IDENTITY FORMATION OF LESBIAN YOUTHS IN SINGAPORE: AN EXPLORATION OF HOW YOUTHS NEGOTIATE THEIR SEXUALITY

Abstract

Homosexuals form an invisible community in Singapore due in part to the highly politicized nature of sexuality, and the government's emphasis on families being the core of society. Psychological well-being has been linked to positive identity formation processes. The unfavourable environment for identity formation in Singapore thus warrants a closer look at how lesbians develop and negotiate their identity. This qualitative, exploratory study thus sought to find out how lesbians defined their identity in Singapore, and the role environmental factors and life experiences played in the identity development process using social constructionist perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 self identified lesbian youths. Results showed that lesbians were able to develop a positive definition of their sexual identity despite negative initial perceptions, and that their Asian identity was an important part of how they defined themselves. Work and the Singapore environment interacted to influence lesbians' construction of themselves. A model of homosexual identity formation of lesbian youths in Singapore was proposed based on the results. The findings have implications for practitioners who work with homosexual youths.