Abstract
Gay identity and gay community are both central topics in gay studies and queer studies. However, the relationship between them remains unquestioned. This paper reveals how the relationship between gay identity and gay community has been shifted from the 90's to the present based on an analysis of discourses on coming-out.
Coming-out in the 90's included three important elements: aspiration for making a good relationship, high self-reflexivity and entry into the gay community. However, the latter two elements have disappeared and the meaning of coming-out has shifted. This shift demonstrates that the relationship between gay identity and gay community has become more and more irrelevant and independent.
