The Evolution of Gay Men
as Leaders in Higher
Education Settings
John L. Sama
The University of Vermont
May 29, 2003
Purpose:
► To
explore the factors that influence gay
men’s evolution as leaders in higher
education settings, and how their leadership
experiences may be related to the
development of their gay identities.
How interest developed…
► Literature
review on Heterosexism and
Homophobia in Higher Education for an
Applied Research Methods class.
► Reflective
writing exercise about my own
coming-out process in a Qualitative
Research Methods Class.
My Escape into Leadership
►I
used my involvement in leadership
activities first as a way to avoid having to
come to terms with my developing gay
identity, then as a tool to help me manage
and embrace this evolving identity.
►I
began to wonder if other gay men
experienced similar escapes into leadership.
Major Questions
► What
factors have influenced gay men’s
evolution as leaders?
► How
has being gay influenced gay men’s
leadership styles and strategies?
► How
has leadership influenced development
of gay men’s identities?
► What
role does culture/climate at an
institution play?
► Where
► What
do gay men find support?
challenges to gay men still face?
The Literature
I focused my exploration of the literature in
two primary areas:
► Gay
Identity Development Theory.
► Homophobia
and Heterosexism in Higher
Education Settings.
Gay Identity Development Theory
► The
process of first becoming aware of,
then accepting, and then managing one’s
gay identity as one part of a person’s whole
identity.
► Early
models based upon the premise that
individuals are socialized in a society that is
anti-gay and heterosexual in outlook.
► Assumptions:
 Gay identity is acquired through a
developmental process.
 The identity development process is influenced
by interactions between individuals and their
environments.
► “Stage
Models”
Individual moves in stages from no awareness
that he may be gay to acquiring a gay identity
that is fully integrated with the individual’s
overall concept of self. (Cass, 1999)
Each stage is associated with “incongruence,” or
some level of internalized anxiety or turmoil.
Conflict between growing awareness that one is
gay and how he feels others are going to react
if they find out that he is gay.
The ability to move between stages depends
upon mastering certain developmental tasks.
Cass’ Homosexual Identity
Formation Model
► Stage
1: Identity
Confusion
 Am I gay?
► Stage
2: Identity
Comparison
 I might be gay…
► Stage
3: Identity
Tolerance
 I probably am gay.
► Stage
4: Identity
Acceptance
 I am gay.
► Stage
5: Identity Pride
 I’m here, I’m queer, get
used to it.
► Stage
6: Identity
Synthesis
► Stage
1: Identity Confusion
 Am I gay?
Begins to realize that thoughts, feelings and/or behaviors
could be defined as homosexual.
Three possible approaches to managing incongruence:
 Seek more information
 Inhibit behavior, avoid situations
 Rejects feelings as temporary, experimental.
►
Stage 2: Identity Comparison
 I might be gay…
Awareness of difference results in feelings of isolation, of not
belonging. This stage is about handling feelings of social alienation
that arise.
Four possible approaches to managing incongruence:
 Feel positive about being different, while passing.
 Change perception about behavior without changing behavior
 Admit he is gay but stops engaging in activity.
 Rejects identity and behavior, devalues homosexuality.
► Stage
3: Identity Tolerance
 I probably am gay.
Individual’s self image starts to turn away from
heterosexual and more toward homosexual.
Starts to seek out the gay subculture to combat feelings
of isolation. Disclosure to others still feels risky.
 Positive contacts? Move toward Identity Acceptance
 Negative contacts? Identity foreclosure.
► Stage
4: Identity Acceptance
 I am gay.
