SWIMMING AGAINST THE TIDE: THE CONJUGAL EXPERIENCE OF GAY MEN AND HETERONORMATIVITY

• Main Authors: Carolina de Campos Borges, Andrea Seixas Magalhães, Terezinha Féres-Carneiro
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidade Estadual de Maringá 2017-12-01
• Series: Psicologia em Estudo
• Subjects: Conjugalidade homoafetiva; heteronormatividade; contemporaneidade.
• Online Access: http://periodicos.uem.br/ojs/index.php/PsicolEstud/article/view/34729

This article stems from a survey conducted with men living a conjugal relationship with partners of the same sex. It aimed at understanding the effects of the naturalization of heteronormative standards in homosexual conjugal experiences. For this study, the authors selected part of the results of the discourse analysis of nine interviews – middle-class homosexual men, aged 25 to 47, residents of the Brazilian city of Goiania living with their partners. The authors discussed the results concerning two categories that emerged from the interview analysis process: their views of family and marriage; and their daily experiences regarding conjugality. The results show that those subjects have their views of family and marriage that are deeply influenced by the appreciation of affection and respect for the singularity of the individuals. In their everyday lives, they create a particular sharing of domestic chores that does not follow socially established gender distinction criteria. Although the participants feel free from the sexist norms in their spaces of intimate life, they suffer the effects of social heteronormativity in public spheres.