Generations and Shifting Sexual Identifications Among Flemish Non-Straight Men

ABSTRACT

This paper explores age-related differences in non-straight identities, using the concept of “generations” to investigate shared contexts and experiences contributing to processes of sexual identification. The process of identity construction is focused upon, existing research noting a shifting attitude toward identity categories among the youngest generations. Using a mixed-method design, first an exploratory survey of 684 Flemish men was used to determine shifting sexual identifications, which were indeed found among the youngest generation. These insights serve as a background for the analysis of 80 in-depth interviews with non-straight men across four generations: Baby Boomers, Generations X, Millennials and Generation Z. These generational divisions serve as a heuristic to explore shared generational experiences and contexts as well as intergenerational changes in relation to four key moments and themes: first realizations and explorations of same-sex sexuality; sexual identification; coming out; and involvement in the LGBTQ community. The results show clear and positive evolutions across the generations on all accounts, albeit with a lot of variation within generations as well as gradual changes between them. While useful as a heuristic, the notion of generations should be used with caution, as it allows to identify macro level shifts but hides micro level variations.

KEYWORDS:

• Generations
• identification
• non-straight men
• coming out
• social acceptance
• media visibility
• internet

Acknowledgments

The author wishes to thank the interviewees for their participation and to acknowledge the valuable help by Dr. Joris Van Ouytsel (Department of Communication Studies, University of Antwerp and Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, Arizona State University) with the collection and analysis of the quantitative data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Accessible online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mu4naXsKsys.

2. LGBTQ will be used as an umbrella term throughout this paper, but more specific terms will be used in the discussion of specific authors or identifications.

3. All quotes are literal translations by the author. The participant names have been replaced by an alias of their own choice, and their year of birth is provided to situate them in their respective generational cohorts.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Research Foundation Flanders [K802520N].