Tesi sul tema "Sexual orientation – political aspects"

There is a growing body of research on sexual citizenship that focuses attention on gender and which bridges the gap between public and private life in order to rethink citizenship from a feminist perspective. This is in contrast to understandings of citizenship that promote policies of sexual regulation and a heteronormative ideal of citizenship. My research takes the form of a qualitative case study. Using data from two focus group discussions, fifteen personal diaries, as well as social media posts, I analyse participation in the Silent Protest, an annual anti-rape protest, through the lens of sexual citizenship. I look at how participation in the protest promotes or inhibits inclusive and process-based understandings of sexual violence and sexualities issues. Data were analysed using thematic analysis and the results of the analysis are presented into two parts. The first part of the analysis discusses the politics of affect and witnessing as two processes through which allies’ understandings of sexual violence are shaped. The second part of analysis shows that the Silent Protest contributes to people’s knowledge and understandings of sexual violence in relation to sexualities in a range of ways. Examples of inclusive understandings are: (1) insights about rape in relation to gender and heteronormative inequalities, culture and patriarchal dominance; (2) understanding of critical sexual citizenship in relation to sexual violence; and (3) understanding of politics of recognition (the need for recognition of the importance of safe spaces for formal and informal support for victim-survivors and recognition of victim-survivors’ identities). However, some of the understandings are limited to emotion and affect dynamics. In some ways, therefore, the Silent Protest fails to promote understandings significant to inclusive citizenship, including understandings of entitlements to non-discriminatory sexual health care services and legal services.

The purpose of the study was to develop a scale to measure sexual orientation and to examine its psychometric properties. Previous scales were critically examined and compared and the need for a scale which simultaneously measures same and opposite sex responsiveness independently, and accounts for dynamic changes over time, while testing a number of overt and covert dimensions of sexual orientations, was established. A 48-item scale was designed to tap self-reported intensity and frequency of Emotional Attachment, Sexual Fantasy, Sexual Attraction and Sexual Contact towards males and females in the Past, Present and Future. An initial study was conducted with 13 undergraduate university students of both genders, representing a variety of sexual orientations and nationalities, and qualitative feedback was obtained and utilized to make appropriate adjustments and refinements to the scale. The scale was then administered to 133 Rhodes University undergraduate psychology students to obtain quantitative data with regard to its internal structure. The scale was found to have a good internal consistency reliability Cronbach alpha coefficient of 0.8106. Existing sub-scales had lower alpha coefficients. Factor analysis, a form of construct validation, was performed and four factors emerged. These had very good internal consistency reliability alpha coefficients: Sexual Responsiveness to Females (0.9894), Sexual Responsiveness to Males (0.9741), Emotional Attachment to Females (0.8403) and Emotional Attachment to Males (0.8372). These factors were further statistically analysed to ascertain how they relate to one another and to the demographics of gender, age, relational status and sexual orientation identity. Future research will need to assess other forms of reliability and validity and focus on larger and more varied samples.

