Progay/Antigay: The Rhetorical War Over SexualityCombining humanistic rhetorical criticism with social scientific concepts, Ralph R. Smith and Russel R. Windes examine how the discourse of the progay/antigay debate shapes the self-understanding and strategies of the two opposing sides. The struggle over issues such as lesbians and gay men serving openly in the military, same-sex marriage, and inclusion of "sexual orientation" in anti-discrimination and hate crime laws have evolved along with the development of rival progay and traditionalist antigay communities. In the process of presenting their arguments to the wider society, the two sides exercise extraordinary influence on each other. As a result of the public policy debates, the progay movement has moved toward an essentialist, non-sexual identity, while the traditionalists have shifted toward a secular public self-representation. Progay/Antigay also analyzes the internal disagreements within the two movements. The same-sex marriage debate illustrates important dimensions of the contest over sexuality. The authors examine rhetorical strategy and counter-strategy in this specific institutional context. Progay/Antigay also discusses how the study of the variant sexuality issue provides the opportunity to assess paths for reconciliation and to judge concepts of political pluralism and multiculturalism. |
From inside the book
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... Sexuality Issue Culture 2. Analysis of Communication in Contests Over Variant Sexuality vii xi 1 35 3. Appeals in Progay and Traditionalist Discourses 57 4. Antagonistic Construction of Identity and Conflict 93 5. Debate Within ...
... issue cultures , " textual prac- tices that become relatively fixed in ... homosexual and heterosexual . Arguably , it is impossible to maintain a ... sexuality with sophistication , balance , and thoroughness . " Who , then ...
... culture's engagement with the public policy implications of homo- sexuality hinges on the emergence of a particular ... issue culture . Each kind of analysis provides insight into an as- pect of public policy dispute . In our attempt to ...
... sexuality publicly invisible as well as attacks on public policy programs ... issue culture . Through the process of making public claims , tra ... sexuality . Both progay and antigay interpretive packages are ambiguous in the sense that ...
The Rhetorical War Over Sexuality Ralph R. Smith, Russel R. Windes. understanding of reciprocal influence in a variety of issue cultures . We will suggest that rhetorical critics can contribute to improving the discus- sion of gay / lesbian ...
Contents
1 | |
Chapter 2 Analysis of Communication in Contests Over Variant Sexuality | 35 |
Chapter 3 Appeals in Progay and Traditionalist Discourses | 57 |
Chapter 4 Antagonistic Construction of Identity and Conflict | 93 |
Chapter 5 Debate Within Communities | 127 |
A Case Study | 155 |
Chapter 7 Criticism of the Variant Sexuality Issue Culture | 181 |
References | 203 |
Index | 227 |
About the Authors | 239 |