This article examines sexual identity formation among 346 lesbian-identified and 60 bisexual-identified women. On average, bisexuals come out at later ages and exhibit less “stable” identity histories. However, variations in identity history among lesbians and bisexuals overshadow the differences between them and demonstrate that coming out is not a linear, goal-oriented, developmental process. Sexual identity formation must be reconceptualized as a process of describing one's social location within a changing social context. Changes in sexual identity are, therefore, expected of mature individuals as they maintain an accurate description of their position vis-à-vis other individuals, groups, and institutions.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Bell, Alan P.
, and Martin S. Weinberg. 1978. Homosexualities: A study of diversity among men and women.New York: Simon & Schuster.
2.
Bell, Alan P.
, Martin S. Weinberg, and Sue Kiefer Hammersmith. 1981. Sexual preference: Its development in men and women.Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
3.
Blumstein, Philip
, and Pepper Schwartz. 1974. Lesbianism and bisexuality. In Sexual deviance and sexual deviants, edited by Erich Goode. New York: Morrow.
4.
Blumstein, Philip
, and Pepper Schwartz.1976. Bisexuality in men.Urban Life5:339-58.
5.
Blumstein, Philip
, and Pepper Schwartz.1977. Bisexuality: Some social psychological issues.Journal of Social Issues33:30-45.
6.
Blumstein, Philip
, and Pepper Schwartz. 1990. Intimate relationships and the creation of sexuality. In Homosexuality/heterosexuality: Concepts of sexual orientation, edited by David P. McWhirter, Stephanie A. Sanders, and June Machover Reinisch. New York: Oxford University Press.
7.
Califia, Pat.1979. Lesbian sexuality.Journal of Homosexuality4:255-66.
8.
Cass, Vivienne C.1979. Homosexual identity formation: A theoretical model.Journal of Homosexuality4:219-35.
9.
Cass, Vivienne C.1984. Homosexual identity: A concept in need of definition.Journal of Homosexuality9:105-25.
10.
Cass, Vivienne C.
1990. The implications of homosexual identity formation for the Kinsey Model and Scale of Sexual Preference. In Homosexuality/heterosexuality: Concepts of sexual orientation, edited by David P. McWhirter, Stephanie A. Sanders, and June Machover Reinisch. New York: Oxford University Press.
11.
Chapman, Beata E.
, and JoAnn C. Brannock.1987. Proposed model of lesbian identity development: An empirical examination.Journal of Homosexuality14:69-80.
12.
Coleman, Eli.1982. Developmental stages of the coming out process.Journal of Homosexuality7:31-43.
13.
Cronin, Denise M.
1974. Coming out among lesbians. In Sexual deviance and sexual deviants, edited by Erich Goode and Richard R. Troiden. New York: Morrow.
14.
Daniel David G.
, Virginia Abernethy, and William R. Oliver.1984. Correlations between female sex roles and attitudes toward male sexual dysfunction in thirty women.Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy10:160-69.
15.
Dank, Barry M.1971. Coming out in the gay world.Psychiatry34:180-97.
16.
de Monteflores, Carmen
, and Stephen J. Schultz.1978. Coming out: Similarities and differences for lesbians and gay men.Journal of Homosexuality34:59-72.
17.
Engle, John W.
, and Marie Saracino.1986. Love preferences and ideals: A comparison of homosexual, bisexual, and heterosexual groups.Contemporary Family Therapy8:241-50.
18.
Epstein, Steven.1987. Gay politics, ethnic identity: The limits of social constructionism.Socialist Review17:9-53.
19.
Fein, Sara Beck
, and Elane M. Nuehring.1982. Intrapsychic effects of stigma: A process of breakdown and reconstruction of social reality.Journal of Homosexuality7:3-13.
20.
Hart, John.1984. Therapeutic implications of viewing sexual identity in terms of essentialist and constructionist theories.Journal of Homosexuality9:39-51.
21.
Hencken, Joel D.
, and William T. O'Dowd.1977. Coming out as an aspect of identity formation.Gai Saber1:18-22.
22.
Hooker, Evelyn.
1967. The homosexual community. In Sexual deviance, edited by John H. Gagnon and William Simon. New York: Harper & Row.
23.
Jay, K.
, and A. Young, eds. 1979. The gay report: Lesbians and gay men speak out about sexual experiences and lifestyles.New York: Simon & Schuster.
24.
Kinsey, Alfred Charles
, W. B. Pomeroy, and C. E. Martin. 1948. Sexual behavior in the human male.Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.
25.
Kinsey, Alfred Charles
, W. B. Pomeroy, C. E. Martin, and Paul H. Gebhard. 1953. Sexual behavior in the human female.Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders.
26.
Klein, Fritz
, Barry Sepekoff, and Timothy J. Wolf. 1985. Sexual orientation: A multi-variable dynamic process. In Two lives to lead: Bisexuality in men and women, edited by Fritz Klein and Timothy Wolf. New York: Harrington Park Press.
27.
Kooden, H. D.
, S. F. Morin, D. I. Riddle, M. Rogers, B. E. Sang, and F. Strassburger. 1979. Removing the stigma: Final report of the board of social and ethical responsibility for psychology's Task Force on the Status of Lesbian and Gay Male Psychologists.Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
28.
LaTorre, Ronald A.
