Practitioners need to ask: Culturally competent practice requires knowing where the gay male client is in the coming out process

Abstract

Cultural competence requires that social workers learn the importance of the coming out process for gay men. This study of 443 gay men demonstrates that individuals in the closet possess a higher external locus of control, a greater fear of negative evaluation, but experience less discrimination than those who are open about their sexual orientation. Instructors of social work diversity should incorporate the coming out process within their study of the minority identity development. Instructors of social work practice should emphasize that this process is a critical tool for understanding client statements and in the development of helping strategies.