Sexual Identity Formation Research Articles

The Developmental Collision Hypothesis: An Empirical Test With Three Generations of Sexual Minority Youth.

Sexual minority youth experience disproportionate rates of mental health symptomatology relative to their heterosexual peers. Less is known about why these disparities have persisted despite growing public awareness of sexual diversity. The developmental collision hypothesis states that increased cultural visibility of sexual diversity has accelerated the developmental timing of sexual minority identity formation processes such that they collide with early adolescence, a uniquely sensitive period for experiencing identity-based stigma and associated mental health vulnerability. To test this hypothesis, levels and relations between ages of sexual minority identity development milestones, frequency of LGBT-related victimization, and depressive symptoms were examined across three age-matched but cohort-distinct samples of sexual minority adolescents. Data come from three secondary datasets of sexual minority youth who were adolescents in the 1990s, 2000s, and 2010s, respectively: the Challenges and Coping Study, the Victimization and Mental Health among High Risk Youths Study, and the Risk and Protective Factors for Suicide among Sexual Minority Youth Study (n = 1312; Mage = 17.34, SD = 1.30; 52% female). Adolescents from more recent cohorts reported earlier mean ages of several milestones but similar frequencies of LGBT-related victimization relative to those from less recent cohorts. Path analysis models showed that earlier milestones were associated indirectly with more depressive symptoms through LGBT-related victimization. Notably, earlier ages of self-identification and disclosure of a sexual minority identity were also directly related to less depressive symptoms. Few generational differences in relations between constructs emerged. Findings garner initial support for the developmental collision hypothesis and suggest that LGBT-related victimization, rather than earlier milestones themselves, increases mental health vulnerability.

An Exploration of Sexual Consent Beliefs, Attitudes, and Behaviors among Middle School Students in Canada

An essential component of healthy sexual exploration is the understanding of sexual consent. Unfortunately, sexual consent is not consistently taught in sex education programs developed for adolescents. Furthermore, although early adolescence is a critical developmental period for the formation of sexual identity, norms, attitudes, and relationships, this population is underrepresented in the sexual consent literature. To fill this important gap, this study examined the sexual consent beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors of 254 middle school students from a large, urban city in the province of Ontario. Correlates and predictors of sexual consent endorsement were tested via bivariate and multiple regression analyses. Greater perceived negative sanctions of dating violence and higher endorsement of gender stereotypes emerged as variables significantly related to and predictive of sexual consent attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and affirmative consent norms. Gender was also a significant correlate, as girls were more likely than boys to endorse affirmative sexual consent beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. The findings highlight important group differences and provide guidance for the design and implementation of sexual education and prevention programs.

Genetic factors in the formation of sexual identity and the emergence of gender dysphoria

The modern theory of the occurrence of gender disorders considers differences in sexual behavior as a result of the action of genes that are involved in the biosynthesis and functioning of sex hormones. Research on the differences between the transgender cohort and the general population may be useful in addressing this issue.

Mediated Sexual and Romantic Learning on TikTok: The Dating Wrapped Trend

The Dating Wrapped trend on TikTok takes inspiration from Spotify’s annual Wrapped event where Spotify users are presented with their year-end listening statistics. Dating Wrapped repackages fundamental components of Spotify’s Wrapped—a focus on aesthetics, PowerPoint-like presentation of information, and quantification of personal experiences—but does so in the context of interpersonal relationships as a dating year-in-review video on TikTok. This article applies a content analysis and critical thematic analysis to 54 TikTok videos with the hashtag DatingWrapped as a way to understand how sensemaking about sexual and romantic relationships occurs when individuals create content centered around self-disclosures of intimate experiences. Ultimately, we argue that trends such as Dating Wrapped provide opportunities for personal expression among emerging adults who use TikTok, the efficacy of which is enhanced by attention to data visualization within its presentation format. Second, TikTok trends centered around interpersonal relationships may influence the formation of sexual and romantic identities through processes of mediated learning about relationships.

