Coming out of the Closet: Exploring LGBT Issues in Strategic Communication with Theory and Research

292 Pages·2013·11.941 MB·English

by  Natalie T.J. Tindall (editor), Richard D. Waters (editor)

This book is part of the Peter Lang Media and Communication list.
Every volume is peer reviewed and meets
the highest quality standards for content and production.

PETER LANG
New York (cid:121) Washington, D.C./Baltimore (cid:121) Bern
Frankfurt (cid:121) Berlin (cid:121) Brussels (cid:121) Vienna (cid:121) Oxford
PETER LANG
New York (cid:121) Washington, D.C./Baltimore (cid:121) Bern
Frankfurt (cid:121) Berlin (cid:121) Brussels (cid:121) Vienna (cid:121) Oxford
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Coming out of the closet: exploring LGBT issues
in strategic communication with theory and research /
edited by Natalie T. J. Tindall, Richard D. Waters.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Homosexuality and education. 2. Sexual orientation—Study and teaching.
3. Sexual minorities—Study and teaching. 4. Bisexuality—Study and teaching.
5. Transsexualism—Study and teaching. I. Tindall, Natalie T. J.
II. Waters, Richard D.
LC192.6.C666 371.826’6—dc23 2012050293
ISBN 978-1-4331-1950-7 (hardcover)
ISBN 978-1-4331-1949-1 (paperback)
ISBN 978-1-4539-1055-9 (e-book)

Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek.
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the “Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data is available
on the Internet at http://dnb.d-nb.de/.

The paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability
of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity
of the Council of Library Resources.

© 2013 Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York
29 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10006
www.peterlang.com

All rights reserved.
Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm,
xerography, microfiche, microcard, and offset strictly prohibited.
This book is dedicated to the people who have helped me along my way:
my parents, Cheryl L. Johnson-Tindall and Nathaniel W. Tindall; my brother,
Nathaniel; my maternal grandparents, Doretha and Jimmie L. Johnson.
—Natalie T. J. Tindall, Ph.D.
I would not be where I am today without the support of my loving parents, Edward
and Martha Waters; my brother, Jeffery; my partner, Glenn Wickman; and the daily
support and encouragement of Oscar and Joey. I am especially grateful that Kayla and
Ari Waters created the painting used as part of the cover art for this book.
—Richard D. Waters, Ph.D.

Table of Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..........................................................................................................vii
INTRODUCTION
Coming Out of the Closet to Address Challenges With LGBT Research ........................1
Natalie T. J. Tindall
Part 1: Understanding LGBT Strategic Communication Practitioners
CHAPTER 1
Harassment in the Workplace: Violence, Ambivalence,
and Derision Experienced by LGBT Strategic Communicators......................................7
Richard D. Waters
CHAPTER 2
Invisible in a Visible Profession: The Social Construction of Workplace Identity
and Roles Among Lesbian and Bisexual Public Relations Professionals......................24
Natalie T. J. Tindall
CHAPTER 3
Invisible and Visible Identities and Sexualities in Public Relations.............................41
Lee Edwards and Jacquie L’Etang
Part 2: Understanding Industry Approaches
Toward the LGBT Community
CHAPTER 4
One Agenda, Multiple Platforms:
How 21st-Century LGBT Advocacy Organizations Navigate a Shifting
Media Landscape to Communicate Messages of Equality.............................................57
Dean E. Mundy
CHAPTER 5
Sexual Minorities as Advertising Gatekeepers: Inside an Industry..............................73
David Gudelunas
CHAPTER 6
Mis(sed) Representations: LGBT Imagery in Mainstream Advertising......................90
Kristin Comeforo
CHAPTER 7
Symbolic Interactions in Sexual Scripts:
Improvisation and Male Consumer Responses to Gay-Vague Advertising................108
Jacqueline Lambiase, Glenn Griffin, and Kartik Pashupati
viii Coming Out of the Closet
CHAPTER 8
Neither Cold Nor Hot: Assessing Christian World Wide Web Sites
That Target LGBT Publics.............................................................................................122
Douglas J. Swanson
CHAPTER 9
Gaffes, Glitches, and Gays: How Organizations Respond to LGBT Crises 136
Brenda J. Wrigley
Part 3: Understanding LGBT-Targeted Campaigns
CHAPTER 10
Absolut Vodka: Defining, Challenging, or Reinforcing Gay Identity?.........................151
Christopher Chávez and Katie R. Place
CHAPTER 11
Who We Were Is Who We Are: Uses of History
in Philadelphia’s LGBT Tourism Marketing................................................................165
Byron Lee
CHAPTER 12
Politicizing Gay Advertising: A Consumer Response Study........................................180
Wan-Hsiu Sunny Tsai
CHAPTER 13
Strategically Framing Same-Sex Marriage:
Lessons From California’s 2008 “Proposition 8” Campaign.......................................193
Hayley Cole
CHAPTER 14
Advocacy in the Digital Age:
Participatory Media and the Empowerment of an LGBT Public.................................207
Erica Ciszek
CHAPTER 15
From Unspeakable to Homosexual to Gay to LGBT: The Evolution
of Research on Marketing’s Most Controversial Market Segment..............................219
Laurie M. Phillips
EPILOGUE
Looking Back, Moving Forward: New Directions in LGBT Research.........................235
Richard D. Waters
BIBLIOGRAPHY.................................................................................................................243
CONTRIBUTORS................................................................................................................273
INDEX..............................................................................................................................277