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Martins P, Potard C, Gohier B, Lignier B. Definitions and Measurement Tools for Assessing Parental Reactions to LGB People Coming Out: A Critical Review. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2024:1-22. [PMID: 38377338 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2024.2320241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Parental responses to young people's coming out as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) are a crucial experience in identity formation and subsequent mental health outcomes. However, how parents react to coming out varies and remains relatively imprecise in the literature. The aim of the present critical review was to explore and discuss the different definitions and measurement tools used in studies assessing perceived parental reactions to the coming out of LGB people aged 18 years and over. Following PRISMA guidelines, a review of 14 selected articles was carried out to examine the different tools used. Then, based on this selection of articles, a review of the different proposed definitions of parental reactions was carried out. Analysis revealed that the Perceived Parental Reactions Scale emerged as the most widely used and most appropriate international scale for capturing the diversity of perceived parental reactions. Then, parental responses were often addressed in a dichotomous manner, focusing primarily on acceptance or rejection. Future studies will need to consider a more nuanced approach to understanding parental reactions to coming out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul Martins
- Pays de la Loire Psychology Laboratory (LPPL), Psychology Department, Angers University, Angers, France
| | - Catherine Potard
- Pays de la Loire Psychology Laboratory (LPPL), Psychology Department, Angers University, Angers, France
| | - Bénédicte Gohier
- Pays de la Loire Psychology Laboratory (LPPL), Psychology Department, Angers University, Angers, France
- Department of Psychiatry and Addictology, University Hospital, Angers, France
| | - Baptiste Lignier
- Psy-DREPI Laboratory, Psychology Department, University of Burgundy, Dijon, France
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2
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Dyer RL, Greene MZ. Identity and pregnancy in conflict?: an examination of sexual minority women using qualitative description. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2023; 25:1131-1146. [PMID: 36309825 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2022.2139413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
While there is growing documentation of pregnancy among sexual minority women, little research has focused on their perceptions and experiences of conflict between sexual minority identity and pregnancy. Because of this, this study used Social Identity Theory and qualitative descriptive analysis to explore the following questions: do sexual minority women perceive sexual minority identity and pregnancy as in conflict; and if so, from where does this conflict arise and how do sexual minority women experience it? Participants included 21 lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and other non-heterosexual cisgender women, a third of whom had previously been pregnant. Themes captured internally located conflict, including participants who saw pregnancy as irrelevant and those who experienced pregnancy as acceptable for sexual minority women; imposed conflict from healthcare contexts, including both health provider assumptions and imposed conflict on reproductive autonomy; and ambivalence. Overall, few participants noted internalised conflict between their sexual minority identity and pregnancy. Instead, sexual minority women experienced ambivalence or imposed conflict between their sexual minority identities and pregnancy from their health providers, although this imposed conflict was not limited to sexual orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel L Dyer
- Department of Counseling Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Madelyne Z Greene
- School of Nursing, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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3
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Jaspal R. Social psychological aspects of gay identity development. Curr Opin Psychol 2022; 48:101469. [PMID: 36215907 DOI: 10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
This article focuses upon the social psychological aspects of identity development among gay men. Key stage-based models of, and contemporary empirical research into, gay identity development are outlined. Three levels of sexual identity development are examined: the psychological, the interpersonal and the collective. It is argued that, in order to develop an effective theory of gay identity development, empirical research should focus upon these levels of analysis, acknowledging that there is a dynamic interplay between them; the multiplicity of identity itself (consisting of sometimes competing elements); and the motives that underpin the construction, management and protection of identity (principally self-esteem, self-efficacy, continuity, positive distinctiveness and belongingness). Identity process theory is proposed as a useful theoretical framework for doing so.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rusi Jaspal
- Vice-Chancellor's Office, University of Brighton, United Kingdom.
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4
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Maciel IV, Barnett MD. Generalized Self-Disclosure Explains Variance in Outness Beyond Internalized Sexual Prejudice Among Young Adults. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2021; 50:1121-1128. [PMID: 33751286 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-020-01881-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2018] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Outness, or self-disclosure of sexual orientation, plays a key role in the sexual identity development of LGB individuals and is linked with mental health. Lower outness has been consistently linked with higher internalized sexual prejudice; however, no extant research has explored the relationship between generalized self-disclosure and outness. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incremental validity of general self-disclosure to explain variance in outness beyond what is accounted for by internalized sexual prejudice among young adults (N = 387; 46 lesbians; 78 gay men; 49 bisexual men; 214 bisexual women). Self-disclosure explained additional variance in outness beyond internalized sexual prejudice. While outness is related to internalized sexual prejudice, general personality characteristics such as self-disclosure may also play a role in LGB individuals' disclosure of their sexual orientation. These findings suggest that while internalized sexual prejudice is still the primary driver of lower outness, lower general self-disclosure may also play an important role. Closeted individuals may be weighing the risks and benefits of disclosing their sexual orientation, as they would with any other personal information. For those struggling with self-disclosure of sexual orientation, clinicians should attend to internalized sexual prejudice while also noting an individual's comfort with general self-disclosure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Idalia V Maciel
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Michael D Barnett
- Department of Psychology and Counseling, The University of Texas at Tyler, 3900 University Boulevard HPR 235B, Tyler, TX, 75799, USA.
