Coming Out: Rejection or Acceptance of Identity

Abstract

In efforts to investigate the meaning of coming out, much of my theoretical framework has a central focus on individual's process of coming out and mainstream media's contribution to individual's identity formation. In addition, the process of "coming out" varies through: personal experiences, social environment, and personal beliefs and values. This transformative process tends to be a life-changing experience, and an important element in an individuals identity formation. However, when social drivers like mainstream media outlets are involve; an individual's process could take many different forms. In addition, this research will examine the correlations between individual social drivers and their influences in an individuals process of coming out; along with media's influential drivers, in hopes to find similar patterns in the ways in which these drivers influence one another and determines someone's process of coming out. In addition, I divided my study into two segments. The first segment has a high concentration in identifying the specific drivers that influence an individual's process of self-acceptance and coming out. My aim is to to answer the following questions: (1) Is coming out really a process? If so, (2) what are the positive and negative drivers that partake in an individual's decision to come out? (3) Are there any correlation between an individual's social drivers and media's influences in someone's process of coming out and identity formation? The second segment will focus on mainstream media's outlets and LGBTQ's role models influence in identity formation. The reason why I decided to divide my research into two segments is because I wanted to have a clear understanding of what the actual elements and drivers were that formulate the process of coming out along with mainstream media's contribution. It's essential that we as a contemporary society have a clear understanding of the definition and process of coming out; while also understanding the role that mainstream media outlets have on such process.