Editing Sexual identity (section)

==Development==
{{See also|Coming out|Homosexuality and psychology}}

===General===
Most of the research on sexual orientation identity development focuses on the development of people who are attracted to the same sex. Many people who feel attracted to members of their own sex [[coming out|come out]] at some point in their lives. ''Coming out'' is described in three phases. The first phase is the phase of "knowing oneself," and the realization emerges that one is sexually and emotionally attracted to members of one's own sex. This is often described as an internal coming out and can occur in childhood or at puberty, but sometimes as late as age 40 or older. The second phase involves a decision to come out to others, e.g. family, friends, and/or colleagues, while the third phase involves living openly as an [[LGBT]] person.<ref name="hrccontinuum">{{cite news |df=mdy-all |access-date=2007-05-04 |url=http://dev.hrc.org/issues/3333.htm |periodical=[[Human Rights Campaign]] |title=The Coming Out Continuum |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071102101657/http://dev.hrc.org/issues/3333.htm |archive-date=2007-11-02}}</ref> In the United States today, people often come out during high school or college age. At this age, they may not trust or ask for help from others, especially when their orientation is not accepted in society. Sometimes they do not inform their own families.

According to Rosario, Schrimshaw, Hunter, Braun (2006), "the development of a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) sexual identity is a complex and often difficult process. Unlike members of other minority groups (e.g., ethnic and racial minorities), most LGB individuals are not raised in a community of similar others from whom they learn about their identity and who reinforce and support that identity" and "[r]ather, LGB individuals are often raised in communities that are either ignorant of or openly hostile toward homosexuality."<ref name="Rosario et al."/>

Some individuals with [[ego-dystonic sexual orientation|unwanted sexual attractions]] may choose to actively dis-identify with a sexual minority identity, which creates a different sexual orientation identity from their actual sexual orientation. Sexual orientation identity, but not sexual orientation, can change through [[psychotherapy]], [[support group]]s, and life events.<ref name=apa2009/> A person who has homosexual feelings can self-identify in various ways. An individual may come to accept an LGB identity, to develop a [[Heterosexuality|heterosexual]] identity, to reject an LGB identity while choosing to identify as [[ex-gay]], or to refrain from specifying a sexual identity.<ref name=apa60>[http://www.apa.org/pi/lgbc/publications/therapeutic-response.pdf Appropriate Therapeutic Responses to Sexual Orientation], pp. 60-61.</ref> 

===Models of sexual identity development===
Several models have been created to describe coming out as a process for gay and lesbian identity development (e.g. Dank, 1971; Cass, 1984; Coleman, 1989; Troiden, 1989). These historical models have taken a view of sexual identity formation as a sexual-minority process only.<ref>Savin-Williams, R. (2011) Identity development among sexual-minority youth. In S. J. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles(Eds), Handbook of identity theory and research (Vols 1 and 2) (pp.671-689). New York, NY: Springer Science + Business Media</ref> However, not every LGBT person follows such a model. For example, some LGBT youth become aware of and accept their same-sex desires or gender identity at puberty in a way similar to which heterosexual teens become aware of their sexuality, i.e. free of any notion of difference, stigma or shame in terms of the gender of the people to whom they are attracted.<ref>Savin-Williams, R. (2005). The new gay teenager. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press</ref> More contemporary models take the stance that it is a more universal process.<ref name="Dillon, F. R. 2011 pp.649-670"/><ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite journal | last1 = Morgan | first1 = E. M. | year = 2012 | title = Not always a straight path: College students' narratives of heterosexual identity development | journal = Sex Roles | volume = 66 | issue = 1–2| pages = 79–93 | doi = 10.1007/s11199-011-0068-4| s2cid = 145141123 }}</ref> Current models for the development of sexual identity attempt to incorporate other models of identity development, such as [[James Marcia|Marcia]]’s ego-identity statuses.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Worthington | first1 = R. L. | last2 = Navarro | first2 = R. L. | last3 = Savoy | first3 = H. B. | last4 = Hampton | first4 = D. | year = 2008 | title = Development, reliability, and validity of the measure of sexual identity exploration and commitment (MOSIEC) | journal = Developmental Psychology | volume = 44 | issue = 1| pages = 22–33 | doi = 10.1037/0012-1649.44.1.22 | pmid=18194002}}</ref>

The [[Cass identity model]], established by Vivienne Cass, outlines six discrete stages transited by individuals who successfully come out: (1) identity confusion, (2) identity comparison, (3) identity tolerance, (4) identity acceptance, (5) identity pride, and (6) identity synthesis.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Cass | first1 = V. C. | year = 1979 | title = Homosexuality identity formation: A theoretical model | journal = Journal of Homosexuality | volume = 4 | issue = 3| pages = 219–235 | doi=10.1300/j082v04n03_01 | pmid=264126}}</ref> [[Fassinger's model of gay and lesbian identity development]] contains four stages at the individual and group level: (1) awareness, (2) exploration, (3) deepening/commitment, and (4) internalization/synthesis.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Fassinger | first1 = R. E. | last2 = Miller | first2 = B. A. | year = 1997 | title = Validation of an Inclusive Modelof Sexual Minority Identity Formation on a Sample of Gay Men | journal = Journal of Homosexuality | volume = 32 | issue = 2| pages = 53–78 | doi=10.1300/j082v32n02_04| pmid = 9010826 }}</ref>

Some models of sexual identity development do not use discrete, ordered stages, but instead conceptualize identity development as consisting of independent identity processes. For example, D'Augelli's model describes six unordered independent identity processes: (1) exiting heterosexual identity, (2) developing personal LGB identity status, (3) developing an LGB social identity, (4) becoming an LGB offspring, (5) developing an LGB [[intimacy]] status, and (6) entering an LGB community.<ref>D'Augelli, A. R. (1994). Identity development and sexual orientation: Toward a model of lesbian, gay, and bisexual development.</ref>

The Unifying Model of Sexual Identity Development is currently the only model that incorporates heterosexual identity development within its statuses to include compulsory heterosexuality, active exploration, diffusion, deepening and commitment to status, and synthesis.<ref>Dillion, F. R., Worthington, R. L., & Moradi, B. (2011). Sexual identity as a universal process. In S. J. Schwartz, K. Luyckx, & V. L. Vignoles (Eds.), Handbook of identity theory and research (pp. 649-670). New York: Springer.</ref>

Contemporary models view sexual identity formation as a universal process, rather than a sexual minority one, in that it is not only sexual minorities that undergo sexual identity development, but heterosexual populations as well.<ref name="Dillon, F. R. 2011 pp.649-670" /> More recent research has supported these theories, having demonstrated that heterosexual populations display all of Marcia's statuses within the domain of sexual identity.<ref name="ReferenceA" /><ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Worthington | first1 = R. L. | last2 = Savoy | first2 = H. B. | last3 = Dillon | first3 = F. R. | last4 = Vernaglia | first4 = E. R. | year = 2002 | title = Heterosexual identity development. A multidimensional model of individual and social identity | url = https://semanticscholar.org/paper/810266ce452d976250089608b8ad922d275a3ff9| journal = Counseling Psychologist | volume = 30 | issue = 4| pages = 496–531 | doi = 10.1177/00100002030004002| s2cid = 4817535 }}</ref>