Insta-identity: The longitudinal reciprocal relationship between authentic and positive self-presentation on Instagram and the sexual identity development of sexual minority youth

Social media such as Instagram have provided sexual minority youth with safer contexts to express their sexual identity authentically and positively. However, as much of the existing literature draws upon small-scale, cross-sectional, and/or qualitative designs, it is currently unclear how authentic and positive self-presentation on social media informs sexual identity development over time. This study therefore explored the longitudinal relationship between authentic and positive self-presentation on Instagram, and the sexual identity clarity and self-acceptance of sexual minority youth. The moderating effect of micro- (i.e., peer feedback on Instagram) and macro-level (i.e., cultural context) social factors was also examined. Two-wave survey data were collected from 729 sexual minority youth from the United States, the Czech Republic, and Poland (M age = 18.54, SD = 1.63, Female = 76.82%), and data were analyzed using a multi-group cross-lagged panel model. A positive reciprocal relationship was found between positive self-presentation on Instagram and self-acceptance, whilst the associations between sexual identity clarity and self-presentation were moderated by peer feedback on Instagram. Cultural context had no moderating effect on the hypothesized model. Results suggest that whilst a dynamic relationship exists between sexual identity development and self-presentation on Instagram, peer feedback on Instagram may inform the frequency and effects of potentially adaptive self-presentation. This study therefore sheds new light on the developmental and social factors that inform the social media use of sexual minority youth, and findings extend our understanding of how social media contributes to sexual identity formation.

Experiences of professional mental health help-seeking and engagement with services among emerging adult men identifying as gay

ABSTRACT Objective Gay men have higher rates of psychological distress and greater dissatisfaction with mental health services than heterosexual men. Emerging adulthood is a vulnerable period representing a crucial period of sexual identity formation. Understanding of experiences during engagement with professional mental health services by gay men remains limited, especially in emerging adulthood. This study explored emerging adult gay men’s experiences during their engagement with professional mental health help-seeking. Method In-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven gay-identifying cisgender men. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results An overarching theme of perseverance was identified, with two themes of navigating anticipatory heterosexism and renegotiating pathology. Navigating anticipatory heterosexism included subthemes of selective disclosure and seeking “safe” practitioners. In renegotiating pathology, interviewees described delineating distress, thereby separating sexual identity from their mental health presentation, as well as normalising distress resulting from experiences of prejudice and minority stress. These themes encapsulate how participants reported navigating sexual identity-based challenges during the help-seeking process, thereby persevering and continuing with help-seeking. Conclusions Results highlight how mental healthcare can be navigated and underscore the need to: 1) enhance signalling safety to sexually diverse client groups, and 2) increase practitioner cultural competency to reduce stigma or heterosexism in experiences of healthcare.

Homo narrans: A transdisciplinary reading of Ken Plummer’s narrative sociology

The most significant and lasting contributions of Ken Plummer to the sociology of sexuality have been his work on sexual storytelling. Best represented in Plummer’s 1995 book Telling Sexual Stories: Power, Change and Social Worlds, this approach to sexuality made two key points. One is that sexual storytelling is fundamental to the formation of individual sexual identities and a process of sexual self-discovery. The second is that sexual storytelling is a key social process in a broader sexual politics and struggles for “intimate citizenship.” Plummer’s work has significance, however, far beyond studies a simple model of sexual identity formation. Building upon a review of the research literature citing Plummer as well our own research, this essay explores three dimensions of Plummer’s narrative sociology that include but also take us beyond sexuality studies. One is Plummer’s contribution to the concept of “storytelling” as anti-foundationalist social ontology practice. The second is narrative sociology as humanistic methodology. The third is the significance of the narrative method for a dialogic pedagogy, not only in teaching about sexuality but also in other areas of social life.

‘Do Not Separate Sexuality Education from Religious Teachings’: Parents’ Perceptions and Suggestions towards Sexuality Education in Uganda

The Uganda government designed a framework to teach sex education in Uganda primary schools starting from pre-primary school at the age of three up to high school. Sexuality Education (SE) is intended to be a school intervention to provide the right information to young people misled by peers, the media, and social networks that are now easily accessible. Besides, sexuality education is meant to be a school-based intervention to curb the increasing rates of premarital pregnancies that lead to school dropouts of teenage girls. However, the mention of sexuality education creates unease among parents, teachers, and policymakers. There are arguments and counterarguments that sex education potentially leads children into sexual immorality and permissiveness and sexualises the children. On the other hand, there are sections of people who are convinced that sex education is important and timely and important in Uganda. There have been barriers to the implementation of sexuality education in different contexts. The barriers include political, cultural, religious, and social concerns that influence the effective implementation of sexuality education. Besides, parents are critical in implementing any teaching about sexuality because they provide basic sexual information and knowledge to their children. For instance, they discuss issues concerning hygiene, and sexual health, such as STDs, abstinence, virginity, and relationships with their children. Binti et al. (2020) and Turnbull et al. (2008) stated that parents are influential in teaching sex education because they influence their children’s behaviours and sexual identity formation. Therefore, their opinions and attitudes are fundamental in handling sex education. In African contexts, parents impart knowledge and skills about puberty, courtship, and marriage. It is against this basis that the article discusses the perceptions and attitudes of parents towards teaching sex education in primary schools in Uganda. The article focuses on the following questions; (i) Is there a need for sexuality education? (ii) What is the appropriate content for sexuality education? (iii) Who is the best teacher for sexuality education? and (iv) What is the appropriate age for sexuality education in Uganda?

