Nothing changed AND everything changed: Meaning making and family identity in families of origin with an 'out' lesbian daughter

* DOCTORAL STUDENT SUBMISSION- COMPLETION DATE SUMMER 2010 This qualitative study in progress, seeks to describe and more fully understand the ways a family of origin's sense of itself is affected when a gay or lesbian youth ‘comes out'. Little is known about what happens to the identity of a family of origin, as a unit, when they are enfolded into this experience. An interest in exploring the understandings of more than one family member within the same family unit, prompted a family-focused study. The sample for this study includes 4 lesbian women in their 20's, who ‘came out' to their families of origin between the ages of 15-17; and 2-3 members of their family of origin (parent(s), sibling). Family members were asked to share stories about their family of origin, before during and after the initial ‘coming out' period of the young women. Family narratives, drawn from in-depth, unstructured individual interviews provide a multi-vocal depiction of shared family life. Guided by Clandinin and Connelly's narrative inquiry methods, a fluid temporal understanding of experience guides all aspects of the study. From this viewpoint, a family's identity, and their sense of their own continuity over time, is framed by their past, present and future experiences. The meaning making processes within each family system is explored through the unique political, social, internal and external forces shaping each family. Similarities and differences in experience within and across the families will be identified. A discussion of how a family of origin's identity may impact their ability to support an 'out' lesbian daughter, will be presented. Implications for family- focused practice will be discussed.