Coming out : a rite of passage toward the creation of lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities

Abstract

Coming out, or the public expression of a non-hegemonic sexuality, is an important process in the lives of many lesbians, gays, and bisexuals, among others. The last major anthropological study of coming out using the framework of the rites of passage was published in 1993 (Herdt & Boxer). Paralleling these methods in this thesis, I employ the framework of the rites of passage to analyze of the stories and the opinions collected during my interviews with 9 lesbians, gays, and bisexuals to explore how they create and express their lesbian, gay, or bisexual identities. It is through the coming out process that lesbians, gays, and bisexuals direct the formation of their sexuality and begin to unlearn the hegemonic heterosexist ideas that oppose these identities to arrive at a comfortable and authentic expression. Participants took an active part in this process, putting their identities to work through narratives, jokes, and the analysis of their life histories, activities that reinforced their sexuality. As well, within a largely solitary process, they searched for ‘role’ models and resources in which to ground their identity transformation, many taking advantage of the anonymity of the Internet to do this. These activities, as well as large gatherings focussed on lesbian, gay, and bisexual themes, such as the Pride Parade, create periods of time in which a community exists. It is into this community that many lesbians, gays, and bisexuals enter as they move throughout the coming out process.