‘I’m just not gay-gay’: Exploring same-sex desire and sexual minority identity formation in SKAM and its Western European remakes

SKAM (NRK, 2015–2017), a popular Norwegian teen drama series, was praised for its season revolving around a nonheterosexual cis-male teenager coming to terms with his sexual desires and identity. Broadcasting companies from predominantly Western European countries bought the format and created local versions. The essay explores how SKAM and three Western European remakes represent same-sex desire and sexual identity formation. We found that the remakes were rather faithful to the politics of representation of the Norwegian source text. Emphasizing authenticity and everyday realism, they situate the teenagers in a Western context that may feature less blatant heterosexism and homophobia but where heteronormativity still co-constructs the process of sexual identity formation and general attitudes towards same-sex desire and LGBTQ culture. We postulate that SKAM and its remakes encourage LGBTQ and heterosexual teens to deconstruct their homonegative prejudices and become aware of the pervasiveness of heteronormativity.

A Review of Adolescent Behavior Against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Behavior at SMA Negeri 5 Pekanbaru

LGBT behavior is a form of negative behavior because this behavior is seen as inconsistent with the norms prevailing in society. On average, a lesbian is aware of his homosexuality since he was a teenager. In his research, three general factors were found in the formation of sexual identity in adolescents. This study aims to describe the behavior of adolescents towards lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) behavior in SMA Negeri 5 Pekanbaru in 2018. Type of quantitative research with a descriptive design. The population in this study were all 829 students at SMA Negeri 5 Pekanbaru with a sample of 89 people. The data was collected using the stratifield proportional random sampling method. The data were processed in a univariate way. The results obtained from the knowledge of the majority of adolescents have sufficient knowledge, amounting to 68 people (76%), the attitude of the majority of adolescents is negative 56 people (63%) and the majority of adolescent actions do not do 71 people (80%). For future researchers to be able to carry out further research such as factors that influence adolescent behavior or quantitative research with analytic designs at SMA Negeri 5 Pekanbaru.

Uncloseted

ABSTRACT This collection of six poems is based on my reflections on growing up as a gay man in a heteronormative society where same-sex indulgence was outlawed until recently. The previously present anti-sodomy statute in India, political and religious concerns, and class-based social structures that converged to form an unfavorable atmosphere for gendered minorities, serves as the backdrop for these introspective poems. The poems express issues around my sexual identity formation, the intersectional oppression I faced due to my sexuality, the challenging internal conflicts I encountered when I was in “the closet,” the dread I endured for years and that I still embody, and my intense desire for freedom and an authentic identity.

The retardation of psychosexual development and its impact on man's sexual life and sexual identity: a clinical case

Disorders in the process of normal mental and sexual development in childhood and adolescence named retardation of psychosexual development is a result of improper sexual education, traditional and strict family education that ultimately leads to a deep deformation of personality. All of the above-mentioned harm sexual function and the sexual identity formation process that's demonstrated in our clinical case. The 27-year-old man with complaints about the ED had to stop conducting sexual intercourse for the last two years. In adolescence, he was self-satisfied with his alpha role in social groups, but this position was destroyed after beginning puberty when his peer's sexual maturation began earlier than his. First masturbation he had only at age 16. The first two attempts of sexual intercourse were unsuccessful. Afterward, during three years he had oral sexual intercourse with homosexual partners only. After three years he had his first successful try of vaginal intercourse. From this time he had the long phase of heterosexual hyperactivity and, but after one-year serious problems with erection had begun. The patient was consulted with a sexologist and psychiatrist. He also was referred to the psychology team for a psycho-diagnostic examination. Several questionnaires including MMPI-I mini-multi and Leonhard- Smishek questionnaires were used. Then the patient was undergoing a combined treatment of psychotherapy and oral therapy of ED by PDE 5 inhibitors together with treatment of anxiety disorder, depression, and paranoid syndrome. After one month, this man conducted the first, during the last two years, successful sexual intercourse. At the moment he has been undergoing supportive therapy. According to this clinical case is clear that without correct sexual development in adolescence and natural formation of sexual identity, it is impossible to keep mental and sexual health in men. There is no conflict of interest.

