Discourses of change: policing, sexuality, and organizational culture

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to highlight the need to expand current organizational studies to include positive experiences of non‐heterosexual workers while identifying, often covert, heteronormative workplace practices. Included in this is a reflexive analysis of author positionality.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study utilizing participant observation, narrative interviews, and autoethnography are employed to begin understanding lesbian work experiences.

Findings

Three dominant strategies are used by participants to understand variant sexuality: strategies of discourse, strategies of resistance, and strategies of identity formation. Findings indicate that as awareness about lesbian identities increased so did understandings of difference and, in turn, resistance to heteronormative power structures increased.

Research limitations/implications

Future research could include other sexually stigmatized groups.

Originality/value

The contributions of this paper include broader understandings of how sexuality organizes work, how researcher positionality impacts organizational climates and research processes, and practical suggestions for organizations expanding diversity efforts and researchers aiming to increase diversity awareness.

Citation

Lewis, A.P. (2009), "Discourses of change: policing, sexuality, and organizational culture", Qualitative Research in Organizations and Management, Vol. 4 No. 3, pp. 208-230. https://doi.org/10.1108/17465640911002518