#thetable13

Abstract: “Our aim was to gain an understanding of adolescents’ experiences of disclosing their sexual orientation as lesbian or gay to their parents. In order to capture these experiences, we conducted interviews with 6 people who had told at least 1 parent of their sexual orientation as lesbian or gay. Using interpretative phenomenological analysis we identified 4 themes from the emotions described by the respondents when they disclosed their sexual orientation to their parents. These 4 themes were feelings of alienation, uneasiness and fear, self-acceptance and being comfortable with one’s sexuality, and feeling whole. The conclusion we drew from the accounts of the people we interviewed is that disclosing one’s sexual orientation to one’s parents is liberating.”

“Findings reported in previous research have shown that parental reactions to their sons’ and daughters’ disclosure of gay or lesbian sexual orientation can differ depending on how parents raise their children and the kind of relationship they have with their offspring. In families with cohesion, adaptability, and authoritative parental styles disclosure is met with less negative reactions than in those characterized by disconnection, rigidity, and authoritarian styles (Willoughby et al., 2006). Savin-Williams and Dubé (1998) constructed a developmental model of parental reactions to their offspring’s disclosure of their homosexuality.” 

References: Perrin-Wallqvist, R. (2015). Coming out as gay: a phenomenological study about adolescents disclosing their homosexuality to their parents. Retrieved from: http://dx.doi.org/10.2224/spb.2015.43.3.467

The first time I kissed a boy I was scared and confused, because I grew up in a Catholic family that looks down on homosexuality.  Like many other gay or lesbian youth, I was scared of coming out in fear of rejection from my friends and family (Arnett, 2013, p. 264).  This song, First Time He Kissed a Boy clearly illustrates how it feels to be “on a curvy road” of sexuality and the desire to keep “back the ghost inside.”  The video reveals the sad truth that many gay and lesbian youth are faced with verbal and physical abuse for their sexual orientation and turn to substance abuse to deal with these issues (p. 264).  If you are struggling in a situation like this, or know someone in this situation I suggest reading The Trevor Project’s guide Coming Out As You.  This has information on different gender and sexual identities, and how to have an easier and healthier  coming out process.

Reference:  Arnett, J. J. (2013). Adolescence and Emerging Adulthood: A Cultural Approach (5th ed.). Pearson Education.

John Holmes created this painting for the book cover of Germaine Greer’s The Female Eunuch in 1970.  This image is representative of the objectification of the female body in society as it portrays the female torso hung up for display. While this image was created in the early 1970′s, this view of the female body as an object for purchase in the consumerist market continues to create problems in our modern society, especially in young women. Calogero et al. did a study in 2005 that found evidence to suggest that viewing sexually objectifying images in media can cause self-objectification in women, which results in the drive for thinness seen in eating disorders (p.47). In other words, as girls at a young age internalize the beauty standards portrayed through media, many of them form eating disorders, like anorexia or bulimia, in order to strive for “unrealistic cultural body ideals” (p.48).  

If you have an eating disorder or are struggling with your body image in any way, you are not in this fight alone. Talk to to your care-taker, teacher, or school counselor about what you are going through and ask for help. Hospital-based programs are usually the first step people take to receiving treatment for anorexia or bulimia. Family-based therapy has been found to be the best approach. To read more information on family-based treatment, visit MaudsleyParents.org. While this website is designed for parents, if gives helpful information on the signs and treatment of anorexia and bulimia. 

Reference: Calogero, R. M., Davis, W. N., & Thompson, J. K. (2005). The role of self-objectification in the experience of women with eating disorders. Sex roles, 52(1-2), 43-50. 

This comic strip is part of a graphic novel titled Yousef and Farhad was published in 2015 and brings light to the difficulty of being gay in Iran.  The LGBTIQ human rights organization, OutRight Action International, created this beautifully illustrated novel in collaboration with the artists Amir Soltani and Khalil Bendib is hopes of brining more acceptance to the homosexuality community. As Yousef struggles to be with Farhad and people from other cultures, including the U.S., relate to his story, it becomes clear that homophobia is a global issue. To read the full novel, click the following link to download a free pdf: https://www.outrightinternational.org/sites/default/files/YandFFinal12182015LR.pdf  

Reference:  Sultan, Amir and Bendib, Khalil (2015). Yousef and Farhad: Struggling for Family Acceptance In Iran: The Story of Two Gay Men. New York, New York: OutRight Action International.

In this video, Laverne Cox tells us her story about her transgender identity. discusses her role as a transgender advocate and also shares to us what it’s like playing a transgender role on the show, Orange is the New Black. 

One of the Boys…

What am I? Am I woman, am I man, or something inexplicably in between? I know I’m not male (I was not born with a penis nor testes) but I am hesitant to box myself in the feminine category, despite society’s demands. Am I one of the boys? I’ve been known to cross dress, and like Ms. Perry, can belch the alphabet after a couple of Cokes, yet I’m hesitant to say yes. I enjoy doing “girly” things; pretty pink dresses and diamond rings make my heart sing, but so do baggy pants, oversized shirts, and being tackled to the dirt during a rough and tumble game of football. Why does it hurt so much to be me? What’s wrong with being both, or something inexplicably in between? Why can’t I be “one of the guys” and a “pin up poster dream” at the same time?

Mary Bucholtz and Kira Hall

Bucholtz, M. (2005). Identity and interaction: A sociocultural linguistic approach. Discourse Studies, 7(4-5), 585-614. Retrieved from http://dis.sagepub.com/content/7/4-5/585.full.pdf html