| dc.description.abstract | Gay and bisexual male youth in Kenya experience human rights violations, including
pervasive stigma and discrimination, and these oppressive forces are associated with elevated rates
of mental health concerns. Despite these challenges, many gay and bisexual male youth in Kenya
are thriving during this critical developmental period. This study explored intrapersonal processes
that gay and bisexual male youth in Kisumu, Kenya, highlight as important to developing, and
demonstrating resilience in the face of adversity. We conducted qualitative in-depth interviews (IDIs)
with 40 gay and bisexual male youth, ages 20–30 (mean = 26.4), and an additional 20 IDIs with gay
and bisexual men, ages 22–45 (mean = 26.6), who were working as peer educators (total n = 60), all
in Kisumu, Kenya. A total of nine primary themes emerged which describe various intrapersonal
resilience processes enacted by gay and bisexual male youth, including sexual identity acceptance,
self-confidence, self-love, religious/spiritual affirmation, adaptive coping, successful navigation,
legal rights awareness, economic stability, and advocacy satisfaction. These data demonstrate the
range of positive personal processes that promote mental health and wellbeing among gay and
bisexual male youth in Kenya. We discuss implications of these findings for community-based
interventions, and call for a research paradigm shift away from deficits and toward resilience | en_US |