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5
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Henderson AS. Could Johnny Tremain Be Gay? Reinterpretation as a Subversive Act. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2021; 68:476-495. [PMID: 31429664 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1656508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Members of sexual minority groups confront a dearth of fictional characters in k-12 curricula with whom they can feel any affinity, particularly in regard to sexual orientation. This is especially problematic for readers who are at odds with themselves and/or society over cultural constructions of normalcy. Queer theory can address this issue by encouraging readers to contest the putative heteronormativity in works of literature. The perennially popular novel Johnny Tremain provides such an opportunity. Though the author, Esther Forbes, depicts the main protagonist as heterosexual, a queer analysis of the novel and comparison to the subsequent film version by Walt Disney suggest that other interpretations are possible. This is significant because healthy identity formation can be fostered by encountering positive portrayals of fictional individuals like oneself. Moreover, promoting self-esteem is consistent with the praxis - the "activist agenda" - that has become an important element of queer criticism.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Scott Henderson
- Department of Education, Furman University , Greenville, South Carolina, USA
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6
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Fletcher L, Everly BA. Perceived lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) supportive practices and the life satisfaction of LGBT employees: The roles of disclosure, authenticity at work, and identity centrality. JOURNAL OF OCCUPATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/joop.12336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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7
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Hollander G. Questioning Youths: Challenges to Working with Youths Forming Identities. SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/02796015.2000.12086005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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8
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Brumbaugh-Johnson SM, Hull KE. Coming Out as Transgender: Navigating the Social Implications of a Transgender Identity. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2018; 66:1148-1177. [PMID: 30052497 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2018.1493253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
This study examines transgender coming-out narratives. Most previous studies of coming out as transgender have relied on psychological stage models of identity development, with little empirical verification. This study uses identity theory to reframe transgender coming out as a primarily external, ongoing, and socially situated process. The data were collected from 20 transgender people residing in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota metro area through interviews and focus groups. The analyses reveal that coming out as transgender requires navigating others' gender expectations, others' reactions, and the threat of violence. The results indicate that transgender individuals do not simply decide to "come out of the closet" and then stay out. Rather, they make strategic decisions regarding the enactment of gender and gender identity disclosure based on specific social contexts. Coming out as transgender is best conceptualized as an ongoing, socially embedded, skilled management of one's gender identity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathleen E Hull
- a Department of Sociology , University of Minnesota , Minneapolis , Minnesota , USA
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9
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Johnson PM, Holmes KA. Gaydar, Marriage, and Rip-Roaring Homosexuals: Discourses About Homosexuality in Dear Abby and Ann Landers Advice Columns, 1967-1982. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2018; 66:389-406. [PMID: 29199907 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2017.1413274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Over the past 70 years, the history of acceptance of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) community within the United States has seen much change and fluctuation. One of the places that this dialogue has been preserved is through the syndicated advice columns of Dear Abby and Ann Landers, in which individuals in the United States were writing in for advice to deal with their anxiety over a newly emerging and highly visible new community of individuals once considered to be mentally ill and dangerous. Using discourse analysis, this article traces the evolution of public and scientific opinions about the LGBT community during the years leading up to the Stonewall riots all the way to right before the AIDs epidemic. This analysis sheds light on several moral panics that emerged regarding this newly visible population, especially in regard to disturbances within the domestic sphere and a stigmatization of bisexuality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick M Johnson
- a Department of Media Studies , University of Colorado, Boulder , Boulder , Colorado , USA
| | - Kwame A Holmes
- b Department of Ethnic Studies , University of Colorado, Boulder , Boulder , Colorado , USA
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10
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van Lisdonk J, Nencel L, Keuzenkamp S. Labeling Same-Sex Sexuality in a Tolerant Society That Values Normality: The Dutch Case. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2017; 65:1892-1915. [PMID: 29035167 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2017.1391537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Studies have pointed to a trend in Western societies toward the normalization of homosexuality and emerging "post-gayness" among young people, who no longer consider their sexual identity meaningful in defining themselves. This article takes a closer look at the Dutch case where tolerance is regarded as a national virtue, while society remains heteronormative. In 38 interviews with Dutch same-sex-attracted young people, we investigated the labels they used to describe their sexual orientation to reveal what they can tell us about normalization, tolerance, and heteronormativity. In their labeling strategies, participants de-emphasized their sexual identity, othered, and reinforced the hetero/homo binary. They preferred labels without connotations to gender expression. While post-gay rhetoric was ideologically appealing, its use was not an outcome of their sexual orientation having become insignificant; it rather enabled them to produce normality. We discuss the findings against the backdrop of "Dutch tolerance," which rests on an ideology of normality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jantine van Lisdonk
- a Department of Sociology , VU University Amsterdam , Amsterdam , Netherlands
- b Research Department , Rutgers, Centre of Expertise on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights , Utrecht , Netherlands
| | - Lorraine Nencel
- a Department of Sociology , VU University Amsterdam , Amsterdam , Netherlands
| | - Saskia Keuzenkamp
- a Department of Sociology , VU University Amsterdam , Amsterdam , Netherlands
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11
