A new study highlights the positive impact of friendships among queer individuals on their overall well-being and life satisfaction. Researchers from Michigan State University and the University of Kentucky analyzed the effects of queer friendships on loneliness, finding that those with at least one friend of the same identity reported higher life satisfaction and less loneliness. Interestingly, even friendships with similar, yet not identical identities, were associated with greater life satisfaction despite increased loneliness. The study underscores the complex dynamics of queer friendships and their dual role in enhancing well-being while potentially exacerbating feelings of isolation due to distance.
These descriptive results suggest that queer people with a queer friend generally report positive well-being despite a potential increase in loneliness, whether the friend is of the same sexual identity or just also queer.
Queer people's well-being can profit from friendships with other queer people. However, what may need further exploration is how similarity in friendship can also be linked to negative outcomes.
While having queer friends as a queer person can improve well-being, it can also serve as a reminder of distance and missed opportunities for in-person interaction.
Researchers found that when a queer person has at least one friend of the same identity, they reported greater life satisfaction and slightly less loneliness.
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