Coming out: Lesbians' disclosures to parents
Abstract
This research explores homosexual coming out as an interpersonal process involving disclosure of a deviant identity to selected audiences. More specifically, this paper focuses on disclosure of a lesbian identity to parents. Based on in-depth interviews with 53 self-identified homosexual women, the factors which are most strongly associated with disclosure to parents are self-perception of the possession of stereotypical lesbian characteristics and level of education for both respondents and parents. Future researchers should focus on the temporal ordering of variables associated with the disclosure of a deviant identity and should also examine risk-lessening factors in other areas of lesbians' lives, such as the workplace and within heterosexual friendship networks. © 1984 Human Sciences Press.
Publication Title
Lifestyles
Recommended Citation
Enck, G., Preston, J., & Thornton, C. (1984). Coming out: Lesbians' disclosures to parents. Lifestyles, 7 (1), 8-19. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00986260
