An Exploration of the Coming out Process of Queer African American Youth
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Syracuse University SURFACE David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Marriage and Family Therapy - Dissertations Dynamics 12-2011 Growing Up Gay in Black America: An Exploration of the Coming Out Process of Queer African American Youth DeMarquis Clarke Syracuse University Follow this and additional works at: https://surface.syr.edu/mft_etd Part of the African American Studies Commons Recommended Citation Clarke, DeMarquis, "Growing Up Gay in Black America: An Exploration of the Coming Out Process of Queer African American Youth" (2011). Marriage and Family Therapy - Dissertations. 44. https://surface.syr.edu/mft_etd/44 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics at SURFACE. It has been accepted for inclusion in Marriage and Family Therapy - Dissertations by an authorized administrator of SURFACE. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Abstract Although it is commonly acknowledged that homophobia and racial marginalization influence queer African American male youth, there is very little research to back up this belief. Due to the paucity of information for clinicians, families, and communities on the relational dynamics of queer African American male youth and their parents, queer African American male youth were interviewed to explore the ways in which they understand their experience of the disclosure process, paying particular attention to the interface between race and sexual orientation and relational dynamics. This exploratory, qualitative study examined data gathered in interviews with individual male youth that identified themselves as African American and queer. Eleven participants were interviewed in semi-structured interviews for the purpose of exploring participant’s experience of the disclosure process with specific emphasis on their racial identity. Data analysis revealed essential structures which underlay the interpersonal and intrapersonal disclosure experience. In addition, a preliminary stage model, including pre-disclosure, disclosure and experience after disclosure was found. Implications for clinicians working with queer, African American male youth and their families are discussed as are suggestions for future research. Growing Up Gay in Black America: An exploration of the coming out process of Queer African American Youth By DeMarquis Clarke B.A., Tougaloo College, 1999 M.S., University of Southern Mississippi, 2001 Dissertation Submitted in partial fulfill of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Marriage and Family Therapy Syracuse University December 2011 Copyright © DeMarquis Clarke 2011 All Rights Reserved Growing Up Gay in Black America iv Table of Contents Chapter One Introduction…………………………………………………………….….1 Statement of the Problem……….……………..…….....…………………1 Research Statement……………………………………………………..…2 Multicultural Perspective………………………………....……………….3 Definition of Terms………………………………………………………..7 Significance of the Study………………………………………………….9 Chapter Two Review of the Literature………………...………………....…………….11 Homophobia and Heterosexism………………………………….11 Heterosexism……………………………………………..11 Homophobia……………………………………………...13 Levels of Homophobia and Heterosexism…………….…14 Intrapersonal Level………………………………14 Interpersonal Level………………………………15 Institutional Level………………………………..16 Cultural Level……………………………………………17 Cultural Victimization…………………………………...18 African American Culture and Homosexuality………….19 Homophobia and Heterosexism in the African American Community……..……..19 The Phenomenon of being Closeted or on the Down Low………………...…20 HIV………………………………………..……..22 The African American Church…………..…….…23 Coming Out Process……………………………………........…..25 The Social and Cultural Impact of the Coming Out Process……………………..…………..26 Social Impact on the Coming Out Process………………27 Cultural Impact on the Coming Out Process…………….28 Familial Impact on the Coming Out Process…………….31 Queer Youth Struggle in Families…………..…...31 Parent’s Awareness of having Queer Youth…….33 Parent’s Identity of Queer Youth………………...34 Intersection between Race and Sexual Orientation…...…36 Queer African American Youth………………….37 Families of Color and the Coming Out Process…38 Chapter Three Methodology………………………………………………………….…41 Phenomenology……………………………………………….…41 Definition……………….……………………………..…41 History……………………………………………………42 Fundamental Concepts of Phenomenology…………………...…43 Reality…………………………………………....………43 Intentionality…………………………………………..…43 Growing Up Gay in Black America v Role of the Researcher…………………………………...43 Epoch……………………………………………………44 Self of the Researcher……………………………45 Trustworthiness………………………………………….50 Credibility………………….