(Re)defining < Marriage >

Abstract

This study explores <marriage> as an ideograph in the law and everyday life through an analysis of private and public texts and embodied acts. The purpose of this study was to engage <marriage> intersectionally as a power structure with wide-ranging influence over society to locate resistance. Utilizing rhetorical methods, this work examined archives and repertoires through an autohistoria of a queer Chicano male <married> before the passage of Proposition 8, the California Constitutional Amendment that banned <marriage> for LGBTQ couples. By exploring <marriage> through metaphors and performative writing, this study constructs <marriage> in the tradition of the shaman to present new possibilities for <marriage> and queer theory. the love, support, and unabashed courage of many individuals. First, I would like to thank my husband, Juan Carlos Perez, for everything that has come, everything that is, and everything that will soon come to be. You are my angel. There are not enough worthy words to describe our bond, so I hope our readers will feel it within these pages instead. Second, this work would not have been possible without the support of the Communication Studies department at San José State University. To my advisor, Kathleen McConnell, your voice, sweat, blood, and tears are here with me on these pages. I hope our readers will hear our chorus. To David Terry, thank you for bringing me back to performance (I am healed), and I hope you will never forget our performance of <marriage> together. To Rona Halualani, your guidance, encouragement, and feedback since my undergraduate days have led me here and will continue to lead me forward. To Deanna Fassett, how can I properly thank the person who brought me into my discipline and always pushed me forward even when I didn't believe in myself? I literally wouldn't be on this page without you. To my family and friends, everything I do is to tell our stories of love and triumph in the face of unyielding oppression and injustice. Thank you for loving me enough to attend my wedding. With this thesis, my ceremony gains many more guests, but I will always cherish the memories you created with Juan and I. Gracias.