Layers of Invisibility: Bisexual+ Asian American Women's Experiences and Perspectives on Identity and Intersectionality

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2022-07-05

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Abstract

This study was a qualitative interview project that explored the experiences and perspectives of bisexual+ Asian American women in terms of their identity and the different intersections of their identities. As a note, bisexual+ refers to bisexual, pansexual, polysexual, queer, and other sexual identities that indicate attraction to more than one gender. Existing literature suggests that individuals of multiple minority identities are subject to increased marginalization compared to individuals with fewer or one minority identity. However, there has yet to be research that specifically focuses on bisexual+ Asian American women, despite the growing number of studies on LGBTQ+ individuals, Asian Americans, and women. The present research aimed to address this gap in literature by gaining insight on how bisexual+ Asian American women experience, perceive, and connect to each of their identities and the different intersections of their identities. As a part of the data collection, eight bisexual+ Asian American women (n = 8) have participated in in-depth semi-structured qualitative one-on-one interviews over Zoom or over the phone. They were asked questions about their racial/ethnic, gender, and sexual identities, the different intersections of their identities, and what community and representation may look like for bisexual+ Asian American women. Afterward, interpretative phenomenological analysis was used to organize and analyze the data.

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Keywords

Bisexuality, Asian American, Women, Identity, Intersectionality, Qualitative, Pansexuality, Interview, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, Multiple Minority Identities

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