Abstract
This collection of papers presents an all-encompassing purpose to reduce both
individual and systemic barriers to mental health care for sexual minorities. The aim
of this thesis is to appraise and critically evaluate my contribution to this body of work
via a critical and queer theorist lens and offer practical insights. Central to my research
is the cultural psychiatric lens used to understand the intersections of sexual minorities.
Here, I introduce my original contribution and update the knowledge by conducting a
critical literature review covering a health-equity framework. My critical commentary
covers theoretical and applied case study research and commentaries. My
contributions to knowledge include an understanding of the juxtaposition of sexual
minority men living across cultures and the negative impact on women’s health when
forced to marry a sexual minority man. Breaking down the misguided notion of one size
fits in psychological therapies, encouraging sexuality identity self-disclosure for
improving the therapeutic alliance, and that straight men who occasionally sleep with
other men (MSM) is a category and should not be conflated with other sexual minority
data like gay and bisexual/pansexual men. I am not the first to engage deeply in this
knowledge, but I stand equally with others as one emerging in the field. I bring a utility
and further expand and collaborate with others to reduce the barriers on the
international circuit. Citations of my work are not just within the UK but in other parts
of the world, notwithstanding other forms of knowledge exchange I am committed to,
which satisfy the criteria for the award of a doctorate.