This quantitative research study examined the college experiences of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students at the University of South Florida, Tampa campus. Students were surveyed, via the web, using select questions from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire during the Fall 2014 semester. The data were analyzed using appropriate statistical methods and the results reported for each scale and question. Recommendations for practice and areas for future research were identified. There are four research questions that guide this study: • Question 1: What are the collegiate experiences of gay men, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students as measured using aspects of the College Student Experiences Questionnaire? • Question 2: How do the campus experiences of gay men and bisexual male students differ from lesbian and bisexual female students? • Question 3: How do the campus experiences of gay men and lesbian students differ from bisexual students? • Question 4: How do the campus experiences of gay men, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) students differ from non-GLBT students? The sample was composed of undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds at the University of South Florida, Tampa campus. The sample was primarily composed of Caucasian individuals (66%) under the age of 29 (82%). There was a sizable number of individuals who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual or other (N = 268). Most of the students were female and there were only a few individuals who identified as being transgender (N =10). Approximately seventy percent of those in the sample were undergraduate students. There were only a few notable differences between those who identified as gay, lesbian, bisexual, other, or transgender and those who identified as heterosexual/straight for their sexual orientation. A review of the demographics revealed only a few differences between the groups. Those differences included: • Those who identified their sexual orientation as lesbian, gay, bisexual or other or their gender as transgender were more likely to live in campus housing than those who identified their sexual orientation as heterosexual/straight. • Those who identified their sexual orientation as lesbian, gay, bisexual or other or their gender as transgender were more likely to be enrolled in fewer course hours than those who identified their sexual orientation as heterosexual/straight. • Those who identified their sexual orientation as lesbian, gay, bisexual or other, or their gender as transgender, were more likely to use loans to pay for college and less likely to have parental support in meeting those same expenses than those who identified their sexual orientation as heterosexual/straight. Analysis of the first research question, “What are the collegiate experiences of gay men, lesbian, bisexual and transgender students as measured using aspects of the College Student Experiences Questionnaire?” was conducted with descriptive statistics for each of the CSEQ questions. A review of the individual research questions, with their respective means and frequencies, revealed a few key findings: • Students do not often develop a role-play of case study for class, with this question receiving the lowest mean in the Quality of Effort Course Learning scale. • Higher level learning items, summarizing, explaining, and seeing how ideas fit together, within the Quality of Effort Course Learning scale all received high mean scores. • Students are not very likely to engage with faculty outside of class time, as revealed in analysis of items with the Quality of Effort: Experiences with Faculty scale. • Within the Quality of Effort: Campus Facilities scale students reported the highest frequency for meeting another student on campus for a discussion. All other items in the scale showed a lower frequency level. • The Quality of Effort: Clubs and Organizations scale reinforced that students are not likely to engage a faculty member outside of class, with the question about meeting a faculty member or advisor receiving the lowest mean score in the scale. • Students were more likely to become acquainted with a variety of students, rather than have a serious discussion with a variety of students, as revealed in a review of the questions in the Quality of Effort: Student Acquaintances scale. • Students reported more frequently discussing social issues than discussing the views of writers, philosophers and historians, as revealed in a review of the questions in the Quality of Effort: Topics of Conversation scale. • Within the College Environment: Scholarly and Intellectual scale, students thought that the greatest emphasis was placed on developing academic, scholarly and intellectual qualities. • Within the College Environment: Vocational and practical scale, students thought that the greatest emphasis was placed on developing an understanding and appreciation of human diversity. • Students reported, with the College Environment: Personal Relationships scale, having the best relationships with other students, followed by faculty, and then administrative personnel. For Question Two, “How do the campus experiences of gay men and bisexual male students differ from lesbian and bisexual female students?”, Question Three, “How do the campus experiences of gay men and lesbian students differ from bisexual students?” and Question Four, “How do the campus experiences of gay men, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) students differ from non-GLBT students?” a 2 (male, female) x 3 (gay/lesbian, bisexual, straight/heterosexual) factorial between subjects ANOVA was performed, along with post hoc analysis. If an ANOVA was not able to be performed because of unequal variances, a one-way ANOVA was performed for differences between the three sexual orientations, answering questions thee and four. Overall, results showed that students do not differ greatly based on gender or sexual orientation. However, there were a few statistically significant differences. On the Quality of Effort: Campus Facilities scale, a significant interaction effect between gender and sexual orientation (F(2,1189) = 3.55, p = .02) was found in performing the ANOVA. Post hoc pairwise testing revealed that female gay/lesbian had a significantly (p = .03) higher mean (M = 2.069, SD = .416) than male gay/lesbian (M = 1.78, SD = .50), making them more likely to utilize campus facilities on a more frequent basis. Additionally, male heterosexual/straight had a significantly (p = .03) higher mean (M = 1.92, SD = .57) than female heterosexual/straight (M = 1.84, SD = .55), making them more likely to utilize campus facilities on a more frequent basis. On the Quality of Effort: Topics of Conversation scale, a significant difference between gay/lesbian, bisexual, and heterosexual/straight was found (F(2,1225) = 7.86, p = < .001) when performing a factorial ANOVA. Post hoc pairwise testing revealed a significant difference (p = .02) between those who identified as gay/lesbian and those who identified as heterosexual or straight. Additionally, there a significant difference (p = .006) between those who identified as bisexual and those who identified as heterosexual or straight. Those who identified as gay/lesbian (M = 2.61, SD = .59) as well as bisexual (M = 2.60, SD = .64) indicated a greater frequency of participating in a variety of conversation, when compared to those who identified as heterosexual or straight (M = 2.39, SD = .66).

Various competing theoretical frameworks have been invoked to explain heterosexual sex differences in mating psychology. Chapter One provides examples of such frameworks, details how considering both heterosexual and homosexual men and women can help identify the most tenable frameworks, and reviews previous research comparing the mating psychology of heterosexual and homosexual men and women. Chapter Two demonstrates the utility of this comparative method by examining the mate retention behaviour of heterosexual and homosexual men and women. Where heterosexual sex differences exist, the mate retention behaviour of homosexual men is largely sex-typical while that of homosexual women is sex-atypical. The significance of these results for explaining heterosexual sex differences in mate retention is discussed. Chapter Three discusses how the data presented and reviewed here might inform our understanding of the psychological mechanisms underlying mating psychology as well as the development of sexual orientation in men and women.
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The present study examined 100 gay and lesbian (LG) college students and 100 heterosexual students to determine whether group differences existed in frequency of and anxiety related to non-erotic cognitive distractions during sexual activity. Non-erotic cognitive distractions is a descriptive term to include both self-evaluative behaviors related to physical performance and body image concerns, as well as additional cognitive distractions (e.g., contracting an STI or emotional concerns) during sexual activity. Participants, matched on gender (96 males and 104 females), age, and ethnicity, completed questionnaires assessing frequency and associated anxiety related to non-erotic cognitive distractions during sexual activity, as well as measures of additional variables (e.g., religiosity and self-esteem). Results indicated that LG participants experience significantly more cognitive distractions and concomitant anxiety related to body image, physical performance, and contracting a disease or illness during sexual activity. With regard to gender differences, men reported more distractions related to contracting a disease or illness than women. An interaction effect was observed between sexual orientation and gender for body image-, disease-, and external/emotional-based distractions. It also was found that gay men, lesbians, and heterosexual women reported significantly more body image concerns than straight men. Implications of these findings are discussed.
ID: 028916910; System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader.; Mode of access: World Wide Web.; Thesis (M.S.)--University of Central Florida, 2010.; Includes bibliographical references (p. 118-126).
M.S.
Masters
Department of Psychology
Sciences
Clinical Psychology

