Hubungan Sebagai Asas Coming Out: Kajian Fenomenologi LGB dalam Kalangan Masyarakat Cina di Malaysia

Abstract

Coming out individu lesbian, gay dan biseksual (LGB) sering digambarkan dalam naratif Barat sebagai pengalaman individu yang ingin kebebasan. Namun, naratif ini dilihat sebagai kurang praktikal atau relevan bagi sesetengah individu LGB dalam masyarakat kolektivistik. Kajian ini dijalankan untuk meneroka pengalaman coming out individu LGB di Malaysia, dari segi motivasi, strategi komunikasi dan faktor perbezaan individu. Temu bual semi berstruktur dijalankan ke atas lima (5) orang peserta berbangsa Cina. Analisis tematik menunjukkan bahawa hubungan menjadi asas untuk coming out iaitu adanya perasaan selamat dan kerapatan, wujud kejujuran dan setia dalam hubungan, bagi mendapatkan sokongan dan bimbingan serta coming out keluarga dalam keadaan khusus. Dapatan kajian menunjukkan bahawa coming out dalam masyarakat kolektivistik seringnya bukan mengenai ekspresi kendiri, tetapi sebagai proses yang berterusan untuk menguruskan kepelbagaian identiti dan persilangan budaya. Hasil kajian ini membantu bergerak daripada ton mono-budaya dalam kajian LGBT lepas yang dilakukan di negara Barat dan mencadangkan hala tuju baru untuk kajian masa depan tentang pengalaman LGB di Malaysia.

Kata kunci: coming out, LGB, identiti seksual, homeseksual, masyarakat Cina, Malaysia

Abstract: The coming out experience of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) people has often been described in the Western narrative as an act of individual desires and liberation. However, this narrative has been found to be impractical or even irrelevant for many LGB individuals living in collectivistic societies. This study is done to explore the coming out experience of LGB individuals in Malaysia, specifically on the motivations, communication strategies, and factors of individual differences. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were subjected to qualitative thematic analysis. Results yielded three themes: relationship asthe basis for coming out, sexual identity as a private identity, and individual differences. The findings show that coming out in a collectivistic society is often not just about self-expression but an ongoing process of navigating between multiple identities and the intersectionality of cultures. This helps to shift from the monocultural tone of past LGBT studies conducted in the West and sets the direction for future studies on the LGB experience in Malaysia.

Keywords: coming out; LGB; sexual identity; Malaysia; Chinese ethnicity

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