“Barbie, sabi ko na!" : case study on the factors of whether or not to come out of queer young adult students in Laguna using a self disclosure framework

Date

6-2023

Adviser

Judith M. Bernardo

Principal

Mabel S. Buela

Abstract

The concept of coming out refers to the disclosure process involving the concealable stigmatized identity of being queer or part of the LGBTQ+ community. Coinciding with identity development, coming out is not a stagnant process. It is dynamic and nonlinear. This study aimed to evaluate the factors and influences of coming out or not of queer young adult (ages 18-22) students of Laguna using the disclosure processes model (Chaudoir & Fisher, 2010). It focused on the fluidity of identity in terms of their SOGIE (sexual orientation, gender identity, and expression), the coming out process, and the influences of coming out. Chaudoir and Fisher’s disclosure processes model (DPM) divided this process into three main components, including 1) the goal formation phase, 2) the actual coming out/disclosure event, and 3) the outcomes of disclosure, as well as a feedback loop. Through semi-structured interviews, the identity development and coming out narratives of nine participants were documented to review their respective circumstances as well as to perform a thematic analysis of their collective experience. The results showed that the participants have gained a deeper understanding of their identity as something fluid and evolving. It cannot be encompassed easily or boxed. The coming out process coincided at the base level with the DPM (Chaudoir & Fisher, 2010). A holistic perspective of coming out was also established by the participants who note that it is “not required” but a significant queer experience nonetheless surrounded by influences that make the process even more dynamic and personal. The influences of coming out were also enumerated starting with internal introspections and factors, which were found to be based on need, emotions, and identity management. The other category of influences is the institutional factors such as family, school, media, religion, and government, which essentially foster both socialization and stigma that affects both identity and disclosure. All in all, the coming out process reflected the plight of queer people living in a heteronormative society that pushes them into “closets” that they somehow need to come out of.

Language

English

LC Subject

Capstone

Location

University of the Philippines Rural High School

Document Type

Capstone

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