“This is Real, This is the Way that Things are”: Hooking up as a Pathway for Sexual Identity Development Among SGM Emerging Adults

Hooking up may be one pathway for sexual and gender minority (SGM) emerging adults to explore their sexual identity development while they navigate heteronormative milestones. Framed by Dillon et al.’s (2011) model of universal sexual identity development, we examined 24 interviews with SGM emerging...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Emerging adulthood (Thousand Oaks, CA) CA), 2023-02, Vol.11 (1), p.110-120
Main Authors: Hanna-Walker, Veronica, Snapp, Shannon, Campos, Eva B., Saldana, Xochitl, Watson, Ryan J.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Gender
Heteronormativity
Identity formation
Sexual development
Sexual orientation
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Summary:Hooking up may be one pathway for sexual and gender minority (SGM) emerging adults to explore their sexual identity development while they navigate heteronormative milestones. Framed by Dillon et al.’s (2011) model of universal sexual identity development, we examined 24 interviews with SGM emerging adults to understand whether and how hooking up aided in the development of their sexual identities beyond their sexual orientation. Although some participants already reported stable sexual identities prior to hooking up, we identified that hooking up did lead others to develop their sexual preferences more fully, better understand their sexual identity, and strengthen their connections to the SGM community. These findings suggest that hooking up can facilitate positive sexual development among sexual and gender minority emerging adults.
ISSN:2167-6968
2167-6984
DOI:10.1177/21676968221117410