Intergenerational Storytelling and Positive Psychosocial Development: Stories as Developmental Resources for Marginalized Groups

ACADEMIC ABSTRACT

We articulate an intergenerational model of positive psychosocial development that centers storytelling in an ecological framework and is motivated by an orientation toward social justice. We bring together diverse literature (e.g., racial-ethnic socialization, family storytelling, narrative psychology) to argue that the intergenerational transmission of stories about one's group is equally important for elders and youth, and especially important for groups who are marginalized, because stories provide a developmental resource for resistance and resilience in the face of injustice. We describe how storytelling activities can support positive psychosocial development in culturally dynamic contexts and illustrate our model with a case study involving LGBTQ+ communities, arguing that intergenerational storytelling is uniquely important for this group given issues of access to stories. We argue that harnessing the power of intergenerational storytelling could provide a culturally safe and sustaining practice for fostering psychosocial development among LGBTQ+ people and other equity-seeking populations.

PUBLIC ABSTRACT

Understanding one's identity as part of a group with shared history and culture that has existed through time is important for positive psychological functioning. This is especially true for marginalized communities for whom identity-relevant knowledge is often erased, silenced, or distorted in mainstream public discourses (e.g., school curricula, news media, television, and film). To compensate for these limitations around access, one channel for the transmission of this knowledge is through oral storytelling between generations of elders and youth. Contemporary psychological science has often assumed that such storytelling occurs within families, but when families cannot or would not share such knowledge, youth suffer. We present a model of intergenerational storytelling that expands our ideas around who counts as "family" and how knowledge can be transmitted through alternative channels, using LGBTQ+ communities as a case example.

"I Was Always Trying to Figure It Out… on My Own Terms": Structural Barriers, the Internet, and Sexual Identity Development among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Queer People of Different Generations

Recognizing the historical grounding of sexual identity development, we examined the spontaneous narration of the internet's significance among a diverse sample of three distinct birth cohorts of sexual minority adults (n = 36, ages 18-59) in the United States. Thematic analysis revealed two structural barriers and four roles of the internet in sexual identity development. Structural barriers were being in a heterosexual marriage (exclusive to members of the older cohort), and (2) growing up in a conservative family, religion, or community (which cut across cohorts). Roles of the internet included: learning about LGBQ+ identities and sex; watching pornography (which appeared only in narratives of the younger cohort); finding affirming community; and facilitating initial LGBQ+ romantic and sexual experiences (which appeared mostly in narratives of the younger cohort). Most participants who described the internet as playing a role in sexual identity development were members of the younger (ages 18-25) and middle (ages 34-41) cohorts. We discuss how the internet has assumed a unique role in history in the development of sexual minority people. Further, our findings highlight that sexual identity development occurs across the lifespan, and how that process and the roles of the internet vary by generation and structural realities.

Kept in the Closet: Structural Stigma and the Timing of Sexual Minority Developmental Milestones Across 28 European Countries

Structural stigma's role in lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people's attainment of identity development milestones remains unknown. In a sample of 111,498 LGB people (ages 15 to 65+) living across 28 European countries, associations were investigated between structural stigma measured using an objective index of discriminatory country-level laws and policies affecting LGB people and the timing and pacing of LGB self-awareness, coming out, and closet duration, and subgroup differences in these associations. On average, self-awareness occurred at age 14.8 years old (SD = 5.1), coming out occurred at 18.5 years old (SD = 5.7), and the closet was 3.9 years long (SD = 4.9); thereby highlighting adolescence as a key period for sexual identity development and disclosure. Greater structural stigma was associated with higher odds of never coming out, later age of coming out, and longer closet duration. Gender identity, transgender identity, and sexual identity moderated associations between structural stigma and these developmental milestones. Reducing structural stigma can plausibly promote sexual identity development among LGB populations, especially during adolescence when identity related milestones are often attained.

Sexual Fluidity and Psychological Distress: What Happens When Young Women's Sexual Identities Change?

