Debating Polyamory as Research : an Auto-Ethnographic Account of a Round-Table on Polyamory and Lesbianism

Abstract

Stemming from the auto-ethnographic telling of a round-table organized by a lesbian-focused activist group in Lisbon, Portugal, the authors reflect on the intersections between doing research, spreading that research, doing activism and working with / listening to sexual minorities as a way of critically involving the LGBT community and their concerns in the scientific process. As we’ll see, conflicting political and identity agendas might create tension between different minorities, and even the reinstatement of (homo- )normativity. We claim that only through debate, exposure and recognition (which mixes research, scientific dissemination and activism) can enable us to think in a way that includes others’ perspectives, but that the modes of performing debate also need to be critically reflected upon, keeping in sight the ethical concern for the intimate citizenship of those represented (and of those absent).