Bro, I鈥檓 queer! : an autoethnographic exploration of the inviting in/ coming out process and the sibling relationship

Abstract

This study explores the impact of the inviting in/ coming out process on the LGBTIQ sibling relationship in small island communities specifically in Gozo. Gozo is the smallest inhabited island with a population of 39,287 and forms part of the Maltese archipelago. It aimed to identify the particular socio-cultural influences on meaning making, processes and how such influences are challenged within the family unit and in society at large. The focus on the LGBTIQ sibling relationship is under-researched worldwide. since research primarily focuses on the parental relationship or the family unit. Moreover, local LGBTIQ research primarily focuses on the Maltese context as a whole with no specific studies focusing specifically on Gozo in relation to sibling relationship. An evocative autoethnography of my own experience is presented alongside the stories narrated by my siblings. By using autoethnography I do not seek a generalizable result but to engage the reader through evocative narratives allowing the reader to relate to the narratives from their own experience (Ellis & Bochner, 2006; Poulos, 2021). A systemic, post-modern and social constructionist conceptual framework was adopted and applied when carrying out narrative analysis of the material elicited from the conversations. Three sequential meetings were organised together with my siblings to address the research focus. Stories were presented using fiction to create a bridge between what is felt and what is said by presenting material gathered in compelling ways (Leavy, 2019). The emerging themes outlined the socio-cultural influences related to sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression, the sibling relationship as well as the difference between rural and urban areas. From a systemic perspective, these socio-cultural perceptions mould the larger social system within which the sibling subsystem and the individual function and thus inform the understanding of the inviting in/coming out process. Nonetheless, the emotional closeness within the sibling relationship can challenge and also defy the currents of larger sociocultural perceptions. Recommendations and Implications: This study reflects the importance and value that the sibling relationship can provide to the well-being of the queer individuals most especially in small communities however not only.