California Institute of Integral Studies
California Institute of Integral Studies librariesNot a member yet
1665 research outputs found
Sort by
You just got transgendered! : Lexical change and language ideologies in discourse about identity labels for trans, cis and non-binary people
No full textThe analysis of identity terminology has been a central part of queer linguistics from its inception, focusing variably on homophobic slurs (e.g., Armstrong 1997), the reclamation of such epithets (e.g., Chen 1998), and the agency to choose one’s own identity labels (e.g., Zimman 2017), among other topics. However, the fact that the lexicon remains “above the level of awareness” (Silverstein 1981) has made it a less attractive domain for quantitative sociolinguists, who tend to prioritize the analysis of not-fully-conscious linguistic practices at the level of phonetics, phonology, morphology, or syntax. However, quantitative, computational, and corpus methods can be useful for identifying patterns of lexical change that might not be apparent from qualitative analysis alone (e.g. Baker 2010). At the same time, the politically charged nature of identity labels makes a purely quantitative analysis untenable, leaving us with little sense of why changes are taking place. This talk takes a mixed-methods approach to lexical change in terms for trans, cis, and non-binary people in three online communities hosted by LiveJournal.com that were popular in the 2000s (one for trans women, another for trans men, and a third for genderqueer people). First, we present quantitative findings regarding change over time in the most popular terms for trans, cis, and non-binary people. Next, we delve into the metalinguistic analyses produced by members of this community, focusing on 1) the problematization of transgendered and shift away from this form in favor of transgender or trans, 2) the introduction of cisgender and its alternatives, and 3) the emergence of non-binary as an umbrella label. In each case, we consider the language ideologies invoked by speakers to explain and justify their stance to these changes. We note that speakers employ a variety of strategies, including appeals to Standard Language Ideology (Lippi-Green 2012) and the citation of linguistic authorities. However, we also highlight instances of speakers resisting these ideological frames and instead promoting a harm-based model of linguistic oppression in which outcomes, rather than power-laden judgements of linguistic “validity,” shape the path of linguistic activism
Women’s in Sexed Signs: Discursive Construction of (Trans)Women in Bangkok Sex Tourism Spaces
No full textSex tourism has been discreetly explored in linguistics (Borba, 2016) for years. Although a research turn was observed from the works on the sexualization of places (Piller, 2010) and the construction of gender identities (Baudinette, 2018), scant literature remains in the study of women’s’ (i.e., transwomen (or frequently referred to as Lady Boys in Thai context) and ciswomen) in sex tourism. The present study addresses this gap by investigating the discursive construction and consumption of women’s’ in sex tourism spaces. Employing an integrated multimodal framework from visual social semiotics (Kress and Van Leeveun, 2006; Scollon and Scollon, 2003), resemiotiziation (Iedema, 2003) and linguistic fetishization (Kelly-Holmes, 2014), the study examines the sexed signs, i.e., the shop and promotional signs, in Soi Cowboy and Nana Plaza, Bangkok. Analyses of sexed signs indicate interaction of linguistic and semiotic resources in the construction of womens and their objectification for the consumption of male heterosexuals. Visual elements and language choices across shop and promotional signs are found to be prevalent on sexed signs advertising transwomen compared to ciswomen. Transwomen are discursively constructed through foreign language visuals (Kelly-Holmes, 2014), a fetishization process using multilingual signs. These multilingual signs are visually enriched through the visibility of the women body and the color pink to index transwomen. In addition, the objectification (Fredrickson and Roberts, 1997) of sexualized women bodies commonly appears in promotional signs and are subjected to male consumption through ritualization (Goffman, 1979) and body display (Kang, 1997). This eroticization of signs participates in the sexualization of spaces (Piller, 2010) and the commodification of transwomen. Such phenomenon is linked to Thailand’s sex tourism industry that is known for “lady boy” sex workers. On the other hand, ciswomen are fetishized through the prominence of visual English with sprinkles of Thai which is more prominent in shop signs alongside a sexual disclaimer sign “100% Real Ladies” that serves as exclusive space marker to indicate female heterosexual space. The women shadow, prevalent in shop and promotional signs, is employed to objectify ciswomen and sexualized through feminine touch (Goffman, 1979) where the woman cradles an object, i.e., pole (Kang, 1997). This sparse use of linguistic and semiotic elements and the color red are used to index ciswomen. The study concludes that Bangkok sex tourism spaces leans towards the commodification of transwomen over ciswomen sex workers. The linguistic and semiotic choices discursively participate in construction of womens in sexualized spaces. The study also demonstrates that language use in sex tourism jointly articulates how identity and desire performs sex as work (Borba, 2016)
Sounding gay and sounding straight in Spain: A cross-dialectal approach
