Acosta describes erasure of nonconformity as, “when the respondent discloses lesbian, bisexual or queer identity to her family and they in turn try to erase it by using control and manipulation tactics” (569). The tactics the family uses are taking the family members to church or priests so God can “cure” them. Sexual silencing is described by Acosta as, “a strategy used by respondents who chose not to disclose their sexual and are instead complicit with their family members in pretending their relationships with women are platonic friendships” (569-570). It is described by Acosta as an open secret because the families have an idea of what is really going, but chose to forgo the title of “girlfriend” and use “friend” instead. Avoidance after discloser is described as, “Respondents disclosing their lesbian, bisexual, or queer identity to family members and then become complicit with them rendering the disclosure unheard” (569). After their disclosures are heard, they are no longer allowed to bring “friends”
Acosta describes erasure of nonconformity as, “when the respondent discloses lesbian, bisexual or queer identity to her family and they in turn try to erase it by using control and manipulation tactics” (569). The tactics the family uses are taking the family members to church or priests so God can “cure” them. Sexual silencing is described by Acosta as, “a strategy used by respondents who chose not to disclose their sexual and are instead complicit with their family members in pretending their relationships with women are platonic friendships” (569-570). It is described by Acosta as an open secret because the families have an idea of what is really going, but chose to forgo the title of “girlfriend” and use “friend” instead. Avoidance after discloser is described as, “Respondents disclosing their lesbian, bisexual, or queer identity to family members and then become complicit with them rendering the disclosure unheard” (569). After their disclosures are heard, they are no longer allowed to bring “friends”