The last topic highlighted the construction of homonormative values and the gay and lesbian student at Northwestern University. Main concepts: Assimilation, construction of gay and lesbian identity, heteronormativity, homonormativity, poststructuralism, social constructionism, queer theory.
INTRODUCTION, BACKGROUND AND PROBLEM STATEMENT
- Introduction
- Background and problem statement
- Research objectives and questions
- Research objectives
- Research questions
- Research design
- Research paradigm
- Methodology
- Central theoretical framework
- Sampling methods
- Data collection
- Chapter layout
A particular context, such as the university, contributes to the construction of gay and lesbian identities (Jagessar & Msibi, 2015b; Moore, 2015). Previous research (Visser, 2008; Chappell, 2015) has focused on discrimination within gay and lesbian communities in South Africa.
THE NORMALISATION OF GAY AND LESBIAN IDENTITIES: A
- Introduction
- Heteronormativity
- Primary and secondary socialisation: institutional reproduction
- Maintaining and reproducing hegemonic heteronormativity
- Heteronormativity in South Africa
- Homonormativity
- Homonormative regulation: Institutional influence
- Homonormativity in South Africa
- Conclusion
Section B: Academic Information; Section C: Gender and Gender Identity; Section D: Social identity (heteronormativity and homonormativity); Section E: Campus Climate; Section F: Discrimination;. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some of the interviews could not be conducted face-to-face.
QUEER CONSTRUCTIONS OF GAY AND LESBIAN EXPERIENCES ON
Introduction
Queer theory: An introductory conceptualisation
- Main themes of queer theory
- Heterosexuality as “unnaturally” normal
- Coming out but staying in: Continuous negotiation of the closet
- Troubling uniformity
- Queer theory: A critique
Experiencing the university context: Hetero-spacial arrangement
- The campus environment as (un)safe space
- Positive experiences of gay and lesbian students on campus
- Negative experiences of gay and lesbian students on campus
Conclusion
METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN
Introduction
The time a person leaves the tea bag in the cup depends on the perception of the desired strength of the tea. In qualitative research, the process begins with theoretical decisions made by the researcher (Creswell & Poth, 2016:15). In addition, writing and conducting research depends on the researcher's paradigms, ideologies and worldviews (Creswell & Poth, 2016:15).
This includes their epistemological and ontological approach, as well as their research methodology and process. According to Creswell and Poth, good research requires the researcher to remain aware of the central tenets of chosen paradigms, ideologies, and worldviews and how these shape the research while engaged in writing up their findings. 2013:1) support this by arguing that factors such as the nature of the ontological and epistemological view of the social world, together with the aim(s) and purpose of the research, the position of the researcher in the researched context and the funding of the research can change the way qualitative principles are applied in research.
Ontological and Epistemological approaches
- Social constructionism
- Poststructuralism
Adler-Nissen (2016:28) and Snow also highlight three assumptions conceptualized by Blumer (1969) and emphasized by proponents of social constructionism. Second, our perceptions, definitions and understanding of the world and reality are deeply embedded in specific contexts and may differ between individuals, so the context must be understood before we can understand social reality and the world (ie context-specificity is necessary) (Adler-Nissen , 2016; Boghossian, 2001). Hammersley (2013:3) states that reality is defined by everyday subjective experiences and the way individuals understand the world, rather than objective truths related to the natural world.
In this regard, proponents seek to understand the world and its systems through their analyzes of the thoughts and interactions of individuals. Social constructionism served as the ontological basis for the research, and the poststructuralist approach of queer theory represented the epistemological basis.
Qualitative Research Design
- Principles of qualitative research
This study focused on exploring the experiences of self-identified lesbian and gay students at NWU. The reliability of the research was ensured by the research supervisor critically reading the research process and data collection strategies to ensure that the findings were supported by the data. Cope (2014:89) describes confirmation as the demonstration that the results and conclusions are based on data collected from the participants and not the views or bias of the researcher.
Finally, Cope (2014:89) defines authenticity as the extent to which participants' emotions and feelings are portrayed through the exploration of their experiences of the phenomenon. Johnson and Rasulova describe the principle of authenticity as an addition to the idea of confirmability, as it allows for the questioning of the research process and the interpretations drawn from the findings.
Research methodology
- Population sampling
- Purposive sampling
- Snowball sampling
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Compiling and familiarising
- Disassembling and coding
- Reassembling and constructing themes
- Reviewing and interpreting
- Naming and defining themes
The next section explores the theory and practice of the data analysis methods used in this study. Analysis of qualitative data involves coding processes to identify particular themes from the data (Simoni et al. This phase involves writing up the analysis using extracts and narratives from the data (Braun & Clarke, 2012; Terry et al., 2017).
