Dating is a fun time to get to know potential partners. While dating is generally the same regardless of your sexuality, there are some unique considerations for people who consider themselves part of the LGBTQIA community. For this reason, I wanted to share a few LGBTQIA dating tips for your consideration. Some ideas included in here are an individual’s coming out stage, the individual’s level of comfort with their sexuality, social awareness, and being clear with your expectations. In this post, I want to start by discussing the significance of coming out stages in LGBTQIA dating dynamics.

Each person has a different take on who they are and where they are in their sexual identity development process. Because of this, it’s important to be aware where you are in your journey as you dip your toes into the dating pool. Coming out stages refer to the notion that each person realizes or figures out “who they are” over time. The rate at which this this takes place varies from person to person. The reason I mention it here is because in dating, the place someone is emotionally with their sexuality can influence how mentally available they will be for dating.

For instance, if someone is very closeted, they may not be comfortable openly dating someone who is completely out with their sexuality. This can include anyone, whether it be a lesbian person, gay person, etc. There are a few different sexual identity development models. Some of the phrases you might hear with them include: identity confusion and identity synthesis.

Check out sexual identity development models here:

Theoretical Models

Cass Identity Model

Check back for future posts on the additional dating tips I mentioned briefly related to level of comfort with sexuality, social awareness, and expressing clear expectations to potential partners.

How have coming out stages impacted your dating experiences in the LGBTQIA community? If you need some guidance navigating your sexual identity development, connect with me today. I’m experienced in helping clients explore their identity and become more secure with who they are in the LGBTIA community. Contact me today for a initial consult or to get your therapy journey started. I am currently accepting clients in Florida.

Advertisement