title: Racisms, heterosexisms, and identities: a semiotic phenomenology of self-understanding.
abstract: This article examines the contributions of lesbians of color to the developmental relationship between queer theory and qualitative research methodology. Its thesis is that the contributions of lesbians of color in this context have been overlooked despite being featured. This oversight is explained through an examination of theoretical perspectives that dominate our current understanding of the relationship between queer theory and qualitative research. Postmodernism is revealed as susceptible to liberal bias and racist exclusions common in U.S. culture. Semiotic phenomenology is offered as a non-essentialist approach to queer theory and qualitative research that reduces the liberal bias and racist exclusions often perpetuated in postmodern theorizing that have led to the exclusion of contributions of lesbians of color in queer theory.
authors.affiliation: Hugh Downs School of Human Communication, College of Public Programs, Arizona State University, PO Box 871205, Tempe, AZ 85287-1205, USA. jackie.martinez@asu.edu
authors.forename: Jacqueline M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Martinez
mesh_terms: D001741:Black or African American; D005260:Female; D020010:Heterosexuality; D018452:Homosexuality, Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017058:Mexican Americans; D011287:Prejudice; D011582:Psychological Theory; D012649:Self Concept