Autobiographical memories of coming out among Turkish speaking LGBT individuals

Coming out is often a pivotal autobiographical memory event for LGBTI+ individuals, serving both as a process of self-discovery and disclosure of sexual and/or gender identity to others. This research explores how coming out memories-often emotionally intense and identity-shaping-are constructed and recalled within interpersonal and social contexts. Bridging memory studies and LGBTI+ research, the study aimed to describe and compare LGBT individuals resident in the northern part of Cyprus and Türkiye's most positive and negative coming out experiences. In both contexts, same-sex relationships are not prohibited by law but institutional recognition and social acceptance remains limited. Using inductive open coding, responses were categorised into interconnected sub-themes; proportions were then compared across positive and negative memories using Z-tests. Context of disclosure (e.g. recipient, how, and where); reactions to disclosure (i.e. emotional responses, support/rejection, violence, relationship impact), and individual experiences (including personal emotional reactions and internal vs. external motivations for disclosure) all played a significant role in coming out memories. Findings highlight the complex interplay between memory, identity, and social context in shaping the lived experiences of LGBTI+ individuals in the studied contexts.