African American Families in Diversity

Gay Men and Lesbians as Participants in Family Networks

Bibliographic Data

ID3036382
AuthorsVickie M Mays (0000-0002-3395-7939, Department of Psychology, 128S Franz Hall, Box 9515S63, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1563, USA.), Linda M Cha Tiers (University of Michigan), L Tiers (University of Michigan), Susan D Cochran (0000-0001-7932-3934, School of Public Health, Department of Epidemiology 71-245 Center for Health Science, Box 951772, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1772), Joanna Mackne, Joanna Mackness (Department of Psychology, 128S Franz Hall, Box 9515S63, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095-1563, USA.)
Year1998
Volume29
Issue1
Pages73-87
Publication date1998-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Comparative Family Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0047-2328 • E-ISSN: 1929-9850
PublisherUniversity of Toronto Press Inc. (UTPress) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.3138/jcfs.29.1.73
OpenAlexW2599713750
LanguageEN
Citations received26
References cited7

Although recent research on African American families has focused on the roles of extended family members and fictive kin (i.e., non-biological members), the participation of openly gay-identified men and women within African American family systems has received little attention. The study examines gay men's and lesbians' disclosure of sexual orientation to immediate and distant kin. Questionnaires assessing disclosure and demographic backgrounds were completed by African American lesbians (n=506) and gay men (n=673), recruited nationally. Results indicate that most had disclosed their sexual orientation to immediate family (i.e., mothers, fathers and siblings) but fewer to other relatives. There was a clear preference for disclosure to females in the immediate family. Significant positive predictors of disclosure for both immediate and more distant family members were being older and reporting initiating homosexual sexual activity at a younger age. Self-reported HIV infection among men predicted immediate family awareness of the individual's homosexuality, but not awareness by the extended family. Apparently over time, individuals disclose homosexuality to those within the close family network. Results are discussed within the context of African American family networks

Context (archaeology) · Developmental psychology · Diversity (politics) · Family planning · Homosexuality · Lesbian · National Survey of Family Growth · Population · Sexual orientation · Sociology · Demography · Intergenerational Family Dynamics and Caregiving · LGBTQ Health, Identity, and Policy · Psychology · Reproductive Health and Technologies · Social Psychology

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