10.O. Workshop: Developmental and School-Based Factors Shaping Sexual and Gender Minority Youth Mental Health

Abstract Research from across the globe has consistently shown that young sexual and gender minority individuals (e.g., those identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, and/or transgender [LGBT+]) are at a higher risk for depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts and behaviors when compared to heterosexual youth, including during early childhood and later adolescence. A sizeable body of research has attributed the elevated risk to increased exposure to specific social stressors related to navigating a stigmatized minority identity, including stressors such as victimization and other interpersonal and social difficulties in, for example, the school environment. Yet, relatively less is known about the early developmental timing of such disparities in childhood and how LGBT+ youth navigate school climates. As a sensitive developmental period, childhood and adolescence may be a particularly challenging time for sexual and gender minority youth to navigate cisnormative and heteronormative school contexts. Exposure to oppressive norms, particularly in school environments, has only recently become the subject of research. Additionally, research has been limited on how supportive school climates may be protective but stigmatizing school environments may drive LGBT+ trajectories towards suicidal behaviors and shape how they may navigate self-disclosure of cooccurring identities and mental health status in school settings, particularly when such stigmas may prevalently intersect. This workshop aims to further explore these novel aspects around developmental and school-based risk and protective factors shaping the mental health of sexual and gender minority children and adolescents. This workshop includes five empirical presentations that span from examining the developmental timing of mental health disparities, the role school-based experiences play in shaping and driving these disparities, to how sexual and gender minority youth may navigate their school context and how supportive climates may be protective for mental health. First, Arjan van der Star will present longitudinal evidence on how sexual identity formation precedes the onset of sexual orientation-based mental health disparities and the role that peer difficulties play in driving these as early as pre-teen years. Next, Niolyne Jasmin Bomolo will present findings from a qualitative study that unravel how school-based experiences shape individual trajectories toward suicidal attempts among LGBT+ adolescents. Third, Wouter Kiekens will explore how normative cultures in school environments may drive sexual attraction-based mental health disparities among a large sample of adolescents. Fourth, Lourdes Cantarero Arévalo will present findings on how LGBT+ adolescents living with mental conditions navigate self-disclosure in school environments. Finally, Sandra Sevic will present results on how supportive school environments may be protective for gender minority mental health. Key messages • Negative school-based experiences put sexual and gender minority youth at elevated risk for adverse mental health as early as middle childhood. • Intersecting stigmas around minority identities and mental health problems may further complicate how sexual and gender minority children and adolescents navigate their school environments.

A Developmental Model of the Sexual Minority Closet: Structural Sensitization, Psychological Adaptations, and Post-closet Growth.

Across the lifespan, most sexual minority individuals experience the closet-a typically prolonged period in which no significant others know their sexual identity. This paper positions the closet as distinct from stigma concealment given its typical duration in years and absolute removal from sources of support for an often-central identity typically during a developmentally sensitive period. The Developmental Model of the Closet proposed here delineates the vicarious learning that takes place before sexual orientation awareness to shape one's eventual experience of the closet; the stressors that take place after one has become aware of their sexual orientation but has not yet disclosed it, which often takes place during adolescence; and potential lifespan-persistent mental health effects of the closet, as moderated by the structural, interpersonal, cultural, and temporal context of disclosure. The paper outlines the ways in which the model both draws upon and is distinct from earlier models of sexual minority identity formation and proposes several testable hypotheses and future research directions, including tests of multilevel interventions.

Jim Crow Networks: African American Periodical Cultures

Jim Crow Networks: African American Periodical Cultures

Queer media generations: Shifting identifications and media uses among non-heterosexual men

This paper explores the role of media among different generations of non-straight men. Based on generational theory, combining the notions of “queer generations” and “media generations,” it empirically explores the role of both legacy and digital media in the processes of sexual identity formation in four post-war generations (Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials, and Generation Z). A mixed-method approach was used, combining a quantitative survey ( N = 684) to measure the importance of different media with in-depth interviews ( N = 80) to better understand the role of media in relation to sexual identity. The results show significant generational differences in the importance of media used at the time of sexual identity exploration as well as in the past year. Digital media became increasingly important for the younger generations but also play a key role in the sexual lives of older participants, while film and television remain important sources of representation, across all generations.

