Unhide
A research project focuses on tackling loneliness problem among gay men in the Boston area
Claim:
Over time the gay community had fought many difficulties, family rejection, legal rights to marry, AIDS crises, and violence. Loneliness and substance abuse seem to be the common denominator through all these battles. Now many gay men at least in the western cultures are coming out of the closet and science helped up prevent HIV infections. Getting infected with HIV does not mean death as it did twenty years ago. Gay men are still lonelier than ever and substance abuse is becoming the new epidemic.
Evidence:
A gay man 3 times more likely to attempt suicide
Higher to 8x for guys who were rejected by their parents
In Canada, studies show that more gay men died with suicide than HIV (There aren’t such studies in the US)
Twice as likely to have a major depression episode
Study in NYC shows that 3 quarters of gay men who move to NYC suffer from Anxiety or Depression
In 2015 gay men used illicit drugs twice as much as heterosexual men
How might we help gay men form stronger human connections?
Method:
Observations > Survey > Interviews > Persona > Empathy map > Insights > Design principles > Solutions
Observations:
Observations at gay nightclubs, gyms, and cafes. The goal f these observations is to identify patterns of gay men interacting with each other in different settings and their ability to be open to new experiences and meet new people.
Survey:
Survey (UCLA loneliness test): is a 20 questions survey to determine a person’s level of loneliness. In addition to other questions to determine their relationship status, the regular activities they are involved in and their social media use.
Interviews:
I interviewed 16 men between the ages of 19 and 50 who identify as gay. They all live in the Boston area for less than a year. The interviews targeted learning about customers' daily habits, their work-life balance, mental health, stress points in their lives, stress release avenues, friends and people they trust, their use of hookup apps and social media.
Insights:
The number of friends is not an indicator of a person’s loneliness. It is the quality of relationships
Hookup apps limit the opportunity of successful relationships because they cause a distraction from focusing on one person
Lonely individuals spend more time on social media
Most gay meetup places either digitally or physically are hyper-sexual
People are willing to help if they know-how
Individuals are afraid to lose friends if they stopped alcohol or drug use
There are no places to go when a person is feeling lonely that do not involve alcohol.
Society is open-minded to homosexuality as long as the gay man is white, good looking, and makes enough money
Design Principles:
A Place to go physically and emotionally
Use the opportunity of people's willingness to help
Space share experiences
Safe space to share feelings and be authentic
Chosen family
Solution
Unhide, is a nonprofit organization that fights loneliness and empowers gay men to live their true potential through mentorship and forming meaningful relationships.
Unhide recognizes that the community isn't as happy as the rainbow flag show and the community has its challenges and it is time to work on these challenges and weaknesses and be vulnerable with one another.
The organization manages a database that matches gay men with mentees based on similar interests, language, and cultural backgrounds.
Also, Collaborates with health providers to conduct loneliness studies and research
The organization collaborates with coffee houses and bookstores to have social space for people who are feeling lonely and they are open to speaking to other people who are feeling the same.
Unhide, Collaborate with dating Applications to spread awareness about mental health and loneliness.
