Dr. Matthew Numer’s Sexual Health and Gender Lab @Dal_HAHP studies LGBTQ2SIA health, sexualized violence, Indigenous boys and men's health, and e-learning.
Join us this fall for a free program for the 2SLGBTQIA community.
Take queer health research with this program that allows you to understand the theory of research and apply it to your community’s needs. Registration here: forms.gle/SmDMMXVygnCJnMdF9
ALT The Investigaytors Program. Anyone 18 or Older. 2SLGBTQIA Sexual and Reproductive Health. What is Investigaytors? Free Program to develop community-based research skills in 2SLGBTQIA Sexual and Reproductive health. Objectives: Work and socialize with other 2SLGBTQIA people. Take research into your own hands and make a difference in your community! Where? Studley Gym, Room 100, The SHaG Lab, Dalhousie University, 6226 University Avenue. When? This program starts in late September and ends in March; we meet once a week for 1.5 hours. The program will occur in person with some online components and materials.
This month we are celebrating Pride in Nova Scotia! We would like to recognize and support our diverse 2SLGBTQIA community. The SHaG lab has a heavy focus on 2SLGBTQIA research, and works to uplift our community.
Calling 2LGBTQ folks who are 50 and over! We are still recruiting participants to tell us their experiences using apps and sites to develop and maintain friendships, relationships, and community 🏳️🌈📲
By completing the survey, you will be entered for a chance to win one of three $100 Amazon gift cards 🙌
To take the survey and learn more about the project, click the "Digital Ageing Survey" link in our bio or visit our website at shaglab.ca/digitalage 🔗
We are excited to share our latest SHaG lab publication! Our scoping review asked "Are Queer Men Queering Consent?" and our findings are now published in the International Journal of Sexual Health! 🙌
Swipe to read our key findings ➡️
ALT The first slide is a screenshot of the manuscript's title and abstract. Title: Are Queer Men Queering Consent? A Scoping Review of Sexual Consent Literature Among Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer Men.
Abstract: Objectives: To review the literature on Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (GBTQ) men and sexual consent.
Methods: Eight electronic databases were searched in June 2022, yielding 1924 articles; 30 were included for review after screening.
Results: We found a growing body of literature focused on GBTQ men, with an increasingly intersectional lens. Most studies adopted a nuanced definition of sexual consent. Many discussed the unique sexual scripts developed by GBTQ men to communicate consent, especially in sex venues, and how unfamiliarity with these scripts creates vulnerability for newly “out” men. A common theme was the impact of heteromasculine norms on sexual encounters between GBTQ men.
Conclusions: The reviewed literature problematizes binary definitions of consent and miscomm
ALT Overview: No one definition of sexual consent was used across the reviewed studies. Within the literature, sexual consent was portrayed as multifaceted, contextual, and expressed through various verbal and non-verbal cues. Some studies focused on definitions of, and factors contributing to, non-consensual experiences as an alternative avenue to gain a better understanding of consent. Consent communication in GBTQ spaces was often communicated through non-verbal or non-explicit fashions, and impacted by things like the type of sexual behaviour involved, the type of relationship between the sexual partners, and where the sexual activity takes place. ➡️ Next up: Consent negotiations!
ALT Consent Negotiations: Both physical locations such as bathhouses or cruising sites, as well as digital spaces such as dating or hookup apps were found to impact GBTQ men's consent processes. Consent negotiations were found to operate differently in physical venues that have a culture of anonymity and silence. Due to this, nonverbal consent negotiation (intimate touching, removing clothing, subtle behaviours, eye contact, etc.) was found to be more common than verbal (agreeing or saying "yes", implying a sexual connotation, etc.). Men in several studies described situations where they felt there was an unspoken agreement to have sex, simply because they met someone from a dating/hookup app in person after discussing sex on the app. These men felt an obligation to have sex, even if they did not find the other person attractive or were no longer interested in having sex upon meeting face-to-face. 💏 ➡️ Read on for sexual scripts.
ALT Sexual Scripts: Sexual scripts are cultural or community expectations of how a sexual encounter 'should' proceed. Sexual scripts are often heteronormative, impacting how GBTQ men negotiate and communicate consent. GBTQ men have developed unique sexual scripts for navigating sex venues and cruising grounds, but studies found that men who are younger or newly out often have limited knowledge about the sexual norms of these spaces, which may carry a level of implied consent for sexual advances. Gender roles in GBTQ men's sexual dynamics influenced sexual consent and coercive practices. More masculine presenting cis men were read as hypersexual and often expected to initiate sex and be the insertive 🔝 partner, while those with a less masculine or more feminine presentation were expected to be the receptive partner, or felt less able to refuse sex. ➡️ Read our conclusions.
ALT Conclusion: Our scoping review sought to analyze the current literature examining sexual consent among GBTQ men: how it is defined, described, and practiced. We argue that future research should study sexual violence through an anti-carceral framework. This approach can confront harm caused by the carceral state and set the groundwork for more effective, non-punitive interventions into violence prevention. To access the full article, see the link in the bio - this article is open-access. 📖
We celebrate the heritage, traditions, and knowledge of Indigenous peoples. SHaG lab works to improve the health of Indigenous communities through projects like Holistic Sexual Health Among Indigenous Boys and Men.
CBRC is looking for volunteers to support recruitment at events during the summer. The focus is on the Sex Now Survey. Training, T-shirts, and honorarium included!
For more info visit the link:
cbrc.net/sex_now_2024_volunt…
🚨Attention all members of the 2SLGBTQ community who are 50 🚨
Please take a moment to complete our short online survey about your experiences with technology and relationships! 👉 surveys.dal.ca/opinio/s?s=76…
You will be entered to win 1 of 3 $100 Amazon giftcards 🤩
If you are 50 , identify as 2SLGBTQ , and live in Atlantic Canada, Ontario, or Quebec take our short 10-minute survey and share your experiences using technology to maintain social connections
🔗surveys.dal.ca/opinio/s?s=76…
You will be entered to win 1 of 3 $100 Amazon giftcards 🙌
If you are 50 , identify as 2SLGBTQ , and live in Atlantic Canada, Ontario, or Quebec take our short 10-minute survey and share your experiences using technology to maintain social connections
🔗surveys.dal.ca/opinio/s?s=76…
You will be entered to win 1 of 3 $100 Amazon giftcards 🙌
📣WE ARE HIRING! 📣
The SHaG lab is continuously growing, and we are excited to announce that we are seeking a Research Associate to join our team! For more information, please visit our website: shaglab.ca/apply