Psychological Effects Being in the “Closet” Blindness Perpetuates Harm

Among the most harmful psychological effects of being in the “Closet” is blindness to the fact that one is in a “Closet” about one’s own homosexual orientation. A most striking telltale sign that one is in a “Closet” is the implicit or explicit contempt in varying degrees that this person has for all homosexuals, indiscriminately. Photo 

In, Clinical Studies in Psychiatry (1956) Harry Stack Sullivan, M.D., explains the concept of dissociation, how a person can be oblivious of one’s sexual identity.  Photo


Jack Drescher, M.D. has written several articles explaining the psychology of being in the “closet” and about ”coming out.” Below, are two links to articles that Dr. Drescher has written, however, he addresses this topic more thoroughly in Chapter 9 “The Closet” in his book Psychoanalytic Therapy and the Gay Man (1998) Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press. Photo 

Links to Jack Drescher, M.D. articles 

(click on titles)

The Closet: Psychological Issues of Being In and Coming Out by Jack Drescher, M.D. 10/1/04 Psychiatric Times. Vol. 21 No. 12

Dr. Drescher is chairperson of the American Psychiatric Association's Committee on Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Concerns and a founding member of the Committee on Sexual Minorities of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. He is a training and supervising analyst at the William Alanson White Institute and editor-in-chief of the Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychotherapy.

The Psychology of the Closeted Individual and Coming Out by Jack Drescher, M.D. Paradigm • Fall 2007

Early Childhood Psychological Development Growing up Lesbian

I have often been asked by women what about girls who grow up to be gay. I have told the women who have asked me that presently, I am not aware of any such studies, but that does not mean there are not any. However, we do need more research regarding early childhood psychological development growing up LGBTQ.

I was able to ask Jack Drescher, M.D. about what studies have been done regarding the early childhood psychological development of girls who grow up to be lesbian.

Jack Drescher, M.D. is one of the very few researchers who have addressed this area related to the early childhood psychological development of boys who grow up to be gay. He replied that studies about women are sparse compared to those about men; however, he suggested a reading list that may be helpful to the women who have asked me.

His professional career includes:

Jack Drescher, M.D. is Past Chair (2000-2006) of the Committee on Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Issues of the American Psychiatric Association.

He is also a Past President of the New York City District Branch of the APA.

He is a Training and Supervising Analyst at the William Alanson White Psychoanalytic Institute, Adjunct Clinical Professor at the New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis, and an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at both New York Medical College and the State University of New York—Downstate.

Dr. Drescher has edited two volumes on sexual conversion therapies: Sexual Conversion Therapy: Ethical, Clinical, and Research Perspectives and Ex-Gay Research: Analyzing the Spitzer Study and Its Relation to Science, Religion, Politics and Culture.

REFERENCES

Bell, A.P., Weinberg, M.S. & Hammersmith S.K. (1981), Sexual Preference: Its Development in Men and Women. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press.

Cabaj, R.P. & Stein, T.S., eds. (1996), Textbook of Homosexuality and Mental Health. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press.

Cohler, B. J. & Galatzer-Levy, R. M. (2000), The Course of Gay and Lesbian Lives. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Crespi, L. (1995), Some thoughts on the role of mourning in the development of a positive lesbian identity. In Disorienting Sexuality: Psychoanalytic Reappraisals of Sexual Identities, eds. T. Domenici & R. C. Lesser. New York: Routledge, pp. 19-32.

D'Augelli, A.R. (1996), Lesbian, gay and bisexual development during adolescence and young adulthood. In Textbook of Homosexuality and Mental Health, eds. R.P. Cabaj & T.S. Stein. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Press, pp. 267-288.

de Lauretis, T (1988), Sexual indifference and lesbian representation. In The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, eds. H. Abelove, M.A. Barale, & D. Halperin. New York: Routledge, 1993, pp. 141-158.

Domenici, T. & Lesser, R.C., eds. (1995), Disorienting Sexuality: Psychoanalytic Reappraisals of Sexual Identities. New York: Routledge.

Glassgold, J.M. & Iasenza, S., eds. (1995), Lesbians and Psychoanalysis: Revolutions in Theory and Practice. New York: The Free Press.

Herdt, G. & Boxer, A. (1993), Children of Horizons: How Gay and Lesbian Teens are Leading a New Way Out of the Closet. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.

Hetrick, E. & Martin, D. (1988), Developmental issues and their resolution for gay and lesbian adolescents. In Psychotherapy with Homosexual Men and Women: Integrated Identity Approaches for Clinical Practice, ed. E. Coleman. New York: The Haworth Press, pp. 25-43.

Hunter, J. & Schaecher, R. (1995), Gay and Lesbian Adolescents. In Encyclopedia of Social Work, eds. R. Edwards & J. Hopps. Washington, DC: NASW Press, pp. 1055-1061.

Lesser, R.C. & Schoenberg, E., eds. (1999), That Obscure Subject of Desire: Freud's Female Homosexual Revisited. New York: Routledge.

Magee, M. & Miller, D. (1996), Psychoanalytic views of female homosexuality. In Textbook of Homosexuality and Mental Health, eds. R.P. Cabaj & T.S. Stein. Washington, D.C.: American Psychiatric Press, pp. 191-206.

Magee, M. & Miller, D. (1997), Lesbian Lives: Psychoanalytic Narratives Old and New. Hillsdale, NJ: The Analytic Press.

O'Connor, N. & Ryan, J. (1993), Wild Desires and Mistaken Identities: Lesbianism & Psychoanalysis. New York: Columbia University.

Schoenberg, E. (1995), Psychoanalytic theories of lesbian desire: A social constructionist critique. In Disorienting Sexuality: Psychoanalytic Reappraisals of Sexual Identities, eds. T. Domenici & R.C. Lesser. New York: Routledge, pp. 65-82.

Schwartz, A.E. (1998), Sexual Subjects: Lesbians, Gender, and Psychoanalysis. New York: Routledge.

Singer, B., ed. (1994), Growing up Gay/Growing up Lesbian: A Literary Anthology. New York: New Press.

Vaughan, S. (1999), The hiding and revelation of lesbian desire in lesbians: The lasting legacy of developmental traumas. J. Gay & Lesbian Psychotherapy, 3(2):81-90.

Wittig, M. (1981), One is not born a woman. In The Lesbian and Gay Studies Reader, eds. H. Abelove, M.A. Barale, & D. Halperin. New York: Routledge, 1993, pp. 103-109.

Written by Martin S. Kurylowicz, M.Div., M.S.
Edited by Madeline Wright, Ph.D., M.S.