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Ciszek EL. Advocacy Communication and Social Identity: An Exploration of Social Media Outreach. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2017; 64:1993-2010. [PMID: 28278059 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2017.1293402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Increasingly, advocacy organizations employ social networking sites as inexpensive and often effective ways to disseminate outreach messages. For groups working to reach lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) youth, social media provide key platforms for connecting with target audiences. Although these young people increasingly utilize social media, little is known about how digital advocacy campaigns influence their sexual identity formation. This article applies concepts of social identity to examine how LGBTQ youth understand advocacy campaigns, how they perceive LGBTQ as a social category presented in campaigns, and what values they assign to LGBTQ group membership.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica L Ciszek
- a Jack J. Valenti School of Communication , University of Houston , Houston , Texas , USA
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12
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Hamdi N, Lachheb M, Anderson E. Queen of Fights: Lesbians in Tunisian Sports. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2016; 63:1127-1145. [PMID: 26653095 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2015.1117902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
Sport within the Muslim context, including in the location of this study, Tunisia, remains an institution designed for the promotion of a heterosexual form of masculinity and the degradation of both femininity and women's athleticism. Unlike recent advancements in the West, homosexuality remains viewed almost entirely negatively by the political, religious, and social debates in Muslim cultures. This overt hostility has almost entirely erased any visible gay culture within Muslim sports. It is within this context that this study finds importance. It represents the first-ever examination into the lives of lesbian Muslim athletes, in either a Muslim majority or non-majority state. Conducted on three lesbian athletes living in the Islamic country of Tunisia, we show that each is out of the closet to varying degrees but that homophobia within their sports-even on majority lesbian teams-remains rife. We discuss the coping strategies these athletes invoke to negotiate their sexual orientation in this highly homophobic nation and homohysteric sporting culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nassim Hamdi
- a Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l'Éducation Physique-Tunis , Manouba , Tunisia
| | - Monia Lachheb
- b Institut Supérieur du Sport et de l'Éducation Physique de Tunis , Université de la Manouba , Tunisie , Manouba , Tunisia
| | - Eric Anderson
- c Department of Sport and Exercise , University of Winchester , Winchester , UK
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13
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Ridner SL, Topp R, Frost KL. Methodological Issues in Identifying Sexuality for Research. Am J Mens Health 2016; 1:87-90. [DOI: 10.1177/1557988306294609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexuality is a complex concept that can be measured based on various aspects. Depending on the variable of interest, investigators may wish to focus on sexual behavior (activity), sexual orientation (attraction to a particular gender), or sexual identity (self-identification with a particular group of people). Further complicating the process is the fact that these aspects of sexuality are not always congruent with one another. Lesbian, gay, and bisexuals (LGB) are sexual minorities that have been identified as one of several groups that experience health disparities. For researchers working with the LGB population, properly identifying and defining which aspect of sexuality is of interest to the investigator is paramount in obtaining accurate outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Lee Ridner
- School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Kentucky,
| | - Robert Topp
- School of Nursing, University of Louisville, Kentucky
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14
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Villicana AJ, Delucio K, Biernat M. “Coming out” among gay Latino and gay White men: implications of verbal disclosure for well-being. SELF AND IDENTITY 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2016.1156568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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15
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Baldwin A, Dodge B, Schick V, Hubach RD, Bowling J, Malebranche D, Goncalves G, Schnarrs PW, Reece M, Fortenberry JD. Sexual self-identification among behaviorally bisexual men in the midwestern United States. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2015; 44:2015-26. [PMID: 25344028 PMCID: PMC4409915 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-014-0376-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2014] [Revised: 06/07/2014] [Accepted: 06/14/2014] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Previous social and behavioral research on identity among bisexual men, when not subsumed within the category of men who have sex with men (MSM), has primarily focused on samples of self-identified bisexual men. Little is known about sexual self-identification among men who are behaviorally bisexual, regardless of sexual identity. Using qualitative data from 77 in-depth interviews with a diverse sample of behaviorally bisexual men (i.e., men who have had sex with at least one woman and at least one man in the past six months) from a large city in the Midwestern United States, we analyzed responses from a domain focusing on sexual self-identity and related issues. Overall, participants' sexual self-identification was exceptionally diverse. Three primary themes emerged: (1) a resistance to, or rejection of, using sexual self-identity labels; (2) concurrent use of multiple identity categories and the strategic deployment of multiple sexual identity labels; and (3) a variety of trajectories to current sexual self-identification. Based on our findings, we offer insights into the unique lived experiences of behaviorally bisexual men, as well as broader considerations for the study of men's sexuality. We also explore identity-related information useful for the design of HIV/STI prevention and other sexual health programs directed toward behaviorally bisexual men, which will ideally be variable and flexible in accordance with the wide range of diversity found in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleta Baldwin
- Indiana University, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, IN
| | - Brian Dodge
- Indiana University, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, IN
| | - Vanessa Schick
- University of Texas Health Science Center, Division of Management, Policy & Community Health, Houston, TX
| | - Randolph D. Hubach
- Oklahoma State University, School of Applied Health & Educational Psychology, Stillwater, OK
| | - Jessamyn Bowling
- Indiana University, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, IN
| | - David Malebranche
- University of Pennsylvania, Department of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Gabriel Goncalves
- Indiana University, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, IN
| | - Phillip W. Schnarrs
- University of Texas, College of Education & Human Development, San Antonio, TX
| | - Michael Reece
- Indiana University, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, IN
| | - J. Dennis Fortenberry
- Indiana University, Center for Sexual Health Promotion, Bloomington, IN
- Indiana University School of Medicine, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Indianapolis, IN
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16
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Hajek C. Social and psychological creativity in gay male midlife identity management. BRITISH JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY 2015; 55:227-43. [PMID: 26334444 DOI: 10.1111/bjso.12128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2014] [Revised: 07/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
