Studying bi body image

Studying bi body image

While there are pages of studies about gay men and their bodies, what about their bisexual counterparts?

One researcher from Flinders University in Adelaide, Dr Shaun Filiault, is looking to find some balance with a study he’s conducting in Sydney during Mardi Gras on bisexual men’s body image.

“The main focus of the study is to look at the body image of bisexual men because they keep getting lumped in research with gay men rather than on their own terms,” he told Sydney Star Observer.

To be conducted in conjunction with the University of Bath (UK), the study is one of the first qualitative research pieces of its kind looking specifically at bisexual men’s body image.

The research was born out of Filiault’s past PhD work on body image in gay athletes where he discovered a major gap in information on the experiences of bisexual men.

“It looks to me like a big oversight and to lump in both is to misunderstand what the bisexual identity is really about.”
The study will involve 10 men from Sydney, and a further 10 from each of the US, the UK and Canada. The four countries were chosen for their similar cultural heritage.

Filiault said other research he’s found indicates subtle differences in levels of discrimination between the countries despite their similarities. The UK, he believes, fares best when it comes to gay and bisexual acceptance.

The study will involve interviewing bisexual men aged between 18–40 years, looking at the participants’ attitudes towards their body image, masculinity and being bisexual.

The 90-minute interview will take place with an individual interviewer between February 26 and March 1 and venues and times will be organised upon contact.

Participants will receive $15 for their time.

info: To participate in the study, email [email protected]

You May Also Like

One response to “Studying bi body image”