The ‘basis for a just, free, and stable society’
Institutional Homophobia and Governance at the Family Research Council
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/genl.v4i2.257Keywords:
Homophobic Discourse, Institutional Homophobia, Orders of Discourse, GovernanceAbstract
This study explores institutional homophobia as instantiated by an order of discourse that governs the textualization of homophobic representations. I examine how a U.S.-based, conservative Christian organization deploys an order of discourse that, through a logic of deviancy, enables homophobic formation to unfold. Text-making strategies include hybridizing generic features derived from social science writing generally and deviancy studies particularly, allowing institutional writers to claim scientific legitimacy for their antigay representations. Stylistically, lexical choice promotes an objective tone, while assertion and modalization buttress antigay representations. Discursive strategies include calculated ascriptions and denials of gay/lesbian agency, and the harnessing of hyponymy, synonymy and antonymy to create a taxonomy of deviancies reinforcing antigay evaluations while avoiding overt homophobic references. My findings suggest that the institution’s order of discourse enables homophobic understandings that appear grounded in scientific truth. These institutional practices are motivated by a desire to naturalize governance claims as part of a broader hegemonic struggle over the definition of the good (sexual) citizen and the political direction of the United States.
References
American psychological association (2001) Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association. washington, dc: american psychological association.
Bell, david and binnie, Jon (2000) The Sexual Citizen: Queer Politics and Beyond. cambridge: polity press.
Bergler, edmund (1962) Homosexuality – Disease or Way of Life? new york: collier books.
Bernstein, elizabeth and schaffner, laurie (eds) (2005) Regulating Sex: The Politics of Intimacy and Identity. new york: routledge.
Bhatia, v. K. (1993) Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings. london: longman.
Blumenfeld, warren J. (ed.) (1992) Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price. boston: beacon press.
Butler, Judith (1993) Bodies that Matter: On the Discursive Limits of ‘Sex’. new york: routledge.
Butters, ronald r., clum, John m. and moon, michael (eds) (1989) Displacing Homophobia: Gay Male Perspectives in Literature and Culture. durham: duke university press.
Carver, terrell and mottier, veronique (eds) (1998) Politics of Sexuality: Identity, Gender, Citizenship. london: routledge.
Chouliaraki, lilie and fairclough, norman (1999) Discourse in Late Modernity: Rethinking Critical Discourse Analysis. edinburgh: edinburgh university press.
Dailey, timothy J. (2001) Homosexual parenting: placing children at risk. retrieved 10 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Dailey, timothy J. (2002) state of the states: update on homosexual adoption in the u.s. retrieved 7 february 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Dailey, timothy J. (2004a) comparing the lifestyles of homosexual couples to married couples. retrieved 10 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Dailey, timothy J. (2004b) testimony in support of wisconsin constitutional amendment affirming marriage. retrieved 11 January 2006 from http://www. frc.org
Duggan, lisa (2003) The Twilight of Equality? Neoliberalism, Cultural Politics, and the Attack on Democracy. boston: beacon press.
Duggan, lisa and Hunter, nan d. (1995) Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture. new york: routledge.
Esterberg, Kristin and longhofer, Jeffrey (1998) ‘researching the radical right: responses to anti-lesbian/gay initiatives’. in J. l. ristock and c. G. taylor (eds) Inside the Academy and Out: Lesbian/Gay/Queer Studies and Social Action 183–98. toronto: university of toronto press.
Family research council (2006a) ‘about frc’. retrieved 25 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Family research council (2006b) ‘Human sexuality’. retrieved 3 october 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Family research council (2008) ‘state policy organizations’. retrieved 3 september 2008 from http://www.frc.org
Fairclough, norman (2003) Analysing Discourse: Textual Analysis for Social Research. london: routledge.
Finkin, matthew w., post, robert c., nelson, cary, benjamin, ernest and combest, eric (2007) freedom in the classroom. Academe 93(5): 54–61.
Fone, byrne (2000) Homophobia: A History. new york: picador.
Foucault, michel (1971) orders of discourse. Social Science Information 10: 7–30.
Gallagher, John and bull, chris (2001) Perfect Enemies: The Battle Between the Religious Right and the Gay Movement (updated ed). lanham: madison books.
Grosz, elizabeth (1995) Space, Time, and Perversion: Essays on the Politics of Bodies. new york: routledge.
Halperin, daniel (1995) Saint Foucault. new york: oxford university press.
Harding, susan f. (2000) The Book of Jerry Falwell: Fundamentalist Language and Politics. princeton: princeton university press.
