Files and links (1)
Open Access CC BY V4.0
Dissertation
“WHAT ABOUT STRAIGHT PRIDE?” HETEROSEXUALITY AS A POLITICAL IDENTITY
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
2026
Abstract
This dissertation examines why support persists for policies that disadvantage LGB people despite broader shifts toward acceptance in the United States. I argue that heterosexuality can function as a politically meaningful social identity and introduces the concept of political straightness, defined as the extent to which heterosexuality is understood as an in-group with political interests worth defending. Using interviews, I first examine how heterosexuals understand group dynamics between heterosexuals and non-heterosexuals. I then use original survey data to develop measures of heterosexual identity and political straightness, showing that they are related but distinct constructs. The findings show that political straightness is more strongly associated than heterosexual identity with perceived threat from LGB social change and opposition to LGB-inclusive policies. This dissertation contributes to scholarship on sexuality and politics, social identity, and majority-group political behavior.
Metrics
1 Record Views
Details
- Title
- “WHAT ABOUT STRAIGHT PRIDE?” HETEROSEXUALITY AS A POLITICAL IDENTITY
- Creators
- Edward Flynt Greer
- Contributors
- Travis N. Ridout (Advisor)Michael Salamone (Committee Member)Amy Mazur (Committee Member)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Politics, Philosophy and Public Affairs, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Washington State University
- Number of pages
- 184
- Identifiers
- 99901393402801842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Dissertation