Self-actualization gay identity development
One way to resolve sexual identity conflicts is to affirm a gay identity as central to who one is as a person. This is historically atypical, but it is common in contemporary culture. One gay historian identifies four forms of homosexuality across cultures and throughout history.59 The first is age-structured homosexuality. This is seen, for example, in age-related initiation ceremonies in some societies in New Guinea. The second form is gender-reversed homosexuality. An example of this might be the North American Indian berdache (sometimes referred to as “two spirit”, suggesting both a masculine and feminine spirit reside in the individual). The third form of homosexuality across cultures is role-specialised homosexuality. According to Herdt, an example of this can be found in the Chukchee shaman whose vision quests direct him to engage in same-sex behaviour for a time. The fourth and final form of homosexuality can be seen in the modern gay movement. Wha...