Extracts and stories from participants should support the description and scope of the topic they are related to (Terry et al., 2017). Through this method, data are not only organized and summarized, but interpreted in relation to the theoretical framework of the study (Braun & Clarke, 2012; Terry et al., 2017).
Ethical Considerations
These extracts and narratives should clearly show the researcher's point to help structure the analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2012). This confirmed their understanding and commitment to the purpose, methods and objectives of the study (Ngozwana, 2018:25). Participants were informed in advance about the study, their role in the research process and the possible risks of participating in the study, based on, among other things, the sensitivity of the subject.
They were further informed that they could withdraw from the research at any time without consequences; none of the participants chose to withdraw (cf. Bryman, 2016). Anonymity and confidentiality are related principles; confidentiality refers to the protection, de-identification, secure storage and concealment of all information that may be associated with participants; and anonymity involves concealing the true identity of the participants, including by allowing them to choose their own pseudonyms prior to the start of each interview (Bless et al.
Conclusion
HETERO- AND HOMONORMATIVE INFLUENCES ON GAY AND
Introduction
I feel like there are subsections within the [gay and lesbian] community created by the community itself. I feel that there is also a lot of discrimination against trans people, like the gay community doesn't see them as one of us and therefore should be excluded. However, not all homosexuals think and act like this, it just seems to be prevalent in society and it bothers me.
The findings that emerged from the interviews (Appendix B) are reported in this chapter, while chapters 6 and 7 focus more critically on the data collected.
Biographical information of the participants
The table above provides an overview of the biographical information of the 27 study participants. Regarding the race of the participants in this study, eight (8) participants self-identified as black, 18 as white, and one as colored. Regarding the study faculty, 14 participants were registered in the Faculty of Human Sciences, three in the Faculty of Law, three in the Faculty of Education, two in the Faculty of Natural Sciences, two in the Faculty of Economic and Managerial Sciences. two in the Faculty of.
This study focused on self-identified gay and lesbian students; however, three self-identified pansexuals, two bisexuals, and one bi-curious student were also allowed to participate. These participants, however, declined to participate in the research due to safety concerns, but they agreed to share the call for participants with their acquaintances who might want to participate.
Findings
- Personal identity construction
- Defining sexual orientation
- Students’ perceptions of the meanings of “gay” and “lesbian” categories
- Perceptions of “straight”
- Defining sex and gender
- Student perceptions on masculinity and femininity
- Sexual orientation among students on campus
- Constructing the gay student identity
- Constructing the lesbian student identity
- Debating the link between sexual orientation, gender and sex
- The link between biological sex and gender
- Towards or beyond the cisgender model on campus: Students’ perspectives
- The link between students’ own sex, gender and sexual orientation
- Views on gay, lesbian and “straight” “sensibilities”: Stereotypes associated with
- Stereotypes about “straight” students
- Gay and lesbian typologies on campus
- Gay typologies
- Lesbian typologies
- So many typologies, so little time: Participants’ favoured typologies
Max (gay) also defined sexual orientation as "the way you express yourself sexually". Ikai (gay) understood the terms "gay" and "lesbian" as "emotional, mental, psychological and sexual attraction of the same sex". Participants described their opposite-sex and gender attraction as “sexual” (Bernice, Granger, Martha), “romantic” (Bernice, Lee, Martha), “emotional,” and “physical” (Granger).
She noted that she identified as a "biologically female," and this didn't mean she was. Jocks were described as "masculine" (Richy, Sienna), "sporty" (Sienna, Skylar), and "straight acting" (Richy, Sienna).
The “popular” and “perfect” gay and lesbian campus identity
- Sources for what it means to be gay, lesbian or straight
Participants were asked about possible sources from which they gained an understanding of what it means to be gay or lesbian and heterosexual. Participants indicated that they learned about being gay or lesbian from “friends” (Edgar, Granger, Heidi, IDK, Jennifer, Martha, Matthew, Tanya) or “peers” (Brett, Eric, Henry, Ikai, Sienna, Tanya). ). Examples of social network participants used were “Instagram” (Matthew, Mukwevho), “YouTube” (Bambi, Matthew, Yellow). Carol, IDK, May, Max), such as "television" (Bambi, Hein, Jennifer, Martha, Mukwevho, Tanya) and "movies" (Hein, Jennifer, Tanya) as a source of their understanding of what it means to be gay or lesbian .
Participants cited blogs (Bernice) and pornography (Max) as sources of their understanding of what it meant to be gay. Participants identified the source of their understanding of what it meant to be heterosexual as the "norm" (Bambi, Eric, Heidi, Granger, Henry, Martha, Matthew) in society as they are "visible everywhere" (Carol, Granger , Lindsey , Richy, Padro, Tanya).