This study utilizes a qualitative thematic analysis methodology and a social identity theory framework to explore ways in which early midlife gay men report enhancing their social identities through social and psychological creativity. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with forty early midlife gay men (aged 40-53) in four US cities. Men discussed the collective and individual essences of their age and gay identities, including attitudes, beliefs, and behaviours that they embraced to self-enhance at midlife. These discussions emphasized differences from the younger gay outgroup, often in the context of intergenerational interaction. Identified were three strategies (and seven substrategies) that summarized the ways that interviewees constructed their identities in the interest of self-enhancement, specifically in the context of intergenerational comparisons with younger gay men. These strategies may be considered as extensions to social creativity strategies presented in Tajfel and Turner's (Psychology of intergroup relations. Chicago, IL: Nelson, 1986: 7) social identity theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Hajek
- Department of Communication, University of Texas at San Antonio, USA
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17
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Abstract
Through case studies, the strategies used by six men to negotiate between their gay and skinhead identities were examined. Skinheads are defined by traditional masculine values and culture, primarily fashion and music. These men differed in their definitions of skinheads and the centrality of their gay identity to their overall identity. Four of the men, when interacting with other skinheads, strove to minimize their homosexuality. Two of these four relied heavily on fashion and music to validate their skinhead identity. The other two accentuated their masculinity and aggressed against effeminate men. For one, being gay was always central to his identity. For another, his gay identity was balanced with his skinhead and occupational identities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Robin Valeri
- St. Bonaventure University, St. Bonaventure, NY, USA
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18
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Martos A, Nezhad S, Meyer IH. Variations in Sexual Identity Milestones among Lesbians, Gay Men and Bisexuals. SEXUALITY RESEARCH & SOCIAL POLICY : JOURNAL OF NSRC : SR & SP 2015; 12:24-33. [PMID: 27695579 PMCID: PMC5042327 DOI: 10.1007/s13178-014-0167-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Despite a large body of literature covering sexual identity development milestones, we know little about differences or similarities in patterns of identity development among subgroups of the lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) population. For this study, we assessed identity milestones for 396 LGB New Yorkers, ages 18-59. Sexual identity and disclosure milestones, were measured across gender, sexual identity, race/ethnicity, and age cohort subgroups of the LGB sample. Men experienced most sexual identity milestones earlier than women, but they tended to take more time between milestones. LGBs in younger age cohorts experienced sexual identity milestones and disclosure milestones earlier than the older cohorts. Bisexual people experienced sexual identity and disclosure milestones later than gay and lesbian people. Timing of coming out milestones did not differ by race/ethnicity. By comparing differences within subpopulations, the results of this study help build understanding of the varied identity development experiences of people who are often referred to collectively as "the LGB community." LGB people face unique health and social challenges; a more complete understanding of variations among LGB people allows health professionals and social service providers to provide services that better fit the needs of LGB communities.
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19
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Itzhaky H, Kissil K. "It's a horrible sin. If they find out, I will not be able to stay": Orthodox Jewish gay men's experiences living in secrecy. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2015; 62:621-643. [PMID: 25494720 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2014.988532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
This qualitative study examined the intersection of sexual orientation and religion in the Jewish Orthodox community by exploring 22 Orthodox Jewish gay men's experiences living in secrecy. Analysis of in-depth interviews conducted with these men revealed four primary themes: emotional turmoil, ways of coping, impact on family relationships, and importance of the context. Findings from this study describe the daily struggles these men experienced keeping their homosexuality a secret. The findings suggest that in order to design effective interventions with this population, it is crucial to consider the larger community and religious context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haya Itzhaky
- a School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University , Ramat Gan , Israel
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20
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Nario-Redmond MR, Noel JG, Fern E. Redefining Disability, Re-imagining the Self: Disability Identification Predicts Self-esteem and Strategic Responses to Stigma. SELF AND IDENTITY 2013. [DOI: 10.1080/15298868.2012.681118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
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21
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Fjelstrom J. Sexual orientation change efforts and the search for authenticity. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2013; 60:801-827. [PMID: 23688310 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2013.774830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
This article is based on structured interviews of a sample of 15 former participants in sexual orientation change efforts (SOCE), who currently identify as gay or lesbian. The primary research question for this study was, "What was the experience of self-identified gay men and lesbians who went through some type of SOCE and eventually asserted themselves as gay or lesbian?" The research concludes that participants sometimes identified as heterosexual during SOCE, but never changed their underlying homosexual orientation, and that suppression, disconnection, and a sense of inauthenticity were significant phenomena of this process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo Fjelstrom
- School of Social Work, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
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22
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Allen KD, Hammack PL, Himes HL. Analysis of GLBTQ youth community-based programs in the United States. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2012; 59:1289-1306. [PMID: 23101498 DOI: 10.1080/00918369.2012.720529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (GLBTQ) youth face oppression despite some increases in cultural support for GLBTQ individuals. Research has revealed the psychological and social distress associated with oppression and the benefits of peer social support programs. This study was conducted to analyze the types and frequency of services, age of participants, and organizational structures of the 116 GLBTQ community-based programs operating in the United States. Using an Internet survey, information from 61 of the programs was secured. The results revealed the community-based youth programs provide critical and unique programs and services that can promote the mental and physical health of GLBTQ youth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth D Allen
- The National GLBTQ Youth Foundation, New York, NY 10025, USA.
