Abstract
This paper conceptualizes Hopson’s notion of crash moments by exploring an intercultural interaction (between an individual who identifies as heterosexual and another who identifies as homosexual) within a graduate classroom by drawing on cultural schema theory and critical incident analysis. Ultimately, this paper deconstructs a communication breakdown through a self-reflexive process in which the researcher was “outed” (someone else disclosed the sexual orientation of a lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered individual in a public setting) by a classmate—which the researcher deems as a problematic occurrence, making the incident critical and fitting for analysis within an intercultural communication context. This paper also considers the complexities of sexual identity negotiation as an African American female lesbian at a Historically Black College/University.
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Howard, S.C. Intercultural (Mis)Communication: Why Would You “Out” Me in Class?. Sexuality & Culture 16, 118–133 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-011-9112-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12119-011-9112-3