An exploration of accounts of lesbian identities : using Q methodology
Master Thesis
1989
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
Most of what little research has been done on South African lesbians has been based on a clinical perspective. This study is based on Kitzinger's (1987) British research on the social construction of lesbianism, which includes an analysis of seven accounts of lesbian identities elicited using Q methodology. The major aim of this research was to find the accounts of lesbian identities presented by some South African lesbians, as the first stage in examining the ways in which these identities are constructed. Auxiliary aims were to examine the accounts of the natures and roles of women and men in society (rather than having the women identify their feminist and non-feminist orientations) and to attempt to link these two sets of accounts. One hundred and six self-identified lesbians, located largely in the major urban areas, volunteered, and sixty participated fully in the research. The participants ranged in age from 17 to 58, with a mean of 30.4 years. The majority were in managerial and professional positions (50%) or students (23.3%); and roost had completed a minimum of Standard 10. Fifty-five are classified "white", three "black African", one "Asian" and one "coloured". A Q-sample (1) of 65 statements, using Kitzinger's broad definition of lesbianism as a guideline, was developed from various sources including correspondence with participants. A second Q-sample (2) was developed from feminist and non-feminist perspectives on women, men and society presented in this thesis. Volunteers were sent a demographic questionnaire, and all those who returned this were sent the Q-samples and a standard set of instructions for completing the Q-sorts. The principal components factor analytic technique, with varimax rotation, was used to analyse the completed Q-sorts. Fourteen factors were extracted for Q-sample 1, and accounts were developed from the resulting factor Q-sorts. Two accounts were discarded. The following twelve accounts of lesbian identities are presented: "born lesbian; and happy"; "feminist and happy"; "woman-loving-woman"; woman-choosing-woman"; "definitely lesbian, but no different from heterosexuals"; "no strong sense of lesbian identity"; "certainly lesbian, but not really happy"; "lesbian as fairly happy gay person"; "wanting to be a man"; "bisexuality: lesbianism as sexual identity"; "lesbianism as sexual rejection of men"; and "sinful and sorry". Thirteen factors were extracted from the analysis of Q-sample 2, and one of the resulting accounts was discarded. These accounts can generally be characterised as moderate, with some support for feminist propositions and a strong rejection of both conservative views about women and controversial feminist propositions. Attempts to link the two sets of accounts were unsuccessful for a number of reasons which are discussed. The research fulfils one criterion for feminist research in that many participants found the process of completing the Q-sorts valuable. The need for a post Q-sort interview to clarify accounts is stressed. Suggestions are made for research into the way these identities are constructed; and for investigations into the experiences of "black" lesbians.
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Bibliography: leaves 286-301.
Reference:
Blyth, S. 1989. An exploration of accounts of lesbian identities : using Q methodology. University of Cape Town.