Loiacano

individuals who were interviewed had significant challenges to developing and maintaining a positive gay identity. These challenges can theoretically make the development of a positive gay identity in Black Americans different from that of White Americans. Challenges arose both in the Black community and in the gay and lesbian community.

Consistent with the statements of Johnson (1981) and Icard (1986), several of the individuals who were interviewed noted the importance of the Black community as a reference group. Some feared, however, that their gay identity could compromise their acceptance in the Black community because of the homophobia there. Thus, a Black American might place less value on coming out to others than his or her White counterpart, fearing that he or she might jeopardize needed support as a racial minority. It is important to note that none of the individuals who were interviewed stated that he or she thought the Black community as a whole was less accepting of gay men and lesbian women than the White community was as a whole. All except one of the individuals who were interviewed relayed experiences consistent with the idea put forth by Icard (1986): The benefits that Black gay men and lesbians receive from the predominantly White gay and lesbian community can be diminished by bias-related practices and beliefs related to race. The sexual and social exploration of Black-American gay men and lesbian women can be limited and complicated by such beliefs and practices. Choices about dating and relationships, as well as basic self-esteem, might be affected. Overall, being out in a predominantly White gay and lesbian community may not have the same day-to-day payoffs for Black Americans that it does for White Americans. Although it is true that, historically, some of the particular accounts of racist practices related in the interviews may no longer be as relevant, all such practices are not likely to be eliminated at this time.

Finally, Black-American gay men and lesbian women have the challenge of integrating at least two central identities that can be highly charged in our society-being Black and gay or lesbian. This particular challenge is likely to be similar for other people of color and is not faced by White Americans. These and other similar issues warrant further research.

Counseling professionals can enhance their work with BlackAmerican gay men and lesbian women when they are sensitive to the above issues. In counseling such clients, the following questions should be considered:

1. Does the client perceive support for his or her dual identity in the community?

2. Are there groups organized specifically for the needs of Black-American gay men and lesbian women in the area or are there groups in which racial and sexual minorities both find acceptance and validation?

3. What personal issues might the client have to confront in developing a gay identity while still affirming his or her Black identity? What messages has the client received from his or her social environment regarding the compatibility of being Black American and gay or lesbian?

4. What assumptions does the counselor (or client) have about ways of expressing one's homosexuality (e.g., the level at which one is "out") that might not be realistic for a Black American in his or her particular community?

5. Given a predominantly White community, what other Black-American gay men or lesbian women can be identified as supportive and how have these individuals been received in the local gay community?

6. What are the client's preferences about seeing a counselor who is gay or lesbian, Black American, or both? As these questions imply, gay identity development never takes place in a social vacuum, and thus it is beneficial to consider the social, political, and interpersonal climate of the client.

In this study and discussion the variable of Black-American identity was in effect assumed to be a constant. This, however, is never the case. Black American and other minority identity development have been conceptualized and explored by several authors (e.g., Atkinson, Morten, & Sue, 1979; Cross, 1971; Parham & Helms, 1981). The development of a positive gay identity among Black Americans is very likely to be interrelated with the individual's stage of Black identity development. A more conclusive study would need to incorporate consideration of both of these identities into its design.

It is important to acknowledge that Black-American lesbians face additional challenges as women. Their identity, as such, adds a third level of oppression that was not explored in this article but that certainly has important implications. This article also did not consider the experiences of bisexuals, transvestites, or transsexuals who are Black Americans. Many of the issues outlined above are relevant to these members of the sexual minority community as well.

The journeys shared by this study's participants were clearly ones of both pride and pain. Effective counseling intervention with these individuals can only come through further research and adequate knowledge about issues that have already been defined in the literature. This article has attempted to increase awareness of issues that may impact upon the gay identity development of Black Americans. Many of these issues need further exploration and definition. The more that this task is pursued, the more likely it will be that counseling professionals can help Black-American gay men and lesbian women have journeys of less pain and more pride.

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Minton, H.L., & McDonald, G.J. (1984). Homosexual identity formation as a developmental process. Journal of Homosexuality, 9(2/3), 91-104. Parham, T.A., & Helms, J.E. (1981). The influences of a Black student's racial identity attitudes on preference for counselor's race. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 28, 250-256..

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Darryl K. Loiacano is a clinical social worker at the Volunteer Family Counseling Service, Cortland, New York. The author thanks Dorothy Martin and his partner, James Croteau, for their feedback and support in preparing this article. This article is based on the 1988 master's thesis, titled Gay Identity Acquisition and the Black American Experience: Journeys of Pride and Pain, and copies can be obtained through the University of Pennsylvania library system. Correspondence regarding this article should be sent to Darryl K. Loiacano, Volunteer Family Counseling Service, 10 North Main Street, Cortland, NY 13045.

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