The use of self: the conscious or unconscious (sharing or) leaking of identity by LGBQ cisgender women youth workers in the North of England

• Date: 06 April 2023
• Pages: 1007-1020
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-03-2022-0066
• Published date: 06 April 2023
• Author: Jean Hatton

The use of self: the conscious

or unconscious (sharing or) leaking

of identity by LGBQ cisgender

women youth workers in the North

of England

Jean Hatton

School of Education and Professional Development, University of Huddersfield,

Huddersfield, UK

Abstract

Purpose –This paper discusses how professionally qualified cisgenderlesbian, gay, bisexual or queer (LGBQ)

women youth workers present their self. The research examined how youth workers consciously or

unconsciously shared their sexual identity with young people with whom they worked. Whilst this research

focussed on youth workers, issues discussed are relevant for practitioners from a range of professional

backgrounds such as therapists, social workers, teachers and health care practitioners. The research focused

only on the experiences of cisgender LGBQ women as the experiences of men and trans women are different

and so requires separate research.

Design/methodology/approach –This research taking a qualitative approach, used in-depth interviews to

discuss how respondents shared information about their identity.

Findings –Some of fifteen youth workers interviewed reported not having choices about being out with the

young people as their sexuality had been leaked. Others were able to pass and so choose when, or if, to be out

with young people. Their different strategies to sharing information regarding their sexuality used by these

participants reflected different approaches to being out.

Originality/value –Although there is evidence in the literature of how being out or closeted impacts on

teachers there is little written about the effect on youth workers or other professionals. The little research that

has been undertaken in this area focusses on the impact of identity on the clients rather than on the

professionals. This article contributes to filling this gap in the literature.

Keywords Identity, LGBT, Queer, Self, Youth-work

Paper type Research paper

1. Introduction

This paper examines how professionals present their self and how they consciously or

unconsciously share or leak their sexual identity. It draws on research with cisgender women

youth workers from the North of England who identified as lesbian, gay, bisexual or queer

(LGBQ). Being an insider in this research (a lesbian working in youth work education)

enabled me to gather rich data around this sensitive topic that might have been impossible for

other researchers. The acronym LGBQ is used to emphasise that some participants preferred

to name themselves as gay or queer rather than lesbian. The research focussed on the

experiences of cisgender LGBQ women youth workers, not examining the experiences of

male or trans professionals, as their experiences are different (Dhaenens, 2013) and so

required separate research.

This paper briefly introduces ideas of the self; then discusses, in more depth, the use of self

within the context of youth work by outlining core values of youth work. The paper moves on

to illustrate the prejudices faced by LGBQ young people and professionals. Theoretical

concepts including standing out, coming out or passing and choosing whether to share

The use of self

1007

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/2040-7149.htm

Received 11 March 2022

Revised 11 January 2023

3 February 2023

Accepted 10 March 2023

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion:

An International Journal

Vol. 42 No. 8, 2023

pp. 1007-1020

© Emerald Publishing Limited

2040-7149

DOI 10.1108/EDI-03-2022-0066