The sexual identities of young women today are less binary and more fluid than ever before. Several theoretical perspectives imply that this fluidity could be accompanied by distress. To examine this, we analyzed four waves of data from Australian women born 1989 to 1995 (n = 11,527). We found no evidence of a universal association between sexual identity change and psychological distress. Instead, psychological distress was elevated when women changed their identity away from the heterosexual norm and lowered when they changed their identity toward it. Social stress partly attenuated these associations. In addition, women unsure of their identity at multiple assessment points reported significantly greater psychological distress in the final assessment than women who were never unsure. Our findings suggest that greater support should be offered to women who are questioning their sexual identity or developing a minority identity.

"I did not know I was gay": sexual identity development and fluidity among married tongzhi in China

This study aimed to analyse the life experiences of married tongzhi (defined here as men who are sexually attracted to men) in mixed-orientation marriages in mainland China. The study used a life course perspective to understand sexual identity development among tongzhi, born in the 1970s or thereabouts, in heterosexual marriage and rural China. The study focused on identifying the experiences of the 13 tongzhi participants. Using thematic analysis, we found sexual identity development was influenced by China's historical and social context and, in particular, internal (e.g. internalised heteronormativity), informational (e.g. Internet), and cultural (e.g. family-oriented) factors. Some tongzhi did not follow an identity development trajectory as "out and proud" since their identities were embedded in the complexity of family life and social pressure, the invisibility of "gay circles", and normative social roles. They chose instead to maintain their heteronormative marriages, while seeking to explore and fulfil their homoerotic desires. Implications are discussed for epistemology, methodology and advocacy.

Cisheteronormativity, Conversion Therapy, and Identity Among Sexual and Gender Minority People: A Narrative Inquiry and Creative Non-fiction

Sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) navigate systems of oppression that reify cisgender and heterosexual norms (cisheteronormativity) while developing their identities. 'Conversion therapy' represents a particularly prominent and harmful threat in this landscape. We explore how SGM who experienced conversion therapy develop their identities to understand antecedents to mental health struggles in this population. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 people in Canada. A 'master narratives' framework combined with Polkinghorne's narrative analysis were used to explore individual-structural relations that affect identity in settings where cisheteronormative master narratives are amplified (i.e., conversion therapy). We present research findings through a creative non-fiction, which includes learning cisheteronormative master narratives; internalizing master narratives; feeling broken and searching for alternatives; and embracing self-love amidst pain. The amplification of master narratives through conversion therapy leads to conflict and delays in adopting a coherent identity. Health professionals should enact institutional practices that affirm SGM and thereby deemphasize cisheteronormativity.

Historical and social forces in the Iridescent Life Course: key life events and experiences of transgender older adults

The lives of transgender older adults are rarely examined, and little is known about the critical life events and experiences of this population. Informed by the Iridescent Life Course, this study investigates how intersectionality, fluidity, context and power impact the life events and experiences of trans older adults by generation and gender. Utilising 2014 data from the National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study: Aging with Pride (National Institutes of Health/National Institute on Aging funded), a national sample of LGBTQ+ individuals 50 years and older, living in the United States of America, were analysed to examine life events of 205 transgender older adults, including identity development, work, bias, kin relationships, social and community engagement, health and wellbeing. Ordinary least-squares regressions and logistics regressions are used to compare the life events between the generations then test the interaction effect of gender. Pride Generation more openly disclose their identities and are more likely to be employed and married compared to the Silenced Generation, who have more military service, higher rates of retirement, fewer same-sex marriages and more different-sex marriages. Invisible Generation, the oldest group, are more likely retired, have more children and are more likely engaged in the community compared to the Silenced Generation, who experienced more discrimination. Applying the Iridescent Life Course is instrumental in understanding older trans adults' lives through intersecting identities of both generation and gender. These insights have the potential to create a greater appreciation of how historical events shape differing generations of transgender people, creating an opportunity to link generations together.

Birth Cohort Trends in Health Disparities by Sexual Orientation

Lesbian, gay, and bisexual-identified (LGB) people experience worse mental and physical health than their straight-identified counterparts. Given remarkable social and legal changes regarding LGB status in recent decades, we theorize that this profound health disadvantage may be changing across cohorts. Using data from the 2013–2018 National Health and Interview Surveys, we analyze five mental and physical health outcomes—psychological distress, depression, anxiety, self-rated physical health, and activity limitation—across three birth cohorts colloquially known as (1) Millennials, (2) Generation Xers, and (3) Baby Boomers and pre-Boomers. We find no evidence of reduced health disparities by sexual orientation across cohorts. Instead, relative to straight-identified respondents, the health disadvantages of gay, lesbian, and—most strikingly—bisexual-identified people have increased across cohorts. Findings highlight the importance of identifying the causes of increased health disparities as well as designing and implementing more direct public policies and programs to eliminate health disparities among more recent LGB cohorts.

