title: From coming out to visibility management--a new perspective on coping with minority stressors in LGB youth in Flanders.
abstract: This article develops a model that describes relations among environmental characteristics, discrimination and visibility management, and the experience of minority stressors by lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) youth. The article elaborates on how visibility management (i.e., regulating the exposure of one's sexual orientation) of LGB youth can function as a coping strategy and is, therefore, closely tied to the experience of minority stressors. Qualitative support is found for the theoretical model in conducting 24 in-depth interviews with LGB youth. The analysis also shows that LGB youth use specific mannerisms, gender-nonconformist behaviors, and other indirect cues to make themselves visible or invisible as LGBs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. alexis.dewaele@ugent.be
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dewaele
authors.forename: Mieke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Van Houtte
authors.forename: Nele
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cox
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vincke
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D001530:Belgium; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000523:psychology*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008913:Minority Groups / Q000523:psychology*; D008960:Models, Psychological; D011287:Prejudice; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012934:Social Isolation; D013315:Stress, Psychological