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Introduction
It goes without saying that personal development throughout a lifetime is inevitably influenced by multiple factors, and the development of the LGBTQ identity that presuppose several milestones is not an exception. While the factors that contribute to its formation remain unclear, further steps are substantially impacted by social and cultural norms, values, and belief that exist in a particular society and shape peoples attitude to homosexuality and non-traditional gender identity. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate factors that impact the development of the LGBTQ identity from the position of sociocultural theory.
Sociocultural Theory
Sociocultural theory plays a particular role in developmental psychology as it determines the presence of connection between human development across the lifespan and the environment. It was created by psychologist Lev Vygotsky who believed that parents, caregivers, peers, and the culture at large are responsible for developing higher-order functions (Cherry, 2022, para. 4). Sociocultural theory emphasizes the role of society and social interactions with others in an individuals general development and its multiple aspects. In particular, it identifies learning as a predominantly social process and the formation of cognitive functions as a result of environmental sociocultural factors influence. While personal growth may be guided, people in mentor-type roles determine it at the initial stages of life. Subsequently, an individual may develop his own values and beliefs on the basis of dominant culture and his social groups perceptions.
Development of LGBTQ Peoples Identity
In general, the development of sexual or gender identity among the members of the LGBTQ community refers to particular processes and changes that may involve exploration, awareness, commitment, appraisal, communication, and integration. This development presupposes several stages for instance, according to Hall et al. (2021) who examine several studies dedicated to identity development, common milestones of sexual minorities include becoming aware of queer attractions, questioning ones sexual orientation, self-identifying as LGB+, coming out to others, engaging in sexual activity, and initiating a romantic relationship (p. 1). While the sequences of stages may be different, attraction and subsequent self-identification traditionally appear first. Although the stages of gender identity may differ, the milestones of becoming aware and coming-out remain similar.
At the same time, while the specific patterns of the LGBTQ identity may be defined in practice, there are multiple perceptions that aim to describe this process as well. Thus, according to the model of identity development created by Vivienne Cass that is frequently applied to explain non-traditional identity development, major milestones include identity confusion, comparison, tolerance, acceptance, pride, and synthesis (Gay Alliance, n.d.). All in all, regardless of the peculiarities of multiple studies dedicated to this topic, the process of identity development implies a persons awareness, acceptance, self-identification, and coming out. At the same time, there are sociocultural factors that may impact it on various stages.
Impact of Sociocultural Factors
In general, the factors that may impact the development of the LGBTQ identity may be regarded as a highly controversial question. On the one hand, a considerable number of experts suppose that the identity cannot be chosen as it is determined by inherited factors. Thus, according to Cook (2021), whilst people can choose to have sexual relationships (or not) with others, and can perhaps choose to adopt a particular gender or sexual identity socially, they cannot choose their sexual orientation as defined in terms of sexual attraction or arousal (p. 3). However, there is particular evidence that demonstrate that some individuals, especially women, change their sexual orientation and gender identity over a lifetime.
That is why other experts expect the development of the LGBTQ identity as the combination of biological and environmental factors. In this case, the interaction with people in mentor-type roles may determine the formation of non-traditional sexual orientation or gender identity, especially at the early stages of life and when inherited characteristics create predisposition. However, in relation to social factors, there is no common agreement concerning their influence. In other words, according to Cook (2021), potential environmental factors may include the raising of males as females or by homosexual parents, child-parent relationship issues within families, seduction by homosexuals, and childhood sexual abuse. The impact of parents is supported by Hall et al. (2021) who claims that male homosexuality [is] caused by boys having a possessive and overly involved mother, as well as a hostile or distant father; these dynamics [lead] boys to bond with their mother and prevented them from developing their masculinity, which [lead] him to effeminate homosexuality (p. 2). In turn, female homosexuality is caused by overly rejecting mothers, the absence of affection and warmth from them, and the promotion of defeminizing behaviors. At the same time, none of these factors may be regarded as significant as factors that genuinely impact the identity.
