Coming Out in College: The Struggle for a Queer IdentityComing out is the process of acknowledging same-sex attractions to oneself and to others. It is both a personal and a public process. For many gay and bisexual students, college marks a pivotal point where for the first time they feel free to explore their same-sex attractions. This book is about the struggles students face in coming out. The focus is twofold: the experiences individuals face in coming to terms with their sexual identity and the process of developing a group identity. The development of a group identity involves a degree of political investment. For some students, becoming political means adopting a queer persona. As one student noted, Queer is kind of an `in your face' attitude toward heterosexism and homophobia. A primary focus of this book revolves around the notion of queer identity and how students engage as cultural workers seeking both campus and societal change. |
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Andrew argue aspect attitude behavior bisexual community bisexual students Branden campus chapter Clement University communities of difference concept constructivist critical ethnography critical postmodernists Deandre defined described discourse discussed essentialist ethnographic experiences face father fear feelings Foucault friends gay and bisexual gay community gay ethnicity gay identity gay or bisexual gay students gay/queer gender goal guys heterosexual Hidden Falls high school highlight homosexual identify as queer individual interview involved Jerry Karsch lesbian lesbian and gay LGBSA lives means mother narratives norms notion one's oppression organization parents participate politics of silencing queer community queer contraculture queer identity Queer Nation queer students questions remain closeted role Roman same-sex attractions self-acknowledgment sense sexual identity sexual orientation Shane society someone straight struggle students at Clement subculture talked term queer theory thing Tierney Tito understanding visibility women