Coming out in College: The Struggle for a Queer Identity [Paperback]

Robert Rhoads (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0897894219 | ISBN-13: 978-0897894210 | Publication Date: October 30, 1994

Coming out is the process of acknowledging same-sex attractions to oneself and to others. It is both a personal and a public process. For many gay and bisexual students, college marks a pivotal point where for the first time they feel free to explore their same-sex attractions. This book is about the struggles students face in coming out. The focus is twofold: the experiences individuals face in coming to terms with their sexual identity and the process of developing a group identity. The development of a group identity involves a degree of political investment. For some students, becoming political means adopting a queer persona. As one student noted, Queer is kind of an 'in your face' attitude toward heterosexism and homophobia. A primary focus of this book revolves around the notion of queer identity and how students engage as cultural workers seeking both campus and societal change.

Editorial Reviews

Review

.,."clear, powerful, and poignant depictions of the struggles young college men face when coming to terms with their sexual identity. This study demonstrates how a theoretical approach designed to stimulate social change (i.e., critical postmodernism) can be used to enlighten and inspire its readers. It is encouraging to see a researcher use qualitative methodology to bring to light the narratives of people whose stories are often stifled."-The Journal of Sex Research

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Praeger (October 30, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0897894219
• ISBN-13: 978-0897894210
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,497,724 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Highly Informative Ethnographic Study, March 30, 2000

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A Customer - See all my reviews

This review is from: Coming Out in College: The Struggle for a Queer Identity (Critical Studies in Education and Culture Series) (Hardcover)

Rhoads does a great job of helping the reader understand what it's like for a handful (i forget how many exactly) of gay and bisexual men to negotiate the culture of a university campus. The work is part of the "Critical Studies in Education and Culture" Series, and is framed within a critical postmodern perspective, which is laid out well at the outset. The voices of the men Rhoads works with are clearly present in the work, and we learn from these respondents the difficulties of finding a queer identity, particularly in a university context. Rhoads also provides specific, praxis-oriented thoughts in his final chapter, as a call to action for people on campus. One strength and weakness is the focus solely on men, most of whom are white. However, Rhoads is very intentional in explaining the dynamics of this sample and the implications for the study. Overall, this is a useful work for any professional who works with members of the GLB population (which is most likely everyone) -- particularly in higher education. Rhoads works closely with Tierney, so if you've made your way through all of his books and articles, I'd recommend Tierney's "Building Communities of Difference" for another work within the critical postmodernist school of thought and action. And if you haven't read it yet, his "Student Affairs Practitioners as Transformative Educators," written with Michael Black, is a great (if limited to a specific audience) piece.