Nevertheless, the LGBTQ identity may develop even if its causes remain unclear. However, sociocultural factors play a crucial role on the stages of acceptance and coming out as the cultural values and beliefs in relation to homosexuality and transgenders substantially affect these processes. In other words, the members of the LGBTQ community have more opportunities for expressing their identity if they live in more accepting and tolerant society, while in homophobic society, LGBTQ people have to hide their sexual or gender identity.
There are multiple factors that determine social attitudes to the LGBTQ community. For instance, the research conducted by Gomes et al. (2020) shows that individuals living in rural areas, older people, individuals who consider themselves religious, those who do not have contact with LGBT, those with lower academic qualifications, and, lastly, individuals working in a secondary sector are more homophobic (p. 3). Moreover, gender roles that prevail in society influence the development of the LGBTQ identity as well. In other words, LGBTQ individuals are forced to oppress their orientation or the perception of their gender if they do not correspond with expected social roles.
At the same time, sociocultural factors that lead to the necessity of LGBTQ individuals to hide their identity have more severe consequences for peoples emotional well-being. As a matter of fact, the acceptance of a persons peculiarities is highly import for his inner peace that determine the quality of his life while discrimination and stigmatization that cause the inability of coming-out are devastating for a persons mental health. According to Ong et al. (2021), for LGBTQ people, self-acceptance and coming out to others improves ones positive sense of self and health (p. 2). In turn, as homophobia limits these opportunities, it is associated with increased stress that lead to other negative consequences for human mental health. Thus, delayed acceptance or its absence presupposed by social norms, religious values and beliefs, and personal characteristics that were formed on the basis of social attitudes and perceptions impact the harmonious development of the LGBTQ identity and causes stress, anxiety, substance abuse, and suicide attempts.
In turn, the acceptance of society contributes to harmonious development of LGBTQ individuals identity as they do not feel that they are stigmatized and rejected on the basis of this criterion. Thus, family support, connection to the LGBTQ community, the inclusion in a safe virtual environment, and individual relationships facilitate a persons acceptance of his gender- or sexual orientation-related peculiarities. In this case, it is possible to state that sociocultural factors may influence personal development and determine a persons psychological stability.
Conclusion
The development of the LGBTQ community presupposes the existence of several important milestones that traditionally include awareness, self-identification, and coming-out. While the influence of sociocultural factors on the formation of non-traditional sexual orientation and gender identity is unclear, child-parent relationships within families may contribute to it as well. In particular, homosexuality may depend on the raising of males as females or by homosexual parents, child-parent relationship issues within families, seduction by homosexuals, and childhood sexual abuse. At the same time, while the impact of sociocultural factors on the formation of the identity may be regarded as ambiguous, these factors play a crucial role in its development. Thus, age, social norms, religious values and beliefs, education, occupation, and the acquaintance with LGBTQ individuals determine others attitude to the LGBTQ community. While accepting and tolerant society leads to the harmonious development of LGBTQ individuals identity, homophobic society characterized by discrimination and stigmatization of LGBTQ people forces them to hide their identity.
References
Cherry, K. (2022). What is sociocultural theory? Verywell Mind. Web.
Cook, C. C. (2021). The causes of human sexual orientation. Theology & Sexuality, 27(1), 1-19. Web.
Gay Alliance. (n.d.). The Cass model of identity development [PDF document]. Web.
Gomes, M., Assunção, S., Azevedo, S., & Teixeira, C. M. (2020). The influence of sociocultural factors on attitudes towards homosexuality: Comparative study. PsychTech & Health Journal, 2(2), 3-16. Web.
Hall, W. J., Dawes, H. C., & Plocek, N. (2021). Sexual orientation identity development milestones among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer people: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(753954), 1-19. Web.
Ong, C., Tan, R. K. J., Le, D., Tan, A., Tyler, A., Tan, C., Kwok, C., Banerjee, S., & Wong, M. L. (2021). Association between sexual orientation acceptance and suicidal ideation, substance use, and internalised homophobia amongst the pink carpet Y cohort study of young gay, bisexual, and queer men in Singapore. BMC Public Health, 21(971), 1-11. Web.
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