No full textThis proposal aims to examine the phonetic variation of sibilants and prosody in gay and straight Spanish men. Previous studies have shown sibilant variation and intonation patterns to correlate with social constructions of gay identity and gay-sounding voices. This proposal is based upon a methodology that focuses on speaker performance as well as speaker identity to address how phonetic variation encodes sexual identity in dialects of Spanish. Specifically, I aim investigate the means by which Spanish males employ acoustic patterns to encode gay- and straightness across two dialects of Peninsular Spanish and how listener perceptions in terms of sexual orientation and other characteristics. I plan to use both quantitative and qualitative techniques to analyze reading tasks, sociolinguistic interview data, and perception questionnaire data. The analysis will focus on the production of segmental (sibilant consonants) and suprasegmental (pitch and intonation) components of performances by both gay and straight males of Eastern Andalusian Spanish (EAS, /s/-aspirating) and Central-Northern Peninsular Spanish (CNPS, /s/-maintaining) in order to assess what phonetic features are used to materialize socially salient identities. At the time of the conference, I will be in the beginning phase of data collection
The impact of social acceptance of sexuality disclosure on the development of a gay lisp
No full textThe objective of this project would be to establish social acceptance or the lack thereof as a contributing factor to the development of stereotypical speech patterns in gay men. Much of the literature in the area concerns the existence of a gay lisp rather than conditions for its development, so I am attempting to fill this gap in existing research. This would likely be established through in-person interviews with gay men of a broad age range. Questions would concern one’s coming out experience and acceptance in various social areas, as well as demographics to rule out or establish other contributors. Following the interview, a specific sample (same sentence) of each man’s voice would be rated on a scale of heterosexuality vs. homosexuality by several individuals outside the study group. By the time of the conference, I will ideally be attempting to apply for ethical approval of my refined methods
From reading to judging : Linguistic performativity of judging and hosting in a regional drag competition
No full textRuPaul’s Drag Race has popularized the phrase “reading is fundamental,” referring to ‘reading’ a drag sense where drag queens perform ritual insults toward another with a goal of humor and bonding. This ritual, predominantly linguistic in nature, has its roots in ballroom culture among trans and queer people of color, but has expanded more broadly into many facets of the drag world, in part due to the mainstreaming of drag culture through shows such as RuPaul’s Drag Race. While some aspects of reading are currently being examined in other presentations linked to this research, little if any work has been done with a focus on the ways that judging and banter take place in similar contexts. Expanding on active research coming from a large ethnographic project on drag language and performativity in a local US drag community, this presentation shifts focus from ‘reading’ between queens to the linguistic performativity and production of expertise among the judges and hosts of the town’s local Drag Superstar competition. This competition, structured loosely on RuPaul’s Drag Race, features weekly competitions with challenges and tasks that lead to eliminations of contestants until a finale week where a winner is crowned. In the context of this ethnographic setting, local performers and previous competition winners are placed into positions of judge and host during the season being studied. These participants of the wider competition structure connect their own experience and positionality in relation to the competition format, as well as wider understandings of drag outside the local context. I focus here on the language used by the panel of judges, as well as the host of the competition, as they exhibit strategies to claim expertise, provide critical feedback, and connect with the broader audience as well as the competitors in their commentary and responses to performances and other on-stage interactions
The Origin (and Future) of Transpersonal Psychology in an Open Scientific Naturalism
Get PDFA number of scholars well known within transpersonal psychology appear to be converging on open scientific naturalism as a philosophically and methodologically fruitful framework for transpersonal and related fields. This builds on the nascent open naturalism evidenced in the early years of transpersonal psychology, before it entered its metaphysical phase (ca. 1975 to 2000). Since it is necessary for science to assume some kind of world within which it is possible to do science, and not every aspect of that assumed world can be subjected to processes of empirical investigation, some of these necessary background assumptions are unavoidably metaphysical. However, the fact that these are unavoidable does not justify the insertion of foreground metaphysical explanations for psychological or spiritual phenomena. Rather than attempting to broaden psychology by adding metaphysics, an open scientific naturalism can make it more inclusive and more scientific by disputing metaphysically based disbeliefs based on specifically Western background reality assumptions
The Luminous Night of the Soul: The Relationship between Lucid Dreaming and Spirituality
Get PDFLucid dreams, in which the dreamers are aware that they are dreaming, can be a source of spiritual and mystical experiences. This empirical study aimed to explore the relationship between lucid dreaming and spirituality, taking into account the role of mystical lucid dream experience, in an online sample of 471 respondents, 95% of whom had lucid dream experience and 65% were frequent lucid dreamers. The findings support the relationship between lucid dreaming and spirituality: spiritual transcendence was positively associated with both lucid dream frequency and mystical lucid dream experiences. Thus having recurrent lucid dreams and mystical experiences in them may foster spiritual growth, rendering lucid dreaming possibly a viable spiritual practice, especially within the secular context. However, the correlative nature of the present research does not imply causality and further longitudinal research confirming this is needed