ABSTRACT
This chapter explores narrative-discursive study of eight lesbian's stories of sexual identity in post-apartheid South Africa. Lesbian identity is part of normal life and Lesbians need to manage/downplay their lesbian identity in relation to risk. The chapter discusses the interpretative repertoires that participants deployed when they drew upon the coming out canonical narrative. It explains the counter-narrative of lesbian identity is part of normal life allowed participants to challenge the benefits of being part of the lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) community. This narrative required participants to construct a story of personal normalization in conjunction with routinization within the social context. The routinization of sexuality repertoire complements the normalization of sexuality repertoire. Routinization was evident in the talk of participants about experiences with people they knew and within the university environment. Lesbians can, at times, draw on alternative narratives, which enable them to minimize the importance of their sexuality and problematize self-disclosure.
