QUEER CULTURE(S) IN A CIS-HETERONORMATIVE SOCIETY: A NEW PERSPECTIVE ON THE ACCULTURATION MODEL A qualitative study in the Italian Context

This study has the aim of investigating queer culture. Firstly, if and how people that identify as queer perceive themselves as part of a different culture (or subculture) with specific values and norms and in what way they feel the belongingness to a (queer) community. Secondly, in what way queer people navigate the relationship with the dominant cis-heteronormative society and the possible strategies used to do so. Specifically, the aim is to understand if said strategies are comparable with the ones analysed in the “Acculturation Model” by Berry (2005) and usually applied on different ethnic groups. The study relies on semi structured individual interviews with 29 participants self identified as queer (age between 18 and 30). The relationship with the dominant society is further analysed with a drawing and the completion of a small questionnaire (revised from Berry & Sabatier, 2011). The participants are all Italian and the interviews have been conducted in Italian.