"… And Then I Became Gay": Young Men's Stories - Review

Journal of Sex Research, Feb, 1999 by Scott C. Strader

"... And Then I Became Gay": Young Men's Stories. By Ritch C. Savin-Williams. New York: Routledge, 1998, 272 pages. Hardcover, $70.00. Paper, $19.99.

Male and female. Old and young. Black and white. Gay and straight. Blue eyed, brown eyed. The psychological study of group differences has been a cornerstone of scientific inquiry. How are men different from women? How are African Americans different from Caucasian Americans? How are persons with homosexual orientations different than those with heterosexual orientations? While this study of intergroup differences has provided us with expansive knowledge, how can we make sweeping comparisons of groups containing such diversity? Ritch Savin-Williams, in his latest book on the lives of young gay men, asserts that in looking at broad group affiliations (comparing straight with gay or old with young), the richness of individual's lives is lost, as is important knowledge in the study of diversity. In order to more fully understand human development, and the development of gay men's lives in particular, Savin-Williams believes we must intricately study the "multiplicity and heterogeneity" (p. xii) of our research participants. To this end, Savin-Williams' latest treatise is a thorough and thought-provoking description of interviews with 180 young gay and bisexual men about their identity development.

For several years, Savin-Williams' work has focused on the development of young gay men into healthy gay adults. The current work is a description of interview data he has collected on young gay men and their differential developmental trajectories, which Savin-Williams describes as "the turning points that redirect or rechannel meanings of experiences and feelings" (p. xii). As such, the work is different from anything seen in scientific journals or on the bookshelves of university bookstores. Indeed, the intriguing and eye-catching title "... And Then I Became Gay: Young Men's Stories" suggests an almost "pop-psychology" feel, not unlike "Why People Don't Heal, and How They Can," and "Listening to Prozac." Yet, the untrained layperson expecting to read personal accounts of young men's coming out stories may be disappointed, as Savin-Williams includes enough psychological jargon and scientific description to keep the more serious scientist interested, if not fully intrigued.

Savin-Williams' preface clearly lays out the book's objectives. By focusing on young men ages 18-25 who have identified themselves as gay or bisexual, Savin-Williams strives to explore the rich complexity and diversity found within a relatively small demographic group. He wishes to show the reader how these young men are similar to, and vastly different from, one another. He then hopes to "challenge the ways in which our culture thinks about sexual minority youths" (p. xii), adding a social conscious to his writing.

Generally, Savin-Williams accomplishes these objectives with skillful writing and a depth that allows the reader to know his subjects as more than numbers or percentages, while demonstrating a care and concern for the young men he interviews. Chapters are organized by developmental trajectories, including memories of same-sex attractions in childhood, labeling feelings and attractions, first gay sex, first heterosexual sex, labeling self as gay or bisexual, disclosure to others, first same-sex romance, and self-acceptance as gay or bisexual. This organization allows Savin-Williams to describe both similarities and differences among the gay and bisexual youths at each developmental trajectory.

The interviews allow us to see the myriad of developmental routes taken to healthy adulthood by boys and young men. Although most of the participants are in college or are college graduates at the time of the interviews, the variety of experiences shared suggests a rich complexity within a narrow band of demography. The stories are fascinating and real, told by young men who know Stonewall only as a date in history and the gay pride annual celebration. Indeed, this book could not have been written twenty years ago, as it would have been nearly impossible to locate so many young men willing and able to identify as gay or bisexual who could articulate their developmental stories.

The reader comes to know the interviewees and to hear their stories in their own words. The transcription of the interviews is what makes this volume unique and appealing to readers outside the scientific community. Indeed, any gay or bisexual man will recognize himself in one or several accounts. These diverse descriptions show young gay and bisexual men how their developmental experiences are similar, and how they are unique and individual while still part of a larger gay/bisexual community. The volume is also a valuable resource for clinicians, particularly those in university counseling centers or other clinics that specialize in working with young men and identity development, as a resource to share with those seeking treatment feeling confused or troubled about their developing sexual identity.