Att komma ut när garderoben är låst : - HBT och heder

Heterosexual individuals who live in a culture of honor are exposed to honor oppression in today’s Swedish society is well known. However, it is not equally recognized that LGBT-people from a culture of honor are exposed to honor oppression. The study aims to investigate how eight individuals belonging to the LGBT-group and the culture of honor feel about their ability to develop their true identity and live out their sexual orientation. The study is qualitative and the collected empirical material constitutes of chat interviews with young LGBT-people. The results are analyzed from theoretical concepts such as culture of honor, honor oppression and also shame and pride. The result shows that there are risks such as being excluded from the family community, physical and mental abuse and in one case there is risk of honor killing. The study also reveals that the parents who support their children themselves are afraid of being excluded or harassed if the collective becomes aware of the child´s sexual orientation. The respondents say in the study that they have received lack of assistance from social services. A discussion has been made on whether social services are competent enough to support and help LGBT-people who comes from a culture of honor