Now sissy that walk: afirmações e resistências de ser gay e afeminado

Abstract

In the contemporary western society, the boundaries between masculine and feminine are being questioned, making room to news ways of being. Thus, this study’s goals is to understand the constructions of meaning about being gay and effeminate. It was based on a qualitative methodology, using semi-structured interviews with five gays that self-declared effeminate. The transcribed material was analyzed based on constructionism studies. From the analysis of the interviews, four memorable constructions of meaning about being gay and effeminate were identified, being them: a) affirmations of feminity; b) family and effeminate gays; c) loneliness and effeminate gays; and d) discrimination and resistences. The results show how these subjects are embodied as effeminate gays, emphasizing their identity aspects and their family and sexual–affective relationships. The construction processes of the feminine masculinity are marked for afirmations movements, as well as resistences, control and discrimination.