The identity development and internalization of asexual orientation in women: an interpretative phenomenological analysis 

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dc.contributor.authorKelleher, Sinéad
dc.contributor.authorMurphy, Mike
dc.date.accessioned2022-05-04T13:50:53Z
dc.date.available2022-05-04T13:50:53Z
dc.date.issued2022-01-30
dc.date.updated2022-05-04T11:55:29Z
dc.description.abstractThis study aimed to investigate the identity development and internalization of an asexual orientation and how asexual individuals attempt to reject and resist societal attitudes held towards their orientation. Participants were recruited through the online community the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network (AVEN) and included five women between the ages of 18 and 40. Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Five themes emerged from the data: The Asexual Self, Discovering Asexuality, Disclosure, Navigating Relationships and Barriers to Accepting Asexuality. The development of an asexual identity was initiated through an awareness of the self as different within society and supported by external resources such as the online asexual community. Although all participants described a sense of pride surrounding their asexual identity, some participants at times attempted to minimize the importance of asexuality to their self-concepts. Social norms and the values of a heteronormative society influenced participants’ abilities to accept their orientation, as well as their coming-out processes. There were notable discrepancies between participants’ accounts that were specific to their romantic orientation and age. The theoretical implications of each theme within the development of an asexual identity and internalization of an asexual orientation are discussed.en
dc.description.statusPeer revieweden
dc.description.versionAccepted Versionen
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.citationKelleher, S. and Murphy, M. (2022) 'The identity development and internalization of asexual orientation in women: an interpretative phenomenological analysis', Sexual and Relationship Therapy, (31 pp). doi: 10.1080/14681994.2022.2031960en
dc.identifier.doi10.1080/14681994.2022.2031960en
dc.identifier.endpage31en
dc.identifier.issn1468-1994
dc.identifier.journaltitleSexual and Relationship Therapyen
dc.identifier.startpage1en
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10468/13141
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherTaylor & Francisen
dc.relation.urihttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/14681994.2022.2031960
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/en
dc.subjectAsexualityen
dc.subjectIdentity developmenten
dc.subjectInternalizationen
dc.subjectInterpretative phenomenological analysisen
dc.subjectHeteronormativityen
dc.titleThe identity development and internalization of asexual orientation in women: an interpretative phenomenological analysis en
dc.typeArticle (peer-reviewed)en
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