Graduation Date
2003
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Master of Arts degree with a major in Sociology
Committee Chair Name
Dr. Elizabeth Watson
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Jennifer L. Eichsteddt
Third Committee Member Name
Dr. Donna Schafer
Keywords
Sociology
Abstract
Butch lesbians are at a high risk for discrimination in the workplace because their appearance and manner signal gender nonconformity and make their lesbian sexuality visible. This exploratory research presents the results of life and work history interviews with ten self-identified butches. The women interviewed encounter unique challenges in the workplace because they do not meet the gender standards expected from women, and they are visibly out lesbians. Interviews with these butches explore the relationships between masculinity and butch identity, how race and class influence the participants’ butch identity, how this identity influences their occupational choices, and their current treatment in the workplace. The researcher uses grounded theory to analyze the interview data and elaborate on butch experience in labor institutions. The researcher encountered four major work themes: (1) The butches interviewed engage in typically masculine work. (2) They consistently present an outward masculine display at work. (3) Because of this visibility, all of the butches experience negative reactions from coworkers and iv management, which often take the form of social distancing or mistreatment. (4) Outright institutional discrimination, both direct and indirect, occurs based on the butches’ gender nonconformity. The study concludes with techniques the butches use to manage their stigma, such as distancing, covering, reframing, and educating.
Recommended Citation
Macedo, Jacelyn G., "Working Butch: Lesbian Gender Nonconformity in the Workplace" (2003). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2485.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2485