NZ's macho culture 'bad for gays'

Professor David Fergusson led the research which an advocacy group says backs its views. Picture / Simon Baker

New Zealand's "macho culture" is to blame for the fact young gay men suffer five times the mental health problems of their heterosexual counterparts, an advocacy group says.

The New Zealand Aids Foundation said a study released yesterday supported the organisation's long-held contention that young gay people were more at risk of mental health problems.

He said the research, by Professor David Fergusson at Otago University's Christchurch School of Medicine, confirmed there was also increased exposure to the consequences such as unsafe sex and exposure to HIV.

Foundation spokesman Steve Attwood said: "We agree with Professor Fergusson's suggestion that this has to do with social discrimination and prejudice... the pressures that young gay people face in growing up in what is in many respects a hostile world.

"The problems are a reflection of the history of marginalisation and persecution of gay people in New Zealand rather than being an innate character of homosexuality."

He added: "This seems to be because of New Zealand's macho culture -- the sort of things that Tamihere was talking about in his 'not-interview interview'." Labour MP John Tamihere gave an interview with Investigate Magazine in April, in which he criticised his colleagues, women, gays and lesbians. Mr Tamihere claimed afterwards that his views were not intended for publication.

The survey of nearly 1000 Christchurch-born young people, under the long-running Christchurch Health and Development Study, showed that homosexual activity and orientation were associated with increasing rates of depression, anxiety, illicit drug dependence, suicidal thoughts and suicide bids.

Males with a predominantly homosexual orientation had mental health problems five times higher than young heterosexual males and young lesbians had mental health problems nearly twice those of exclusively heterosexual females.

Prof Fergusson said: "Our findings clearly support the view that young people of gay, lesbian and bisexual orientation are at increased risk of mental health problems and suicidal behaviours."

But he added: "While it seems likely that factors such as social discrimination and homophobia may play a role in mental health problems with this group, there may also be other social and life-style factors that place gay, lesbian and bisexual young people at great risk of mental health problems and suicidal behaviours."

- NZPA