Abstract
Marriage equality has become a hotly debated topic within public and political discourse within recent years. The personal choices we make based on our sexuality and intimate relationship have been taken out of the private arena and spotlighted as issues of institutional ideology, morality, and equality. Throughout this, the impact felt within LGBTQ communities based on this discourse has been largely overlooked. This study explores the immediate impact newfound marriage equality may have on individuals and couples identifying as members of a diverse sexuality group. Using semi-structured interviews, sixteen respondents self-identifying as lesbians provided narratives exploring the possible impact legalization of same-sex marriage in the state of Minnesota may have had on their identities and relationships. Feelings of validation, increased discussion about diverse sexualities, and the negotiation of heteronormative gender performances and expectations were overarching themes that emerged from these narratives. Within these themes, experiential differences based on age, location, and intersectionality are further explored.
Advisor
Emily M. Boyd
Committee Member
Sarah N. Epplen
Committee Member
Daniel Sachau
Date of Degree
2015
Language
english
Document Type
Thesis
Degree
Master of Arts (MA)
College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Recommended Citation
Klump, K. M. (2015). What Happens Now?: Identity and Commitment Among Lesbian Women With the Passing of Same-Sex Marriage Laws in Minnesot [Master’s thesis, Minnesota State University, Mankato]. Cornerstone: A Collection of Scholarly and Creative Works for Minnesota State University, Mankato. https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/etds/511/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
Family, Life Course, and Society Commons, Gender and Sexuality Commons, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies Commons
Rights Statement