…………………………….50 Transferability……………………………………………51 Dependability…………………………………………………….51 Comfirmability…………………………………………...52 Data Collections and Analysis…………………………...52 Recruitment of Participants………………………52 The Interview Process……………………………53 Coding Data……………………………………...54 Chapter Four Results……………………………………………………………………57 Introduction………………………………………………………57 Participants Demographics………………………………………57 Participants……………………………………………………….59 Process of Analysis………………………………………………69 Domains………………………………………………………….69 Pre-disclosure…………………………………………….70 Disclosure Event…………………………………………70 Experience after Disclosure……………………………...70 Pre-disclosure Context…………………………………………..70 Disclosure Event…………………………………………………73 Experience after Disclosure……………………………………...77 Chapter Five: Summary and Discussion………………………………………...……….84 Summary of the Findings……………………………………...…84 Pre-Disclosure…………………………………………………....85 Teasing/Verbal Harassment from African Americans…...86 Messages from the Church…………………………….…86 Internal Awareness……………………………………….90 Disclosure Event…………………………………………………91 Spontaneous Conversation…………………………….…92 Planned Conversation……………………………………93 Internal Reaction to Parent’s Immediate Reactions……..94 Relieved………………………………………………….95 Experience after Disclosure……………………………………...96 Intersection of being African American and queer………97 Assumptions and Harassment from other African Americans………………………………………..97 Relationship with Parents………………….…………….99 Negative………………………………………….99 Positive………………………………..………...100 Relationship with Family Members/Friends…..………..101 Growing Up Gay in Black America vi Connected/Accepting……………………..……………102 Internal Thoughts of Their Experience after Disclosure..103 Limitations and Implications of the Study………………………………………….….105 Limitations………………………………………….…………..105 Clinical Implications……………………………………………106 Implications for Future Research……………………………….113 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………...115 References………………………………………………………………………………117 Biography……………………………………………………………………………….122 Appendix A……………………………………………………………………………..128 Appendix B……………………………………………………………………………..130 Appendix C……………………………………………………………………………..131 Appendix D……………………………………………………………………………..132 Appendix E…………………………………………………………………………..…133 Appendix F……………………………………………………………………………...134 Biography and Vita…………………………………………………………….……….138 Growing Up Gay in Black America 1 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem Homophobia and heterosexism have adverse effects on all members of our society. Rothenberg (2001) suggested that heterosexism, racism, sexism, and class privilege are systems of advantage that provide those with the “right” sexual orientation, race, gender, and class with opportunities and rewards that are unavailable to other individuals and groups in society. Homophobia and heterosexism come in various forms from overt discrimination to more subtle forms, which include denial that they exist. Moreover, Font (1997) suggested that the effects of homophobia and heterosexism are more pronounced for marginalized communities. When that marginalization is based both on race and sexual orientation, the effects may be devastating. Akerlund & Cheung (2000) noted that queer people of color face unique and complex challenges --- integrating two marginalized identities in a society that does not fully accept either one. For example, in some African American communities, homophobia and heterosexism are taught openly from the pulpits of churches while parents reinforce those messages through their daily overt and covert interactions with their children. These messages shape and mold the views of both queer and non-queer youth planting seeds of internalized insecurities and self-hatred in all African American youth regardless of their sexual orientation (Lehoczky, 2005). Lehoczky (2005) further found that these messages directly increase the risk for African American queer youth for devastating problems such as drug usage, family alienation, homelessness, and suicide. Growing Up Gay in Black America 2 The effects of homophobia and heterosexism are not limited to youth themselves, but permeate familial relationships as well. In the African American community, where homophobia is so omnipresent, many youth may be less likely to come out to family members and friends, for fear of further alienation, leaving them isolated and distraught. D’Augelli, Grossman, & Starks (2005, p. 474) reported, “Adolescents whose families were unaware of their sexual orientation reported more fear of verbal and physical abuse from families than adolescents whose families knew.” The combination of homophobic beliefs along with issues of racial marginalization may be a deadly blend, and may perpetuate internalized self-hatred for queer, African Americans and a lack of support from those they love. Research Statement The main research question for this study was how queer