Individual begins to prefer gay social contacts, develops
friendships within the gay subculture.
Still some anxiety about being out publicly, so continues to
pass as striaght.
Begins to come out to straight individuals who he trusts to
keep his secret safe.
► Stage
5: Identity Pride
 I’m here, I’m queer, get used to it.
Less concerned with how others perceive of him.
Strong commitment to the gay community, devalues
heterosexual others, rejects hetero-normative values.
Anger. May confront the establishment by abandoning
passing strategies that he used in the past.
► Stage
5: Identity Pride (Continued)
 I’m here, I’m queer, get used to it.
Life changing event may force him to adopt
passing strategies again.
However, if over time others’ reactions are
generally positive, may move to next stage.
► Stage
6: Identity Synthesis
Acknowledges that it possible for heterosexuals to
accept his gay identity.
Personal and public sexual identities become
united.
The identity development process is really
about managing incongruence between
their sense of self and societal attitudes
toward homosexuality in whatever context
they happen to find themselves, and
overcoming the fear of being rejected,
ridiculed, abandoned, or harmed in any way.
Consequences of concealing identity:
 Low self-esteem
 Depression
 Suicidal ideations
“The consequences of concealment are
significant, as the individual turns his energy
inward, suppressing his own vitality.” (Coleman,
1984)
Criticisms of Stage Models
► Identity
development is more “chaotic, fluid and
complex.”
► Not a linear process.
► Not everyone experiences each stage.
► Not everyone experiences stages in the same
order.
► Not unidirectional – horizontal spiral
► Dichotomous
► Assumptions may not hold up as societal values
change.
Recent Identity Development Models
► Sexual
identity is fluid
► Identity is conceived of as a dynamic
process by which an individual emerges
from many social exchanges experienced in
different contexts over an extended
historical period. (D’Augelli, 1994)
Homophobia and Heterosexism
in Higher Education
► Homophobia
 The individual and societal contempt for and
prejudice against homosexuals
(Walters & Hayes, 1998)
 An individual response of fear or hatred toward
lesbian or gay people based on personal
insecurities and cultural conditioning
(McNaron, 1997)
► Heterosexism
 The assumption of the inherent superiority of
heterosexuality, and obliviousness to the lives and
experiences of LGBT people, and the presumption that
all people are, or should be, heterosexual.
(Rankin, 2003)
 An entrenched system of moral or religious beliefs,
social attitudes, and legal and economic politics that
offer privileges to heterosexuality over all other forms of
sexual expression or reality.
(McNaron, 1997)
► Heterosexual
Privilege
 The power and privileges that one receives, accepts and
experiences as a heterosexual person, such as the right
to a legalized marriage, the ability to adopt children,
social activities on campuses that are geared toward
heterosexuals, health insurance benefits for one’s life
partner, an assumption that one is psychologically
healthy, and living one’s life without fear that people will
find out that one is [not heterosexual].
(Washington & Evans, 1991)
About the Literature…
► Mostly
quantitative
► Students
► Limited
as research participants
but growing number of qualitative
studies of faculty and staff (1995 >)
Consequences of Being Out
on the Job
► Discrimination
in Hiring
► Harassment and Intimidation
► Bias in Tenure and promotion
► Exclusion from social and professional
networks.
► Devaluation of Scholarly Work
(Taylor & Raeburn, 1995)
► Important
to note that people don’t have to
directly experience these consequences in
order to feel threatened.
► But
there are also positive consequences to
being out:




Building of a sense of community
Empowerment
Role models
Initiate scholoarship
Coping Strategies
► Yale
University Survey
 80% felt it was fairly or very important to be
able to disclose their sexual orientation to those
around them.
 Only 12% felt very comfortable doing so.
(Herek, 1993)
► People
adapt their degree of self-disclosure
to the circumstances in which they work.
► People
may also adapt their circumstances
to make them more consistent with their
preferred lifestyle and degree of openness.
(Harry, 1993)
► Common
Coping Strategies:
 Assimilation
 (Passing as a member of dominant culture.)
 Confrontation
 (Coming to terms with and accepting one’s differences,
a.k.a., coming out.)
 Ghettoization
 (Spending most of one’s time in gay culture.)
 Specialization
 (Focusing solely on things gay, to exclusion of other
interests or talents.)
► Examples








of coping strategies:
Hide sexual orientation.
Being discreet about private life.
Dual identity: Personal self, professional self.
Faculty may not discuss issues of sexuality or sexual
identity in their classrooms.
Avoid associating with out gay people.
Opt out of certain committee assignments.
Monitoring one’s behavior or speech.
Change career path.
Maintaining a dual identity is costly:
► Feelings
of isolation and fear drain energy,
which in turn limits productivity.
(Waldo & Kemp, 1997)
► Coming
out to others seems to be related to
more positive attitudes toward GLBT.
(Herek & Glunt, 1993; Herek, 1994)
► Not
all coping strategies are “escapist!”
 GLBT faculty and staff may form social
organizations.
 GLBT faculty and staff may organize collectively
to fight for change.
Concluding comments about the literature:
{EXCERPT ON PAGE 47.}
Methodology:
About this study
► Qualitative
► Naturalistic
►I
Inquiry
wanted to listen to people’s stories, see
where they worked, gain a rich picture.
► Recruiting
Participants
 Used colleagues and professional acquaintances
to help identify participants. (Snowball)
 E-mail message sent to 70 colleagues.
 Web site.
 Web form.
 Confidentiality.
► Site
and Participant Selection
 Collected 19 participant interest forms over a
two-week period.
 Tried to select as diverse a pool as possible.
 Within driving distance of Burlington.
 Eventually selected 10 participants
 Set up 1-1/2 to 2-hour meeting times via email.
Participant Profile
Number of Participants:
10
Average degree of “outness:”
9.3
(Range: 5 – 10)
Type of Institution:
Public (5)
Private (5)
Religiously-affiliated:
>75% Women:
1
2
Participant Profile
Racial Identity of Participants:
White (8)
African American (2)
Area of Responsibility:
Student Affairs (7)
Other (3)
Academic Support (2)
Development (1)
Academic Affairs (0)
Participant Profile
Level of Leadership Responsibility:
Entry Level (1)
Middle Level (4)
Upper Level (5)
Senior Level (0)
Average length of time in Higher Education:
12 Years
Data Collection
Three primary data-collection techniques in
qualitative research:
► Interviews
► Document
Review
► Observation
(Glesne, 1999)
► Interviews
 Semi-structured.
 Development and sequencing of questions.
 14 questions grouped to learn about
►Their
current job and leadership history.
►Their gay identity development process.
►How their gay identity and their leadership intersect.
 Artifact Review
► Document




Review
Pre-interview: Web site scan.
Current student newspapers
Current faculty/staff newsletters
Resumes.
► Observation
 Mainly limited to participants work environment
►Any
clues in his office?
►Campus environment?
 Artifacts
Trustworthiness
►
Credibility
 Triangulation – multiple data collection techniques.
 Member Checks
► Transcripts sent to each participant.
► Evolving themes sent to each participant.
 Supportive feedback.
►
Applicability
 Purposive sampling
 Thick description
 Use participants’ words
►
Dependability/Confirmability
 Record-keeping: tapes, transcripts, notes, communications
 Transcript citations verified by advisor.
►
Notes to Self
Findings
Several important themes emerged:





Gay identity development and sense of self
Leadership evolution
Preferred leadership styles and strategies
Sources of support
Ongoing struggles
Importance of context became clear.
Importance of leadership.
Gay Identity Integral to
Sense of Self
► Gay
are.
identity an important part of who these men
► Ability
to be open = ability to be honest.
► Imposter
Gay Identity:
In their own words…[84-85]
Coming Out
►A
complex, life-long process.
► Assessment of risks and benefits
► Depends upon context.
► Task:
Overcome fear of being rejected and
other repercussions associated with coming
out.
► Significant






coming-out moments:
Self
Parents/family
Friends
Colleagues
Supervisors
Students
► When




