Counseling Psychology Student has Article Accepted for Publication
The article combines research from two separate, but related, quantitative studies that explore the process of self-presentation of sexual orientation for bisexual individuals. Results from the first study compared 147 bisexual college students and 191 lesbian and gay male (LG) students on patterns and predictors of self-presentation. Bisexual participants were less likely than their LG peers to present their actual orientation to others, and more likely to present themselves as having a sexual orientation different from their actual orientation. Similarly, in the second study, 240 bisexual women and men indicated their level of outness generally as a sexual minority person (potentially including identification as gay, lesbian, or queer) and specifically as a bisexual person. Outness was found to be higher with respect to status as a sexual minority compared to status as bisexual. These and other findings are discussed in light of research on the management of a stigmatized identity.
Mr. Sheets co-authored the article with Jonathan Mohr and Skyler Jackson.