I AM GAY AND I AM COMING OUT: A CASE STUDY ON
A JOURNEY TO SOCIAL ACCEPTANCE
Research Problem: A case study towards gay people coming out and revealing their gender identity,
aiming for social acceptance and their journey in achieving it.
Research Questions:
1. How did they realize that they are gay?
2. What made them decide to come out?
3. What are the factors that they need to consider in revealing their gender identity?
4. What do they need to go through to achieve social acceptance
Background of the Study
According to The Center (2019) gay is an adjective used to describe people whose enduring
physical, romantic, and/or emotional attractions are to people of the same sex. As indicated by
international research, 10% of the total populace are hypothetical members of the LGBT people group,
out or not, including approximately 12 million Filipinos who might encounter discrimination because of
their identity.
Many individuals are at fault for the discrimination of LGBT including gay individuals, whether
deliberately or unwittingly. They are confronted with day-to-day separation from society, companions,
family, and even teachers and organizations. Cole (2007) emphasizes that there is a higher pace of
misuse, disregard, and oppression of LGBT adolescents than straight young people. Most guardians
would incline their kids to be straight than to be gay, and most school authorities additionally favor
straight learners over gay. This inclination could be a contributing component to the discrimination
against gay people.
That is the main reason why gay individuals are hesitant of coming out. Coming out can be a truly
challenging cycle. Our general public unequivocally authorizes codes of conduct in regards to sexual
direction and orientation character, and the vast majority get the message that they should be hetero
and act as indicated by society's meaning of their orientation. For gay sexually open people, there
might be a feeling of being unique or of not fitting into the jobs expected of you by your family,
companions, working environment, or society. Coming out includes confronting cultural reactions and
mentalities toward LGBTQ individuals. They might feel embarrassed, disengaged, and apprehensive.
The above-mentioned details are the main reason for the conduct of this action research. This
action research aims to study cases of individuals who preferred gay as their gender identity and their
journey in social acceptance. Factors affecting their hesitations in coming out and motivating them to
do so will be discussed.
Theoretical Perspective
In 1979, clinical psychologist and sex therapist Vivienne Cass developed the Cass Theory—a model
that describes the developmental process individuals go through as they consider while acquiring their
homosexual identity. The model includes lesbian, gay, and bisexual identities.
The six stages are not the same for everyone as everyone’s identity development has unique
components.
Stage 1: Identity Confusion
Generally, people assume their identity with the heterosexual or gender-conforming majority. However,
as people try to fit in society’s standards, the identity comes into question through thoughts, emotions,
physical reactions, and other experiences that question their identity as heterosexuals.
Stage 2: Identity Comparison
Stage 1 doesn’t usually end with denial or avoidance. Most of the time, it continues to identity
comparison. Stage 2 includes social alienation, a feeling of being out of place or difference. During this
stage, people start to accept that they are different from others or inhibit who they genuinely are to
avoid scrutiny.
Stage 3: Identity Tolerance
Meanwhile, other people begin to exemplify a greater level of commitment to the LGBTQIA+
community. Instead of hiding who they are, they start to find subcultures where they belong and fit in.
During this stage, they will feel more alienated by the gender-conforming group. However, their
newfound subculture will help them lessen the alienation and loneliness that they’re feeling.
Stage 4: Identity Acceptance
A sign of identity acceptance is when the person feels more connected around people from the
LGBTQIA+ community and prefers being with them more than cisgenders. During this stage, people
start to disclose who they are to people close to them or to allies that will keep their identity a secret.
Stage 5: Identity Pride
People will identify themselves with the LGBTQIA+ community in the identity pride stage and may even
choose it over the heterosexual community. During this time, people who have taken pride in their
identity may devalue the heterosexual individuals and institutional values to revalue LGBTQIA+
individuals.
Stage 6: Identity Synthesis
While identity pride establishes a dichotomy between the LGBTQIA+ community and the heterosexual
community, identity synthesis breaks that dichotomy and allows the individuals to accept, respect, and
support cisgenders who exude the same energy towards the gay community.
Also considered a full-circle moment, during this time, the individual might realize that their gender
identity is not the only defining aspect of their identity. Instead, they may find out that their identity can
be part of many other things.
This theory will help us understand the process of coming out in psychological manner of our subjects
in this research. This will guide us in identifying stages that they will go through. Furthermore, it will
also provide us answers to some of our questions while we are investigating this case.
Significance of the Study
This study will be beneficial to the following:
LGBTQIA+ Community. Through this study, they will be aware of the process of coming out and will
motivate them to do so. It will validate how they feel and ignore hesitations during the said process.
Gay People. This study will make them aware of their gender orientation. It will provide them ideas in
combating changes that they are going through.
Community. Through this study, open-mindedness in accepting the preferences in gender identity,
leaving in the community will prevail.
Organizations. This will help improve the relationship within organizations. Accepting every individual
may be part of it or not, regardless of their gender preference, is essential in creating a bond, especially
in organizations.
Future researchers. This study may be used as reference data in conducting new research or in
validity of other related findings. This research can be a guide for upcoming research that will tackle the
same topic.
Definition of Terms:
Gay
◼ A homosexual person typically referring to a man. (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
◼ It refers to a male attracted to people who are of the same sex as the subject of this study.
Coming Out
◼ Coming out refers to the process that people who are LGBTQ go through as they work to accept their
sexual orientation or gender identity and share that identity openly with other people. (Planned
Parenthood, 2022)
◼ It refers to the self-disclosure of a sexual orientation or gender identity of a gay.
Case Study
◼ A case study can be defined as an intensive study about a person, a group of people or a unit, which
is aimed to generalize over several units. (BMJ Journals, 2018)
◼ It refers to a type of study used.
Journey
◼ An act or instance of traveling from one place to another. (Merriam Webster Dictionary)
◼ It refers to the adventure of gaining social acceptance of a gay person.
Social Acceptance
◼ Social acceptance means that other people signal that they. Wish to include you in their groups and
relationships (Leary, 2010).
◼ It is what gay people aimed to achieve when they come out and reveal their gender identity
Researcher’s Subjectivity Statement:
Adult lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning (LGBTQIA+) people face societal challenges,
religious opposition, and legislative discrimination that make it difficult for them to come out as
themselves. In order to generate a thorough description and understanding of the experience of
LGBTQIA+ individuals' coming out process, this qualitative, phenomenological oriented study
investigated LGBTQIA+ identification and practicing Catholic religious beliefs.
Scope and Delimitations:
This study primarily focused on the experience of LGBTQIA+ identifying individuals (18 years of age
and older). Study participants were selected who had already come out to their families and friends,
and who had been raised within the community. Some limitations of this study included self-reporting,
lack of understanding feelings associated with identifying as LGBTQIA+, and generalizability to other
cultures. This study did not provide enough time to conduct multiple interviews with participants, which
could result in further information not being gathered.
