Coming Out: Similarities and Differences for Lesbians and Gay Men

“Coming out” is the developmental process through which gay people recognize their sexual preferences and choose to integrate this knowledge into their personal and social lives. A number of experiences are critical in this process: the awareness of same‐sex attractions, first homosexual experience, coming out in the gay world, labeling oneself as gay or homosexual, coming out to friends, family, and co‐workers, and coming out publicly. Several areas of psychological theory relevant to the coming out process are discussed, including identity formation, self‐disclosure and self‐validation, and sex‐role socialization. In addition, differences are noted in the coming out experiences of men and women related to conformity to and violation of sex‐role expectations, as well as to political and legal issues.