Coming out ‘softly’

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincent Pak
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Ethnographic Interviews ◽  
The Social ◽  
Familial Obligations

Given the social stigmatisation and legal disadvantages faced by gay men in Singapore, there is a general hesitance to be open about one’s gay identity for fear of discrimination and possible prosecution. The logic of illiberal pragmatism is taken up by the Singaporean government as a mode of governance that simultaneously constrains and frees its citizens, which forces its gay citizens to straddle the expression of their sexual identity and a sense of duty to their families. This same tension is found in gay men’s reflections on the coming out process. In ethnographic interviews conducted with 15 Singaporean gay men, concerns arise about the perceived strength and directness of coming out alongside the need to satisfy familial obligations. In response to these concerns, gay Singaporeans have adopted a ‘soft’ approach to coming out that aligns with national illiberal pragmatism. Di Singapura, ada ramai yang rasa curiga untuk menyebarluaskan identiti gay mereka kerana takut dikejam dan didakwa. Ini diakibatkan penindasan dalam masyarakat dan kekurangan perlindungan dari segi hukum yang dihadapi oleh golongan gay. Pemerintah Singapura menggunakan logik pragmatisme yang tidak liberal (‘illiberal pragmatism’) sebagai alat pemerintahan yang saling mengekang dan membebas warganya. Penggunaan logik ini memaksa warga negara gaynya untuk memilih antara menyebarluaskan orientasi seksual mereka atau memenuhi kewajiban keluarga. Pilihan sukar ini sering dibentangkan oleh lelaki-lelaki gay dalam renungan mereka tentang proses melela (‘coming out’). Dalam wawancara etnografi dengan 15 lelaki gay Singapura, kebimbangan mengenai keberkesanan proses melela dan tekanan memenuhi tanggungjawab keluarga kerap timbul. Sebagai pembalasan terhadap kebingungan tersebut, warga negara gay Singapura melela menggunakan cetak biru yang ‘lembut’ dan selaras dengan logik pragmatisme Singapura.

Identities

Out in Time ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 11-32
Author(s):  
Perry N. Halkitis
Keyword(s):  
Gay Men ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Multiple Identities ◽  
Political Context ◽  
Turn Of The Century ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Life Narratives ◽  
Social Emotional ◽  
The Social ◽  
Behavioral Conditions

Gay men hold multiple identities, which define who they are and which shape their experiences of coming out. The chapter introduces the fifteen men of varying ages, races, ethnicities, and places of birth, whose life narratives provide the means for exploring the coming out process within and across generations and of the social, emotional, and behavioral conditions that have defined the lives of gay men. Five gay men who emerged into adolescence in the late 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s constitute the Stonewall Generation; those who came of age in the late 1970s through the early 1990s are defined as members of the AIDS Generation; and those emerging into adulthood after the turn of the century belong to the Queer Generation. Each of the fifteen men is introduced in relation to his earliest memories of what would prove to be his gay identity and in the social-political context of the time.

Out in Time

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Perry N. Halkitis
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Identity Formation ◽  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Generational Differences ◽  
Life Experiences ◽  
Sexual Identity Development ◽  
Three Generations ◽  
American Society

The life experiences and sexual identity development of three generations of gay men, the Stonewall, AIDS, and Queer generations, are explored. While there are generational differences in the lived experiences of young gay men shaped by the sociopolitical contexts of the historical epoch in which they emerged into adulthood, and a crisis that has come to define each generation, there also are consistencies across generations and across time in the psychological process of coming out that defines identity formation of gay men, as these individuals transition from a period of sexual identity awareness to sexual identity integration. The life experiences are also shaped by conceptions of hypermasculinity, racism and discrimination, substance use, and adventurous sexuality. Despite the many challenges that have defined the lives of gay men across time and that are informed by the homophobia of American society, the vast majority of the population also has demonstrated resilience and fortitude in achieving both pride and dignity. These ideas are explored through the life narratives of fifteen diverse gay men, across the three generations.

Gay Men: Overview

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
James I. Martin
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Work ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Mental Health Problems ◽  
Cultural Influences ◽  
Social Policies ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Identity Constructions ◽  
The Social ◽  
Social Work Practitioners

This entry explains who gay men are, how gay identity constructions have evolved since their inception, and how they continue to evolve. It also describes the health and mental health problems that gay men may present to social work practitioners. In addition, it identifies several social policies that are relevant to gay men. The entry argues that a systemic perspective that takes into account the social, political, and cultural influences on gay men is necessary for understanding the problems that such men commonly experience.

Coming Out and Political Attitudes Among Sexual Minorities

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Page
Keyword(s):  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Sexual Minorities ◽  
Western Europe ◽  
Political Attitudes ◽  
Social Conditions ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Social ◽  
And Bisexual

A nascent body of research is growing on the issue of disclosing one’s sexuality, also termed “coming out,” and the implications for attitudes, behavior, and health. This research engages (a) the political attitudes of those reporting their sexual identity, and (b) the social conditions that lead people to express different forms of sexual identity. Four main findings help to characterize the relationship between coming out and political attitudes among sexual minorities. First, people who come out tend to be socially liberal, but the reasons behind this pattern remain unclear. Second, tolerant social conditions correlate with coming out; expressions of tolerant attitudes; and political engagement on behalf of lesbian, gay, and bisexual rights. Third, the reverse holds as well: Intolerant, homophobic social conditions correlate with the concealment of one’s homosexuality and the expression of homophobic attitudes. Fourth, homophobic social conditions also may lead to worse mental health outcomes, which in turn reduce political efficacy and participation. However, the causal relationships between social conditions, coming out, political outcomes, and health outcomes elude existing research. Future research can unpack these relationships and include more cases outside Western Europe and North America, where most research on this topic is conducted.

