The Theoretical and Methodological Implications of Bisexuality in Language and Sexuality Studies

Abstract

Language communicates not just what we say, but also who we are. Research demonstrates that speakers use linguistic variation to construct sexual identities and communities. Driven by the question of whether stereotypes about lesbian and gay speech have “real” bases in speech production or perception, the literature in this area is historically preoccupied with differences between lesbian, gay, and straight people. White and cisgender positionalities are overrepresented in this work. As a result, the understanding of sexuality that emerges in this area is white, monosexual, and often mapped onto gender expression. Bisexuality and its intersections with other aspects of identity are not widely considered, leaving the theorization of sexuality incomplete. This dissertation extends the theorization of sexuality by positioning bisexual practices and subjectivities as central to understanding sexuality. The first and second content chapters present quantitative analyses of acoustic data. Both chapters explore how bisexual people produce /s/–the sound associated with the “gay lisp” stereotype–relative to lesbian, gay, and straight people. The first content chapter focuses on the theorization of the gender-sexuality interface, whereas the second content chapter focuses on the intersection between sexuality, gender, and race. The third content chapter examines how people talk about bisexuality online using a statistical approach called keyness analysis. The chapter provides insights into the concepts and ideologies that characterize discourses of bisexuality online, and identifies numerous avenues for further research on bisexual identity construction. All three content chapters illustrate the value of centering peripheral identities in linguistic research. This dissertation represents the largest body of research on bisexuality within linguistics to date.