Future Directions in Understanding and Addressing Mental Health among LGBTQ Youth

Today's LGBTQ youth come of age at a time of dynamic social and political change with regard to LGBTQ rights and visibility, yet remain vulnerable to compromised mental health. Despite advances in individual-level treatment strategies, school-based programs, and state-level policies that address LGBTQ mental health, there remains a critical gap in large-scale evidence-based prevention and intervention programs designed to support the positive development and mental health of LGBTQ youth. To spur advances in research and translation, I pose six considerations for future scholarship and practice. I begin by framing LGBTQ (mental) health disparities in a life course perspective and discuss how research focused on the timing of events could offer insight into the optimum targets and timing of prevention and intervention strategies. Next, I argue the importance of expanding notions of "mental health" to include perspectives of wellbeing, positive youth development, and resilience. I then consider how research might attend to the complexity of LGBTQ youths' lived experience within and across the various contexts they traverse in their day-to-day lives. Similarly, I discuss the importance of exploring heterogeneity in LGBTQ youth experiences and mental health. I also offer suggestions for how community partnerships may be a key resource for developing and evaluating evidence-informed programs and tools designed to foster the positive development and mental health of LGBTQ youth. Finally, I acknowledge the potentials of team science for advancing research and practice for LGBTQ youth health and wellbeing. Throughout, these future directions center the urgent needs of LGBTQ youth.

Research Ethics with Gender and Sexually Diverse Persons

Identifying and developing inclusive policy and practice responses to health and social inequities in gender and sexually diverse persons require inclusive research ethics and methods in order to develop sound data. This article articulates 12 ethical principles for researchers undertaking gender and sexually diverse social, health, and related research. We have called these the 'Montréal Ethical Principles for Inclusive Research.' While writing from an international social work perspective, our aim is to promote ethical research that benefits people being researched by all disciplines. This paper targets four groups of interest: 1. Cisgender and heterosexual researchers; 2. Researchers who research 'general' populations; 3. and sexually diverse researchers; 4. Human ethics committees. This article was stimulated by the 2018 Global Social Work Statement of Ethical Principles, which positions human dignity at its core. It is critically important to understand and account for the intersectionality of gender and sexuality with discourses of race, ethnicity, colonialism, dis/ability, age, etc. Taking this intersectionality into consideration, this article draws on scholarship that underpins ethical principles developed for other minoritized communities, to ensure that research addresses the autonomy of these participants at every stage. Research that positions inclusive research ethics at its foundation can provide a solid basis for policy and practice responses to health and social inequities in gender and sexually diverse persons.

Sexual Orientation Differences in Alcohol Use Disorder Across the Adult Life Course

INTRODUCTION

Sexual orientation‒related disparities in alcohol use disorder are well-established. Yet, the degree to which sexual orientation differences in alcohol use disorder vary across the life course is poorly understood. There is also a limited understanding of how exposure to minority stressors and their relationship with alcohol use disorder vary as a function of age.

METHODS

Using nationally representative data collected in 2012-2013, authors used sex-stratified time-varying effect models to estimate age-specific prevalence rates of alcohol use disorder among heterosexual and sexual minority adults aged 18-60 years (N=28,090). Among sexual minority adults (n=1,050), authors also assessed age-specific associations between exposure to lesbian, gay, and bisexual‒related discrimination and alcohol use disorder. Analyses were conducted in 2019.

RESULTS

Gay and bisexual male participants aged 18-45 years demonstrated the highest prevalence rates of alcohol use disorder (e.g., >45% at age 25 years), whereas lesbian, gay, and bisexual female participants were most likely to meet the criteria for alcohol use disorder between ages 45 and 55 years. Sexual minority adults who experienced discrimination in the past year had greater odds of alcohol use disorder between ages 23 and 34 years and again from ages 42 to 53 years; the association between discrimination and alcohol use disorder was strongest among sexual minority men.

