Becoming who I am: young men on being gay

Abstract

Savin-Williams's manuscript traces the lives of young gay men as they negotiated the transition from their teen years into adulthood. It focuses on key developmental milestones, including first sexual memories, first crushes, coming out to friends and families, and first adult relationships. The manuscript is drawn from in-depth interviews with 41 individuals from the "millennial" generation; each was interviewed multiple times across their teenage years into their early twenties. The author investigates how their senses of self and their public identities shifted across time, how their sexuality and sexual experiences did--and did not--affect their relationships with family, friends, and peers, how they dealt with new responsibilities, etc. He also uses the stories to shed light on the findings of recent research on gay youth, teenagers, and young adults.--