Ricerc@Sapienza

The aim of this study is to validate the Italian version of the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Positive Identity Measure (LGB-PIM), developed by Riggle and colleagues (2014). The LGB-PIM evaluate positive LGB identity in sexual minorities through five dimensions: self-awareness, authenticity, community, intimacy, and social justice. The instrument was administered to 429 participants (129 lesbians; 179 gay males; 121 bisexuals), aged from 18 to 57 years (M = 27.20; DS = 7.26).

Objectives Siblings have been recognized as playing a major role in the coming out process, because they share the same family as the lesbian and gay individual and are often of the same generation. Despite this recognized role, however, research on coming out has mainly focused on parents, and only few studies have examined the coming out process with respect to siblings. Methods This study used a sample of 241 lesbians and 171 gay men to examine the frequency with which Italian sexual minorities come out to significant persons in their life.

The experience of “coming out” (CO) to parents is often a crucial event in the lives of lesbian and bisexual (LB) women, associated with lower internalized sexual stigma (ISS) and higher positive LB identity. Few studies have compared the experiences of LB women in the CO process.