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Brennan DJ, Craig SL, Thompson DEA. Factors associated with a drive for muscularity among gay and bisexual men. CULTURE, HEALTH & SEXUALITY 2011; 14:1-15. [PMID: 22077494 DOI: 10.1080/13691058.2011.619578] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Among gay and bisexual men, body dissatisfaction can manifest itself in the form of a desire for increased muscularity. Possibly in response to homophobia, the socio-sexual culture of gay and bisexual men privileges muscularity and may help to perpetuate a sense of body dissatisfaction. Little is known about factors associated with a drive for muscularity among gay and bisexual men. This study recruited participants (n = 400) at Toronto's 2008 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender festival to provide data used to examine the relationship between a drive for muscularity and demographics (age, race, education, HIV status), psychological factors (depression, disordered eating, internalised homophobia, substance use), body mass, a history of childhood sexual abuse and sexual risk. Multivariate analyses revealed that a drive for muscularity was associated with age, disordered eating, depression, sexual risk and internalised homonegativity. These findings can be used to advance the health and wellbeing of gay and bisexual men, particularly interventions designed to mitigate the effects of internalised homonegativity and policies aimed at reducing homophobia.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Brennan
- Factor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work , University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
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25
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Shapiro DN, Rios D, Stewart AJ. Conceptualizing lesbian sexual identity development: Narrative accounts of socializing structures and individual decisions and actions. FEMINISM & PSYCHOLOGY 2010. [DOI: 10.1177/0959353509358441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Many theories have aimed to chart lesbian, gay and bisexual identity development. These include traditional developmental models as well as newer approaches designed to capture a more fluid, multidimensional trajectory, both of which have tended to neglect the role of intersectional identities, context and individual variation in lesbian identity development. This study used inductive research methods, informed by grounded theory, to examine lesbian identity development in life narrative interviews with four lesbian scholar-activists from different national and racial backgrounds. The women’s narratives suggest that a dynamic, non-linear, and contextualized representation of sexual identity development may more accurately describe lesbian identity development in terms of intersecting identities, national and local contexts, and personal and professional relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Desdamona Rios
- Department of Psychology, the University of Michigan, USA,
| | - Abigail J Stewart
- The Department of Psychology and Women's Studies, University of Michigan, USA
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26
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Abstract
International studies report increased rates of mental health problems and subsequent suicidality among homosexual populations. While international health-care policy is concerned with reducing suicide among young people, important research findings relating to gay people and suicidality remain unacknowledged in the Suicide Prevention Strategy for England. This qualitative study, utilizing single case studies, was used to gain an in-depth understanding of the life experiences contributing to the suicidality of four gay men. The methodology was psychoanalytically informed, using free association narrative interviewing. The initial data analysis involved interpretation of each of the case studies and a subsequent analysis exploring the shared experiences found in each of the individual narratives. Thematically, these are described as 'knowing and not knowing', 'the centrality of the father-son relationship', 'the loneliness of outsiderness', 'leading a double life', and 'crime and punishment'. The significance of the life experiences these themes illustrate reveal why some gay men might not only experience long-term mental health problems, but also engage in suicidality. Individually and collectively, the analyses provide important insights for mental health nurses becoming more attuned to provide sensitive mental health care to those who have a gay sexual orientation.
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Abstract
A model of depressive symptoms in gay men is tested that links gender-related personality traits (agency and unmitigated communion) to peer harassment, self-discrepancies in agency, and cold-submissive interpersonal behavior, all of which were reported in previous research to contribute to depression. A sample of 510 gay men was recruited through the Internet. The integrated model was tested using half of the sample and validated with the other half. Significant zero order correlations between the gender-related personality traits and depressive symptoms were mediated by unassured-submissive behavior and self-discrepancies in agency. Recalled peer harassment was linked directly with depressive symptoms and indirectly through unassured-submissive interpersonal behavior.
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28
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Bedard KK, Marks AK. Current psychological perspectives on adolescent lesbian identity development. JOURNAL OF LESBIAN STUDIES 2010; 14:16-25. [PMID: 20077262 DOI: 10.1080/10894160903058857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Developing a healthy identity is one of the main tasks of adolescence. This process is certainly full of challenges for all adolescents; however, the experiences are different for lesbian adolescents than they are for gay male adolescents, or even lesbian adults. This article aims to discuss what makes the lesbian adolescent identity development process unique (e.g., the role of femininity, the school context, friendships) and how this process can, or cannot, be conceptualized using current psychological models of sexual identity development. Future directions are suggested for researchers and educators in order to implement changes needed to support positive sexual identity development in young lesbian adolescents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine K Bedard
- Department of Psychology, Suffolk University, 41 Temple Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.
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29
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Cox N, Vanden Berghe W, Dewaele A, Vincke J. Acculturation strategies and mental health in gay, lesbian, and bisexual youth. J Youth Adolesc 2009; 39:1199-210. [PMID: 20689983 DOI: 10.1007/s10964-009-9435-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2008] [Accepted: 06/30/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In this article, we examine the impact of acculturation strategies on minority stress and mental health in lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) youth in Flanders, Belgium. Building on previous identity minority studies and on the social stress model, we investigate how LGB youth acculturate within both the LGB subculture and mainstream society and how this correlates with their mental health. Our sample is taken from an online survey and represents 561 LGB youth aged 14 through 21. The four traditional acculturation strategies are represented in this population (integration, separation, marginalization, assimilation). Bisexual boys are mostly absent from separation and integration strategies; gay and lesbian youth in middle adolescence are significantly more represented in the separation strategy compared to their late adolescence counterparts. Further, our findings suggest the relevance of identification with the LGB community, especially for internalized negative attitudes toward homosexuality. LGB youth who identify with the LGB community score significantly lower on this internalized homonegativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nele Cox
- Department of Sociology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium.
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30
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Parks CA, Hughes TL, Kinnison KE. The relationship between early drinking contexts of women "coming out" as lesbian and current alcohol use. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2009; 3:73-90. [PMID: 19042906 DOI: 10.1080/15574090802095823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Several decades of research show that lesbians are at risk for hazardous drinking. Compared with heterosexual women, lesbians are less likely to abstain from drinking, less likely to decrease their alcohol consumption as they age, and more likely to report alcohol-related problems. Stress associated with lesbian identity and reliance on lesbian or gay bars for socialization and support are frequently posited--but largely untested--explanations for lesbians' heightened risk. Results from general population studies indicate that patterns of alcohol use established early in the life-course or during life transitions influence later alcohol use and alcohol-related problems. Further, heavy-drinking peers, availability of alcohol, and drinking in particular social contexts--such as at bars and parties--are believed to contribute to heavier drinking and to alcohol-related problems. To better understand lesbians' risks for hazardous drinking, we examined relationships between retrospective accounts of drinking patterns and drinking contexts in the early stages of lesbian identity development and current drinking outcomes in a large sample of adult lesbians. Findings suggest that early drinking patterns and drinking contexts influence later alcohol use and have important implications for risk reduction and prevention among lesbians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Parks
- School of Social Work, University of Connecticut,W. Hartford, CT 06117-2698, USA.
