Lessons learned: One researcher’s same-sex IPV journey

Abstract

I have always loved the Muriel Rukeyser quote “What would happen if one woman told the truth about her life? The world would split open.” (Poetry Foundation). I am not so self-important that I think my journey as a researcher will have that effect. However, as I look back over 35+ years, I hope sharing my self-reflection and growth might provide some insight into the recognition that without constant and humble examination, our world-view will pull us toward hegemony; at best, hegemony likely blinds us to the realities of people’s lived experiences and at worst, reinforces knowledge that perpetuates harm. As a direct-service provider in the early 1980s, I was prone to an essentialist feminist worldview. As I began to work with same-sex IPV, the essentialist paradigm no longer fit. I realized that I must attend to differences in the location of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people within the societal systems that interact with IPV, a microcosm of society. I’ve come to believe that if we continue to research the LGBTQ communities as a monolith, we do a disservice to each community and the heterogeneity within each as well. This article shares my thoughts to date; I don’t pretend to have the answers but hope that my journey and current thinking will support others’ research to better understand the victim/survivor experiences and inform policies and practices to be as equitable and inclusive as possible.