Sexual Identity & Human Occupation: A Qualitative Exploration

Abstract

The dearth of literature within occupational science regarding the relationship between sexual identity and human occupation has been noted. This constituted a gap in knowledge that warranted exploration in a discipline that strives to understand the meaning individuals place on occupations and how occupations enable adaptation. A small‐scale qualitative study was undertaken within Dublin, Ireland to explore the influence of sexual identity on the occupational lives of gay men attending third level education. Semi‐structured interviews informed by naturalistic inquiry and phenomenology were undertaken with four participants. The themes that emerged describe how participants’ occupations were influenced by their sexual identity. The findings also shed further light on core occupational science concepts such as the relationship between identity, meaning and occupation.

Key Words:

• Sexual identity
• Occupation
• Meaning
• Adaptation