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Identity Meaning-Making Among Polyamorous Students in Postsecondary Educational Contexts: a Constructivist Queer Theory Case Study

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IDENTITY MEANING-MAKING AMONG POLYAMOROUS STUDENTS IN POSTSECONDARY EDUCATIONAL CONTEXTS: A CONSTRUCTIVIST QUEER THEORY CASE STUDY Liane D. Ortis A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate College of Bowling Green State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY August 2018 Committee: Dafina-Lazarus Stewart, Advisor Sarah Smith Rainey Graduate Faculty Representative Christina Lunceford, Advisor Kenneth Borland © 2018 Liane D. Ortis All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Dafina-Lazarus Stewart & Christina J. Lunceford, Advisors In this study, I centered the experiences of individuals who identify as polyamorous or ethically non-monogamous. My purpose was to explore how polyamorous students at one institution made meaning of their polyamorous identity and how they described the relationship between the postsecondary environment and their meaning-making. The philosophical perspectives of constructivism and queer theory were blended to acknowledge the subjective experiences of the participants while also recognizing the systemic oppression surrounding identities like polyamory. Through these frameworks, I applied Baxter Magolda’s theory of self-authorship (2001) and Bronfenbrenner’s developmental ecology model (2005). Using collective case study methodology, I recruited seven participants who each consented to participate in two open ended, semi-structured individual interviews. At the time of data collection, six of the seven participants were graduate students; one was an undergraduate student. I utilized journaling, memoing, epoché, bracketing, and holistic and embedded analysis throughout the study design, implementation, and data analysis. Several themes emerged from the data, each with multiple subthemes. Primary themes included: misrepresentation/misconceptions stemming from heteronormative constructs in society; coming out which all participants had to constantly navigate, support including the lack thereof as well as some supportive individuals; and multiple dimensions of identity as participants shared that their meaning-making was related to other identities they also hold. iv Five recommendations for policy and practice emerged from the findings. First, student affairs practitioners should consider polyamory when claiming to focus on inclusion and holistic identity development. Second, student affairs units should sponsor programming focused on polyamory and other family and relationship structures. Third, relevant academic units should include polyamory when discussing identities, relationships, and families. Fourth, universities need to include family composition, including polyamory, in non-discrimination policies. Finally, university administrators should revise family leave policies that are exclude non- normative family compositions, including poly families. Seven implications emerged for future research. First, I recommend research on poly individuals who identified as heterosexual or with the BDSM/Kink community as they were not represented in this study. Also, research is needed to understand the experiences of many identities that were underrepresented in this study including disability, race, socioeconomic status, as well as undergraduate students. Second, I recommend investigating polyamorous graduate students who work at their institution as this overlap is a unique experience. Third, further information on what polyamorous students want from their campuses is needed as this study did not specifically focus on their recommendations. Fourth, researchers should explore whether or not postsecondary spaces are ideal for understanding minoritized student experiences. Fifth, I recommend longitudinal research to better understand self-authorship and polyamorous identity meaning-making. Sixth, additional research on adult development is needed, particularly focused on minoritized individuals who are above 25 years of age. Finally, research on utilizing third wave theories to better represent the experiences of those with minoritized identities and problematize the concept of identity development is recommended. v To all the polyamorous, queer, and queering families out there: May we embrace becoming: unfolding identity without endpoint (Jones, Torres, & Arminio, 2014) as we help each other and the world expand to welcome the beauty in boundless love. To my family for believing in me. vi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First, I would like to thank my dissertation Co-Chairs Dr. Dafina-Lazarus (D-L) Stewart & Dr. Christy Lunceford. D-L, you have not only been a chair and advisor to me, but also a mentor and inspiration. You are not simply one of the “great minds” in our field, you are one of the great hearts. Your passion for research, teaching, and the human condition inspire me every day. I am so grateful for your guidance and support. To Christy, you are the embodiment of your often-used phrase “good people.” The space you create for students to feel challenged, heard, and supported is unparalleled. Your teaching, research, and passion for people is uplifting and unforgettable. Thank you for giving me the space to fail, question, grow, and believe in myself. Thank you to my participants and to the poly communities I have had the privilege of engaging with as a researcher and person. I am forever grateful to all of you for your willingness to share of your love, your challenges, and your triumphs. Your stories speak to the exceptionally beautiful power in human connection. I also offer my sincere gratitude to my other committee members Dr. Sarah Smith Rainey and Dr. Kenneth Borland. Your insights and investment in my process were so significant to this long anticipated final product. Thank you both for sticking with me through this! Thank you to the other incredible faculty I had to opportunity to learn from while at Bowling Green State University: Dr. Carney Strange, Dr. Ellen Broido, Dr. Maureen Wilson, Dr. Mike Coomes, and Dr. Nick Bowman. The foundation each faculty member provided has not only made me a better scholar and practitioner, but I whole-heatedly believe your teachings and wisdom have made me a better human being. A special thank you to Dr. Mike Coomes for being the first of many HESA faculty members to take me on as a co-teacher. You helped me start living my dream to be a faculty member in student affairs. One day I can only hope to be half of the teacher you were to so many BGSU alumni and student affairs professionals. vii To my colleagues at BGSU, my cohort, and the HIED and CSP cohorts I shared space with: it is an honor to have learned with and from each of you. The classroom conversations, assignments, and connections are moments I still cherish. To Jude and Vivienne, thank you for being the most incredible late night (and early morning) writing buddies and each other’s cheer leaders throughout the process. Our focused and unfocused conversations invigorated my mind and my spirit, thank you! Judith and Elizabeth, there are not enough words to thank you both for being the most incredible friends and for engaging in true, deep, and meaningful dialogue with me about faith, life, and friendship. To Holly for helping me normalize the inherent challenges in the doctoral journey and having the most incredibly independent pup who also knew just when I needed a snuggle. Bryan, I have never met someone who was smart enough to figure out hockey goaltending as an adult and be so great at it! Thanks for getting me reconnected to the game and helping me take time for myself. Kirsten Brown, you showed up in my life after your time in BG and have become such an important and incredible friend. Thank you for your guidance and support on so many things, most recently this journey of parenting! To Katie, my program bestie, we both know I never would have made it without you helping me with quant! I love and appreciate you so much. To all the students and colleagues I have worked with throughout my years in student affairs at Manhattanville College, Wagner College, BGSU, and the University of Northern Colorado: all of you have challenged me to become a better professional and person, I will always be grateful for the opportunity to have known you “because I knew you, I have been changed for good” (Wicked). Also, thank you to the first mentors and supervisors I had in student affairs: Angie, Elizabeth, Rocco, and Sara; each of you saw something in me that I did not see in myself. Thank you for pointing me in the direction of student affairs and graduate viii work, I honestly do not know where I would be without you planting those seeds for my current path. To Heather Sinclair and Claire Broome, both of you believed in me when I was a lost, angry, and hopeless teenager. Thank you for constantly encouraging me and reminding me it would get better: it did! You are the teachers I have always aspired to be. I can only hope I will come close to influencing as many young minds and hearts as each of you do in your classrooms. To some of my oldest and dearest friends: Marcy, Kirsten, Melissa, Lisa, Rocco, Jen, Katie, Paola, Suzanne, Jeannine, Noushin, Sash, Candice, Shiva, and Dana. Each of you knows so much of my story and reminds me how my roots matter. Old friends are good for the soul, thank you for ever expanding and healing mine. Thank you to Emily and to Sam for being my editors, I am so grateful for the time you put into helping me finish this! And to Talia, you have been my biggest motivator in these final years, months, and days of my journey. The only way I can think to demonstrate my gratitude is to help you finish your journey to Dr. Carroll. Thank you, my friend, for the breaths of fresh air, laughter, tears, and incredibly wonderful company. Finally, thank you to my family. To my parents for their emotional (and financial) support; for straddling two worlds as the children of immigrants and trying to help me find my way between tradition, transgression, and transformation; and for helping me see the light when I’ve been lost in the dark.
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