The Sexual Continuum

Discussing all things related to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) health
by Dr. Brian Mustanski

Why Do Young Gay Men Try to Be the Best?

Recent research reveals why the phrase "the best little boy in the world" aptly describes so many young gay and bisexual men. This guest blog is by researchers who studied why so many gay men strive for perfection and the associated psychological costs. Read More

What is sexual orientation?

It may seem obvious what it means to be gay (attracted to the same sex) or heterosexual (attracted to the opposite sex), but what does sexual orientation mean? We asked that question to Dr. Meredith Chivers, and here's what she had to say. Read More

American Academy of Pediatrics Supports Same Sex Marriage

Unfortunately organizations do spring up with the purpose to confuse what is mainstream versus fringe science. Let’s be clear, the American Academy of Pediatricians support for same-sex marriage is the mainstream, scientifically-informed position. Read More

Does Size Matter? The Impact of Penis Size on Sex and Health

Recently there has been a lot of attention in the media on research on penis size and various aspects of health. As I have done before, I wanted to go right to the source and let some of the scientists who have been conducting this research share with you what they have found and how well it matches what the media has been saying. Read More

What's It Like to Get an HIV Test?

A new video shows how to get tested for HIV and what is involved. Read More

Tips for Getting Into Graduate School

Tips from two Psychologists who study LGBT health on how to get into graduate school. Read More

When a Child Comes Out, Lead with Love

Research by myself and many other scientists has shown that parental support is protective for a variety of health issues like HIV, mental health, and substance use. A new film is designed to answer the question, “What do I do if my child is gay?" Read More

University Will Not Investigate Allegations of Scientific Misconduct

Writer Scott Rose had asked the University of Texas at Austin to conduct an investigation into alleged scientific misconduct by an associate professor. Read More

Scientists Rebuke Publication of Study on LGBT Parenting

Major flaws pointed out in science and review of study claiming to show problems with kids of gay parents. Read More

My Last Two Reasons to Have Gay Pride: Creativity and Civic Engagement

My last two reasons for having gay pride come from the critical contributions to the arts, sciences, and civil rights made by LGBT people. Read More

Top Five Reasons I Have Gay Pride—Reason 3 Caring for Others

The gay community is known for caring about its members. The most poignant examples of this is the communities response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Read More

Top Five Reasons I Have Gay Pride - Reason 2 Courage and Resilience

The story of the LGBT community is one of triumph, courage, and resilience in the face of oppression and discrimination. And that makes me proud. Read More

Top Five Reasons I Have Gay Pride - Reason 1: Community

In our research with LGBT youth we consistently hear about a sense of community—a sense of belonging to a network of people who have shared experiences. That sense of belonging is powerful because it means that you are not alone and that others have overcome some of the struggles. Read More

Outlook Not Looking Good for "Conversion Therapy"

Job prospects are not looking good if you make your living doing pseudotherapy to try and change a person’s sexual orientation. Read More

Author of Controversial Study on Therapy to Change Sexual Orientation Apologizes

Dr. Spitzer, author of controversial "conversion therapy" paper now writes, “I also apologize to any gay person who wasted time and energy undergoing some form of reparative therapy because they believed that I had proven that reparative therapy works with some ‘highly motivated’ individuals.” Read More

Are Homophobic People Really Gay and Not Accepting It?

New research finds higher levels of homophobia in individuals with unacknowledged attractions to the same sex, particularly when they grew up with authoritarian parents who also held homophobic attitudes. Read More

New Research on What Protects Gay Youth from Suicide Risk

What protects lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youths from considering suicide and, conversely, what makes them most vulnerable to it? Read More

Digitizing Sexual Health Promotion and HIV Prevention

At the IMPACT LGBT Health and Development Program at Northwestern University we have been focused on using the internet for sexual health education. Read about some of our approaches to promoting the sexual health of young people through videos and social media. Read More

Bayard Rustin: A Forgotten Civil Rights Hero

On Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, I want to share the story of Bayard Rustin, a gay man who was a key leader in the civil rights movement. Read More

Does Same-Sex Marriage Improve Gay Men's Health

A new study published in the American Journal of Public Health provides insightful research suggesting that gay men were able to lead healthier, less stress-filled lives when states offer legal protections to same-sex couples. Read More

How Often Do Men and Women Think About Sex?

The publishers of the Journal of Sex Research agreed to make this article freely available so that you can read it yourself.  Here's the link:  http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00224499.2011.565429 Read More

How Often Do Men and Women Think about Sex?

Recently there has been a lot of attention in the media about a new study on frequency of sexual thoughts among men and women. The scientist who led the study, Dr. Fisher, agreed to do a guest blog and describe the important findings in her own words. Read More

World AIDS Day 2011

December 1st is World AIDS Day, the day when individuals and organizations from around the world come together to bring attention to the global AIDS epidemic. Read More

Do You Know What “Straight” Means?

It may seem obvious that if you want to know someone’s sexual orientation you could simply ask them. For example, “Are you gay?” But in reality it is much more complicated than that. Read More

Learn from the Experts About the Development of Sexual Orientation

Sexuality and gender play a big role in shaping identity, but for much of human history how they are determined has remained unknown. Watch experts explain the science of sexual orientation. Read More

New Study Highlights the Complexity of Transgender Identities

This month my graduate student Laura Kuper and I published a new study in the Journal of Sex Research that reports on data we collected from an online sample of transgender individuals. Read More

25% of Americans are gay or lesbian (or so people think)

It's not actually the case that 25% of Americans identify as gay or lesbian, but according to a recent Gallup poll that's the belief of the average American adult. Read More

New study on risk and benefits of serious relationships

This week we published a new study in the journal Health Psychology that found that young gay and bisexual men in serious relationships have nearly eight times the rate of unprotected sex as compared to when they are in casual relationships. Read More

Institute of Medicine Report: The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender People

Today the Institute of Medicine released its long-awaited report, The Health of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) People: Building a Foundation for Better Understanding. Read More

Black History Month: Stories of Gay Black Men in the South

In honor of Black History Month I am sharing a video we recently released at the IMPACT LGBT Health and Development Program.  The video interview is with E. Patrick Johnson, who is a professor of Performance Studies at Northwestern University. Read More

Brian Mustanski, Ph.D.

Brian Mustanski, Ph.D., is Associate Professor at Northwestern University and the founding Director of the IMPACT LGBT Health and Development Program.

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