Timing of sexual identity formation in a representative sample of lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults

Objectives: Theories of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) identity formation posit a developmental course that includes several coming out milestones. The timing of these events has been examined primarily in convenience samples of adolescents. This may bias estimates toward younger ages. To avoid this bias, we estimate milestone occurrence using responses from LGB adults. Methods: We used data from the 2003-2004 California Quality of Life Survey, a population-based follow-back study that over-sampled a subset of the 2003 California Health Interview Survey participants. In this survey, 619 individuals ranging in age from 18 to 84 years (Mean=48.9 yrs) reported a LGB identity. Respondents also reported their ages at which 4 coming out milestones occurred. Results: We observed robust gender differences in the 4 milestones assessed: first awareness of same-sex attraction, first self-identification as LGB, first same-sex sexual experience, and first disclosure. Females achieved most of these milestones significantly later than did males (p<.0001). In contrast to studies of LGB youth, we observed the timing of developmental milestones to be somewhat later in adolescence and continuing into early adulthood. Conclusions: Like studies of LGB youth and adults, our findings suggest that females come out later than males do. But in contrast to LGB youth studies, our representative adult sample suggests that coming out milestones are reached somewhat later and the process continues well into young adulthood. This has important implications for studies of identified-LGB adolescents who may represent a distinct subpopulation of those who, in adulthood, will report a LGB identity.