Needing to be “perfect” to be loved: the intersection of body dysmorphic disorder, sexual identity, and gay culture in gay men. A qualitative study

Abstract

Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) is distressing mental health disorder whose clinical features have been given little investigation among sexual minority gay men. While age and gender differences have been investigated, past quantitative studies have neglected to compare between-group differences in BDD symptomatology between heterosexual and sexual minority samples. This creates a lack of understanding for the lived experiences of BDD in the LGBTQ community, which can be remedied through qualitative research. Before exploring between group differences, this study sought to explore the lived experiences of gay men diagnosed with BDD. Ten self-identified gay men who struggle with BDD were interviewed. A phenomenological approach was used to capture the experiences of participants. As a result, four essential themes emerged from the data: Degrading and Abject Influence of BDD, Culpability of Gay Culture, Intersection of BDD and Gay Culture as a Barrier to Intimacy, and Toxic Masculinity’s Impact on Gay Men with BDD. Suggestions for clinical implications and future research implications are also provided.

Keywords:

• LGBTQ community
• body dysmorphic disorder
• qualitative
• phenomenology
• gay male culture

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.

Presentations

This data has yet to be presented.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, or publication of this article.

Notes on contributors

Heather Morgan-Sowada

Dr. Heather Morgan-Sowada is an Assistance Professor at Mount Mercy University within the graduate department of Marriage and Family Therapy. She is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapists who completed her Ph.D. in Couple and Family Therapy the spring of 2018 from the University of Iowa. Her master’s degree is in Marriage and Family Therapy from Mount Mercy University, which was completed in spring of 2012. Dr. Morgan-Sowada’s research and clinical specializations are in Body Dysmorphic Disorder, sexual/gender minority individuals, and the intersections of those two topics. Dr. Morgan-Sowada and colleagues were recentely published in the Journal of Marriage and Family Therapy for their paper entitled: “It’s splendid once you grow into it:” Client experiences of relational teletherapy in the era of COVID-19 (Mar-2021).

Casey Gamboni

Dr. Casey Gamboni is teaching and supervisory faculty at The Family Institute at Northwestern University within the department of center for applied psychological and family studies. He is a marriage and family therapist who completed his Ph.D. in couple and family therapy the spring of 2019 from the University of Iowa. His masters is in marriage and family therapy from The Family Institute at Northwestern University which was completed the spring of 2016. Dr. Gamboni’s research and clinical specializations are in sexual/gender minority individuals, sibling relationships, emerging adulthood, and the intersections of those three topics.