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Bisexual College Students' Identity Negotiation Narratives

Prieto Godoy, Kaitlin Ann

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2020, Doctor of Philosophy, Ohio State University, Educational Studies.
The purpose of this narrative study was to understand the experiences of bisexual students relative to their sexual identities and how they negotiate their bisexuality on the college campus. This study employed a critical poststructural epistemology (Sarup, 1993; Tierney, 1993), a queer theoretical framework (Abes & Kasch, 2007; Butler, 1990; Jones, Abes, & Kasch, 2013), and was guided by the following four research questions: (1)What narratives of identity negotiation are told by bisexual college students?, (2) How do systems of power influence bisexual students' narratives of identity negotiation?, (3) What is the perceived significance of identity negotiation for bisexual college students?, and (4) How do bisexual students understand their bisexuality as a result of having to employ identity negotiation strategies? Sixteen participants with differing definitions of bisexuality, preferred identity labels, gender identities, races, ethnicities, and worldviews served as the sample for this dissertation research. Data were collected through two semi-structured interviews, the second of which was informed by a drawing activity. Thematic and dialogic/performance analyses resulted in two contextual themes: Pervasive Binegativity and Hegemony of Binaries. Thematic analysis further revealed five themes characterizing identity negotiation strategies: Settling for Simplicity, Transgressing Normativity, Downplaying Bisexuality, Subtly Signaling Sexuality, and Outness as Advocacy. In addition to the emergent themes, individual participant narratives were also provided to highlight the variety of identities and experiences within the bisexual student community.
Susan Jones, Ph.D. (Advisor)
Marc Johnston-Guerrero, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Shannon Winnubst, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
415 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Prieto Godoy, K. A. (2020). Bisexual College Students' Identity Negotiation Narratives [Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1586948071736854

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Prieto Godoy, Kaitlin. Bisexual College Students' Identity Negotiation Narratives. 2020. Ohio State University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1586948071736854.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Prieto Godoy, Kaitlin. "Bisexual College Students' Identity Negotiation Narratives." Doctoral dissertation, Ohio State University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1586948071736854

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)