Standing Out/Fitting In

Identity, Appearance, and Authenticity in Gay and Lesbian Communities

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2481841
AutoresDavid J Hutson (University of Michigan, autor de correspondencia)
Año2010
Volumen33
Número2
Páginas213-233
Fecha de publicación2010-05-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaSymbolic Interaction (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 0195-6086 • E-ISSN: 1533-8665
EditorialWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1525/si.2010.33.2.213
OpenAlexW2045619308
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas64
Referencias citadas43

Sexuality scholars have noted the historical connection between appearance and gay or lesbian identity. However, as the social landscape for lesbian women and gay men has shifted over the past forty years, little research has documented how such changes influence gay and lesbian individuals' appearance choices as they form, manage, and maintain their identities. To explore the impact of this "post-closet" (Seidman 2002) era on the identities and appearances of lesbians and gays, in-depth interviews were conducted with twenty individuals, aged eighteen to thirty. Findings suggest that while most people use appearance to attain a sense of authenticity after "coming out," achieving a feeling of authenticity in gay and lesbian spaces presents unique challenges as individuals come under scrutiny by the community

Aesthetics · Art · Closet · Coming out · Feeling · Homosexuality · Human sexuality · Identity (music · Lesbian · Political science · Scrutiny · Sociology · Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies · Fashion and Cultural Textiles · Gender Studies · History · Media, Gender, and Advertising · Psychology · Social Psychology