Professional Documents
Culture Documents
When discussing the gay social scene, all the participants Such an experience is explained by Herek et al
mentioned that they had been or went to pubs and /or (1998), who argued that individuals can grow up
clubs intended predominantly for gay customers. internalising the heterosexism that permeates society.
Consequently, during the process of coming out, gay
Needing to be, coming and being ‘out’ people can experience negative feelings towards
This was a particularly significant theme discussed by all themselves or other gay people, termed ‘internalised
the participants. They had a mutual need to be ‘out’ and homophobia’ (Herek et al 1998). This can hinder
accepted, while simultaneously having a great awareness self-acceptance (Lesbian /Gay Community Service Center
of other people’s comfort with their sexual orientation: of Greater Cleveland 2004), causing higher levels of
depression, lower levels of self-esteem and less of a
I was reserved because I was unsure of how I would be
tendency to self-disclose sexual orientation (Cruise 2004).
accepted … through my life I suppose being gay has, that has
Emotional changes, such as depression, have been found
been difficult, being accepted has not been easy. (Libby.)
to have an impact upon occupational performance
I was out to my Area Manager, only because I knew that he (George et al 2001); depression can impair cognitive
was gay as well. (Alistair.) function, which contributes towards people’s competent
and satisfactory functional ability (Gardner 2002).
Coming out is a process that occurs in stages, whereby
an individual accepts his or her sexual orientation,
Heterosexism
consequently develops a sexual identity and sense-of-self
Three of the five participants experienced heterosexism,
(MacEwan and Kinder 1991) and then reveals this to
where it was assumed that they were heterosexual.
others (Rankow 1997). The participants’ descriptions of
Cate remarked:
the process, experience and consequences of coming out
were very similar; four of them described it as being either People tend to make assumptions that you’re straight, unless
‘difficult’ or ‘hard’: you tell them otherwise.
I did have a hard time sort of coming out; a lot of my friends Alistair described three separate occasions when he
were straight and they just did not want to know, and I lost a experienced heterosexism: once while he was at university
lot of friends. (Nicole.) and twice while he was at work:
There was a little bit of distance between us, when they first I used to work with clients and their families, you know?
realised, or found out, that I was gay. That made things And a lot of the parents, they often automatically assumed
difficult … (Cate.) that I was with a girl. And you know, why shouldn’t they?
You know? Or possibly engaged, or possibly married …
Herek and Capitanio (1996) explained that the need to
come out occurs because the process of coming out to friends Alistair went on to describe his experience of heterosexism
and family appears to reduce prejudice, as highlighted by at work or productivity as making him feel:
the following quote:
… out on a limb … a bit strange … (and) a bit odd.
I feel really quite secure within my own role here …
Enduring heterosexism can lead to psychological
everyone knows that I am a gay woman and they’re really,
distress, including decreased self-esteem (Garnets et al
really happy for me, for my life sort of thing, which I am
2003). Garnets et al (2003) recommended coming out as a
grateful for … I find that makes work a little bit more easy
means of overcoming any such threats to psychological
and, I’m sure if it would be the other way round, difficulties
wellbeing. Arguably, in doing so, further stress may be
would arise; I’m not sure I would feel so, so great about
created and consequently experienced by gay people, due
coming to work, and enjoy my work. (Nicole.)
to constantly having to reveal their sexual orientation to
Sherrod and Nardi (1998) also inferred that coming others (Rankow 1997) as they participate in work or
out was necessary to reduce the prevalence of heterosexism leisure activities. Straight occupational therapists need to
and homophobia within society. However, for Nicole, be aware of their own assumptions with regard to sexual
being out contributed to her experience of homophobia. orientation in order to prevent heterosexist behaviour
As the only participant specifically to report the experience with both colleagues and clients.