they came out:
Undergraduate Years (5)
Graduate School (2)
After Career Began (2)
High School (1)
Coming out:
In their own words…[90-93]
► Over
time, coming out generally seems to
become easier.
► But…Coming
out is not a one-way trip!
► As
situation/context changes, level of
disclosure may change.
 Charles: Non-profit organization
 Frank: Changes over time
Other Influences on Identity
and Sense of Self
► Family/partner
 Family of choice
► Socioeconomic
status
► Education
► Gender
► Faith
► Race
and Spirituality
► Intersection
Identity
► Adam:
of Racial Identity and Gay
Black, gay man.
 In his own words…[97]
► Paul:
Queer person of color
 In his own words…[97]
► Conclusion
 Gay identity critical to self-concept.
 These men had identities composed of many
dimensions.
 Hearing about these many dimensions helps me
to gain a richer picture of their experience/
context, prepared me to understand how they
evolved as leaders.
Leadership Evolution
► Common
themes emerged:
 Leadership for most began in college.
 Leadership enhanced self-confidence.
 Used leadership to prove selves before coming
out of the closet.
 Over-involvement/over-achievement to build
respect/credibility.
► Leadership
in College
 Oliver: Safe Zone/Ally Program
 Paul: Became a lot more confident.
 Robert: Did not get involved
► Enhanced
self-esteem, self-confidence.
 Michael [101]
 Robert [102]
► Over-involvement/Over-achieving:
 Edward [102]
 Michael [102-103]
 Over-involvement can lead to burn-out.
 “Paradox of Dependency”
Preferred Leadership
Styles and Strategies
Do these men share similar philosophies or
approaches to leadership?
 Sensitivity to struggles of other marginalized or
oppressed groups.
 Commitment to helping others overcome
barriers.
 Leader as educator, role model.
 Preference for a relational leadership style.
 Utilize transformational leadership strategies.
Sensitivity to Marginalized.
Commitment to Justice.




Brian [105]
Edward [105]
Oliver [107]
Robert [108]
“I feel more confident in the work that I do with
students who are struggling, because I have
been there.” (Neil)
Leader as Educator
 Frank [109]
 Michael [109]
Leader as Role Model
► Role




model for colleagues
Frank [110]
Michael [110]
Brian [111]
Michael [112]
► Role
model for Students:
 Charles [112]
 Neil [112]
 Neil [113]
► Role
model to others:
 Charles [113]
 Resumes: Leadership in a variety of gay,
service-related organizations [113]
Leadership Styles
Clear preferences for relational styles of
leadership, and for utilizing transformational
leadership strategies
► Relational
Leadership
“The process of people together attempting to
accomplish change or make a difference to
benefit the common good.”
(Komives, Lucas & McMahon, 1998)
Words used to describe
leadership styles:











Accessible
Advocate
Approachable
Calm
Camaraderie
Caring
Collaborative
Comfortable
Communication
Compassionate
Educator










Humility
Humor
Inclusive
Listener
Non-hierarchical
Nurturing
Sensitive
Service-oriented
Sincere
Social justice
► Contrast
those words with words more
commonly used to describe leaders:
►Power
►Authority
►Hierarchy
►Top-down
►Task-oriented
►Boss
►Directive
Participants believe that the fact that they are
gay has something to do with this preferred
style of leadership.
They would be different types of leaders if
they weren’t gay.
“Leadership is using your gifts to make a
contribution to your profession and to the
people who work with you and to the
people who are the recipients of your work.”
(Edward)
 Adam on being an accessible leader [116]
 Brian on being a service-oriented leader [116]
 Edward on being a collaborative leader [117]
► Transformational
Leadership
“When one or more persons engage with others
in such a way as leaders and followers raise one
another to higher levels of motivation and
morality. In other words, both leader and
followers—as well as the social system in which
they function—are transformed.”
(Sashkin & Rosenbach, 1989)
► Examples
of transformational leadership
strategies:
 Challenging Human Resources – Brian [119]
 Dutch Doors – Edward [120]
Sources of Support
► Gay
and Lesbian Colleagues and Friends
 “Because they get it.” Brian [122]
 “Cafeteria theory.” Robert [124]
 “A nod and a wink.” Frank [125]
► Supportive
Supervisors
 Frank’s work history.
 Charles took a pay cut.
 “A talk with the Dean.” Brian [127]
► Women
 Implicit sense of comfort and trust.




