臺灣女同志自我認同與出櫃歷程之資訊行為

Abstract

近年來臺灣的同志運動有著明顯進展，同志能見度也大幅提高，但即使在同性婚姻通過的今日，同志族群在社會上也仍承受著污名與歧視，而在父權社會與異性戀主流社會當中，女同志族群承受著「女性」與「同志」的雙重壓力，本研究意欲了解女同志個體在這樣的背景下如何建構自我同志認同。本研究運用前人的認同╱出櫃過程模型作為輔助，觀察女同志在認同╱出櫃過程中有哪些資訊行為，並以此提出四個研究問題，分別與女同志個體之同志認同╱出櫃歷程、資訊需求與問題情境、資訊尋求行為，以及資訊使用有關。 本研究使用紮根理論研究法，訪談15位自我認同為女同性戀之臺灣女同志。本研究根據訪談資料輔以前人文獻，將受訪者之同志認同╱出櫃歷程分為三條支線，分別為同志自我認同、對他人出櫃以及群體認同過程。在其認同╱出櫃歷程之中，受訪者曾有的資訊需求與問題情境包含三大類別，分別與自我、與他人關係，以及與同志群體相關。而受訪者在認同初期，其資訊需求多著重在自我，而後才會擴展至他人與群體相關之資訊需求。 針對上述資訊需求與問題情境，受訪者會使用的資訊管道與來源主要分為四大類，包含親密人際網絡、外圍他人、大眾媒體，以及機構與實體場域，其中最常使用的資訊管道與來源為親密人際網絡中的同志朋友，外圍他人中的同志網友或公眾人物，以及大眾媒體中的網路。受訪者在資訊尋求的過程中，其尋求偏好特別與心理因素有關（尤其是需要感到安全與同志友善），此外與人相關的資訊或資訊來源對他們而言亦有極大的影響力；反之，他們遇到的阻力與困難也較多與這兩類因素有關，例如在尋求資訊時他們需要考量到出櫃的風險而減少資訊尋求。 資訊對女同志的意義包含五種，分別為增加知識、穩定心情、增長能力與理解、作為工具或幫助決策，以及自我同志認同與整合。另外，研究結果也發現受訪者們在自我認同有相當程度之後，往往也會進行資訊分享，讓其他更多人知道同志相關資訊。

In recent years, LGBTQ rights movement in Taiwan has made significant improvement. However, even though same-sex marriage has been legalized in Taiwan today, LGBTQs still suffer from social stigma and discrimination. Particularly, lesbians are under the pressure of being the “second sex” and “sexual minority” in a patriarchal society. This study explored how Taiwanese lesbians construct their lesbian identity and undergo coming-out process. With reference to the literatures about information behavior, identity development and the models of coming-out process, this research aims at exploring Taiwanese lesbians’ information need in contexts, information seeking and information use during their coming-out process. A total of 15 Taiwanese lesbians were interviewed. Grounded theory was employed to analyze the interviews. Based on the interviews, the coming-out process of the interviewees involves three tasks, including self-identification process, the process of coming-out to others, and the process of identifying with lesbian community. Their information needs also correspond to these three tasks, focusing on needs related to oneself, needs in relationship with others, and needs relevant to LGBTQ communities. At the beginning of identity development, interviewees’ needs concentrated on themselves, and subsequently, their information needs would expand to in relation with others and LGBTQ groups. Interviewees’ information channels and sources could be divided into four types, including their intimate personal network, wider others (LGBTQ acquaintances, netizens and public figures), mass media, and institutions and fields. Amongst all the channels and sources, close LGBTQ friends, LGBTQ netizens or public figures, and the Internet were the most commonly used sources. In addition, interviewees prefer information and information sources concerning psychological aspects (especially security and LGBTQ friendliness) and interpersonal factors during their information seeking. Meanwhile, interviewees’ consideration on psychological and interpersonal factors might on the other hand, reduce their information seeking, because they have to take the risk of coming-out reluctantly. Information could provide lesbians knowledge, stabilize their mood, enhance their capability, act as tools or help them make decisions, as well as assist them in building up self-identity. Besides, the study also found that when interviewees have reached certain extents of self-identification as LGBTQ, they would have been engaging in information sharing on LGBTQ issues, so as to make more people aware of the sexual minorities.