Intersections: Cultures, sexualités et genres

Chapitre 14. The Perceived Outcomes of Internet Use for Social and Sexual Purposes among Same-Sex Attracted Montreal Men: A Comparative Qualitative Analysis between Anglophones and Francophones

14 C H A P I T R E THE PERCEIVED OUTCOMES OF INTERNET USE FOR SOCIAL AND SEXUAL PURPOSES AMONG SAME-SEX ATTRACTED MONTREAL MEN A Comparative Qualitative Analysis between Anglophones and Francophones Kim ENGLER Louis-Robert FRIGAULT Joseph J. LÉVY Alain LÉOBON Studies have repeatedly shown how the Internet has become a common means for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men to meet each other. When recruited in offline venues, approximately one to twothirds of samples report having found a partner online (Betnotsch, Kalichman and Cage, 2002; Kim, Kent, McFarlane and Klausner, 2001; Mettey, Crosby, DiClemente and Holtgrave, 2003; Weatherburn, Hickson and Reid, 2003). In a recent study in the UK among young men (under 30) recruited 392 Intersections online, of those who first had sex with a man between 1993 and 2002, there was a dramatic increase in the proportion of men finding their first partner online over this period (e.g., 1993: 2.6%; 1998: 28.0%; 2002: 61%; Bolding, Davis, Hart, Sherr and Elford, 2007). Thus, the Internet may also be an increasingly important avenue through which same-sex attracted men initiate their sexual careers. To date, much research on gay and bisexual Internet users has focused on sexual risk factors, including barebacking (e.g., Bull and McFarlane, 2000; Gauthier and Forsyth, 1999; Halkitis and Parsons, 2003) and various forms of Internet dependence or escapism (e.g., Chaney and Dew, 2003; Cooper, Delmonico and Burg, 2000; McKirnan, Houston and Toulou-Shams, 2007). Few studies concerned with HIV prevention have attempted to distinguish and compare gay and bisexual identified men who use the Internet for sexual purposes in terms of cultural factors. The pertinence of considering these contextual dimensions in HIV prevention efforts is well established (e.g., Aggleton, 2004; Wilson and Miller, 2003). In Quebec, as in the rest of Canada, two official languages are recognized: French and English. Thus, this project is premised on the assumption that mother tongue, as a carrier of culture (e.g., world view, history, knowledge, ritual, values, etc.; Herring, 2002), may be a relevant contextual indicator in this province for understanding sexual expression and how the Internet is used. In line with this assumption is research conducted in Quebec with college and university students. This work revealed differences between French and English people in sexual scripts (Lévy, Frigault et al., 1995), contraceptive practices (Lévy, Otis et al., 1998) and HIV/STI preventive strategies (Frigault, Lévy et al., 2002). Little documentation is available, however, on language-based distinctions between English and Frenchspeaking individuals in the province’s gay and bisexual milieus in regards to issues of sexual health. Interestingly, descriptive findings from a transCanadian study on gay, bisexual and lesbian youth (age range: 14-25), Safe Spaces (Otis, Ryan, Girard et al., 2002), reveal differences that, if brought to the Internet, could significantly influence its uses, with arguable implications for exposure to sexual risk. This research project found a greater proportion of French-speaking youth did not feel they were part of a group (58.3% versus 26.3%) and fewer members of this group felt they had someone to talk to (70.8% versus 52.6%). More French-speaking youth believed their relationships with others were superficial (39.5% The Perceived Outcomes of Internet Use for Social and Sexual Purposes 393 versus 12.5%), that they had trouble meeting people (42.1% versus 26.1%) and that they had no social group within which they could be themselves (47.4% versus 8.3%). Furthermore, a majority reported that they often had the impression that no one truly knew them (73.7% versus 41.7%). These results suggest social and isolation issues may affect the language groups differently, if perhaps only during youth. The important role the Internet can play in alleviating these difficulties is illustrated by an Australian study (Hillier, Kurdas and Horsley, 2001). In this research, the Internet was overwhelmingly experienced by same-sex attracted young people as a means of meeting others like them (85%), of breaking their isolation (68%), of finding information on sexual health (66%), and of accessing “real life” support and developing friendships (62%). Some youth also claimed it gave them the courage to come out in their offline social networks (61%; Hillier, Kurdas and Horsley, 2001). Together, these few findings tentatively suggest young same-sex attracted Francophones and Anglophones may invest differently...