Date of Conferral

2015

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Public Policy and Administration

Advisor

David Kilmnick

Abstract

Gay and bisexual men in the United States and South Korea have some of the highest HIV rates in their countries, and both have the fewest sex education programs and policies for gay and bisexual males in secondary and postsecondary school systems. Consequently, many South Koreans do not view HIV as a South Korean problem, and with American gay and bisexual men living in this type of environment, their HIV sexual protection knowledge and practices may be compromised. The purpose of this study was to gain more understanding and insight into the sex education experiences and sexual practices of gay and bisexual American men living in a large city in South Korea, to determine how they perceived their sex education experiences from the American school system. The theoretical framework was based on Husserl and Heidegger's theory of intentionality. A phenomenological method was employed, utilizing a purposeful and criterion sample of 6 gay and bisexual American men who experienced sex education in the American school system and reported testing HIV negative on their last HIV tests. Data were analyzed and coded to identify categories and themes. The findings revealed that the participants who experienced heterosexual-focused sex education did not find it useful to them as gay men. The implications of these findings for positive social change are to inform policy makers and education leaders of how gay and bisexual American men perceived their sex education experiences and of the value of providing diverse, comprehensive sex education in the school system as it relates to knowledge about HIV and HIV prevention, not only for gay and bisexual males but for all American students as a tool to reduce or prevent new HIV cases.

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