A&PI LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MEMBER DISCUSS FINDINGS FROM THEIR RESEARCH
On Tuesday, June 21, members of the Leadership Academy presented the finding from their three research projects during the Young Leaders Forum in our offices. Their work was inspired and informed by the community and gaps in existing community resources. The academy provided space for young queer A&PI men to reflect on their lived experiences, formulate questions, and engage in processes of inquiry while nurturing the connections between the self, community, learning, research, and action.
Research papers presented were "Queer Asians & The Family: The Influence of Culture and Religion on the Coming Out Experience," "Unfurling the Cape: Exploring Hidden Mental Health Needs of Queer Asian & Pacific Islander Men," and "Reflections of Self, Reflections of Community: Body Image and Self Esteem within API MSMs."
Queer Asians examined the narratives of five queer APIs posted on the social-networking site, Tumblr, juxtaposing these stories with academic literature to demonstrate the profound impact of culture and religion on the familial institution, and the ramifications of that influence on the coming-out experience.
The Unfurling the Cape group surveyed 54 A&PI queer men from the Bay Area to examine mental health issues confronting the community. The survey found 83% thought depression was the most prevalent mental health issue facing respondents. Additionally, nearly half of respondents thought that more culturally-specific mental health resources were needed in the Bay Area.
In Reflections of Self, Reflections of Community, the team interviewed A&PI men who have sex with men to find a deeper understanding of how being both a sexual and ethnic minority affects self-esteem and body image. The team found ambitious new standards that define Queer Asian masculinity, and that establishing one's self as an individual in the face of bodily expectations is possible and rewarding.
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