Knowra Coming out Coming out Coming out is the process of disclosing or acknowledging one’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It can be gradual, repeated, and shaped by personal safety and social context.
LGBTQ identity : A broad set of identities related to sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex characteristics. Coming out gives language and social recognition to identities within this broad community.
Disclosure : The act of making personal information known to another person or group. Coming out is a specific kind of disclosure about sexual orientation or gender identity.
Workplace inclusion : Organizational practices that enable employees of different identities to participate fairly and safely. Workplace policies and culture can affect the risks and benefits of disclosure at work.
Gender transition : A process through which a transgender person may align social, legal, or medical aspects of life with their gender identity. Transition can involve coming out, but it is not the same process and need not include disclosure.
Identity development : The process through which people form, understand, and revise their sense of who they are. Self-understanding can precede disclosure, develop through it, or change afterward.
Self-disclosure : The communication of personal information about oneself to another person. Coming out often involves deciding how much personal information to share.
Coming out at school : Disclosure of a student’s sexual orientation or gender identity within an educational setting. School relationships, confidentiality rules, and protections shape this specific setting.
Social transition : Changes in social presentation or recognition, such as using a name or pronouns that align with a person’s gender. Social transition may follow disclosure, overlap with it, or occur without a formal announcement.
Authenticity : The quality of acting and presenting oneself in ways that feel true to one’s identity and values. Some people experience disclosure as a way to live more openly and consistently.
Minority stress : Chronic stress arising from stigma, prejudice, and discrimination directed at marginalized groups. Anticipating stigma can shape when, how, or whether someone discloses.
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