Conversations with the "Queens of Lez," "ChapStick Lesbians," and Fellow Femmes; A Qualitative Exploration of Queer Femmeness, Femme Sex, and Femme Relationships
Faculty Advisor Name
Kathryn Hobson
Department
School of Communication Studies
Description
Through reflexive-dyadic interviews with fellow queer femmes, I investigate the various ways that femmes conceptualize their own version of femmeness, the methods by which they resist patriarchal femininity, and how they navigate femme on femme romantic and sexual relationships. I interviewed femme couples in current long-term relationships and femmes who had never had a romantic or sexual encounter with another femme. I explore how femme couples reconceptualize intimacy and queer pleasure whilst resisting heteronormative principles within their relationship and further analyze reasons as to why some femmes cannot see themselves in a relationship with a fellow femme. The interviews with fellow femmes, alongside my personal reflection on my own femmeness and femme/femme relationship, revealed that femmes use a multitude of ways to resist patriarchal, heterosexual norms. Some femmes chose to exude ultimate femmeness through sex with other femmes, and other femme couples portrayed this with an equitable division of responsibilities and non-specified day-to-day roles. Femme couples revealed that while challenging and scary at times, a lack of prescribed guidelines and standards pertaining to femme/femme relationships allowed for less rigid expectations and more freedom within the queer relationship. Femmes who had never been in a romantic or sexual relationship with another femme revealed that a balanced “yin and yang” to the relationship was necessary, while internalized misogyny played a role in their inability to view femme/femme relationships as successful and fulfilling. The interviews also exposed a stereotypical, more privileged version of femme as the archetype of femmeness. This further marginalized femmes who did not fit this mold, leaving them in a liminal space of attempting to fully grasp at their femmeness.
Using femme theory to guide my work, I first overview the basic theoretical approaches to researching fem(m)ininity, then explain my methodology of dyadic interviews and affective attunement. I go on to spotlight five different interviews that exemplify the various, nuanced femme experience, whilst detailing my own reflections, memories, and analysis throughout. I use composite narratives to represent multiple different femmes interviews through one character based on real interviewees. I then highlight similar themes that surfaced amongst the interviews. I conclude with my parting thoughts and critical analysis of the data. The goal of this research was initially to investigate how femmes “do femme” with each other in romantic and sexual relationships. However, it transformed into a way of connecting femmes who sought affirmation and validity in their identity and relationships.
Conversations with the "Queens of Lez," "ChapStick Lesbians," and Fellow Femmes; A Qualitative Exploration of Queer Femmeness, Femme Sex, and Femme Relationships
Through reflexive-dyadic interviews with fellow queer femmes, I investigate the various ways that femmes conceptualize their own version of femmeness, the methods by which they resist patriarchal femininity, and how they navigate femme on femme romantic and sexual relationships. I interviewed femme couples in current long-term relationships and femmes who had never had a romantic or sexual encounter with another femme. I explore how femme couples reconceptualize intimacy and queer pleasure whilst resisting heteronormative principles within their relationship and further analyze reasons as to why some femmes cannot see themselves in a relationship with a fellow femme. The interviews with fellow femmes, alongside my personal reflection on my own femmeness and femme/femme relationship, revealed that femmes use a multitude of ways to resist patriarchal, heterosexual norms. Some femmes chose to exude ultimate femmeness through sex with other femmes, and other femme couples portrayed this with an equitable division of responsibilities and non-specified day-to-day roles. Femme couples revealed that while challenging and scary at times, a lack of prescribed guidelines and standards pertaining to femme/femme relationships allowed for less rigid expectations and more freedom within the queer relationship. Femmes who had never been in a romantic or sexual relationship with another femme revealed that a balanced “yin and yang” to the relationship was necessary, while internalized misogyny played a role in their inability to view femme/femme relationships as successful and fulfilling. The interviews also exposed a stereotypical, more privileged version of femme as the archetype of femmeness. This further marginalized femmes who did not fit this mold, leaving them in a liminal space of attempting to fully grasp at their femmeness.
Using femme theory to guide my work, I first overview the basic theoretical approaches to researching fem(m)ininity, then explain my methodology of dyadic interviews and affective attunement. I go on to spotlight five different interviews that exemplify the various, nuanced femme experience, whilst detailing my own reflections, memories, and analysis throughout. I use composite narratives to represent multiple different femmes interviews through one character based on real interviewees. I then highlight similar themes that surfaced amongst the interviews. I conclude with my parting thoughts and critical analysis of the data. The goal of this research was initially to investigate how femmes “do femme” with each other in romantic and sexual relationships. However, it transformed into a way of connecting femmes who sought affirmation and validity in their identity and relationships.
