NARRATIVES OF IDENTITY: THE 'COMING OUT STORIES' AS A DISCOURSE OF RESISTANCE

Abstract

So-called coming out stories represent a "narrative of transgression" (CALDAS-COULTHARD, 1996, p. 256), associated with the public affirmation of a sexual identity which is still seen by many people as transgressive (GIDDENS, 1992, p. 23). On the other hand, the genre coming out stories constructs a new subject of discourse, in codifying a set of social practices through which the homoerotic subject represents herself to others. In this research I analyze narratives published in issue 22 of Época, a Brazilian magazine, and which are part of a cover story entitled "Brazilian homosexual women occupy public space and affirm their sexual orientation with dignity". My main argument is that the distinct patterning of discourses (CHOLlLIARAKI; FAIRCLOLlGH, 1999, p. 58) in these narratives doubly inscribes these women as the Other of hegemonic discourses on sex and on gender. However, although they are doubly inscribed, their narratives challenge the boundaries of "competent discourses" (CHAUÍ, 2000, p. 7), constituted to erase cultural, linguistic, ethnic, gender or sexual differences.