CONCLUSIONS

Sexual orientation-related disparities in alcohol use disorder are dynamic across the life course and point to critical times for screening and intervention. Developmental perspectives of sexual minority health inequities demand focused research attention as findings will help to identify strategies for promoting sexual minority health at distinct points in the life course.

Generational differences in sexual behaviour and partnering among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men

INTRODUCTION

Given that different generations of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (gbMSM) have been influenced by substantially different life course events and cultural contexts, we explored differences in sexual behaviour between millennials, Gen-Xers, and baby boomers.

METHODS

Sexually active gbMSM from Metro Vancouver, ≥16 years, were recruited using respondent-driven sampling between 2012-2015 and completed computer-assisted self-interviews every 6 months, up to 2017. To explore differences between generations (millennials born ≥1987, Gen-Xers born 1962-1986, baby boomers born <1962) we used multivariable logistic regression models using baseline, RDS-weighted data. We also examined 6-month trends, stratified by generation, in partner number, prevalence of high-risk sex, and relationship status using hierarchical mixed-effects models.

RESULTS

Among 774 gbMSM (190 millennials, 469 Gen-Xers, 115 baby boomers), median age of first anal sex with a male partner decreased from 20 (aQ1,aQ3:17,25) among baby boomers to 18 (aQ1,aQ3: 16,20) among millennials (x ² (DF=2, N=764)=12.920, p=0.002). After controlling for relevant demographics, differences were observed for some sexual behaviours (i.e., anal sex positioning, giving oral sex, sex toys, masturbation, sexual app/website use, transactional sex) but not others (i.e., receiving oral sex, rimming, fisting, watersports, group sex). At baseline, millennials reported less high-risk sex than other generations but all trended toward less high-risk sex, fewer partners, and regular partnering over the course of the study.

CONCLUSIONS

While there was notable similarity across generations, millennial gbMSM reported earlier age at first anal intercourse and less high-risk sex. However, all generations trended towards less high-risk sex, fewer partners, and regular partnering over time.

Queer Intimacies: A New Paradigm for the Study of Relationship Diversity

Recognition of sexual and gender diversity in the 21st century challenges normative assumptions of intimacy that privilege heterosexual monogamy and the biological family unit, presume binary cisgender identities, essentialize binary sexual identities, and view sexual or romantic desire as necessary. We propose a queer paradigm to study relationship diversity grounded in seven axioms: intimacy may occur (1) within relationships featuring any combination of cisgender, transgender, or nonbinary identities; (2) with people of multiple gender identities across the life course; (3) in multiple relationships simultaneously with consent; (4) within relationships characterized by consensual asymmetry, power exchange, or role-play; (5) in the absence or limited experience of sexual or romantic desire; (6) in the context of a chosen rather than biological family; and (7) in other possible forms yet unknown. We review research on queer relational forms, including same-sex relationships; relationships in which one or more partners identify as transgender, gender nonbinary, bisexual, pansexual, sexually fluid, "mostly" straight, asexual, or aromantic; polyamory and other forms of consensual nonmonogamy; kink/fetish relationships; and chosen families. We argue that a queer paradigm shifts the dominant scientific conception of relationships away from the confines of normativity toward an embrace of diversity, fluidity, and possibility.

Gay Men's Health and Identity: Social Change and the Life Course

Due to significant historical change in the late 20th and early 21st century related to both health and cultural attitudes toward homosexuality, gay men of distinct birth cohorts may diverge considerably in their health and identity development. We argue that research on gay men's health has not adequately considered the significance of membership in distinct generation-cohorts, and we present a life course paradigm to address this problem. Focusing on the U.S. as an exemplar that can be adapted to other cultural contexts, we identify five generations of gay men alive today and review unique issues related to health and identity development for each. Implications for research, practice, and advocacy on gay men's health and development are discussed.

