Are gay men more likely to have HPD?

.

There was a poster a few years back who remarked that some gay men (especially the more effeminate ones, if I remember what he said correctly) behave like women with HPD...but I can't find the post.

I think he said that these gay men can be very promiscuous, while others are just apparent teases. This brings up the usual general questions we ask from time to time with respect to female HPDs: is attention the key for these gay men, or do they have normal to unusually strong sex drives, or is narcissism and are sexual conquests an important feature of gay male HPD, etc.

Or, are all of the above true on a case by case basis...when considering that we are talking about many different individuals, and also when considering that the other cluster b PD's (i.e., ASPD, NPD, and BPD) often combine to some degree with HPD.

In general I would say that effeminate gay men are closer to the classic HPD model, while heterosexual HPD males are more like NPD or ASPD, in that they want attention derived a reputation based on sexual conquests, or from a tougher, more macho reputation. Bisexual male HPD's...somewhere in between?

Hi there, I'm from the NPD forum and this thread caught my eye cos I definitely could relate.

Yeah I would say it's possibly the case with bisexual men, at least based on my own past experience.

My behaviour whenever I was intimately involved with men was pretty close to HPD but I'm nothing like that with women. I guess considering my family background it sort of speaks for itself.

In my personal experience, I've found this to simply not be the case. I've met more straight men who fit the diagnosis than gay men.

Those you can see.

I've heard this one a lot, so there is no denying the stereotype. Two problems being that -

1.) That it is the more flamboyant homosexual males that are more visible, so can skew the general perception.

2.) It is hard to know if what is being observed is HPD (an individual trying to stand out in the crowd), or a socially encouraged group phenomenon in some cultures (the individuals trying to conform and be accepted by a group) that would/will fade if/when homosexuality is more accepted.

I suppose one could argue flamboyant behavior among homosexual men is related to HPD. Individuals who felt their true self was repressed, so to compensate, feel a need to be exceedingly expressive/dramatic to be heard, or drown out the sense of repression? I guess that's not so different than a group of heterosexual women who are dramatic, expressive, all wanting to stand out, who feel they've been forced to suppress their sexual/personal identities. There does seem to be a degree of competitiveness though among HPD type females that I haven't observed as strongly among expressive homosexual men (i.e., they are more looked up to as figure heads in the fight for acceptance), but I'm not that close to the inner workings of the gay community either. Possibly there is still plenty of ego/competitiveness for attention when in a group than I've observed personally.

xdude wrote:1.) That it is the more flamboyant homosexual males that are more visible, so can skew the general perception.

That's a good point. I certainly have the impression that gay men are more likely to act in ways that are similar to the way women behave and women are supposed to more likely to be histrionics. That could be because flamboyant homosexuals are more visible while less flamboyant homosexuals fly under the radar a little better.

-- Mon Dec 17, 2012 9:13 pm --

spartacandream wrote:In my personal experience, I've found this to simply not be the case. I've met more straight men who fit the diagnosis than gay men.

But what kind of sample sizes are you talking about here? Have you met dozens of straight men, but only a only a handful of homosexual men? If so, it's not really fair to say that gay men aren't more like to have HPD based on that.

Kabuhi wrote: But what kind of sample sizes are you talking about here? Have you met dozens of straight men, but only a only a handful of homosexual men? If so, it's not really fair to say that gay men aren't more like to have HPD based on that.

\
If we're talking percentages, its probably the same amount going either way. I do know alot more heterosexual men than I do gay men. Though I live with 3 gay men, and know ALOT of gay men. Most don't fit HPD, not even most of the effeminate ones. Effeminacy and flambuoyance are different, and yes I count the flambuoyant ones as possibly being HPD. At least the ones that are attention grabbers.

I strongly think one of my exroommates is HPD though, just the way he acted and what I've seen on this forum and the diagnostic criteria....

Though yes, the stereotype does fit HPD alot of the time. Though keep in mind, the stereotype is based on the image of a gay man being all dramatic in order to grab attention. And it probably originates from that once being alot of peoples only exposure of what homosexuality is, because the ones that act just like everyone else tend not to be that way.

I'm mostly gay (though bisexual), and to be honest, I fit next to none of the criteria for HPD. Similar though, but only because I have BPD.