This study focuses on a group of homosexual men. The group has been defined as 'Queer'
based on the value and pride which they place on their difference to the general norms and
values of the wider society. Four of these men were interviewed on their moral structure and
the way in which they structure their relationships. The study focused on: the nature of the
norms this group has developed; the process by which this has occurred; and the psychological
effects of this process.
It was found that the research participants have developed new norms and behavioural
scripts significantly different to those existing generally in society. These new behavioural
scripts relate to the socially mandated scripts in various ways with some mandated scripts
being rejected, some being adapted and amended and others being inverted. These differences
seem to originate from individuals being rejected and stigmatised. The changes these queer
men have made were moves to bring a greater sense of congruence between their experience,
their morality and their behavioural scripts. The initial period of divergence between the
socially mandated behavioural scripts and their sexual behaviour was marked by psychological
distress while the move to greater congruence between behaviour and behavioural scripts was
characterised by increased psychological empowerment and sense of self-worth. The study
also showed that during these processes other differences developed between the way these
individuals act in their world and the general norm of society. These differences included a
greater self-awareness; an increased ability to operate at a meta-level; a conscious effort to
create the life that one wants; differences in gender behaviour which incorporated behavioural
aspects of both genders and new forms of establishing and maintaining relationships.
Homosexuality is an historic opportunity to open up new relational
and affective potentialities, not in virtue of qualities intrinsic to the
homosexual, but because of the position of the homosexual 'offcenter',
somehow, together with the diagonal lines which the
homosexual can draw through the social fabric, makes it possible to
bring to light these potentialities - a famous homosexual Queer (M.
Foucault) / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/17037 |
| Date | 11 1900 |
| Creators | Joubert, Kevin David |
| Contributors | van Deventer, Vasi |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 online resource (213 leaves) |
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