Endorsement and Timing of Sexual Orientation Developmental Milestones Among Sexual Minority Young Adults in the Growing Up Today Study

This research examined endorsement and timing of sexual orientation developmental milestones. Participants were 1,235 females and 398 males from the Growing Up Today Study, ages 22 to 29 years, who endorsed a sexual minority orientation (lesbian/gay, bisexual, mostly heterosexual) or reported same-gender sexual behavior (heterosexual with same-gender sexual experience). An online survey measured current sexual orientation and endorsement and timing (age first experienced) of five sexual orientation developmental milestones: same-gender attractions, other-gender attractions, same-gender sexual experience, other-gender sexual experience, and sexual minority identification. Descriptive analyses and analyses to test for gender and sexual orientation group differences were conducted. Results indicated that women were more likely than men to endorse same-gender attraction, other-gender attraction, and other-gender sexual experience, with the most gender differences in endorsement among mostly heterosexuals and heterosexuals with same-gender sexual experience. In general, men reached milestones earlier than women, with the most gender differences in timing among lesbian and gay individuals and heterosexuals with same-gender sexual experience. Results suggest that the three sexual minority developmental milestones may best characterize the experiences of lesbians, gay males, and female and male bisexuals. More research is needed to understand sexual orientation development among mostly heterosexuals and heterosexuals with same-gender sexual experience.

Is Sex Good for Your Health? A National Study on Partnered Sexuality and Cardiovascular Risk among Older Men and Women

Working from a social relationship and life course perspective, we provide generalizable population-based evidence on partnered sexuality linked to cardiovascular risk in later life using national longitudinal data from the National Social Life, Health and Aging Project (NSHAP) (N = 2,204). We consider characteristics of partnered sexuality of older men and women, particularly sexual activity and sexual quality, as they affect cardiovascular risk. Cardiovascular risk is defined as hypertension, rapid heart rate, elevated C-reactive protein (CRP), and general cardiovascular events. We find that older men are more likely to report being sexually active, having sex more often, and more enjoyably than are older women. Results from cross-lagged models suggest that high frequency of sex is positively related to later risk of cardiovascular events for men but not women, whereas good sexual quality seems to protect women but not men from cardiovascular risk in later life. We find no evidence that poor cardiovascular health interferes with later sexuality for either gender.

Sexual self-identification among behaviorally bisexual men in the midwestern United States

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.

Violencia en parejas transexuales, transgénero e intersexuales: una revisión bibliográfica

La violencia de pareja afecta a personas transexuales, transgénero e intersexuales y así se visibiliza en investigaciones a nivel nacional e internacional. En este estudio teórico se ha llevado a cabo una revisión sistemática de las investigaciones realizadas con estos colectivos. Se realiza una revisión exhaustiva de las principales bases de datos con el fin de identificar todos los estudios relativos a esta temática. Se obtiene un total de 28 investigaciones sobre violencia en parejas transexuales, transgénero e intersexuales. De las cuales se ha analizado el tipo de muestra, el método e instrumento utilizado, así como sus principales resultados. Los resultados ponen de relieve que la aproximación de estudio más frecuentemente utilizada es la de tipo cuantitativo, especialmente centrada en el colectivo transexual. En relación a la prevalencia se observa una gran variabilidad, con un rango del 18 al 80%, constituyendo un problema de salud pública. Las mujeres trans son las que sufren más significativamente esta violencia, siendo más frecuentemente el miembro normativo de la pareja quien la ejerce. El heterosexismo y la transfobia se han identificado como factores de riesgo. Finalmente se plantea la importancia de incorporar el abordaje de la violencia en relaciones de pareja donde al menos uno de los miembros es transexual, transgénero o intersexual en los programas de prevención de violencia de género.

Life Satisfaction, Self-Esteem, and Loneliness Among LGB Adults and Heterosexual Adults in China

Low levels of life satisfaction have been linked to low self-esteem and loneliness, but this association has never been tested directly in LGB (lesbian/gay/bisexual) populations. We compared 275 Chinese LGB adults to 275 demographic-matched Chinese heterosexual controls on life satisfaction, self-esteem, and loneliness. LGB adults reported lower levels of self-esteem and higher levels of loneliness than heterosexuals, but similar levels of overall life satisfaction. Self-esteem partially mediated (but did not moderate) the relationship between loneliness and life satisfaction in both groups. Hierarchical regressions indicated that demographic variables, loneliness, and self-esteem can predict life satisfaction in both LGB and heterosexual adults, but explained more variance of life satisfaction in the LGB group. Thus self-esteem and loneliness play a more important role in life satisfaction for LGB rather than heterosexual Chinese adults.

