Date of Award:
8-2018
Document Type:
Thesis
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Department:
Psychology
Committee Chair(s)
Renee V. Galliher (Committee Chair)
Committee
Renee V. Galliher
Committee
Melanie M. Domenech Rodríguez
Committee
Melissa Tehee
Abstract
This study aimed to provide insights into the experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer/questioning (LGBTQ+) people within LGBTQ+ culture, and to explore how they disclose or conceal their sexual identities within different social environments. A qualitative study enabled me to become immersed within the stories of LGBTQ+ people, in order to better understand the construct and importance of LGBTQ+ culture. Through in-depth interviews and focus groups, 14 members of the LGBTQ+ community from around the nation volunteered to share their experiences with LGBTQ+ culture and their negotiation of identity within heterosexual culture.
From participants’ stories, key themes were identified: sexual identity and the processes of integrating multiple aspects of identity (i.e., ethnic, religious, gender), characteristics and values within the LGBTQ+ and heterosexual cultures, and how LGBTQ+ people make decisions to conceal or “come out” about their sexual identity depending on the environment. Participants described three levels of identification as LGBTQ+: individual, proximal social group, and a broader LGBTQ+ culture. The narratives converged to reveal a process, contextual navigation, for how LGBTQ+ people conceal or disclose (“come out”) their sexual orientation depending on safety within a given environment. We suggest that people working with LGBTQ+ individuals should encourage engagement in the LGBTQ+ culture, as this may provide support for identity development and facilitate mental health outcomes.
Checksum
6195832847e521391592afc9b383bca9
Recommended Citation
Parmenter, Joshua Glenn, "The Culture of Sexuality: Identification, Conceptualization, and Acculturation Processes Within Sexual Minority and Heterosexual Cultures" (2018). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations, Spring 1920 to Summer 2023. 7236.
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7236
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