An Introduction to LGBT Elders - Howard Brown Health Center

SLIDE 26MODULE1234Now I’d like to move our discussion to build the concept of an Age Cohort, theLGBT elder has a common experience related to coming out and their sharedhistory.Sexual identity development: exploring the “coming-out process“This can be a wonderful or horrible process. “We always knew, now you can liveyour life…” “ Or, get out of my house!”Many people who feel attracted to members of their own sex have a so-called“coming out” at some point in their lives. Generally, coming out is described inthree phases. The first phase is and internal coming out, or the phase of openingup to yourself, “when you are asking yourself questions, moving toward comingout to yourself and perhaps the decision to tell others.” The second phase, sometimesreferred to simply as “coming out” is the period when one begins to activelytalk about ones sexuality with others, such as friends and family. The final phase,“living openly”, is an ongoing process.“The development of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) sexual identity is a complexand often difficult process. Unlike members of other minority groups (e.g.,ethnic and racial minorities), most LGB individuals are not raised in a communityof similar others from whom they learn about their identity and who reinforceand support that identity. Rather, LGB individuals are often raised in communitiesthat are either ignorant of or openly hostile toward homosexuality”.“Outing” is the process of exposing someone’s sexual orientation or genderidentity as being gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender to others, usually withouttheir permission. Outing is most common in the case of public figures, includingcelebrities and politicians, often as part of a political or moral agenda but it canalso have other motives. The ethics of public outing in the media has long beencontroversial, with some saying that journalists have an obligation to out publicfigures, and others maintaining that varying degrees of privacy around sexualorientation should be observe.RAmerican Psychiatric Association(APA). (2011). Sexual orientationand homosexuality. Retrieved fromhttp://www.apa.org/helpcenter/sexualorientation.aspx.Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists(AGLP) (2000). Gay, lesbian,bisexual issues. In AGLP Gay andLesbian Fact Sheets. Retrieved fromhttp://www.aglp.org/pages/cfactsheets.htmlBajko, M. S. (2009, September9). Political notebook: Gay reportersdiscuss ethics of outing. TheBay Area Reporter. Retrieved fromhttp://www.ebar.com/news/article.php?sec=news&article=5057Human Rights Campaign (HRC).(2011a). Glossary of terms. Retrievedfrom http://www.hrc.org/issues/3336.htmHuman Rights Campaign (HRC)(2011b). The coming out continuum.Retrieved from http://www.hrc.org/issues/3333.htmRosario, M., Schrimshaw, E.W., Hunter,J., Braun, L. (2006). Sexual identitydevelopment among lesbian, gay,and bisexual youths: Consistency andchange over time. Journal of Sex Research,43(1), 46-58. PMID: 1681706756Nurses Health Education About LGBT Elders : Teacher’s Guide24