‘Never judge a book by its cover?’: students’ understandings of lesbian, gay and bisexual appearance

Nikki Hayfield

doi:10.1080/19419899.2013.748261

Abstract

This research aimed to explore (predominantly heterosexual) students’ perceptions of sexuality and appearance. A short qualitative survey, which contained questions about the ‘typical appearance’ of lesbians, gay men, bisexual and heterosexual people, was completed by 36 university students. Previous research on dress and appearance in relation to sexuality has mainly focused on lesbian, gay or ‘queer’ individuals and communities. Minimal research has considered whether heterosexual people recognise non-heterosexuality through the dress and appearance of lesbians, gay men and bisexual people, and it would seem that previous studies have not explicitly considered the notion that heterosexuality might also be recognisable through appearance. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings indicated that while students were able to provide appearance norms for lesbians and gay men (which conformed to those identified in previous research), they were also reluctant to give credence to (what they perceived as) ‘stereotypes’ of sexuality and appearance. They described heterosexual men and women in ways that conformed to ‘traditional’ gender norms, but were less able to identify any appearance norms for bisexual people, reflecting the invisibility of bisexuality within Western culture.

Highlights

It has been theorised that visibility is inextricably interwoven with domination and oppression, subjectification and objectification
The current study aims to explore a group of heterosexual students’ perceptions of thetypical appearance of lesbians, gay men and bisexual and heterosexual women and men, and whether they are able to recognise appearance norms in relation to sexuality, using a qualitative survey technique
What can be interpreted from these responses is that bisexual people were sometimes portrayed as likely to draw on the appearance norms of other identities, but that they were not presented as having their own shared visual identities that permitted them the opportunity to be visibly recognisable as bisexual. The data from this particular sample of students indicates a concern to avoid the appearance of prejudice, it reflects some grasp of appearance norms for lesbians and gay men

Summary

Introduction

It has been theorised that visibility is inextricably interwoven with domination and oppression, subjectification and objectification. Visibility is linked to validation; those who are 25 individually and socially visible are more likely to be dominant within wider culture (Brighenti, 2007). To be represented can be a powerful tool because it allows the possibility of challenging misunderstanding and misrepresentation (Gamson, 1998). Visibility can allow both literal spaces (e.g. communities) and experiential spaces (e.g. being able to recognise others ‘like us’ or hearing about ‘ourselves’ in mainstream mass 30 media) to exist. To be visible can be affirmative in validating personal, social and cultural identities (Gamson, 1998; Walker, 2001).

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Conclusion