Still Trapped in the U.S. Media's Closet: Representations of Gender-Variant, Pre-Adolescent Children

Many studies have examined representations of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the U.S. media. Yet they have centered on portrayals of adults or teenagers. This investigation considered a potential LGBT population that has been neglected in media research, namely gender-variant, preadolescent children. Surveying the U.S. media at large but with an emphasis on television, the article reveals that gender-creative youth are nearly invisible. When depictions of gender-variant kids do appear, they often focus on either children who express extreme gender dysphoria or in some way signify the "tragic queer" motif (or both). The implications of these findings are discussed.

Health and Well-Being in Emerging Adults' Same-Sex Relationships: Critical Questions and Directions for Research in Developmental Science

Researchers have yet to account for the potentially unique experiences of emerging adults who are in or seeking to be in a relationship with a same-sex romantic partner. This paper articulates an agenda for research focused on better understanding and addressing the health and well-being of emerging adults in or pursuing same-sex romantic relationships. We provide a general summary of what is known about health and well-being in same-sex relationships, followed by an overview of the current and changing social climate surrounding same-sex relationships. We point out how recent historical changes present sexual minority emerging adults with unique relational benefits and challenges that have not been examined within the social and health sciences. We conclude by proposing a set of research questions to help develop knowledge needed to improve the health and well-being of emerging adults in or pursuing same-sex relationships.

Clinicians' perspective of the relational processes for family and individual development during the mediation of religious and sexual identity disclosure

Although the psychological literature regarding gay men from religious families is continually expanding, it is also limited in that few studies focus on the use of therapy in the negotiation of the interrelated systems of religion, sexuality, and family. Utilizing a cultural historical activity theory-based process of analysis, this study focuses on the narratives of 12 clinicians discussing 230 conflicts and how those conflicts are mediated in both productive (e.g., seeking secular support) and unproductive ways (e.g., bringing one's son to an exorcist) by gay men and their religious families independent of and at the advice of their therapists.

Perceived consequences of hypothetical identity-inconsistent sexual experiences: effects of perceiver's sex and sexual identity

Most people organize their sexual orientation under a single sexual identity label. However, people may have sexual experiences that are inconsistent with their categorical sexual identity label. A man might identify as heterosexual but still experience some attraction to men; a woman might identify as lesbian yet enter into a romantic relationship with a man. Identity-inconsistent experiences are likely to have consequences. In the present study, we examined lay perceptions of the consequences of identity-inconsistent sexual experiences for self-perceived sexuality and for social relationships among a sexually diverse sample (N = 283). We found that the perceived consequences of identity-inconsistent experiences for self-perception, for social stigmatization, and for social relationships varied as a function of participant sex, participant sexual identity (heterosexual, gay, lesbian), and experience type (fantasy, attraction, behavior, love). We conclude that not all identity-inconsistent sexual experiences are perceived as equally consequential and that the perceived consequences of such experiences vary predictably as a function of perceiver sex and sexual identity. We discuss the role lay perceptions of the consequences of identity-inconsistent sexual experiences may play in guiding attitudes and behavior.

Salience, valence, context, and integration: conceptualizing the needs of sexually and gender diverse youth in P-12 schools

A framework for conceptualizing the needs of lesbian, gay male, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and other sexually and gender diverse youth is essential for guiding service delivery throughout educational settings. Review and synthesis of the literature reveals that integrating assessment of the salience, valence, and context of issues related to sexual and gender diversity facilitates affirmative practice at the individual student, group, and school-wide levels. The authors describe the components of the salience, valence, context, and integration (SVCI) model with emphasis on practical application. The theoretical and empirical support for each component of the model is also discussed.

