Skip to main content
Kent State University Home

Open Access Kent State (OAKS)

  • About
    • About
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Rights and Reuse
  • Browse
    • Authors
    • Collections
    • Communities
    • Subjects
  • Login

Social Rhetoric Shaping Lesbian Identity

  1. Open Access Kent State
  2. Conferences & Events
  3. Undergraduate Research Symposium
  4. 2017 - Kent State University Undergraduate Symposium on Research, Scholarship and Creative Activity
  5. Social Science/Education/Public Health
  6. Social Rhetoric Shaping Lesbian Identity
Author(s)
  • Bethany Holland
Abstract

Social rhetoric often portrays lesbians as hypersexualized, aggressive, and predatory. Yet, there is a lack of research on how this negative social rhetoric shapes lesbian identity. I seek to fill this gap in the literature by addressing this question. To do this, I use structured interviews conducted in 2016 with 5 lesbians at a university in Northeast Ohio. My findings from these interviews demonstrate that social rhetoric in the media influences women’s sexuality at a young age. Also, media and religion collectively create significant amounts of negative social rhetoric, including the stereotypes that these women face. Finally, all of the women believe that sexuality is very complex and is developed by many different social and biological factors. With this research, I hope to better understand how social rhetoric shapes lesbian identity and to influence society away from using negative social rhetoric to represent lesbians because its affects how they form their identity.

Format
Conference Proceeding
Publication Date
2017-03-21
Contributor(s)
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Clare Stacey
Subject
  • Gender and Sexuality
Modified Abstract

Social rhetoric often portrays lesbians as hypersexualized, aggressive, and predatory. Yet, there is a lack of research on how this negative social rhetoric shapes lesbian identity. I seek to fill this gap in the literature by addressing this question. To do this, I use structured interviews conducted in 2016 with 5 lesbians at a university in Northeast Ohio. My findings from these interviews demonstrate that social rhetoric in the media influences women’s sexuality at a young age. Also, media and religion collectively create significant amounts of negative social rhetoric, including the stereotypes that these women face. Finally, all of the women believe that sexuality is very complex and is developed by many different social and biological factors. With this research, I hope to better understand how social rhetoric shapes lesbian identity and to influence society away from using negative social rhetoric to represent lesbians because its affects how they form their identity.

  • Facebook
  • Linkedin
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Email
Open Access Kent State
University Libraries

Street Address

1125 Risman Dr.
Kent, OH 44242

Mailing Address

P.O. Box 5190
Kent, OH 44242-0001

Contact Us

  • oaks [at] kent [dot] edu

Quick Links

  • About
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Rights and Reuse

Information

  • Accessibility
  • Annual Security Reports
  • Emergency Information
  • For Our Alumni
  • For the Media
  • Health Services
  • Jobs & Employment
  • May 4th, 50th Commemoration
  • Privacy Statement
  • Website Feedback
Kent State University Home
© 2021 Kent State University All rights reserved.