TY - JOUR
T1 - The invisible work of closeting: A qualitative study about strategies used by lesbian and gay persons to conceal their sexual orientation
AU - Malterud, Kirsti
AU - Bjorkman, M.
PY - 2016/10/2
Y1 - 2016/10/2
N2 - The last decades have offered substantial improvement regarding human rights for lesbian and gay (LG) persons. Yet LG persons are often in the closet, concealing their sexual orientation. We present a qualitative study based on 182 histories submitted from 161 LG individuals to a Web site. The aim was to explore experiences of closeting among LG persons in Norway. A broad range of strategies was used for closeting, even among individuals who generally considered themselves to be out of the closet. Concealment was enacted by blunt denial, clever avoidance, or subtle vagueness. Other strategies included changing or eliminating the pronoun or name of the partner in ongoing conversations. Context-dependent concealment, differentiating between persons, situations, or arenas, was repeatedly applied for security or convenience. We propose a shift from “being in the closet” to “situated concealment of sexual orientation.”
AB - The last decades have offered substantial improvement regarding human rights for lesbian and gay (LG) persons. Yet LG persons are often in the closet, concealing their sexual orientation. We present a qualitative study based on 182 histories submitted from 161 LG individuals to a Web site. The aim was to explore experiences of closeting among LG persons in Norway. A broad range of strategies was used for closeting, even among individuals who generally considered themselves to be out of the closet. Concealment was enacted by blunt denial, clever avoidance, or subtle vagueness. Other strategies included changing or eliminating the pronoun or name of the partner in ongoing conversations. Context-dependent concealment, differentiating between persons, situations, or arenas, was repeatedly applied for security or convenience. We propose a shift from “being in the closet” to “situated concealment of sexual orientation.”
U2 - 10.1080/00918369.2016.1157995
DO - 10.1080/00918369.2016.1157995
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0091-8369
VL - 63
SP - 1339
EP - 1354
JO - Journal of Homosexuality
JF - Journal of Homosexuality
IS - 10
ER -