An exploration of homosexual identity formation in gay men from heterosexual marriages

Abstract

This study explored identity formation and the ‘coming out’ process of gay men who had been heterosexually married. The participants explored their sexual identity development, their marriage, and their coming out as gay to themselves and to others in a semi-structured interview. The interviews were analysed through a heuristic enquiry and a phenomenological approach that honoured the unique perceptions and interpretations of the world that the researcher and participants grew up in and became acculturated to. The research supports the current literature with regard to suicidal ideation and fear about coming out: these are not a thing of the past and remain a problem for those who internalise their homophobia. The research highlighted a gap in the literature surrounding the impact a child may feel when one of their parents comes out from a heterosexual marriage. The implications for counselling practice and training were also discussed.