Publicação
Coming out (or not) of Russian LGBT immigrants: What is changing regarding disclosure with an immigration experience
| Resumo: | This study explores how Russian LGBT+ immigrants in Europe present their experience of coming out using the Identity Process Theory framework to identify identity principles and threats associated with leaving their homeland and to changes taking place with the immigration process. For this study, 11 Russian LGBT+ immigrants living in countries that endorse laws and policies in favor of LGBT+ rights were interviewed. Through the prism of their experience, immigration is portrayed as a successful coping strategy in dealing with identity threats. The study found that in their home country, participants experienced multiple identity threats based on sexual orientation and faced challenges in different situations of coming out, for example, concerning family members, colleagues at work, or various social institutions. With the immigration process, they were able to cope with most of the threats that affected them in their homeland, but at the same time, the participants faced new identity threats in the role of immigrants. In the end, the participants believed that the difficulties associated with immigration are worth it, and even broadcast that they have found happiness in the new country. Findings show the applicability of the Identity Process Theory framework for studying the experience of Russian LGBT+ immigrants, which helps to understand the motives of this minority group, the difficulties they face, their desires and needs, which is useful for psychologists, workers of social and migration services who work with LGBT+ immigrants, providing assistance to this group of minorities. |
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| Autores principais: | Skornyakova, Uliana |
| Assunto: | Coming out LGBT Identity process theory Immigration Teoria do processo de identidade Imigração |
| Ano: | 2021 |
| País: | Portugal |
| Tipo de documento: | dissertação de mestrado |
| Tipo de acesso: | acesso aberto |
| Instituição associada: | ISCTE |
| Idioma: | inglês |
| Origem: | Repositório ISCTE |
| Resumo: | This study explores how Russian LGBT+ immigrants in Europe present their experience of coming out using the Identity Process Theory framework to identify identity principles and threats associated with leaving their homeland and to changes taking place with the immigration process. For this study, 11 Russian LGBT+ immigrants living in countries that endorse laws and policies in favor of LGBT+ rights were interviewed. Through the prism of their experience, immigration is portrayed as a successful coping strategy in dealing with identity threats. The study found that in their home country, participants experienced multiple identity threats based on sexual orientation and faced challenges in different situations of coming out, for example, concerning family members, colleagues at work, or various social institutions. With the immigration process, they were able to cope with most of the threats that affected them in their homeland, but at the same time, the participants faced new identity threats in the role of immigrants. In the end, the participants believed that the difficulties associated with immigration are worth it, and even broadcast that they have found happiness in the new country. Findings show the applicability of the Identity Process Theory framework for studying the experience of Russian LGBT+ immigrants, which helps to understand the motives of this minority group, the difficulties they face, their desires and needs, which is useful for psychologists, workers of social and migration services who work with LGBT+ immigrants, providing assistance to this group of minorities. |
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