Parental reactions to British South Asian young men who identify as gay

Abstract

Abstract British South Asian gay men may face significant psychological distress as a result of parental rejection due to their sexual orientation. This study is the first in the UK to examine parental reactions to British South Asian young men who come out as gay. Twelve British South Asian parents participated in “conversational enquiries,” a series of unstructured interviews, which explored their experiences of having a son come out as gay. The data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis and identity process theory. Three themes are described. First, threats to self-esteem and continuity associated with having a gay son are described. Second, it is shown that parents favored and, in some cases, continue to favor denial of the fact, or implications, of their son’s coming out. Third, parents may deem isolation from significant others to be necessary in order to avoid social stigma due to their sons’ sexual orientation. Recommendations are offered for supporting the parents of British South Asian young men who identify as gay.