Herek, Gregory m. (2004) beyond ‘homophobia’: thinking about sexual prejudice and stigma in the twenty-first century. Sexuality Research and Social Policy 1(2): 6–24.
Hoggart, lesley (2005) neoliberalism, the new right and sexual politics. in alfredo saad-filho and deborah Johnston (eds) Neoliberalism: A Critical Reader 149–155. london: pluto press.
Hoffman, martin (1968) The Gay World. new york: basic books. Hyland, Ken (1996) talking to the academy: forms of hedging in science research articles. Written Communication 13: 251–281.
Jagose, annamarie (1996) Queer Theory: An Introduction. new york: new york university press.
Kantor, martin (1998) Homophobia: Description, Development, and Dynamics of Gay Bashing. westport: praeger.
Kaplan, morris b. (1997) Sexual Justice: Democratic Citizenship and the Politics of Desire. new york: routledge.
Karlen, arno (1971) Sexuality and Homosexuality. new york: norton.
Katz, Jonathan n. (1976) Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A. new york: Thomas crowell.
Konraad, william (1965) Someone You May Know: A Heterosexual Looks at Homosexuality. new york: book company of america.
Laclau, ernesto and mouffe, chantal (1985) Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. trans winston moore and paul cammack. london: verso.
Leap, william (2004) language and homophobic discourse. paper presented at the eleventh lavender languages and linguistics conference february 2004, american university, washington, dc.
Lindstrom, lamont (1992) context contests: debatable truth statements in tanna (vanuatu). in alessandro duranti and charles Goodwin (eds) Rethinking Context: Language as an Interactive Phenomenon 101–124. cambridge: cambridge university press.
Nichols, Jack (1996) The Gay Agenda: Talking Back to the Fundamentalists. amherst: prometheus books.
Pellegrini, ann (1992) s(h)ifting the terms of hetero/sexism: gender, power, homophobias. in warren J. blumenfeld (ed) Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price 39–56. boston: beacon press.
Pharr, suzanne (1988) Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism. inverness: chardon press.
Plummer, david (1999) One of the Boys: Masculinity, Homophobia, and Modern Manhood. new york: Harrington park press.
Saliers, don e. (1996) christian spirituality in an ecumenical age. in louis dupre and don e. saliers (eds) Christian Spirituality: Post-Reformation and Modern 520–44. new york: crossroads.
Shaw, steven (1997) no longer a sleeping giant: the re-awakening of religious conservatives in american politics. in s. l. witt and s. mccorkle (eds) Anti-Gay Rights: Assessing Voter Initiatives 7–16. westport: praeger.
Socarides, charles w. (1968) The Overt Homosexual. new york: Grune & stratton.
Westwood, Gordon (1953) Society and the Homosexual. new york: ep dutton.
Bell, david and binnie, Jon (2000) The Sexual Citizen: Queer Politics and Beyond. cambridge: polity press.
Bergler, edmund (1962) Homosexuality – Disease or Way of Life? new york: collier books.
Bernstein, elizabeth and schaffner, laurie (eds) (2005) Regulating Sex: The Politics of Intimacy and Identity. new york: routledge.
Bhatia, v. K. (1993) Analysing Genre: Language Use in Professional Settings. london: longman.
Blumenfeld, warren J. (ed.) (1992) Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price. boston: beacon press.
Butler, Judith (1993) Bodies that Matter: On the Discursive Limits of ‘Sex’. new york: routledge.
Butters, ronald r., clum, John m. and moon, michael (eds) (1989) Displacing Homophobia: Gay Male Perspectives in Literature and Culture. durham: duke university press.
Carver, terrell and mottier, veronique (eds) (1998) Politics of Sexuality: Identity, Gender, Citizenship. london: routledge.
Chouliaraki, lilie and fairclough, norman (1999) Discourse in Late Modernity: Rethinking Critical Discourse Analysis. edinburgh: edinburgh university press.
Dailey, timothy J. (2001) Homosexual parenting: placing children at risk. retrieved 10 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Dailey, timothy J. (2002) state of the states: update on homosexual adoption in the u.s. retrieved 7 february 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Dailey, timothy J. (2004a) comparing the lifestyles of homosexual couples to married couples. retrieved 10 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Dailey, timothy J. (2004b) testimony in support of wisconsin constitutional amendment affirming marriage. retrieved 11 January 2006 from http://www. frc.org
Duggan, lisa (2003) The Twilight of Equality? Neoliberalism, Cultural Politics, and the Attack on Democracy. boston: beacon press.
Duggan, lisa and Hunter, nan d. (1995) Sex Wars: Sexual Dissent and Political Culture. new york: routledge.
