Gay and Lesbian Youth

Gilbert H. Herdt

Psychology Press, 1989 - Education - 355 pages

Here is a pioneering volume that explores adolescent homosexuality around the world. Social scientists examine the personal experiences of gay and lesbian teenagers from culture to culture and address the problems and obstacles these young people face. The changing contexts, values, and goals of societies worldwide are affecting how these adolescents adapt to being homosexual, and this compelling book gives keen insight into how changes in the United States contrast with changes elsewhere. A unique and thorough description of the identities, situations, and relationships of homosexual teens in many societies, Gay and Lesbian Youth will help social scientists, health care professionals, counselors, gay teenagers, and their parents to better understand the similarities of the problems facing these youth, while recognizing the minor differences in their social and personal situations.

How do the personal experiences of gay and lesbian teenagers vary from culture to culture? Here is the best, most complete description of the identities, situations, and relationships of homosexual teens in many societies. The changing contexts, values, and goals of societies worldwide are affecting how these adolescents adapt to being homosexual, and this compelling book gives keen insight into how changes in the United States contrast with changes elsewhere. Social scientists, health care professionals, counselors, gay teenagers, and their parents will better understand the similarities of the problems facing these youth, while recognizing the minor differences in their social and personal situations. These differences must be understood by interpreting the adaptations of gay and bisexual teenagers around the world.

Contents

• Gay and Lesbian Youth Emergent: 1
• Variations in the Coming Out Process: 20
• Conclusion: 33
• The Formation of Homosexual Identities: 43
• The Model: 49
• Identity Assumption: 59
• An Ethnographic Profile: 75
• HorizonsThe Umbrella Agency: 81
• Widening Circles of Coming Out: 87
• Parental Influences on the SelfEsteem of Gay: 93
• Results: 101
• Growing: 111
• Conclusion: 128
• Age: 135
• Qualifications: 141
• Male Prostitution and Homosexual Identity: 151
• Conclusions: 155
• The Cultural Construction of Homosexuality: 160
• Intersubjective World of Homosexuality: 167
• Prostitution: 176
• Gay Youth and AIDS: 185
• Lesbian and Gay Youth in England: 195
• The Context: 201
• Social Change and Coming Out: 209
• Afterword: 216
• Gay Liberation and Coming Out in Mexico: 225
• Gay Behavioral Pathways: 231
• Josés Coming Out: 243
• Growing Up Gay or Lesbian in a Multicultural Context: 253
• Cultural Identity: 262
• The Changing: 269
• To Be 20 and Homosexual in France Today: 291
• A Comparative Study: 299
• Conclusions: 313
• Some Questions: 321
• Homosexuality and the Developmental Perspective: 327
• Adolescence and the Longitudinal Perspective: 333
• Time Age and Life Course: 342

Bibliographic information

• Title: Gay and Lesbian Youth; Journal of homosexuality; Monographic Supplement #5 to ... the Serials Librarian; Volumes 11-14; Volume 17 of Research on homosexuality
• Author: Gilbert H. Herdt
• Editor: Gilbert H. Herdt
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Psychology Press, 1989
• ISBN: 0866568174, 9780866568173
• Length: 355 pages
• Subjects: Education / Aims & Objectives; Education / General; Family & Relationships / Alternative Family; Family & Relationships / Child Development; Social Science / Gender Studies; Social Science / LGBTQ+ Studies / Gay Studies; Social Science / LGBTQ+ Studies / General; Social Science / LGBTQ+ Studies / Lesbian Studies; Social Science / Regional Studies; Social Science / Women's Studies