Talk amongst ourselves: Examining how heterosexual adults form and transform perspectives about homosexuality through dialogue with one another

Despite the societal and legal progress of the gay rights movement in the last two decades, the negative impacts of society’s marginalization of gay and lesbian people are many and widespread. Opportunities for open, respectful dialogue to facilitate greater understanding and reduce prejudice are rare. Scholars and practitioners in educational psychology and adult learning have been slow to consider the role of education in this social justice movement. This study investigated a multi-session facilitated dialogue forum among heterosexual adults on the topics of homosexuality and related social challenges. The mixed-methods approach included a narrative analysis of interactive stories told during the dialogue as well as a pre/post-intervention attitudinal survey. A survey-only comparison group was also used, though quantitative results were limited by small sample size and ceiling effects. Analysis of the narrative, including case studies of two individual dialogue participants, revealed evidence of in-progress shifting of perspectives around this topic driven by socially situated reflective discourse. The study forges new theoretical, methodological, and practical ground in the linkages it makes among concepts from transformational adult learning, social psychology, narrative inquiry, dialogue practice, and LGBT studies. Dedication To anyone and everyone who finds themselves struggling to understand, accept, and relate to homosexuality as part of the natural spectrum of human experience. Whether your child, your parent, your friend or yourself, may you know you’re not alone. May you find places where, and people with whom, transformative dialogue can occur. Talk Amongst Ourselves v Acknowledgements What began as an individual commitment, I now understand to be a collective accomplishment that I could not have completed alone. I have many people to thank for the wonderful support I’ve received along this journey. To Paul Alexander, thank you for bringing your heart and vision to your work every day and being willing to take a risk on this. To Fredericka, TJ, and Malia, I am grateful for your steadfast footwork that made this idea come to life. To Susan Jurow, thank you for not giving up on me. You have truly been my life line to finishing what I began so many years ago. You have repeatedly helped me remember the passions that brought me to this project, and given me a vision of myself as a scholar even when I lost sight of that. To Zachary and Alex, thank you both for being little bright spots of smiles and laughter in my life. And thank god I am graduating before you are! To Grams.I did it! I miss you so much but I know you’re watching. To Gramps, yes, you can finally call me Dr. Graves. To Mom and Dad – where do I begin? I began with you. Thank you for raising me to value education and learning, and to believe that I could accomplish whatever I put my mind to. Thank you for always being there – always, no matter what – even if you did not understand or it was not what you expected. Our family and your love is my foundation. To my fiancé, my partner and the love of my life, Kim. When we met I know neither of us fully comprehended what it would take to reach this point, what it would mean for our daily and weekly life together. Despite the impact, you hung in, buckled down right along with me and took on far more than your share so I could focus on this all-consuming task. Even more, you held me up when I could not stand and showed me light when the tunnel had gone dark. Thank you my sweetheart. I know you don’t believe me when I say I could not have done this without you. But it’s true. And even if I could have – I absolutely would not have wanted to. Here’s to our new chapter, and our many chapters to come. I love you. Finally, I thank myself. I have changed so much since I first dedicated myself to the idea of one day getting my doctorate. Nothing in my life has ever brought so much challenge and self-doubt. But I decided I owed it to myself to finish this. I honor and appreciate the principles, vision, determination, self-discipline and self-compassion that sustained me on this mission. In gratefulness, Jules Talk Amongst Ourselves vi Table of