UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations 1-1-2001 The politics of lesbian "nature": A feminist critique of scientific knowledge and practice Jaime L Phillips University of Nevada, Las Vegas Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/rtds Repository Citation Phillips, Jaime L, "The politics of lesbian "nature": A feminist critique of scientific knowledge and practice" (2001). UNLV Retrospective Theses & Dissertations. 2472. http://dx.doi.org/10.25669/3bp3-zsn2 This Dissertation is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by Digital Scholarship@UNLV with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Dissertation in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. 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The manuscript was microfilmed as received. 48-67 This reproduction Is the best copy available. UMI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. THE POLITICS OF LESBIAN “NATURE”: A FEMINIST CRITIQUE OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE AND PRACTICE by Jaime L. Phillips Bachelor of Science University of Nevada, Reno 1991 Master of Science University of Arizona 1993 A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy Degree Department of Sociology College of Liberal Arts Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas December 2001 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. UMI Number 3049549 UMI UMI Microform 3049549 Copyright 2002 by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest Information and Learning Company 300 North Zeeb Road P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. © Jaime L. Phillips 2002 All Rights Reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Dissertation Approval UNIV The Graduate College University of Nevada, Las Vegas November 5 th .20 The Dissertation prepared by Jaime L. Phillips Entitled The P olitics of Lesbian "Nature": A Feminist Critique of Scientific Knowledge and Practice is approved in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy___________________________ nation Committee Chair Dean of the Graduate College ÂéËXeJU^ jJ/iÊ^hirru à i r Examination Committeem/Iember * amination Committee Member G. C Graduate College Faculty Representative PR/10:7-52/l-O) U Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The Politics of Leshian ‘^Nature”: A Feminist Critique of Scientific Knowledge and Practice by Jaime L. Phillips Dr. Kathryn Hausbeck, Examination Committee Co-Chair Associate Professor of Sociology University of Nevada, Las Vegas Dr. Maralee Mayberry, Examination Committee Co-Chair Professor of Sociology University of South Florida This dissertation is a feminist analysis of scientific articles published from 1990- 2000 reporting findings from research on biological origins of lesbian and bisexual orientations in women. Informed by feminist standpoint epistemologies and the theories and empirical research of the interdisciplinary field of feminist science studies, I assert that scientific efi^orts to locate biological origins of lesbian and bisexual orientations in women are likely to be infused with culturally-based assumptions and beliefs regarding sex, gender, sexual orientation, and race. To the extent that these assumptions and beliefs go unacknowledged in the science, they place limitations on the knowledge claims that can be made from the scientific research. Based on prior, related analyses conducted by scholars in feminist science studies and in gay and lesbian studies, 1 utilize two distinct yet overlapping research methods to analyze the scientific research: methodological critique and discourse analysis. The iii Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. methodological critique analyzes scientific flaws and limitations in the explanatory framework, the sampling procedures, and the interpretations and conclusions drawn from the data. The discourse analysis analyzes the contextual meanings associated with the language used in discussing sex, gender, sexual orientation, and race. Both analyses provide evidence for the influence of culturally-based assumptions and beliefs on the scientific research. By integrating the results of the two methods I show how they work together to place constraints on the scientific knowledge claims made in the body of research analyzed. I argue for the necessity for researchers to situate their research within the social, political, historical, and cultural contexts in which it arises, as well as within the context of the background assumptions that shape it. Only in this way can we evaluate the validity of scientific claims about the “nature” of lesbian orientation. IV Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT...................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS.................................................................................................vii CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION..................................................................................... 1 Background .................................................................................................................... I Significance of the Study ...............................................................................................5 Situating the Assumptions that Inform this Study .........................................................7 Overview of the Remaining Chapters............................................................................9 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 13 CHAPTER 2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE................................................15 Feminist Standpoint Epistemologies ............................................................................ 16 Feminist Science Studies .............................................................................................. 26 Historical Medical and Scientific Explanations for Lesbian Identity, and Their Critiques....................................................................................................... 32 Overview of Current Scientific Efforts and Critiques ..................................................47 Summary ...................................................................................................................... 54 CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY...................................................................................56 Overview...................................................................................................................... 56 Rationale ....................................................................................................................... 57