exceptional women

[Jessica Weinberg]

I would say theories that look at the ways in which non-conformity to
heterosexual norms becomes essentialized as non-conformity to gender
norms, and vice versa -- and how that essentialization happens -- might
predict the relevance of sexual orientation to the investigation of gender
identity and behavior.  I think theories of gender performativity (like
Judith Butler's work) try to do this.  I also think that theorizing by
transgender activists, like Leslie Feinberg and Kate Bornstein, try to do
this.

I think any of the (relatively) recent language and gender work that looks
at how sexuality is co-constructed along with gender -- and other aspects
of identity such as ethnicity, class, age, etc. -- is also useful in this
vein. Some things that come to mind are Kira Hall's article on phone sex
workers in _Gender Articulated_, Deborah Cameron's article on masculinity
and heterosexuality in _Language and Masculinity_, several of the
articles in _Queerly Phrased_ (and maybe _Beyond the Lavender Lexicon_,
which I haven't had a chance to explore yet), and Mary Buchholz and Penny
Eckert's recent work on language style and the heterosexual marketplace
(from the last BWLG conference, I think).

Jessica


On Wed, 27 Oct 1999, Amy L Sheldon wrote:

> On Wed, 27 Oct 1999, Jessica Weinberg wrote:
>
> > I wouldn't necessarily say that linguistic normbreaking is correlated with
> > sexual orientation - that's a hard claim to support.  That being said,
> > however, I would argue that hegemonic constructions of femininity (and
> > masculinity) are tied to heterosexuality.
>
> 	right
>
>   In fact, I would
> > argue that the (straight white middle class U.S.) hegemonic construction
> > of femininity includes the essentialization of lesbians as nonfeminine
> > (just as the hegemonic construction of masculinity includes the
> > essentialization of gay men as nonmasculine).
>
> 	agreed
>
>   In that sense, I think
> > sexual orientation is very relevant to the investigation of gender
> > identity and behavior.
>
> 	sexual orientation is very relevant.  So, what are some theories
> to predict that relevance....?  I think we need to explore this.
> >
> > Jessica
> >
> > On Tue, 26 Oct 1999, Amy L Sheldon wrote:
> >
> > > >
> > > > Therefore, to find atypical women, one looks for those who are identifiably
> > > > "breaking the rules."  These, it seems to me, fall into two categories:
> > > > those who can't help being visible (as I mentioned in a private message,
> > > > fat women, very tall women, bearded women, extremely masculine-looking
> > > > women, etc.), and those who choose for various reasons to identify
> > > > themselves as outside the stereotype.  In the latter category are many
> > > > lesbians, so I'm not sure why you dismiss them out of hand.  Also, perhaps
> > > 	 I certainly didn't mean to give the
> > > impression to 'dismiss (Lesbians) out of hand'. Linguistic normbreaking
> > > may not be correlated with sexual orientation, is what I meant.
> > >
> > > > politicians (Albright, Reno?), sportswomen, lady wrestlers and roller
> > > > skaters, women in the military, etc.  All of these might have lost or
> > > > abandoned the desire to "fit" linguistic stereotypes as well.
> > > >
> > > > I take it that your goal is to locate individual women whose language is
> > > > nonstereotypical and then to study that language?  Or is it to identify
> > > > entire groups or classes of nonstereotypical women?
> > > >
> > > 	the former
> > >
> > >
> >
> > --------------------------------------
> > Jessica Weinberg
> > University of Arizona
> > Depts. of Anthropology and Linguistics
> > weinberg at u.arizona.edu
> >
> >
>
>

--------------------------------------
Jessica Weinberg
University of Arizona
Depts. of Anthropology and Linguistics
weinberg at u.arizona.edu