Degree Name

Master of Arts

Document Type

Thesis

Date Created

12-1-2020

Department

College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Sociology, Sociology Student Work

Abstract

This research provides a theoretical analysis of the lived experiences of 17 queer individuals, ages 19 to 66, regarding their sexual desires and practices. Queer Theory is incorporated to inform on sex, gender performance and sexuality as social constructs, to inform grounded theoretical concepts, and to identify expressed social behavior by each participant. Social Exchange Theory is used to analyze participant responses. Modified grounded theory is incorporated to posit a particular social exchange that I refer to as the queer exchange; in which particular costs/benefits are considered before queer individuals engage in social exchanges due to their potentially (un)perceived queerness. This research includes semi-structured interviews and addresses what factors affect the manifestation of queer sexual desire into queer sexual practice. Five main themes discerned in this research are desires; practices; empowerments; barriers; and queer defined. Within those 5 main themes, 18 sub-themes emerged. I propose that queer exchanges tend to act as high-cost/high-reward or high-cost/low-reward social exchanges for queer individuals regarding their sexual desires and/or sexual practices. These high costs tend to be associated with primary social units, and often include repressed ideology in the participants early stages of socialization. The differences in high-reward and low-reward for these participants are a result of empowerments like, or barriers like discrimination, violence, objectification and/or repression.

Keywords

Queer; Sexuality; Qualitative; Sociological Perspective; Queer Theory; Social Exchange Theory; Queer Exchange; Queer Methodology

Rights Statement

Copyright is held by the author.

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