Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ)
Faculty Mentor Contact Information
Esteban Cardemil
Faculty Mentor Email
ecardemil@clarku.edu
Keywords
coming out, Latino, Latina, qualitative, stress
Abstract
The coming out process is a fundamental part in the lives of LGB individuals. Research suggests that there are factors that might make coming out detrimental to the mental health of an individual. This study aims to better understand the coming out experiences of LGB Latinos/as and the possible relations to cultural values such as religion, familismo, and conservative points of view. Participants were 9 self-identified Latino/a lesbian, gay, or bisexual adults currently living in the U.S. recruited through public and online advertisements. The author engaged in thematic analysis to identify relevant patterns about the participants’ coming out experiences. Two main themes emerged from the interviews. First, all the participants point to their family’s religious norms and values as a factor that made them stressed in their coming out process. Second, Most participants argued the importance of considering their family needs before, and in some cases after, coming out to them. These findings show the importance of understanding how cultural values might influence the coming out experiences of double minorities. Further research should analyze more in depth the cultural values of double minorities in the U.S. to better understand their effects on LGB people’s mental health and coming out process.
Recommended Citation
Posada Rodriguez, Camilo
(2019)
"Coming Out Experiences of LGB Latinos/as,"
Scholarly Undergraduate Research Journal at Clark (SURJ): Vol. 5, Article 1.
Available at:
https://commons.clarku.edu/surj/vol5/iss1/1
