“I feel like I’m giving away a piece of myself”: Rainbow coming out experiences in aotearoa New Zealand’s mental health settings

Rainbow people experience significant mental health disparities, and access mental health services at disproportionately high rates. Previous research on rainbow experiences in mental health settings explores barriers to accessing and engaging in therapy, however little research investigates rainbow identity disclosure in mental health settings. We address this literature gap with a reflexive thematic analysis of interviews with 34 rainbow young adults in Aotearoa New Zealand. We identify four themes: (1) Coming out can be risky, (2) Coming out must be negotiated (3) Asking is a double-edged sword, and (4) Safety signals facilitate disclosure. Finally, we consider implications for rainbow-affirmative practice.