A hybrid identity of sexual citizenship
People identify themselves according to many variables such as race, ethnicity, gender, nationality and sexual orientation, to name but a few. An EU-funded project, 'Queer-Arab-French: Sexuality, Islam and citizenship in France' (QAF), delved into answering questions on intertwining aspects of self, specifically that of sexual citizenship. The study focused on the process Maghrebi and Maghrebi–French men use to create alternative same-sex identities. Ways in which these men negotiate and understand same-sex desire while living in a French urban context as ethnic North Africans were examined. Interviews were conducted with approximately 50 Maghrebi and Maghrebi–French homosexual males in major urban centres in France, including Caen, Lille, Lyon, Marseille and Paris. Results showed that North African sexual minorities can balance cultural hybridity and belonging so as to include the fusion of social constructs such as family, honour and traditional gender differences. Results have been disseminated at scholarly conferences, guest lectures and faculty reading groups. Additionally, a book will be published and submitted to a major university press. Ultimately, it will bring forth new knowledge about immigration, citizenship, sexual health and human rights.
Keywords
Sexual citizenship, same-sex, sexual identity, sexuality, gender differences