Meeting the Family

​If you are in a romantic relationship, eventually the time may come to meet your partner’s family.  This can be an important step in a relationship, because family is often a very influential part of someone’s life.  Meeting your partner’s family can create an essential connection between two important pieces of their life: their family…

Same-Gender Sexual Identity Formation

Before coming out, one has to come to terms with their own sexuality. Though it may be difficult to fully comprehend at the time, sexual identity formation  almost always occurs in a predictable progression from some sort of awareness of same gender attractions and feelings, to the total incorporation of the new identity into the…

Being Out In The Workplace

As of 2021, approximately 5.6% of American citizens over the age of 18 identify as a member of the LGBTQ+ community.1 The ever-growing presence of openly queer Americans brings forth a new challenge in the fight for acceptance: being out in the workplace. Today, five percent of federal employees self-identify as queer, with less than…

Coming Out

Disclaimer: In this article, for the sake of simplicity and consistency, we will be using the term “LGBTQIA+” as an umbrella term to represent all gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, questioning, and other non-heterosexual orientations and non-cisgender gender identities. To learn more, you can read our Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity article. If you need resources…

Homophobia

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, homophobia is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against homosexuality or homosexuals.1 However, people commonly describe homophobia as less of a fear and more of a prejudice and an intolerance toward those within the LGBTQ community.2 Whether it is believed to be an inherent and inborn quality or…

Allyship to the LGBTQ+ Community

Practicing allyship involves being supportive of or willing to help people within the LGBTQ+ community by recognizing the injustices that LGBTQ+ people face and taking tangible actions to help rectify them. The LGBTQ+ community can include individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer. Someone who practices allyship may or may not identify…