Negotiating Connection to GLBT Experience: Family Members' Experience of Anti-GLBT Movements and Policies

There have been numerous legislative initiatives to limit gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) people's rights at local, state, and national levels (G. M. Herek, 2006). Although research has focused on how GLBT people are affected by these initiatives, to date no research has explored the impact of this legislation upon the families of origin of GLBT people. This qualitative study sought to explore this topic. Through use of grounded theory methodology (B. G. Glaser & A. L. Strauss, 1967), 10 family members of GLBT people living in a state facing a marriage amendment to limit marriage to heterosexual couples were interviewed. All participants interviewed for this study were supportive of their GLBT relative. The results of this study reflected that anti-GLBT movements and policies affected participants' personal relationships, mental and physical health, perspectives about their country and government, and hopes about the future. Movements and policies shaped personal identity and beliefs for some participants. The clusters, underlying categories and a core category of this study, Negotiating My Connection to GLBT experience, are described with implications for counseling psychologists and other mental health professionals.