Group identification: Student organisations and heteronormativities
- Heteronormativity and campus culture
- The importance of having ‟straight” friends on campus
- Forming part of campus organisations comprising heterosexual members
- Challenges when interacting with straight students on campus
- Assimilating to or transgressing heteronormativity on campus
- Homonormativity and campus culture
- The importance of having gay and lesbian friends on campus
- Gay and lesbian spaces on campus
- Forming part of gay and/or lesbian organisations
- Perceptions on gay and lesbian sensibility
- Assimilating to or transgressing homonormativity on campus
Only Bernice (lesbian), Padro (homosexual), and Richy (gay) reported having no gay and/or lesbian friends on campus. Ikai (gay), Mukwevho (lesbian), and Skylar (gay) gestured toward gay and/or lesbian friends who hung out about homonormativity on campus. Participants were asked where they would meet their gay and/or lesbian friends on campus.
Granger (lesbian), Lindsey (pansexual), Mukwevho (lesbian), and Tanya (lesbian) cited meeting their gay and lesbian friends at Campus Pride events. Ikai (gay), Lindsey (pansexual), and Yellow (lesbian) mentioned meeting gay and lesbian friends “everywhere” on campus.
The overarching campus as (non-)normative
- The gay and lesbian watering hole(s)
The participants were therefore asked how they behaved around their gay and/or lesbian friends outside the campus. Similarly, Ndlovu (lesbian) said she behaved more "masculine" off campus around her gay and lesbian friends. Participants did not feel "judged" by gay and lesbian people on campus (IDK, Jennifer, Lee, Matthew).
Eric and Yellow didn't think all the gay and lesbian individuals on campus were supportive, but "with the right ones", would "back you up". Granger (lesbian) can be "more loving" with her "partner" around her gay and lesbian friends than with her straight friends.
Discrimination on campus: Experiences of “the closet”
- The closet
- Exhibiting or inhibiting sexual orientation on campus
- Pressures to be closeted
- Discrimination from straight students
- Discrimination from gay and lesbian students
- Consequences of discrimination from gay and lesbian individuals
Rumena didn't feel the need to stay in the closet on campus because the topic of sexuality didn't always come up. Hein didn't feel the need to because he believed he wasn't "presenting as gay." Skylar did not experience such discrimination because he was "better built than most heterosexuals".
Padro did not believe that the gay community discriminates "as harshly or severely as their heterosexual counterparts". Max often became depressed because he was "constantly reminded" that other gay men did not find him "attractive" or "hot enough".
Conclusion
The second part similarly explored how participants navigated their identities in the larger contexts of on-campus hetero, gay, and lesbian communities. This was due to the perception that gay and lesbian individuals were less likely to experience discrimination. Most participants felt comfortable showing their identity to other gay and lesbian individuals on campus, where such on-campus communities were described as acceptable.
Four participants did not feel comfortable exhibiting their identity due to fear of being judged or ostracized by other gay and lesbian members on campus. Similarly, participants attributed their experiences of discrimination from gay and lesbian people on campus to their behavior as gay men or lesbian women (8), their gender (4), race (2), appearance (6), and economic circumstances (2).
I HAVE EXPERIENCED MORE HATE FROM MY FELLOW GAYS THAN
- Introduction
- The “ideal” gay and lesbian typologies
- In- and out-groups: A typological gay and lesbian identity membership “blueprint”
- Gendered gay and lesbian typologies
- Gay and lesbian typologies beyond the gender binary
- Homonormative typologies as socially (re-)constructed
- To assimilate or transgress: that’s the question
- Assimilationist or liberalist strategies
- Advantages and disadvantages of assimilating into and/or transgressing campus
- Social (and sexual) placement of gay and lesbian students
- The social (and sexual) placement of gay and lesbian students in their respective
- The social (and sexual) placement of gay and lesbian students in their respective
- Homonormative values and the NWU gay and lesbian student
- The “perfect” gay and lesbian identity
- Opportunities and challenges to enact the “perfect” gay and lesbian identity on
- Conclusion
First, gay and lesbian participants perceived homonormative stereotypes only as describing a narrow representation of what it means to be gay or lesbian. Third, the argument that assimilation and adaptation to homonormative typologies can affect the social placement of gay and lesbian individuals as part of an in-group or an out-group. This brings to mind Eribon's (2004) and Van den Berg's (2016) respective references to the so-called "ordinariness" and "normalized" nature of gay and lesbian assimilators in this regard.
Fourteen participants believed that gay and lesbian communities expect others to behave in a certain way, while eleven participants disagreed. The first theme focuses on the strategies used by gay and lesbian students to assimilate, or rather transgress, normative typologies.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Introduction
Achieving the general and specific research objectives: an overview of the
Recommendations
- Recommendations for further academic research
- Practical recommendations for interventions on university campuses in South
Final summary