Coming out is not just the process of revealing one’s sexual orientation, it’s also about coming out to oneself. At 11:15 a.m. Monday, Oct. 14, in the Tower Room, in the Baugher Student Center, Dr. Andrew Dunlap, assistant professor of Social Work, speaks about “The Evolution of the Coming Out Process: Pre-Stonewall to Post Gay.”
The talk is part of National Coming Out Day, which is recognized on Oct. 11, and complements events that students have planned for the day. ‘Coming out’ is the process that gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people go through when establishing a healthy sense of identity about their sexual orientation.
“For some people this is a very easy process, but for other people there are a lot of struggles,” Dunlap said.
For some people this is a very easy process, but for other people there are a lot of struggles…”
Dunlap hopes that speaking on the topic will raise awareness for the LGBT community at Elizabethtown College. His research looks at how things have evolved over time.
“I think for young people, especially, it’s good to get a historical perspective on what the experiences of older LGBT people have been, compared to what they are now, ”Dunlap said. “Since LGBT people are everywhere, there is no real historical guidebook of the LGTB movement that everyone gets.”
Dunlap hopes that the connection between older and younger LGBT people fosters community connections. He wants students to learn some of the basics of what the coming out process really is and reasons that the coming out process has changed. The talk will discuss why people coming out at a younger age and the differences between older LGBT experiences and today’s LGBT.
“The Evolution of the Coming Out Process: Pre-Stonewall to Post Gay” is a Brown Bag lunch presentation and is part of TAGSS Think Tank.