Strategies of Resisting the Stigma of HTV in Contemporary Anglo-American Society

426 Pages·2014·23.41 MB·English

Strategies of Resisting the Stigma of HTV in Contemporary Anglo-American
Society: A Sociological Study
Claudio Bardella
London School of Economics
PhD Sociology
UMI Number: U185559
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Abstract
The thesis investigates particular micrological strategies of resistance which have
coalesced around the stigma of the HTV virus in the context of the AIDS crisis.
‘Western’ AIDS is a disease that has mainly affected homosexual populations; such
micrological strategies have thus been mainly articulated by different factions of the
subculture.
Homosexual behaviour has been systematically constrained. Homosexuality has been
demonised by Christian discourse, criminalised by civil society, and medicalised by
science. The thesis analyses the different systems of oppression that the homosexual
body has been subjected to as a framework for the development of the analysis of
current strategies of resistance to the stigma inherent in homosexual embodiment. The
stigma of deviant sexuality has been magnified by the advent of the transmission of a
potentially deadly virus through the enactment of (homo)sexuality.
The thesis is both empirical as well as theoretical. Qualitative analysis techniques have
been employed in order to investigate how specific micrological strategies of resistance
have colluded and interacted in the construction of individual identities largely forged
around HTV. On a subcultural dimension both ‘spontaneous’ and ‘conscious’ resistance
projects have been analysed not only on a symbolic level, but in relation to their
particular role in individual processes of identity construction. ‘Spontaneous’ resistance
projects represent resistance strategies that emanate from the grassroots of the affected
constituency whereas ‘conscious’ resistance projects constitute culturally or structurally
elaborated strategies that have either emerged from or been appropriated by specific
factions of gay community
Table of Contents
Chapter 1........................................................................................................................12
Positive Homosexualities: The Role of Resistance in the Construction of Identity
1.1.-The Emergence of the Medical Model
1.1.1.- The Wane of the Religious Worldview and the Dawn of
Individualism.................................................................................................................14
1.1.2.- The Shift in the Political Technology of the Body.................................15
1.2.- Appropriating the Meaning of Homosexual Behaviour
1.2.1.- The Sin Against Nature: canon law and the penitentials.......................20
1.2.2.- The Médicalisation of Homosexuality...................................................23
1.2.3.- Homosexuality and the ‘Other’ Sciences...............................................25
1.3.-Micrological Strategies of Resistance: resisting appropriation...............................26
1.4.- Contemporary Homosexualities: positive(ly) gay identities...................................29
1.4.1.- Becoming Gay: the interactionist
perspective.........................................................................................................................29
1.4.2.- HIV Identities: a social identity perspective.............................................32
1.4.3.- HTV Identities: the postmodern perspective..............................................34
1.5.- Challenging Hegemonic Discourses.....................................................................39
Chapter 2...................................................................... 42
Methodology of Research
2.1.-Theoretical Considerations.......................................................................................42
2.1.1.- Qualitative or Quantitative Research........................................................42
2.1.2.- Basic Research Design: why Grounded Theory?.......................................44
2.2.-Sampling Design........................................................................................................46
2.2.1.- Sampling: a complementary approach......................................................46
2.2.1.1.- Theoretical Sampling..................................................................49
2.2.1.2.- Purposive Sampling.....................................................................50
2.2.1.3.- Link-Tracing Sampling...............................................................50
2.2.2.- Sampling Issues..........................................................................................53
2.2.2.1.- Size of Sample............................................................................53
2.2.2.2.- Discovery of a New Category: changing the Unit of
Analysis..................................................................................................................53
2.2.2.3.- Biases...........................................................................................54
2.2.2.4.-Additional Dissident Interviews...................................................55
2.2.3.- Data Collection...........................................................................................56
2.2.3.1.-Ethical Issues................................................................................56
2.2.5.2.- Questionnaires.............................................................................57
2.2.3.2.1.- Questionnaire Themes Based on Literature
Review.......................................................................................................57
2.2.3.2.2.- Constructing Questions According to Standard
