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Abstract:

This paper theorizes how bisexual and transgendered identities are socially constructed through relationships. Traditional models of sexual identity formation have concentrated on the development of gay and lesbian identities, but these models do not adequately explain identity formation for bisexual and transgendered individuals. Furthermore, these models tend to privilege psychological explanations of identity formation. Bisexual and transgendered individuals are caught between the heterosexual and gay/lesbian communities, and thus the ongoing, dynamic process of identity formation for these individuals differs from traditional models of sexual identity formation. Utilizing research on dialectical theory, this essay applies relational dialectical approaches to the formulation of sexual identity "other" than heterosexual or lesbian/gay. Narrative data from published testimonies of bisexual and transgendered individuals highlight the potential applications of this theoretical approach.

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Vol. 3 Issue 3/4, p151-170 20p