Title: What We Talk About When We Talk About Same-Sex Marriage: The Construction of Sexual Citizenship in Federal Policymaking
Abstract: The aim of this paper is to examine the representations of gays and lesbians found in the Congressional debate on the federal marriage policy between 1996 and 2013. This study explores the reasons same-sex marriage has promulgated from the chambers of legislation all the way up to the federal judiciary. The challenges brought forth to the federal policy on marriage are at the center of this research. Using political discourse analysis via a software program, Dedoose, I coded for argumentation and rationales uncover frames in the debate as well as the way in which policymakers speak about this particular minority group. This analysis examines how marriage prohibition for gays and lesbians was instated and why it still has adherents. Proponents of a ban on gay marriage relied mostly on frames related to American democratic principles, making claims of strong judicial activism on the part of judiciaries of state and federal governments. The social constructions of gays and lesbians in the policy debate are characterized by opposing constructions of the fundamental nature of sexuality; proponents of a ban largely portray sexuality as a lifestyle or choice while those against a ban portray it as a immutable characteristic.
Publication Year: 2013
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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