ABSTRACT
The diversity among gay and bisexual men mirrors the expansive diversity of society as a whole. Gay and bisexual men vary in their race, ethnicity, culture, educational and income levels, and physical ability, and come from every religious, political, and family background. Each gay and bisexual man is an individual with specific characteristics and health needs that, similar to members of any community or population, should not be assumed based on generalizations or stereotypes. Whether exploring needs through basic behavioral and epidemiologic research or planning, offering, providing, or evaluating one-on-one counseling or support services, referrals, clinical services, or group- or community-level interventions designed to affect healthrelated outcomes or behavior, one must move beyond one's own assumptions about gay or bisexual men. One must develop a comprehensive understanding of the individual existing within a variety of influencing contexts. These contexts include a variety of family systems, spatial neighborhoods, and social networks; institutions (schools, workplaces, and religious organizations); racial and ethnic communities; and other influencing contexts from the larger society. These contexts have unique norms and cultures and impose expectations that create and interact with the gay or bisexual man's sense of self and identity. These influencing contexts vary in the messages that are overtly and covertly relayed about being a gay or bisexual man. These messages are internalized and affect each individual differently.