Esterberg, Kristin and longhofer, Jeffrey (1998) ‘researching the radical right: responses to anti-lesbian/gay initiatives’. in J. l. ristock and c. G. taylor (eds) Inside the Academy and Out: Lesbian/Gay/Queer Studies and Social Action 183–98. toronto: university of toronto press.
Family research council (2006a) ‘about frc’. retrieved 25 January 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Family research council (2006b) ‘Human sexuality’. retrieved 3 october 2006 from http://www.frc.org
Family research council (2008) ‘state policy organizations’. retrieved 3 september 2008 from http://www.frc.org
Fairclough, norman (2003) Analysing Discourse: Textual Analysis for Social Research. london: routledge.
Finkin, matthew w., post, robert c., nelson, cary, benjamin, ernest and combest, eric (2007) freedom in the classroom. Academe 93(5): 54–61.
Fone, byrne (2000) Homophobia: A History. new york: picador.
Foucault, michel (1971) orders of discourse. Social Science Information 10: 7–30.
Gallagher, John and bull, chris (2001) Perfect Enemies: The Battle Between the Religious Right and the Gay Movement (updated ed). lanham: madison books.
Grosz, elizabeth (1995) Space, Time, and Perversion: Essays on the Politics of Bodies. new york: routledge.
Halperin, daniel (1995) Saint Foucault. new york: oxford university press.
Harding, susan f. (2000) The Book of Jerry Falwell: Fundamentalist Language and Politics. princeton: princeton university press.
Herek, Gregory m. (2004) beyond ‘homophobia’: thinking about sexual prejudice and stigma in the twenty-first century. Sexuality Research and Social Policy 1(2): 6–24.
Hoggart, lesley (2005) neoliberalism, the new right and sexual politics. in alfredo saad-filho and deborah Johnston (eds) Neoliberalism: A Critical Reader 149–155. london: pluto press.
Hoffman, martin (1968) The Gay World. new york: basic books. Hyland, Ken (1996) talking to the academy: forms of hedging in science research articles. Written Communication 13: 251–281.
Jagose, annamarie (1996) Queer Theory: An Introduction. new york: new york university press.
Kantor, martin (1998) Homophobia: Description, Development, and Dynamics of Gay Bashing. westport: praeger.
Kaplan, morris b. (1997) Sexual Justice: Democratic Citizenship and the Politics of Desire. new york: routledge.
Karlen, arno (1971) Sexuality and Homosexuality. new york: norton.
Katz, Jonathan n. (1976) Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A. new york: Thomas crowell.
Konraad, william (1965) Someone You May Know: A Heterosexual Looks at Homosexuality. new york: book company of america.
Laclau, ernesto and mouffe, chantal (1985) Hegemony and Socialist Strategy: Towards a Radical Democratic Politics. trans winston moore and paul cammack. london: verso.
Leap, william (2004) language and homophobic discourse. paper presented at the eleventh lavender languages and linguistics conference february 2004, american university, washington, dc.
Lindstrom, lamont (1992) context contests: debatable truth statements in tanna (vanuatu). in alessandro duranti and charles Goodwin (eds) Rethinking Context: Language as an Interactive Phenomenon 101–124. cambridge: cambridge university press.
Nichols, Jack (1996) The Gay Agenda: Talking Back to the Fundamentalists. amherst: prometheus books.
Pellegrini, ann (1992) s(h)ifting the terms of hetero/sexism: gender, power, homophobias. in warren J. blumenfeld (ed) Homophobia: How We All Pay the Price 39–56. boston: beacon press.
Pharr, suzanne (1988) Homophobia: A Weapon of Sexism. inverness: chardon press.
Plummer, david (1999) One of the Boys: Masculinity, Homophobia, and Modern Manhood. new york: Harrington park press.
Saliers, don e. (1996) christian spirituality in an ecumenical age. in louis dupre and don e. saliers (eds) Christian Spirituality: Post-Reformation and Modern 520–44. new york: crossroads.
Shaw, steven (1997) no longer a sleeping giant: the re-awakening of religious conservatives in american politics. in s. l. witt and s. mccorkle (eds) Anti-Gay Rights: Assessing Voter Initiatives 7–16. westport: praeger.
Socarides, charles w. (1968) The Overt Homosexual. new york: Grune & stratton.
Westwood, Gordon (1953) Society and the Homosexual. new york: ep dutton.
Published
2011-07-20
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Peterson, D. J. (2011). The ‘basis for a just, free, and stable society’: Institutional Homophobia and Governance at the Family Research Council. Gender and Language, 4(2), 257-286. https://doi.org/10.1558/genl.v4i2.257
