This document discusses key concepts in analyzing cultural representations of social groups. It argues that representations have real political and social impacts by shaping how groups see themselves and are seen by others. However, representations are always incomplete resolutions that use existing cultural forms, and different audiences can interpret them in varied ways. Representations also refer to other representations, and reality sets limits to what can be meaningfully represented, though reality can only be understood through representations. The document examines how representations help constitute the very social groups they depict, using the example of lesbian and gay identities.