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31
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Glover JA, Galliher RV, Lamere TG. Identity development and exploration among sexual minority adolescents: examination of a multidimensional model. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2009; 56:77-101. [PMID: 19197644 DOI: 10.1080/00918360802551555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Based on a multidimensional model of sexual identity development, the current study examined self-labeling, romantic, and sexual experiences among middle and late adolescent sexual minorities. Eighty-two youths between the ages of 14 and 21 were recruited from gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community centers and associated Internet groups. Differences between males and females and between middle and late adolescents were first examined. Males reported markedly different patterns of self-labeling and romantic experiences, relative to females, but few age differences emerged. Additionally, patterns of association between self-labeling and sexual or romantic experiences provided support for the multidimensional model of identity development and exploration. Finally, significant associations emerged between relationship experiences and relational competency, such that adolescents who described themselves as isolated from intimate interpersonal relationships reported less relational esteem and more relational depression than those who reported predominantly engaging in same-sex romantic relationships. In addition, alternative styles of engaging in interpersonal relationships (e.g., same-sex intimate friendships, heterosexual dating) also were also associated with increased relational competency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna A Glover
- Department of Psychology, Utah State University, Logan, Utah 84322, USA
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32
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Collier NR, Lumadue CA, Wooten HR. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess: reception of the texts by a sample of lesbian fans and web site users. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2009; 56:575-609. [PMID: 19591034 DOI: 10.1080/00918360903005253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
This qualitative study of television reception examined the ways in which a sample of lesbian fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Xena: Warrior Princess incorporated their experiences as viewers, fans, and Internet users with relation to their sexual identity as lesbians. Specifically, this study examined the ways in which participants used these television programs to inform their sexual identity development. Results indicated that participants used television and the Internet to normalize and affirm lesbian experience, to decrease negative feelings regarding their lesbian identities, and to decrease social isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noelle R Collier
- Department of Family Sciences, Texas Woman's University, P. O. Box 425769, Denton, TX 76204, USA.
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33
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Brooks KD, Quina K. Women's sexual identity patterns: differences among lesbians, bisexuals, and unlabeled women. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2009; 56:1030-1045. [PMID: 19882425 DOI: 10.1080/00918360903275443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
To better understand women with same-sex attractions who do not identify as lesbian or bisexual (i.e., unlabeled women), we examined differences and similarities among self-designated lesbian, bisexual, and unlabeled women. Two hundred eight non-heterosexual women ranging in age from 18 to 69 years (85% identified as White) completed an online survey examining indicators of sexual orientation and beliefs and self-perceptions associated with sexual identity. Compared to lesbians, unlabeled women reported the weakest collective sexual identities and, along with bisexuals, they were less likely to view sexual orientation as fixed, being more focused on the "person, not the gender." Unlabeled women reported the greatest likelihood that their sexual identity would change in the future. These findings highlight the complexity of women's sexual identities and question the adequacy of categorical approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly D Brooks
- Department of Psychology, George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.
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34
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LeBeau RT, Jellison WA. Why get involved? Exploring gay and bisexual men's experience of the gay community. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2009; 56:56-76. [PMID: 19197643 DOI: 10.1080/00918360802551522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Involvement in a gay community is a necessary step in the formation of a positive gay identity. However, how gay individuals think of a gay community and how they participate in these communities remains largely unexplored from a psychological perspective. The current study used an online survey containing several open-ended response items asking participants how they define the gay community, their first experience with it, and the advantages and disadvantages resulting from their involvement. The responses of a nationwide sample of 129 gay and bisexual men were coded in accordance with grounded theory. The results revealed substantial diversity in the perceptions and experiences of the gay community. Implications regarding these findings are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard T LeBeau
- Department of Psychology, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York, USA
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35
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Giertsen M, Anderssen N. Time period and lesbian identity events: a comparison of Norwegian lesbians across 1986 and 2005. JOURNAL OF SEX RESEARCH 2007; 44:328-339. [PMID: 18321012 DOI: 10.1080/00224490701586698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the present work was to investigate the assumption that the lives of lesbians are easier today. When exploring the hypothesis that identity events (e.g., coming out to parents) among lesbian women have changed over time and happen earlier in life today, we expected to find several time period effects. Two national samples obtained through mailed questionnaires were compared, 1986 (n = 123) and 2005 (n = 236), age range 20-49. Time period effects were found, including informants reporting identifying as lesbian earlier in life. Time period effects, however, were not found regarding relational identity events such as informing others about one's identity status. The findings did not reveal any conclusive evidence that it is easier to establish a lesbian lifestyle today.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merethe Giertsen
- Department of Social Work Studies, Finnmark University College, Alta, Norway.
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36
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Abstract
Women who "come out" as lesbian must learn to cope with a stigmatized identity. Stress associated with the sexual identity development process is a commonly posed explanation for the high rates of "heavy drinking" and drinking consumption-related problems within this population. However, relatively little is known about the sexual identity development process in lesbians and even less about lesbians' drinking patterns during this process. Growing societal tolerance and visibility of sexual minorities over the past 35 years has likely created substantially different environments and experiences of coming out for individuals of different age cohorts. Data from the Chicago Health and Life Experiences of Women study provided the opportunity to examine relationships between variables associated with lesbian identity development and alcohol use-related problems in three age cohorts of self-identified lesbians. The study's limitations are noted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Parks
- School of Social Work, University of Connecticut, West Hartford, Connecticut 06117, USA.
