Homonormativity and the politics of race: reading Sheryl Swoopes.
This article analyzes print media coverage of Sheryl Swoopes' October 2005 announcement that she is a lesbian. An examination of five key themes that emerged in the mainstream, lesbian and gay, and Black press reveals that homonormative and White racial discourses were pervasive. Specifically, the erasure of Swoopes' racial identity was enabled by narratives about the coming out process and the lesbian and gay market. Although there were some disruptions to dominant discourses, the coverage overall served to rearticulate Whiteness and economic individualism as queer norms.
King
Samantha
S
Kinesiology and Health Studies, Queen's University, 69 Union St., PEC 223, Kingston, Ontario K7L 3N6, Canada. kingsj@queensu.ca
D000328:Adult; D001490:Basketball / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology*; D001727:Bisexuality / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology*; D044383:Black People / Q000523:psychology; D005197:Famous Persons; D005260:Female; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049674:History, 21st Century; D018452:Homosexuality, Female / Q000266:history / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D011822:Race Relations / Q000266:history; D012650:Self Disclosure; D012933:Social Identification; D014481:United States; D001741:Black or African American