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The Use and Perception of Reclaimed Group Labels for Lesbian Women and Gay Men

Klysing, Amanda LU ; Braun, Maike ; Buschicchio, Giulia ; Jacobs, Catho ; Formanowicz, Magdalena and Fasoli, Fabio (2024) In Journal of Language and Social Psychology p.1-27
Abstract
This research tests whether self-labelling with a derogatory or reclaimed label is perceived as an act of reclamation. A pilot study (N = 102) identified English terms used to label lesbian women and gay men. The main study (N = 276) used a between-groups vignette design in which participants read about a woman/man self-labelling with a descriptive (lesbian/gay), reclaimed (queer), or derogatory group (dyke/fag) label. We assessed perceptions of the speaker (control/influence, agency, and efficacy) and group power, label offensiveness, and the likelihood of using the label in the future. Descriptive labels were perceived as less offensive and more likely to be used compared to reclaimed and derogatory labels. For gay men, using a... (More)
This research tests whether self-labelling with a derogatory or reclaimed label is perceived as an act of reclamation. A pilot study (N = 102) identified English terms used to label lesbian women and gay men. The main study (N = 276) used a between-groups vignette design in which participants read about a woman/man self-labelling with a descriptive (lesbian/gay), reclaimed (queer), or derogatory group (dyke/fag) label. We assessed perceptions of the speaker (control/influence, agency, and efficacy) and group power, label offensiveness, and the likelihood of using the label in the future. Descriptive labels were perceived as less offensive and more likely to be used compared to reclaimed and derogatory labels. For gay men, using a derogatory label compared to other labels decreased perceived agency, but did not influence control/influence and efficacy. For lesbian women, there were no differences in perceptions of power depending on the label used. (Less)
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author
; ; ; ; and
organization
alternative title
Användning och uppfattning av återtagna gruppbeteckningar för lesbiska kvinnor och gay män.
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
epub
subject
keywords
Reclamation, Derogatory group labels, Sexual minorities, Self-labelling, Reappropriation, Lesbian, Gay
in
Journal of Language and Social Psychology
pages
27 pages
publisher
SAGE Publications
external identifiers
  • scopus:85186569735
ISSN
0261-927X
DOI
10.1177/0261927X241234047
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f9e99184-a145-46aa-a64b-0e523c9aa329
date added to LUP
2024-02-26 11:05:16
date last changed
2024-03-27 10:32:30
@article{f9e99184-a145-46aa-a64b-0e523c9aa329,
  abstract     = {{This research tests whether self-labelling with a derogatory or reclaimed label is perceived as an act of reclamation. A pilot study (N = 102) identified English terms used to label lesbian women and gay men. The main study (N = 276) used a between-groups vignette design in which participants read about a woman/man self-labelling with a descriptive (lesbian/gay), reclaimed (queer), or derogatory group (dyke/fag) label. We assessed perceptions of the speaker (control/influence, agency, and efficacy) and group power, label offensiveness, and the likelihood of using the label in the future. Descriptive labels were perceived as less offensive and more likely to be used compared to reclaimed and derogatory labels. For gay men, using a derogatory label compared to other labels decreased perceived agency, but did not influence control/influence and efficacy. For lesbian women, there were no differences in perceptions of power depending on the label used.}},
  author       = {{Klysing, Amanda and Braun, Maike and Buschicchio, Giulia and Jacobs, Catho and Formanowicz, Magdalena and Fasoli, Fabio}},
  issn         = {{0261-927X}},
  keywords     = {{Reclamation; Derogatory group labels; Sexual minorities; Self-labelling; Reappropriation; Lesbian; Gay}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{02}},
  pages        = {{1--27}},
  publisher    = {{SAGE Publications}},
  series       = {{Journal of Language and Social Psychology}},
  title        = {{The Use and Perception of Reclaimed Group Labels for Lesbian Women and Gay Men}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0261927X241234047}},
  doi          = {{10.1177/0261927X241234047}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}