Why is the history of heterosexuality essential? Beliefs about the history of sexuality and their relationship to sexual prejudice

Heterosexual people with more positive attitudes to lesbians and gay men generally believe that homosexuality is immutable, is not a discrete social category, and that homosexuality exists in all cultures and time periods. Equivalent beliefs about heterosexuality and beliefs about components of sexuality have been less often researched. 136 people with diverse sexualities described heterosexuality as more universal across history and culture than homosexuality (Study 1). 69 heterosexual-identified participants similarly believed that love, identity, behavior, and desire were more historically invariant aspects of heterosexuality than of homosexuality (Study 2). Less prejudiced participants thought all components of homosexuality--except for identity--were more historically invariant. Teasing apart beliefs about the history of components of heterosexuality and homosexuality suggests that there is no "essential" relationship between sexual prejudice and the tension between essentialist and constructivist views about the history of sexual identity.

A longitudinal, mixed methods study of sexual position identity, behavior, and fantasies among young sexual minority men

Recent evidence suggests that young sexual minority men's sexual position identities (e.g., "top," "bottom," "versatile") may be governed by dynamic influences. Yet, no study has prospectively examined whether, how, and why this aspect of sexual minority men's sexuality changes over time. Consequently, the present study investigated the extent to which young sexual minority men use sexual position identities consistently over time, typical patterns of position identity change, explanations given for this change, and the correspondence of changing sexual position identities with changing sexual behavior and fantasies. A total of 93 young sexual minority men indicated their sexual position identity, behavior, and fantasies at two assessment points separated by 2 years. Following the second assessment, a subset (n = 28) of participants who represented the various sexual position identity change patterns provided explanations for their change. More than half (n = 48) of participants changed their sexual position identity. Participants showed a significant move away from not using sexual position identities toward using them and a significant move toward using "mostly top." Changes in position identity were reflected, although imperfectly, in changes in sexual behavior and largely not reflected in fantasy changes. Participants offered 11 classes of explanations for their identity changes referencing personal development, practical reasons, changing relationships, and sociocultural influences. Previous investigations of sexual minority men's sexual position identities have not adequately attended to the possibility of the changing use of the sexual position categories "top," "bottom," and "versatile" across young adulthood. Results of the present study suggest the possibility of a more fluid, context-dependent use of these terms than previously documented.

High School Religious Context and Reports of Same-Sex Attraction and Sexual Identity in Young Adulthood

The objectives of this study are to understand the association between high school religious context in adolescence and the reporting of same-sex attraction and sexual identity in young adulthood and how these associations vary by gender. Previous studies have considered how high school contexts shape the well-being of sexual minority youth, yet few have examined the extent to which these contexts shape sexual desire and identity. We use data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health and find that among women, school religious context is negatively associated with the likelihood of reporting same-sex attraction in young adulthood. We also find a negative association between school religious context and reporting a bisexual or flexible sexual identity among men and women. Finally, we find a positive association between mean school religious attendance and reporting a homosexual identity among men and women.

Constructions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer identities among young people in contemporary Australia

This paper focuses on young people's construction of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer (LGBQ) identities in contemporary Australia. Through the perspectives of young people, it seeks to position their understanding of LGBQ identities alongside current theoretical and empirical debates about the individual and social significance attached to these identity frames. In this qualitative study, 28 young people (aged 18 to 26 years) shared their stories of identifying as LGBQ through online, face-to-face or telephone interviews. The findings highlight how varying elements of LGBQ identities continue to have currency within this group and how young people adopt and refer to these terms interchangeably and in tandem. This is balanced alongside an awareness of both the limitations of lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer identity categories and of the homophobic discourses informing these subject positions. The paper concludes by arguing that health and social care professionals have a integral role to play in supporting LGBQ youth through a process of co-authorship - to work in partnership to construct more enabling self-stories that transcend restrictive identity frames.