The Hidden Minority

1991 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruth E. Fassinger
Keyword(s):  
Social Context ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Lesbian Women ◽  
Therapeutic Work ◽  
Roles And Responsibilities ◽  
Gay Identity Development ◽  
The Social ◽  
Counseling Psychologists

This article provides an overview of salient issues related to scientific and therapeutic work with lesbian women and gay men. It is presented in five sections which provide the reader with a review of terms and concepts; a sense of the social context (historically and currently) faced by gay people, a discussion of psychology s approach to gay/lesbian issues, an overview of gay identity development; and an outline of roles and responsibilities of counseling psychologists in working with these populations. Resources are indicated for those wishing further information and direction.

scholarly journals SELF-EFFICACY AND THE PROCESS OF GAY SEXUAL IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT AMONG GAY MEN IN MALAYSIA

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmella E. Ading ◽  
◽  
Aminuddin Ibrahim Lastar ◽  
Getrude Cosmas Ahgang ◽  
Mohammad Hashim Othman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Support ◽  
Identity Development ◽  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Thematic Analysis ◽  
Self Efficacy ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Sexual Identity Development ◽  
The Government ◽  
Sex Orientation

"The development of gay identity sexual among Malaysian gay men were not discussed openly in this country. This is because the government do not approve same sex orientation lifestyle. However, gay men exist in many communities in this country and they are living freely as a citizen and work in the country like others. Malaysia is one of the countries that openly against the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Queer (LGBTQ). Nevertheless, they continue to develop their sexual identity as a part of their lives which at the same time causes a great distress in them. Thus, their decision to identify themselves as gays takes huge courage and effort. These courage and effort were found not only just intricately, since it involves emotional and social support from their family, friends and communities. It is also believed that this social support might help gay men to develop their self-efficacy as well. Therefore, it is in the interest of the researchers to explore about self-efficacy by looking at emotional and social support they received and its relation to the development of sexual identity among the gay men who lives in Malaysia. In this qualitative research, semi structured questions were developed to explore sexual identity development among the gay men. Six (6) respondents who have identified themselves as gay, aged between 21- 44 years old, from different walk of life were interviewed. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Our study has found that emotional and social support, are the important factors that contribute to their self-efficacy and help them in developing their sexual identity."

Being

Out in Time ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 51-66
Author(s):  
Perry N. Halkitis
Keyword(s):  
Identity Development ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Life Stories ◽  
Psychological Process ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Life Narratives ◽  
Extant Literature ◽  
Gay Identity Development ◽  
Gay Identities

The development of gay identity is explored across the three generations of gay men. Commonalities of the psychological process and behaviors in relation to identity realization and disclosure are examined through the life narratives and in relation to the extant literature. These life narratives are contextualized through Eli Coleman’s paradigm of gay identity development across all the stages ranging from initial periods of pre–coming out, when many gay men begin to experience their sexuality, to the point in which sexuality becomes integrated into one’s whole identity. The challenges of each stage are explored across the cohort of men as illuminated through the life stories, and in relation to social and political circumstances that shaped the historical epochs in which the were developing their gay identities.

When Does Sexuality Matter? Cross-cultural Analysis of Gay Identity

2020 ◽  
pp. 073112142095084
Author(s):  
Hubert Izienicki
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Cultural Analysis ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Status Characteristics ◽  
Cultural Climate ◽  
Timing Of Migration ◽  
Subjective Importance ◽  
Depth Interviews

Many scholars have studied migrant gay men, but few have examined the changing salience (i.e., a subjective importance a person attributes to a particular identity) of sexual identity across cultural contexts. Drawing on 45 in-depth interviews, this study investigates the experiences of two groups of Polish migrant gay men—one that migrated from various parts of Poland to Warsaw, and one that emigrated from Poland to Chicago—to examine the differences in their respective sexual identity salience. I find that the interaction of the cultural climate, structural factors, and respondents’ individual status characteristics can better account for between- and in-group differences among the Chicago and Warsaw men. Respondent’s occupation, educational attainment, work environment, race, same-sex experiences before migration, the timing of migration, and English langue fluency variably affected how and when sexual identity mattered to these men.

Coming Out to Families in a Multicultural Context

2000 ◽  
Vol 81 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-41 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph R. Merighi ◽  
Marty D. Grimes
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Identity ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
Qualitative Data ◽  
Family Members ◽  
Self Disclosure ◽  
Gay Males ◽  
Vietnamese American ◽  
Multicultural Context ◽  
Young Gay Men

This article examines how young gay men disclose their sexual identity to family members and how their family members respond to this disclosure. Qualitative data were collected from a nonrandom sample of 57 African-, European-, Mexican-, and Vietnamese-American gay males, ages 18 to 24. Findings revealed similarities across racial and ethnic groups in how these young gay men came out to family members and the responses they received after their initial self-disclosure. Implications for practice are discussed.

Conclusion

Out in Time ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 165-168
Author(s):  
Perry N. Halkitis
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Civil Rights ◽  
Gay Men ◽  
Coming Out ◽  
The United States ◽  
Gay Identity ◽  
Psychological Processes ◽  
Life Circumstances ◽  
American Society

The lives of gay men in the United States across time and generations are shaped by numerous burdens predicated on the challenge of coming out, a condition that permeates their lifetimes. After first realizing that they are gay, most spend much of their lives seeking the full integration of their gay identity with other aspects of their lives. These conditions create psychosocial burdens in the lives of gay men, which often engender risk and diminish health. Despite these life circumstances, which are rooted in the homophobia of American society, many gay men embody enormous grit and resilience, and their lives are indicative of both pride and dignity. While these psychological processes associated with coming out are somewhat consistent across the Stonewall, AIDS, and Queer generations, the advance in the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people have resulted in lives somewhat less burdened.

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