Smith ScholarWorks Theses, Dissertations, and Projects 2011 "Not my priority" : perspectives from LGBTQ individuals who do not identify marriage equality as their primary political concern Elizabeth Anne Chandler Smith College Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses Part of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Chandler, Elizabeth Anne, ""Not my priority" : perspectives from LGBTQ individuals who do not identify marriage equality as their primary political concern" (2011). Masters Thesis, Smith College, Northampton, MA. https://scholarworks.smith.edu/theses/1038 This Masters Thesis has been accepted for inclusion in Theses, Dissertations, and Projects by an authorized administrator of Smith ScholarWorks. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Elizabeth Chandler “Not my Priority”: Perspectives from LGBTQ Individuals who do not Identify Marriage Equality as their Primary Political Concern Abstract This study was undertaken to explore a little researched and relatively little discussed area – for people who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or Queer (LGBTQ) who do not identify marriage equality as their primary political concern, what is and why? Also explored was how do they relate to this movement and what issues do they choose to prioritize? Thirteen participants living in the San Francisco Bay area were interviewed in person, and then interviews were transcribed and analyzed to expose themes. They were asked to share certain demographic information such as age, gender or gender identity, racial or ethnic identity, their sexual orientation or identity, their sense of community, and their political activism. They were then asked to reflect on same-sex marriage as a political issue and on which issues they feel are more relevant other than the concerns reflected within the Marriage Equality movement.