Exploring the sexual identity formation process in women in Malta

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the emotional and relational process bisexual and lesbian women go through, when forming their sexual identity in Malta. Four participants aged 18-25 years who identified as either bisexual or lesbian were recruited through purposeful sampling for and in-depth semi-structured interview. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) was used to analyse the data. Some of the main findings of the study include: sexual identity was experienced in a fluid manner by some participants and that locally there seems to be a sense of dissonance between accepting and inclusive laws and social attitudes.