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Drawing on interviews with 40 gay, bisexual, and queer trans men in Ontario, Canada, we describe understandings of, and strategies for affective and behavioral negotiation within virtual and physical sexual fields in which they might find male sexual partners. Participants drew sharp distinctions between gay and queer sexual fields. Specific websites for seeking sex also emerged as important fields with their own internal logics. Sexual field choice was heavily impacted by social and medical gender affirmation. Participant narratives highlighted the interplay of personal and socio-historical transitions—including accessing medical transition technologies, the rise of virtual sexual fields, and increasing trans male visibility—in producing rapidly changing sexual opportunity structures. Comfort and success navigating extant sexual fields varied, with many reporting some degree of satisficing to balance the potentials for pleasure and risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigation of the social and psychological antecedents of the HIV epidemic has identified a syndemic of conditions associated with risk behavior and seroconversion. This study inquires into the resilient practices and developmental processes of gay and bisexual men at the nexus of syndemic conditions to understand the pathways that lead to health problems or well-being. Interviews with 40 men identified branching pathways from home environments into schools that either offer refuge or a regime of gender discipline and bullying. Some found escape routes from hostile environments in worlds of books, pop culture, or internet chat. In adolescence, one set of men identified the development of sexual relationships with older men as a lifeline that brought a measure of emotional growth. This study points to resilience pathways and social resources that could make a difference in the lives of those deemed to be "high risk." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While past studies have measured several indicators of relationship quality in relation to types of relationship agreement, most have not included polyamorous relationships, and have almost exclusively included samples of gay men. The purpose of this study was to address this gap by examining five dimensions of relationship quality and eight dimensions of relationship equity in a sexually diverse Canadian sample (N = 3463) across three types of relationship agreements (monogamous, open, and polyamorous). The data were collected online as part of a larger study. In order to compare relationship types on relationship dimensions, MANCOVAs were computed using age, relationship duration, cohabitation status, sex, sexual orientation, and an interaction term of sex and sexual orientation as control variables. High scores of relationship quality and equity were reported by the overall sample, and scores on all scales did not significantly differ by types of relationship agreements. Overall, these results strongly suggest that these types of relationship agreements are equally healthy viable options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]