(PS1-B37) Within-group Discrimination Among Gay Men Who Use Dating Apps & Websites

Literature on the mental health of gay men indicates these individuals are at increased risk for within-group discrimination (rejection from other gay men) across a variety of characteristics (Wade & Harper, 2020). The use of dating apps and websites are pervasive among gay men (Badal et al., 2018) and represent a potential site for within-group discrimination. The heightened use of these services during the COVID-19 pandemic suggest an increased need for understanding this potential. The current study employs an intersectional lens to examine the association between within-group discrimination and dating app usage among gay men.

A total of 2,159 gay male participants in the United States (ages 19-79; M=40.49, SD=13.43) were recruited via social media advertisements and completed measures of within-group discrimination (Maki, 2018) and dating app use (Maki, 2018). Participants reported how frequently they experienced within-group discrimination based on age, race/ethnicity, and body size. Most participants identified as White (72%); 9% as Hispanic, 5% as Black, 4% as Biracial, 4% as Asian, 2% as Indian, < 1% as Hawaiian, and 3% identified as another race/ethnicity. Participants’ self-perceived weight was assessed on a five-point scale, ranging from “underweight” to “overweight” (M = 3.67, SD = 1.02).

Approximately 71% of the sample used dating apps/websites every six months or more. Dating website/app usage ranged from 1 never used to 8 used daily (M = 5.10, SD = 2.6). Reports of within-group discrimination varied significantly by frequency of dating website/app usage, all Fs(1,2157) >10.701, p< .001, η²_p > .070. Overall, more frequent dating app use was associated with more within-group discrimination across the constructs of ageism, b=.03, SE=.01, p< .001, sizeism, b=.02, SE=.01, p< .001, and racism, b=.03, SE=.01, p< .001. More frequent dating app use was associated with more within-group racism among gay men of color than White gay men, b=.04, SE=.02, p=.014. More frequent dating app use was associated with more within-group ageism among older gay men than younger gay men, b=.001, SE=.001, p</em>=.029. More frequent dating app use was associated with more within-group sizeism among higher weight gay men than lower weight gay men, b=.04, SE=.003, p</em>< .001.

Findings represent a contribution to the literature on dating website/app usage by gay men and the experience this population has when engaging with them. Specifically, this study indicates that frequency of dating website/app usage among gay men is positively associated with more experiences of within-group discrimination and older gay men, gay men of color, and higher weight gay men experience within-group discrimination at the highest rates. Findings may inform future studies and could help improve individual and community-level interventions aimed at reducing the psychological impact of within-group discrimination faced by gay men through a culturally responsive lens.