Lgb Identity

There are many factors that impede people from developing and expressing an LGB identity. One of the biggest factors is the stigma of being identified with the LGB community holds. Once a person identifies themselves as a part of this community, their entire identity is based around managing this stigma.
When an LGB individual is trying to figure out their identity within the community, they are also seeking their identity within the human race. Their LGB identity is another journey on top of the developmental identity journey all humans experience. The stigma of being LGB makes one feel like they are not a complete person, and this makes it that much harder to find their identity without feeling shame.
Another point to consider is the fact that history has not been forgiving to members of the LGB community. The LGB community mostly has not been received well by the general public. Although there has been more awareness brought to the LGB community in recent years, there are still members of the LGB community that are being tormented. An example is the fact that there has been numerous suicides and abuse against people in the community. Again, this brings in the stigma that the LGB community experiences. The abuse and bullying has been taken too far and I feel that less people will “come out” because of it.
Because being a member of the LGB community is stigmatized, that quality becomes more important to other people than other qualities. This is also the case with race: black man, lesbian woman, gay teacher, etc. Non-stigmatized identities are not represented in this way. No one would refer to a heterosexual person as a straight teacher, firefighter, and so on. The stigma of a homophilic identity becomes the center of managing their identity.
This stigmatized identity can become such a burden that the individual will develop internalized homophobia. This usually forms when homophilic individuals grow up around heterosexual people and they grow up aware of... [continues]

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