Questionnaire Design Procedures..................................................58
2.2.3.2.3.- Copy of Questionnaire..................................................58
2.2.3.3.- Interviews.............................................................. 58
2.2.3.3.1.- Pilot Interviews.............................................................58
2.2.3.3.2.- The Evolution of the Interview Process: from Structured
to Semi-Structured Interviews.......................................................59
2.2.3.3.3. - The New Category: how it emerged..........................61
2.2.3.3.4. - ‘Doing’ the Interview.................................................62
2.2.3.4.- Method of Transcription..............................................................65
2.2.3.4.1.- Issues of Transcription.................................................65
2.2.3.4.2.- Process of Transcription...............................................67
2.2.3.4.3.- Description of Transcripts...........................................68
2.2.3.4.4.- Example of Transcription.............................................70
2.3.- Description of Sample...............................................................................................70
2.3.1.- Recruitment Methods.....................................................................70
2.3.1.1.- Recruiting: where and how to get a hold of the hard-to-
reach samples............................................................................70
2.3.2.- General Demographics of Interviews ............................73
2.3.2.1.- Demographics of NUDIST Interviews.......................73
2.3.2.2.- The NUDIST Sample and HIV: symptoms, time of
diagnosis, and therapeutic strategy.............................................75
2.3.2.3.- Demographics of Thematic Analysis Interviews 77
2.4.- Future Research: integrating paradigms.................................................................79
Chapter 3........................................................................................................................82
The Homosexual Body through Historv: Representation. Containment and Resistance
3.1.-Ancient Homosexuality..............................................................................................82
3.1.1.- Pre-Historic Homosexuality.......................................................................82
3.1.2.- Classical Homosexuality................................ 83
3.1.3.- Homosexuality and the Beginning of Christianity.....................................86
3.1.4.- Homosexuality in the Middle Ages............................................................89
3.2,- Modem Homosexuality.................................................. 90
3.2.1.- Homosexuality in Early Modem Europe....................................................91
3.2.2.- The Criminalisation of Homosexuality in England and
Wales.................................................................................................................................93
3.2.3.- The Décriminalisation of Homosexuality in the Post-War
Period.................................................................................................................................95
3.2.4.- The Médicalisation of Homosexuality.....................................................100
3.2.5.- Science and the Homosexual....................................................................104
3.2.6.- The Gay Liberation Movement .............................................110
3.3.- Homosexuality and AIDS........................................................................................113
3.3.1.- The Health Crisis Today...........................................................................116
Chapter 4...................................................................................... 119
AIDS Pilgrimages: Dance. Sex, and Drugs as Resistance
4.1.-Gay ‘Tribes’: a community?....................................................................................119
4.2.- The Circuit: resisting through ritual........................................................................129
4.2.1.- The Ritualised Lifestyle of the ‘Circuit Queen’.......................................129
4.2.2.- The Gay Body: magic and resistance.......................................................131
4.2.3.- The Positive Body: ritual and resistance................. 134
4.2.4.- The Wider Context: rave culture..............................................................143
4.2.5.- The Circuit................................................................................................145
4.3.- The Pilgrimage: dancing for salvation....................................................................150
Chapter 5.................................................................................. 158
Queer Spirituality: Resisting the Démonisation of the Homosexual Body
5.1. -The Spiritual Discourses of the Queer .........................................................158
5.2.- Liberation Theologies............................................. 160
5.3.- Queer Theology: resisting the Judeo-Christian tradition.........................................162
5.3.1 .-‘Texts of Terror’ and the Theology of St Aelred.......................................162
5.3.2.- Was Jesus ‘Queer’?................ 167
5.3.3.- Ancient Queers: the historical evidence...................................................169
5.4.- Gay Soul: resisting homophobia.............................................................................173
5.4.1.- Reclaiming the Shamanic Past..............................................................174
Chapter 6..........................................................................................................................178
AIDS Dissent: Resisting (Rehnedicalisation