The Experience of Loneliness Among Gay Men in Israel: A Qualitative Study

ABSTRACT

The aim of this qualitative study is to explore the experience of loneliness among Israeli gay men in their early and mid-adulthood, ages 30–50 (N = 14). The findings demonstrate three main categories of loneliness that study participants experienced: childhood loneliness as an initial experience of gay identity; loneliness in the context of other gay men, via sexual encounters, friendships, and the use of dating apps; and loneliness in the context of heterosexual society. The findings point to the centrality of the experience of loneliness among Israeli gay men in their mid-adulthood years and emphasize how this loneliness is rooted in socio-cultural and political perceptions concerning hetero-normative as well as gay identities.

KEYWORDS:

• Gay men
• loneliness
• mental health
• minority stress

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Army service in Israel is mandatory.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.