, and Kristina Wendenburg.1983. Psychological characteristics of bisexual, heterosexual and homosexual women.Journal of Homosexuality9:87-97.
29.
Loewenstein, Sophie Freud.1985. On the diversity of love object orientations among women.Journal of Social Work and Human Sexuality3:7-24.
30.
Lee, John Alan.1977. Going public: A study in the sociology of homosexual liberation.Journal of Homosexuality3:49-79.
31.
Lyter, David W.
, Ronald O. Valdiserri, Lawrence A. Kingsley, William P. Amoroso, and Charles R. Rinaldo.1987. The HIV antibody test: Why gay and bisexual men want or do not want to know their results.Public Health Reports102:468-74.
32.
MacDonald, A. P, Jr.1981. Bisexuality: Some comments on research and theory.Journal of Homosexuality6:21-35.
33.
MacDonald, A. P, Jr.1983. A little bit of lavender goes a long way: A critique of research on sexual orientation.Journal of Sex Research19:94-100.
34.
McCusker, Jane
, Jane G. Zapka, Anne M. Stoddard, and Kenneth H. Mayer.1989. Responses to the AIDS epidemic among homosexually active men: Factors associated with preventive behavior.Patient Education and Counseling13:15-30.
35.
McDonald, Gary J.1982. Individual differences in the coming out process for gay men: Implications for theoretical models.Journal of Homosexuality8:47-60.
36.
Nichols, Margaret.1988. Bisexuality in women: Myths, realities, and implications for therapy.Women and Therapy7:235-52.
37.
Nurius, Paula S.1983. Mental health implications of sexual orientation.Journal of Sex Research19:119-36.
38.
Paul, Jay P.
1985. Bisexuality: Reassessing our paradigms of sexuality. In Two lives to lead: Bisexuality in men and women, edited by Fritz Klein and Timothy Wolf. New York: Harrington Park Press.
39.
Plummer, Kenneth.
1975. Sexual stigma: An interactionist account.London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
40.
Plummer, Kenneth.
1984. Sexual diversity: A sociological perspective. In The psychology of sexual diversity, edited by Kevin Howells. New York: Blackwell.
41.
Ponse, Barbara.
1978. Identities in the lesbian world: The social construction of self.Westport, CT: Greenwood.
42.
Ponse, Barbara.
1980. Lesbians and their world. In Homosexual behavior: A modern reappraisal, edited by Judd Marmor. New York: Basic Books.
43.
Richardson, Diane.
1981. Lesbian identities. In The theory and practice of homosexuality, edited by John Hart and Diane Richardson. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
44.
Richardson, Diane
, and John Hart. 1981. The development and maintenance of a homosexual identity. In The theory and practice of homosexuality, edited by John Hart and Diane Richardson. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.
45.
Riddle, D.
, and S. Morin. 1977. Removing the stigma: Data from institutions.APA Monitor, November, 16-28.
46.
Ross, Michael W.1984. Beyond the biological model: New directions in bisexual and homosexual research.Journal of Homosexuality10:63-70.
47.
Rust, Paula C.1992. The politics of sexual identity: Sexual attraction and behavior among lesbian and bisexual women.Social Problems39:366-86.
48.
Rust-Rodríguez, Paula C. 1989. When does the unity of “common oppression” break down: Reciprocal attitudes between lesbian and bisexual women. Ph.D. diss., University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
49.
Schäfer, Siegrid.1976. Sexual and social problems of lesbians.Journal of Sex Research12:50-69.
50.
Shivley, Michael G.
, and John P. DeCecco.1977. Components of sexual identity.Journal of Homosexuality3:41-48.
51.
Siegel, Karolynn
, Laurie J. Bauman, Grace H. Christ, and Susan Krown.1988. Patterns of change in sexual behavior among gay men in New York City.Archives of Sexual Behavior17:481-97.
52.
Smith, Elaine M.
, Susan R. Johnson, and Susan M. Guenther.1985. Health care attitudes and experiences during gynecologic care among lesbians and bisexuals.American Journal of Public Health75:1085-87.
53.
Stokes, Kirk
, Peter R. Kilmann, and Richard L. Wanlass.1983. Sexual orientation and sex role conformity.Archives of Sexual Behavior12:427-33.
54.
Troiden, Richard R.
1988. Gay and lesbian identity: A sociological analysis.Dix Hills, NY: General Hall.
55.
Troiden, Richard R.
, and Erich Goode.1980. Variables related to the acquisition of a gay identity.Journal of Homosexuality5:383-92.
56.
Warren, Carol A. B.
1974. Identity and community in the gay world.New York: Wiley.
57.
Warren, Carol A. B.
1980. Homosexuality and stigma. In Homosexual behavior: A modern reappraisal, edited by Judd Marmor. New York: Basic Books.
58.
Windelstein, Warren
, David M. Lyman, Nancy Padian, Robert Grant, Michael Samuel, James A. Wiley, Robert E. Anderson, William Lang, John Riggs, and Jay A. Levy.1987. Sexual practices and risk of infection by the human immunodeficiency virus.Journal of the American Medical Association257:321-25.
59.
Zinik, Gary.
1985. Identity conflict or adaptive flexibility? Bisexuality reconsidered. In Two lives to lead: Bisexuality in men and women, edited by Fritz Klein and Timothy Wolf. New York: Harrington Park Press.
