Mapping LGBTIQA+ identity through systematic metaphors: a Grounded Theory and Discourse-Based Analysis

Abstract

This study analyzes the metaphorical discourse of LGBTIQA+ people in order to understand processes of self-perception and identity formation, drawing on a constructivist Grounded Theory approach (Birks & Mills, 2015). Based on individual interviews and focus groups, the research examines how systematic metaphors articulate LGBTIQA+ identity, the process of coming to terms with a LGBTIQA+ sexual orientation and/or gender identity, and social representations of LGBTIQA+ people as narrated by the participants themselves, addressing a gap in existing studies on the role of metaphorical language in identity construction. Methodologically, the Metaphor Identification Method (Pragglejaz Group, 2007) was combined with open, axial, and selective coding through constant comparison and theoretical sampling until data saturation was reached. The results reveal coherent metaphor systems that shape differentiated identity narratives. On the one hand, metaphors of agency and transformation (JOURNEY, CONTAINER, NATURE) conceptualize the identity process as dynamic and situated. On the other, stigmatizing metaphors (DISEASE, ALIENS, HIERARCHY) reinforce processes of othering and exclusion. The study proposes an emergent theory that demonstrates how metaphors mediate between subjective experience and social structures, contributing to cognitive linguistics and discourse analysis in heterocisnormative contexts.