The discursive patterns of gays and lesbians in Malta

Abstract

This thesis sets out to analyse the verbal and non-verbal repertoire of gays and lesbians as they attempt to negotiate their gay or lesbian identity in a predominantly heterosexual culture. This is done through the use of both qualitative and quantitative methods of data collection. Specific lexical items used by the Maltese public used to refer to sexual minority members are pitted against lexical items used by sexual minority members with reference to themselves. Furthermore, this study undertakes a comparative analysis of homosexual and heterosexual respondents' perceptions of sexual category labels as well as an in-depth analysis of the non-verbal behaviour of gays and lesbians. Survey findings reveal that there is a very strong correlation between the way the mainstream culture describes sexual minority members and the way the latter come to perceive themselves. In addition, the semantic properties of sexual category labels seem to be more specific among sexual minority respondents than among heterosexual respondents. Indeed, misconceptions held by the majority culture regarding sexual minorities are rife. It has also been revealed that far from being outlandish, gays' and lesbians' verbal and non-verbal repertoire is surprisingly in key with what the mainstream culture expects out of "social deviants."