LGBTQ Young Adults’ Identity Disclosure in the Workplace: A Longitudinal Qualitative Analysis of Disclosure Intentions and Outcomes

Research shows that LGBTQ workers make strategic decisions about whether to disclose their sexual and gender identities to their colleagues as they assess potential costs and benefits. The present study sought to extend this literature by examining how they plan their identity disclosure in future w...

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Published inArchives of sexual behavior Vol. 53; no. 4; pp. 1327 - 1341
Main Authors Ueno, Koji, Dominguez, Rachael, Bastow, Skyler, D’Amours, Jason V.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published New York Springer US 01.04.2024
Springer Nature B.V
Subjects
Behavioral Science and Psychology
Communication
Decision making
Disclosure
Gender Identity
Humans
Intention
LGBTQ people
Longitudinal studies
Original Paper
Professional relationships
Psychology
Public Health
Qualitative research
Sexual and Gender Minorities
Sexual Behavior
Social Sciences
Young Adult
Young adults
Transgender
Sexual orientation
Coming out
LGBTQ people
Workplaces
Gender and sexual minorities
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Summary:Research shows that LGBTQ workers make strategic decisions about whether to disclose their sexual and gender identities to their colleagues as they assess potential costs and benefits. The present study sought to extend this literature by examining how they plan their identity disclosure in future workplace interactions and why they may diverge from their initial intentions. The analysis used longitudinal data from in-depth interviews, in which young LGBTQ workers reported disclosure intentions and their outcomes two years later. Participants often expressed intentions to disclose their LGBTQ identities while emphasizing the importance of identity disclosure for self-authenticity and the LGBTQ community’s visibility. Sometime over the course of the study, however, a substantial number of participants did not carry out their intentions because of unanticipated workplace constraints such as a lack of opportunities for personal conversations, an expectation for professionalism, and an absence of LGBTQ colleagues. However, participants who diverged from their initial disclosure intentions maintained an identity as an open LGBTQ person by emphasizing their willingness for disclosure.
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ISSN:0004-0002
1573-2800
DOI:10.1007/s10508-024-02807-7