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37
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Fox RC. Gay grows up:an interpretive study on aging metaphors and queer identity. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2007; 52:33-61. [PMID: 17594971 DOI: 10.1300/j082v52n03_03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
This study is based upon qualitative research conducted with the Phoenix chapter of the Prime Timers, a social organization that offers older men in the gay community a space to communicate their general needs and desires. Using data collected through participant observation and informant interviews, the research demonstrates the ways in which the group's affiliates respond to queer sensibilities. The analysis argues that intergenerational communication is fettered by age stereotypes that generate communicative boundaries between young and old members of the gay community. The report then suggests that age-based breakdowns in communication prevalent in the gay community are further advanced by a difference in intergenerational approaches to survival.
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38
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Peterson TL, Gerrity DA. Internalized homophobia, lesbian identity development, and self-esteem in undergraduate women. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2006; 50:49-75. [PMID: 16723340 DOI: 10.1300/j082v50n04_03] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the relationship between internalized homophobia, self-esteem, and lesbian identity development in 35 undergraduate women. Results indicated evidence of a strong relationship between the two identity development measures, the Stage Allocation Measure (SAM; Cass, 1984) and the Gay Identity Questionnaire (GIQ; Brady & Busse, 1994), and moderate relationships between identity development and internalized homophobia, between identity development and self-esteem, and between internalized homophobia and self-esteem. Implications for research and clinical practice are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Trica L Peterson
- Counseling Services, Seton Hall, Niagara University, NY 14109, USA.
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39
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40
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Murray PD, McClintock K. Children of the closet: a measurement of the anxiety and self-esteem of children raised by a non-disclosed homosexual or bisexual parent. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2005; 49:77-95. [PMID: 16048886 DOI: 10.1300/j082v49n01_04] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This research examined whether a parent's non-disclosure of his or her homosexual or bisexual orientation within the family unit negatively affects self-esteem and anxiety in children, as measured in adulthood. Thirty-six subjects indicated that they had not known of their parent's sexual orientation until an average age of sixteen for the children of lesbian or bisexual mothers, and twenty-two for the children of gay or bisexual fathers. This group's scores on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, the Marlowe Crowne Social Desirabilty Scale and the State-Trait Anxiety Scale were compared to scores obtained by sixty-three participants who did not have a homosexual/bisexual parent. The number of years a secretive environment surrounded the child was measured, as were participants' attitudes about the secret sexual identity. Although the study did not find that adults previously raised with a closeted parent had significantly higher levels of anxiety or lower levels of self-esteem, results indicated that those who had been raised as children with non-disclosed lesbian mothers showed a significantly higher level of self-esteem than participants with heterosexual parents. Implications of the findings for the targeted population are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Murray
- Department of Psychology, Southern Oregon University, 1250 Siskiyou Blvd, Ashland, OR 97520, USA
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41
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Parks CA, Hughes TL, Matthews AK. Race/ethnicity and sexual orientation: intersecting identities. CULTURAL DIVERSITY & ETHNIC MINORITY PSYCHOLOGY 2004; 10:241-54. [PMID: 15311977 DOI: 10.1037/1099-9809.10.3.241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Racial/ethnic minority women who come to identify as lesbian must confront the norms and expectations of both the majority and minority cultures in which they live. This article reports findings from a diverse sample of nearly 450 women and examines the effects of race/ethnicity on sexual identity development in African American, Latina, and White lesbians. African American and Latina respondents differed little in the timing and disclosure of lesbian identity; comparisons between women of color and White women revealed substantial variability. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for practice with lesbians of color.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheryl A Parks
- School of Social Work, University of Connecticut, West Hartford, CT 06117-2698, USA.
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42
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Johns DJ, Probst TM. Sexual minority identity formation in an adult population. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2004; 47:81-90. [PMID: 15271624 DOI: 10.1300/j082v47n02_05] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
This study reflects an initial empirical attempt to assess the validity of a widely accepted model of sexual identity formation proposed by Cass (1979). Using a cross-sectional sample of 143 sexual minority participants, factor analytic and multidimensional scaling results suggest that sexual minorities view the identity formation process as occurring in two phases, rather than multiple discrete linear stages. These two phases can be best characterized by individuals having either an "unintegrated" or "fully integrated" sense of sexual orientation into one's self-identity. Future research is suggested utilizing a longitudinal design in order to conduct a more rigorous test of this model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna J Johns
- School of Professional Psychology, Pacific University, USA.
