Between Words and Worlds: How Discourse Shapes a Trans Woman’s Evolving Identity and Familial Experience

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 9:45 am
  In Roundtable Session: Families as Social Context

Abstract

Critical discourse analysis (CDA) is a powerful lens to explore how language shapes social realities. However, existing frameworks often inadequately capture the nuanced discourse of queer and trans individuals. This study combines Johnstone’s (2024) CDA heuristic with Leap’s (2015) queer linguistics themes to better analyze the complex narratives of Diane, a young trans woman and my former student. Findings reveal how intersecting normative authorities and familial dynamics shape Diane’s experiences of acceptance, exclusion, and resistance. This hybrid approach offers a richer understanding of queer and trans discourse, highlighting the importance of diverse analytic tools. Such frameworks are vital for retelling marginalized stories and reimagining the future of discourse analysis in LGBTQ+ research and education.

Authors

• Keith Anthony Griffin, University of Colorado - Boulder

• Melissa Braaten, University of Colorado - Boulder