The Firefly Study & The Firefly Journey Study
I want to hear your stories!
As a part of my doctoral dissertation, I am conducting a study exploring the role of compulsory heterosexuality and community on the coming out journey for “fireflies”.
Part 1 of the study, referred to as “The Firefly Study” is a qualitative study with 21 semi-structured interviews of individuals of various genders and sexualities who identify with the term “firefly” and have experienced coming out later-in-life after having committed to a long-term monogamous hetero-seeming relationship. As of June 2025 the interviews are complete (WOOHOO!) and will be coded and analyzed and then written into my final dissertation within the next several months!
THE EXCITING SECOND PART
There was so much interest in part 1 of The Firefly Study that I needed to create a spinoff study, which I refer to as “The Firefly Journey Study”. This study is a way to hear all of your stories and to not have to turn anyone away who wants to share their journey with me. I added this second study for the sake of helping others with similar firefly stories through research that promotes visibility, normalization, and community around the shared experience of coming out later in life! This study is completely quantitative, meaning all the questions are in survey form (as opposed to interview form). You can complete the survey at your own pace, wherever feels best for you. Your story is important and I want to hear it! Please consider completing it using the QR code on that flyer above or by using this link:
Please feel free to email with any questions you may have about either study! mhanfling@mymail.ciis.edu
