no health differentials are evident in low prejudice societies. However, qualitative researchers are often critical of an over-reliance on broad macro associations, suggesting person- centered research can deepen generalist understandings. Phenomenology is the research methodology that was chosen for this study, because of its theoretical commitment to exploring the first personal character of everyday lived experiences. For this study, nine gay men, aged 22 to 65 years old, participated in semi-structured one-to-one interviews, with a specific focus on capturing life’s triumphs and losses. The key finding that emerged was the appropriation of disrespect to respect. Personal stories toward acceptance were socially mediated, among significant others, as embedded within social repertoires and religious norms. Some of the stories describe life conditions where participants often had to battle with negative forms of self-criticism as the historic social taboo for minority identity often co-occurred with shattered assumptions and challenges in personal and family lives. Navigation of unequal power relations in Irish society often shaped peripheral beliefs and emotions with implications for self perception and self worth. However, for all participants, the positive appropriation of respect within the self- concept is strongly facilitated by participants working for and being touched by wider social struggles of recognition. Psychotherapists need to critically understand the mediation of transformative social contexts for the self-concept by actively supporting the resoluteness and effort required to rework any negative patterns of self-criticism arising from social prejudice of an earlier time period. Ireland is now a strongly affirming social environment for sexual and gender minorities and is conducive to personal authenticity. X Chapter One: Mapping the Territory 1.1. Introduction The key objective of this study is to deepen knowledge and understanding of gay men’s lives in Ireland. Arising from the historic context of social discrimination, most of our theories have been deficit based constructions, with little indication of how progressive social change in Ireland interacts with gay men’s health. However, recent studies are pointing to diversity of experiences, but without an in-depth contextualist analysis for how personal experiences are mediated in the navigation of social terrains. This chapter begins with the research background; the rationale, aims and objectives of the current study, followed by a brief outline of the remaining chapters of the thesis - the literature review; the research methodology; the findings of the study; discussion and conclusions. 1.2. Background There are a number of broad patterns that underpin theory on gay men’s mental health and wellbeing. The first historic pattern from decades of research is how gay men’s psychological health has been negatively impacted through social exclusion, prejudice, stereotyping and discrimination (PSI 2015). A more recent pattern has emerged that points to the influence of the social and political reform agenda which lessens the impact of social prejudice and discrimination (Beetham 2014; Ryan, P.