From stigma to resiliency : the experience of lesbian/gay youth

Abstract

The transition to young adulthood is a fascinating and extremely individualistic process that is unique to each and every individual. Some young people may face additional obstacles and milestones that they might need to overcome in order to successfully negotiate their identity development process. The focus is on how young emerging adults negotiate a stigmatised identity, and what strengths they have developed in this process. Their narratives have been shared for the purpose of this research, in order to illustrate the in depth experience of their trajectories. With the Single Question Aimed at inducing Narrative (S.Q.U.I.N) method (Thomas Wengraf, 2001), the trajectories of the six participants were illustrated. The data was analysed by using open and axial coding via the constant comparative method. This was done in order to attempt to explain the experience of young L/G emerging adults identity development and coping strategies, in such a predominantly heternormative society. The main themes emerging from the analysis are; the experience of negotiating a stigmatised identity and feelings of loneliness, a sense of inner conflict, and the split between religious and sexual identities. Coping mechanism used during sexual identity development and strengths developed in the process have also been central themes to the analysis.