Queering cross-sex friendships: an analysis of gay and bisexual men's workplace friendships with heterosexual women

Article


Rumens, N. 2012. Queering cross-sex friendships: an analysis of gay and bisexual men's workplace friendships with heterosexual women. Human Relations. 65 (8), pp. 955-978. https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726712442427
TypeArticle
TitleQueering cross-sex friendships: an analysis of gay and bisexual men's workplace friendships with heterosexual women
AuthorsRumens, N.
Abstract

Organisational research on cross-sex friendships frequently normalises heterosexuality by excluding lesbian, gay and bisexual people. Challenging this heteronormative bias, this article mobilises queer theories to examine how UK gay and bisexual men reproduce and contest heterosexist norms in the construction of workplace friendships with heterosexual women. For bisexual study participants, interview data reveals how their friendship experiences can be rendered epistemologically invisible, especially within work environments where bi-negativity is anticipated. In contrast, gay study participants appear to adopt discursive strategies in order to create friendships with women that are normatively accepted. This article develops a concept of ‘queer friendship’, as it relates to the opportunities that arise within workplace friendships for transcending heterosexist norms. It is argued that sustaining the queer aspects of workplace relationships can be challenging but worthwhile, with implications for disrupting gender binaries and developing open-ended organisational policy definitions of ‘acceptable’ workplace relationships.

Research GroupDiversity and Gender group
PublisherSAGE Publications
JournalHuman Relations
ISSN0018-7267
Publication dates
Online12 Jun 2012
Print01 Aug 2012
Publication process dates
Deposited12 Sep 2016
Accepted12 Jun 2012
Output statusPublished
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726712442427
LanguageEnglish
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