Out of the closet and into the trenches: gay male Baby Boomers, aging, and HIV/AIDS

Regardless of HIV status, all gay male Baby Boomers are aging in a context strongly shaped by HIV/AIDS. For this subcohort within the Baby Boom generation, the disproportionately high volume of AIDS deaths among gay men aged 25-44 years at the epidemic's peak (1987-1996) created a cohort effect, decimating their social networks and shaping their personal and social lives during the epidemic, throughout their life course, and into later years. But despite these lasting effects on an entire cohort of gay men, relevant scholarship narrowly focuses on older HIV-positive gay men using clinical, psychological, and social network approaches. It thus makes inadequate use of the life course perspective, which, by attention to timing, agency, and interdependence, can uncover the myriad interlocking and longitudinal aspects of the epidemic that affect this group. This article argues for the application of this latter approach to research into the lasting impacts of HIV/AIDS on this cohort of gay men. We examine HIV/AIDS mortality within this cohort at the epidemic's height, these deaths' concentration in urban gay communities, and the growing and increasingly diverse population of HIV-positive gay men born in the Baby Boom Years. Our conclusion suggests that a fuller examination of the role of HIV/AIDS in the lives of gay male Baby Boomers, using a life course perspective, is critical to appreciating this generation's heterogeneity and to expanding knowledge of how later life is shaped by the intersection between historical events, personal biography, and social and community ties.

The influence of media role models on gay, lesbian, and bisexual identity

The current investigation examined the influence of the media on gay, lesbian, and bisexual (GLB) identity using both survey and in-depth interview approaches. In Study 1, 126 GLB survey respondents (11 unreported) in Texas indicated that the media influenced their self-realization, coming out, and current identities by providing role models and inspiration. In Study 2, 15 interviewees (6 women and 9 men) revealed that media role models serve as sources of pride, inspiration, and comfort. Our findings suggest that increasing the availability of GLB role models in the media may positively influence GLB identity.

The rise and fall of gay: a cultural-historical approach to gay identity development

Research on identity development has paid relatively little attention to the development of marginalised identities such as those of gays and lesbians, whose isolation from the canonical narrative of sexuality may limit the available resources required for establishing a coherent identity. We examined these contested identities in relation to cultural-historical factors that may have played a role in shaping these identities over the past 50 years, and looked at how such factors have impacted the voicing and silencing of gay experiences. Participants (N=251) reported (1) a memory of a cultural event relevant to their sexuality, and (2) a self-defining memory about their sexuality. Those in older cohorts reported cultural memories centred on politics and other external events (e.g., Stonewall riots), and younger cohorts reported more personal memories (e.g., coming out), suggesting that homosexual identities have become less culturally defined, and instead more personally defined. Further, participants of older cohorts reported self-defining events that were predominantly from one private domain (e.g., sex). In contrast, younger participants reported a variety of self-defining events. These results suggest that cultural-historical factors play an important role in defining the developmental pathway of individuals, perhaps especially those who have marginalised identities.

The Dramaturgical Process as a Mechanism for Identity Development of LGBTQ Youth and Its Relationship to Detypification

This article describes the dramaturgical process—the telling, adapting, and performing of personal stories—as a method for accessing how youth who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) construct and present complex identities. Using data collected during an extended case study with the About Face Youth Theatre, an organization that works with LGBTQ youth on the dramaturgical process, this article focuses on the ways in which youth engage with complex issues of identity by telling their personal stories in community contexts and adapting others’ stories for performance.Through a narrative analysis of the stories as they were originally told, and a conversational discourse analysis of an adaptation session among a small group of youth, supplemented with reflections from participating youth, this article highlights the ways these practices can support identity development. The author finds that the evolving relationship between master and individual narratives provides great leverage for understanding how LGBTQ youth construct identities. This narrative process demonstrates that detypification is the mechanism by which LGBTQ youth work toward building a viable social identity. This study concludes by reflecting on the similarities between detypification and the developmental processes of other groups of marginalized youth.

The relationship between early drinking contexts of women "coming out" as lesbian and current alcohol use

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.

Narrative and the Cultural Psychology of Identity

This article presents a tripartite model of identity that integrates cognitive, social, and cultural levels of analysis in a multimethod framework. With a focus on content, structure, and process, identity is defined as ideology cognized through the individual engagement with discourse, made manifest in a personal narrative constructed and reconstructed across the life course, and scripted in and through social interaction and social practice. This approach to the study of identity challenges personality and social psychologists to consider a cultural psychology framework that focuses on the relationship between master narratives and personal narratives of identity, recognizes the value of a developmental perspective, and uses ethnographic and idiographic methods. Research in personality and social psychology that either explicitly or implicitly relies on the model is reviewed.