Then and Now: Formative Experiences and Generational Perspectives among Flemish GBTQ Baby Boomers

Background: This paper proposes a generational approach to better understand the specific position and perspectives of older GBTQ (Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) men. Generational theory and empirical research demonstrate that experiences and social contexts in adolescence and early adulthood are formative for sexual identity formation while also informing perspectives later in life. Methods: The paper discusses the findings of a qualitative project based on in-depth interviews with sixteen Flemish men belonging to the so-called “Baby Boomer” generation, i.e., born between 1945 and 1964. They came of age before “gay liberation”, exploring and establishing their sexual identities in a period of social invisibility. Results: First, the analysis focuses on the past, in particular the period of sexual exploration and identity formation, reporting findings on formative, often difficult experiences such as the first realization of same-sex attraction, first sexual explorations, coming out, first contact with other LGBTQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer) individuals, participation in the LGBTQ scene and associations, and HIV/AIDS. Then, the focus shifts to the present, to discuss the progress the participants observe but also the problems they (still) experience, including the way they perceive intergenerational differences. Conclusions: Older GBTQ men came of age in a radically different context, struggling to embrace their sexuality, which also informs their current position in LGBTQ culture. These insights are relevant for LGBTQ associations, policy makers and (mental) health practitioners, who could do more to address the specific position and needs of this older demographic.

The Role of Gender in Formation of Sexual Identity from the Vantage Point of Koranic Verses and Hadiths

مقاله حاضر ضمن ارائه تعریفی از مفهوم هویت جنسی، قبول و تحسین جنسیت کودکان از سوی اطرافیان، آموزش نقش جنسی به کودکان از همان اوایل کودکی و نیز نفی تبعیض جنسیتی بین کودکان را از ارکان اصلی تربیتی در شکل­گیری هویت مناسب جنسی می­داند. این مقاله با روشی توصیفی و تحلیلی و با هدف تبیین نگاه آیات و روایات در بررسی نقش متغیر جنسیت در تربیت، عمده­ترین الزامات تربیتی را در شکل­گیری هویت جنسی دختران و پسران بررسی نموده است. داده­پردازی مقاله کتابخانه­ای همراه با استناد به آیات و روایات است و نتایج حاصل از تحقیق نشان داد که جهت حصول تربیتی سالم و کارآمد باید جنسیت کودکان را فارغ از نگاه­های فرهنگی و سوگیری­های جنسیتی به عنوان رکن مهم تربیتی مورد دقت قرار داد. بر اساس یافته­های این پژوهش نگاه تساوی­طلبانه به جنسیت و نیز توقع یکسان در ارائه نقش جنسیتی، نگاهی ناصحیح و به دور از واقعیات تکوینی کودکان و مخل امر تربیت است.

Adolescents’ Risk of Different Sexual Orientation Tendency in Terms of Family Factors (Case Study in Padang and Agam Regency)

BACKGROUND: In the transition period, in adolescents occur the process of physical, cognitive, and social maturation. This period is essential in the formation of sexual identity, which related to gender and sexual orientation. Improper sexual identities will provoke sexual behavior problems. The problems with sexual behavior begin from differences in sexual orientation with a sexual orientation generally accepted by the public (heterosexual). In some adolescents, there is a change in sexual orientation that leads to homosexuality. The factors that play a significant role in adolescent sexual orientation are parenting. AIM: This study aimed to examine the risk of different sexual orientation tendencies in adolescents and the families’ factors in West Sumatra. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study’s design was a cross-sectional study with 532 adolescents aged 13–18 years old as the respondents. It took 3 months to research by using a questionnaire as the instrument. The questionnaire’s data were analyzed using Chi-square. RESULTS: The results showed that the risk of different sexual behaviors in adolescents was 59.4% normal tendency, 26.7% low tendency, and 13.9% high tendency. Furthermore, family factors related significantly to the risk of different sexual behavior tendencies were gender and family intimacy factors (p < 0.05), while age, family type factors, and family income factors (p > 0.05) are not significantly related. CONCLUSION: Based on that, it concluded that the parents expected to develop closer relationships with family members.

Sexual Disembodiment: Sexual Energy, Trauma, and the Body

This article introduces the concept of sexual disembodiment as a functional term for understanding the bodily dynamics of sexual trauma and the dissociative process that may follow. Its contribution lies in bringing an understanding of sexual health and sexual trauma into the framework of somatic psychology. It is suggested that sexual disembodiment can occur when the experience of sexuality causes distress; sexuality is then coupled with fear, dissociated to varying degrees, and suppressed from embodied awareness. While recognizing the primary role that biology and neurophysiology play in the formation of sexual identity, the authors also highlight the social construction of sexual life and suggest that oppression of nonnormative sexual identities can constrain healthy sexual expression. This article takes a holistic approach to sexual experience, combining an experiential understanding of sexual energy with a neurophysiological understanding of sexual trauma to frame a perspective on sexual disembodiment that is person-centered, socially informed, and critical of reductive tendencies within biomedical models of mental health. It is suggested that healing sexual disembodiment may be a critical step in liberating authentic sexual identity.