“Much more comfortable…” Brian [128]
“I feel safer…” Robert [129]
“Women prefer to hire gay men…” [129]
“Going co-ed…” Frank [130]m
► Other
sources of support:
 Straight Allies
 Partner
 Families of Choice
►Adam
[133]
 Institutional Climate
Struggles
“I feel disconnected from people like me… I
always have this sense of being othered.”
(Robert)
“Being gay is a lot like being a Canadian.”
(Oliver) [134-135]
► Still
struggle with coming out.
► Stereotypes and heterosexist assumptions.
► Hetero-normative practices
► Homophobic acts.
► Lack of gay leaders as role models.
► Want to support students more.
► Special struggles of African American
participants
► Struggles
students




with coming out – particularly to
Fear of the “predator” tag.
“Always on my mind…” Adam [136]
“Don’t want to be misunderstood…” Brian [137]
Frank [138]
 “Internalized homophobia…” Neil [139]
This fear of coming out to students really
hobbles our ability to support them.
► Heterosexixm
& Hetero-normative climate:
 “Damn, I’m the only gay guy here!” Adam [140]
 “Are you married?” Neil [141]
 “Heterosexist protocols…” Brian [142]
 Paul spoke of working to make sure that policies
and procedures don’t only reflect the needs of
the dominant culture. [142]
► Homophobia
and Homophobic Acts
 “Keep your hands to yourself…” Brian [142]
 “What are you doing, recruiting?” Edward [144]
 “I hope this doesn’t become known as the lezzy
dorm.” Frank [145]
►A
desire for more mentors:
 “More reflections…” Neil [154]
 “How do we find each other?” Paul [155]
► Black
and gay: special challenges
 Intersection of racial identity and gay identity.
► How
do I identify? Am I Black or am I gay?
 Homophobia in African American community.
► Adam
won’t speak of undergraduate years.
► Paul got called out in church.
 Racism within their campus communities
► Fear
of false accusations from women.
 Struggle to build credibility as leaders.
►“Our
shit can’t stink…” Paul [150]
►“I
really do know what I’m talking about...” Adam
[152]
 Interestingly, White participants all seemed to
acknowledge their privilege.
►Frank
[152]
Recommendations for
Policy and Practice
Primary objective of these recommendations should
be to provide a climate that supports and is
affirming of undergraduate students.
“So much of our socialization as adults occurs
then, and I feel as though more progressive
policies and activities with that population will help
to make stronger gay leaders in the future.” (Robert)
► National
Gay & Lesbian Task Force’s
“Campus Climate for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual
and Transgender People: A National
Perspective” released April, 2003.
► States
that “institutions must be
transformed.”
(Rankin, 2003)
NGLTF Recommendations:
► Recruit
and retain GLBT administrators,
faculty, staff. [187]
► Recruit and retain GLBT students. [186]
► Demonstrate institutional commitment to
GLBT issues and concerns. [188]
► Integrate GLBT issues and concerns into the
curriculum and pedagogy. [188]
The method that is most likely to
accomplish these objectives, in my opinion,
is to establish and fund a campus office of
GLBT support services. [189]
 Needs focused, full-time attention.
 But don’t expect them to do it alone.
 Utilize the talents and commitment that people
like the men in this study can offer.
Limitations of this study:
► Sample
may not be representative of all gay
leaders in higher education.
► Because these men are successful leaders
and are generally out of the closet, their
experiences may be generally more positive.
► Limited to Northeast U.S.
► Participants of relatively similar age.
► Only two people of color.
Further Research
► Intersection
of gay identity and racial
identity.
► Bisexual leaders? Transgender leaders?
► Correlation between participants’ sense of
self as leader and others’ views.
► Explore the “predator” myth.
► Research with women who work with gay
men.
Concluding Remarks
►I
think I found what I was looking for: a
connection between gay identity and
leadership.
► Honor of working with these ten men, hope
I have done them justice.
► Amazed at how willing these men were to
share of themselves.
►I
hope to make changes in my own
leadership life.
 Support GLBT students more.
► Much
better understanding of struggles that
people of color go through.
 Hope to be able to provide more support, be
more of an advocate.
► Hope
to do some more research.
► Interconnectedness
development.
► Finally,
of oppressions, identity
this was not “my” accomplishment,
but happened only because of a lot of love
and support from family, friends, colleagues
and teachers.