The Role of Sexual Orientation and Gender in the Appreciation of Lesbian Narratives

Abstract

We explore the effect of manifest sexual orientation and gender on the appreciation of lesbian narratives using a mixed-methods approach. Appreciation is a psychological response to narratives that prompts a profound perception of meaning or a motivation to create reflections or thoughts among audiences. We conducted a quantitative study that offered magnitudes of the effects of consumption, and a qualitative study to find explanations for them. Results from both studies were interpreted in a complementary, concurrent fashion. The investigation shows that sexual orientation affects magnitudes of appreciation while gender does not. Homosexuals appreciate these narratives more than heterosexuals. The study also revealed the key role played by personal relevance in the appreciation of these narratives. Our investigation provides further proof of the complementariness of both methods and the appropriateness of their combined use.