For bisexual men, getting flak from the gay community actually leads to better mental health because it pushes them to be more open about who they are.
March 17, 2026
Original Paper
Sexual Identity Visibility, Mental Health, and Body Dissatisfaction in Bisexual Cisgender Men: Associations with Straight and Gay Community Bi-Negativity
PsyArXiv · uwaq4_v2
The Takeaway
While prejudice is generally harmful, negativity from the gay community paradoxically triggers a 'visibility' response in bisexual men. This increased 'outness' then acts as a protective factor for mental health that can outweigh the initial stress of the prejudice.
From the abstract
Bisexual cisgender men experience stigma from both straight and LGBTQ+ communities, yet the sources and pathways of harm are rarely disaggregated. We examined how bi-negativity from straight and gay communities relates to sexual identity visibility (outness), mental health and well-being, and body dissatisfaction. In a pre-registered study of UK-based bisexual cisgender men (N = 200; 80.5% White), participants completed measures of bi-negativity, sexual identity visibility, mental health and wel