Coming out. Coming out?! : a leszbikus, meleg, biszexuális és transznemű emberek identitásfejlődése az előítéletek kereszttüzében

Absztrakt

Introduction: Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people suffer social
exclusion in the area of most important socializational scenes, employment and
healthcare. The Basic Law, which has entered into force 1 January 2012, excludes
sexual minorities from the institution of marriage, because it defines marriage as a
„life community which has been established voluntarily by one man and one woman.”1
Invisibility of sexual minorities, making LGBT themes taboo as well as inappropriate
media representations generates prejudice in majority society. According to a Hungarian
LGBT research, most of the responders cannot come out, because heterosexuality is a
basic criterion to achieve social esteem.2
Sexual minorities are forced into the closet
to avoid social exclusion; however their invisibility increases prejudice in the majority
society.
Aim: The purpose of this study was to find out interfering and catalyzing factors at
different levels of coming out process. I was intended to examine their effects of LGBT
identity development.
Methods: I took up in-depth interviews with ten LGBT people from Csongrád County,
as well as participated in gatherings of Dél-Alföldi Melegek Baráti Köre (Damkör)1*. I
used snowball method to sample.
Results: Every responder experienced verbal prejudice in their immediate environment;
most of them faced to homosexuality as taboo in socializational scenes and inappropriate
media representations. Laura (28) who takes part in Gay Pride March regularly claims
‘broadcast of Gay Pride March is misleading, because only that just few transvestites
are shown on TV.’ Attila’s (22) mother and elder brother completely misunderstood his
coming out because of extreme media representations: ‘according to them it has to be
a secret, so they don’t accept it because they don’t want me to march on the streets with
flags.’ Our responders do not describe these incidences as discrimination – probably it
is a defense mechanism –, however all of them agreed coming out would be easier as a
member of a (more) tolerant society.
Conclusion: The results confirm my hypothesis which states exclude mechanisms
obstruct sexual minorities to develop, accept and persuade their environment to
accept their LGBT identity. In my opinion we must support their equal opportunities
by increase their visibility in curriculum, broadcast real media representations and
accomplish prejudice prevention in education.