Sexual dysfunctions in non-heterosexual men – literature review

The paper aims to present results and discuss methodology of research conducted so far on sexual dysfunction in non-heterosexual men, as well as to form suggestions for future research and clinical practice. The present paper is a continuation of our earlier paper, which discussed the specific context of the issue connected with the characteristics of gay sexual orientation and the social situation those men face. There is little research on dysfunctions and sexual problems in non-heterosexual men, and none has been conducted in Poland. The research that has been done is characterized by inconsistent methodology that is far from perfect, and varied results which cannot be compared. There are still many unanswered questions in the field. The issues connected with research that require attention include the choice of samples and their representativeness, and the accuracy of the methods used for identifying sexual dysfunctions. It is also still not clear whether sexual problems occur more often in non-heterosexual than heterosexual men, how non-heterosexual men deal with those problems, and how the problems influence their functioning. Another issue that requires a deeper understanding is the connections between sexual dysfunctions in this group and various aspects of the so-called minority stress, such as internalized homophobia and experiencing discrimination, psychoactive substance abuse, HIV infection, and the sexual and partnership lifestyle.