Homosexual Identity Formation as a Developmental Process

A Dynamic-Ecological Model of Identity Formation and Conflict among Bisexually-Behaving African-American Men

“…In one study specifically examining young ethnic minority MSM, fewer than half of the African-American gay and bisexual youths reported disclosure to family members (Dubé & SavinWilliams, 1999). This is notable because many traditional developmental models of sexual identity formation describe the process as culminating with the individual's public disclosure of his sexual orientation in multiple social contexts, most importantly the family (Cass, 1984;Coleman, 1982;Minton & McDonald, 1984). Qualitative studies have shown that many African-American MSM report feeling loyalty primarily to the African-American community, and not to the LBG community, and that these feelings persist throughout the course of their sexual identity development (Hawkeswood, 1996;Monteiro & Fuqua, 1994;.…”

Questioning Gender and Sexual Identity: Dynamic Links Over Time

“…Hence, just as the healthy endpoint of sexual identity development was once presumed to be a stable, integrated, unambiguous lesbian, gay, or heterosexual identity (Cass 1979;Coleman 1981Coleman / 1982Lee 1977;Minton and McDonald 1983;Mohr and Fassinger 2000;Troiden 1979), the normative and healthy endpoint of transgender development is often thought to be adoption of a stable, integrated, unambiguous identification as 100% male or 100% female, often achieved via some form of physical transformation (for example some combination of clothes, makeup, demeanor, hormones, or surgery) aimed at bringing one's psychological gender and one's physical gender presentation into direct alignment (for reviews and critiques see Bornstein 1994;Roen 2002). …”

Coming out discourses of Asian American lesbians

“…There has been much attention to the process of coming out in the study of homosexuality (Coleman, 1982;Dank, 1971;Kahn, 1991;Minton, & McDonald, 1984;Morris, 1997;Oswald, 2000;Rust, 1997;Whitman, Cormier & Boyd, 2000). Efforts to describe and conceptualize coming out have been made to understand how the individual adapts to her sexuality and how the disclosure of identity impacts her relationship with her family and others.…”