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43
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Mohr JJ, Fassinger RE. Self-acceptance and self-disclosure of sexual orientation in lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults: An attachment perspective. J Couns Psychol 2003. [DOI: 10.1037/0022-0167.50.4.482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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44
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Abstract
SUMMARY This study investigated and compared predictors of well-being in lesbians/bisexual women and gay/bisexual men. Well-being was assessed using measures of self-esteem, life satisfaction, and depression. Predictor variables included involvement in lesbian/gay/bisexual (LGB) culture, rejection of negative stereotypes of LGBs, positivity of gay/lesbian identity, and perceived acceptance by family, heterosexual friends, and work/school associates. A survey instrument was developed and distributed in the Greater Buffalo area in Spring and Summer of 1994, to which 168 lesbians and bisexual women and 152 gay and bisexual men responded. Overall, results were very similar for lesbian/bisexual women and gay/bisexual men. Having a positive LGB identity was the most robust predictor of psychological well-being in both women and men who participated in the study. In addition, rejection of negative stereotypes predicted positive LGB identity. Results are discussed within the context of lesbian/bisexual women's mental health and suggestions for research and practice are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riia K Luhtanen
- a Institute for Social Research, University of Michigan , USA
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45
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Jewish Gay Men's Accounts of Negotiating Cultural, Religious, and Sexual Identity. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2001. [DOI: 10.1300/j056v12n04_02] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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46
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Rosario M, Hunter J, Maguen S, Gwadz M, Smith R. The coming-out process and its adaptational and health-related associations among gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths: stipulation and exploration of a model. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF COMMUNITY PSYCHOLOGY 2001; 29:133-60. [PMID: 11439825 DOI: 10.1023/a:1005205630978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
A model is proposed and explored that links the coming-out process to the psychological functioning (i.e., self-esteem and distress) and sexual behaviors of gay, lesbian, and bisexual youths recruited from gay-focused community-based and college organizations in New York City. The coming-out process is multidimensional, consisting, as defined here, of involvement in gay/lesbian activities, attitudes toward homosexuality, comfort with homosexuality, self-disclosure of sexual identity to others, and sexual identity. The coming-out dimensions were related to self-esteem, distress, and unprotected sexual behaviors. In addition, the relations between the coming-out dimensions and unprotected sexual behaviors were explained by psychological functioning. In particular, limited involvement in gay/lesbian activities was associated with more unprotected sex. Negative attitudes toward homosexuality were related directly to more unprotected sex, and they were related indirectly to more unprotected sex by means of increasing emotional distress. These and other findings have implications for designing preventive interventions to increase the youths' psychological functioning and reduce their unprotected sexual behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Rosario
- Department of Psychology, City University of New York, City College and Graduate Center, NAC Building 7-120, 138th Street and Convent Avenue, New York, New York 10031, USA
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47
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Horowitz JL, Newcomb MD. A multidimensional approach to homosexual identity. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 2001; 42:1-19. [PMID: 12013570 DOI: 10.1300/j082v42n02_01] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
The existing developmental stage models of homosexual identity do not consider the diversity of human sexual experience. The stage models stem from an essentialist perspective, in which the process of homosexual identity formation is largely a matter of becoming aware of one's underlying, or real, sexual orientation. Once homosexual orientation is identified, the only legitimate outcome is to develop homosexual identity and eventually incorporate that identity as one aspect of the total self. In this paper, we are concerned with those people for whom the stage models are inadequate in describing their experience of sexual identity development. The social constructionist perspective holds that the process of identity formation is a continual, two-way interactive process between the individual and the social environment, and that the meanings the individual gives to these factors influence the development of self-constructs and identity. Sexual identity develops within this contextual framework and, because it is influenced by continual interaction, is fluid over time and experience, throughout one's life. Our model does not rely on the existing developmental models of homosexual identity; rather, our model looks at desire, behavior, and identity as three separate constructs related to sexual identity. We posit that from the social constructionist viewpoint, there is in fact no true endpoint to sexual identity development.
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Affiliation(s)
- J L Horowitz
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles 90089-0031, USA
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48
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Elizur Y, Ziv M. Family support and acceptance, gay male identity formation, and psychological adjustment: a path model. FAMILY PROCESS 2001; 40:125-144. [PMID: 11444052 DOI: 10.1111/j.1545-5300.2001.4020100125.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
While heterosexist family undermining has been demonstrated to be a developmental risk factor in the life of persons with same-gender orientation, the issue of protective family factors is both controversial and relatively neglected. In this study of Israeli gay males (N = 114), we focused on the interrelations of family support, family acceptance and family knowledge of gay orientation, and gay male identity formation, and their effects on mental health and self-esteem. A path model was proposed based on the hypotheses that family support, family acceptance, family knowledge, and gay identity formation have an impact on psychological adjustment, and that family support has an effect on gay identity formation that is mediated by family acceptance. The assessment of gay identity formation was based on an established stage model that was streamlined for cross-cultural practice by defining three basic processes of same-gender identity formation: self-definition, self-acceptance, and disclosure (Elizur & Mintzer, 2001). The testing of our conceptual path model demonstrated an excellent fit with the data. An alternative model that hypothesized effects of gay male identity on family acceptance and family knowledge did not fit the data. Interpreting these results, we propose that the main effect of family support/acceptance on gay identity is related to the process of disclosure, and that both general family support and family acceptance of same-gender orientation play a significant role in the psychological adjustment of gay men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y Elizur
- Department of Psychology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Mount Scopus, Jerusalem, 91905, Israel.
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49
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Taylor B. 'Coming out' as a life transition: homosexual identity formation and its implications for health care practice. J Adv Nurs 1999; 30:520-5. [PMID: 10457256 DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2648.1999.01108.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
This paper explores the formation of homosexual identity through the complex transitional process of 'coming out'. Linear developmental models are discussed as is the influence of societal norms on identity formation. In considering the implications for professional practice the author challenges the heterosexism in health care and suggests ways in which health care professionals can provide a supportive environment for gay men and lesbians.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Taylor
- Oxford Brookes University, School of Health Care, Gypsy Lane, Headington, Oxford OX3 0BP, England
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Coenen ME. Helping families with homosexual children: a model for counseling. JOURNAL OF HOMOSEXUALITY 1998; 36:73-85. [PMID: 9736333 DOI: 10.1300/j082v36n02_06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Adolescence is a stressful time for many children and identification as homosexual adds to the frustration normally experienced during this period of development. The processes of coming out and disclosing this homosexual identity, while often difficult, are necessary if the adolescent is to develop a stable sexual identity. In families where disclosure has occurred, feelings of regret, confusion, and denial are common; in order to deal with these feelings, many families seek professional help. It is important the therapist working with these family systems has an understanding of homosexuality, positive attitudes towards homosexuality, and an appropriate counseling model to use with these family systems. A counseling model based on problem-solving communication-training (Robin & Foster, 1984, 1989), meant as a framework upon which professionals can build, is presented; professional attitudes, assessment processes, and goal setting are also discussed.
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