This study sets out to review a comparison of membership within the United Nations Security Council and the Human Rights Council and how sexual orientation and gender (SOGI) rights are protected or promoted within a state's foreign policy. These states were selected due to the need of having a set within the 193 UN member states and by choosing the UNSC there is elimination of selection bias. Multilateralism carries many difficulties, and chief amongst this is the concept of human rights. Human rights in general are often contentious, and especially in the area of SOGI. Because SOGI rights are not explicitly guaranteed within the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or any of the major Human Rights Conventions many states contend that they cannot be recognized as they are new rights. However, advocates for SOGI rights call for the principle of equality pointing out that these are not new rights, simply recognizing the importance of equal rights for all.

There is little work done already to emphasize how foreign policy engages with sexual orientation. Instead there is plenty of research supporting the marginalization and discrimination against people because of their SOGI. Most studies deal with domestic situations. This study as an interdisciplinary approach blends quantitative, qualitative and legal focuses within expressed foreign policy and attempts to determine if there is any relationship between states that are involved within the United Nations Security Council, the Human Rights Council, and SOGI foreign policy. After a thorough review of the backgrounds related to SOGI of each selected state, each state is then measured across 2 indices each comprised of 4 factors to attempt to begin a valuation of the two subjects. The results appear to reflect that those states that are more involved within the UNSC and the Human Rights Council do tend to have a better record on SOGI within their foreign policy. However, these results can only be preliminary as more research is needed to fully understand how these two variables can interact with each other.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The HIV-epidemic that is evident in South Africa today is infecting more women than men. This is mostly due to the vulnerability that women are facing in sexual relationships, where they are not able to negotiate the terms and conditions of their sexual engagement. Patriarchy, the culture of masculinity and a general male dominance influence women’s dependency on their man and agency inside and outside of the home, and contribute to the oppression of women both generally in society and sexually. Women have by this not the control over their own bodies and are for this reason in a high-risk position of contracting HIV. The vulnerability is further linked to the stigmatisation that women experience if they do try to negotiate preventative measures to reduce the risk of transmission. The fear of being stigmatised as ‘loose’ or HIV-positive by both men and women if suggesting condom use, inhibits women to propose the necessary actions for protection. Stigmatising behaviours also impact on a person’s fear of becoming HIV-positive and reduces the likelihood of getting tested, disclose one’s status to sexual partners and receive treatment. This thesis examines cultural and socio-economic issues that contribute to gender inequality in South Africa, and can generate stigma towards women on the basis of HIV and AIDS. This is done by using radical feminism as the theoretical framework for contextualising how women are situated in the South African society, in terms of general and sexual agency. Through the method of content analysis and the findings from the theoretical framework, the thesis further analyses how the three HIVprevention campaigns loveLife, Brothers for Life and TAC manage to address the issues related to stigma based on HIV/AIDS, which are directed towards women. Race, class and gender are all factors that influence the likelihood of becoming HIV-infected and of becoming stigmatised. Women’s low social status situates women in a position where they are more probable to be the object of stigmatisation since they already are considered lower in rank. If the women also are of colour, poor and low educated the chances of becoming stigmatised on the basis of HIV and AIDS are even more likely, the same is the chances of becoming HIV-infected. This indicates that poor, uneducated black women are the group that is most vulnerable towards stigmatisation as well as towards HIV-transmission. Socio-economic and cultural factors have a strong influence on the gender inequality in sexual relationships found in South Africa, which cause HIV to spread and can generate stigmatising behaviours. Stigmatisation on the basis of HIV/AIDS is therefore important to address in order to reduce the number of new HIV-infections. The three campaigns analysed for this thesis did neither directly address stigma on a general level nor directed towards women. The campaigns are therefore considered to be missing an important feature of HIV-prevention in South Africa.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die huidige Suid-Afrikaanse Vigsepidemie infekteer meer vroue as mans. Dit is die geval weens die kwesbaarheid wat vroue ervaar in seksuele verhoudings, waar vroue nie die mag het om die omstandighede van hul seksuele interaksies te onderhandel nie. Patriargie, die kultuur van manlikheid en ‘n algemene manlike dominansie beïnvloed vroue se mag en dra by tot die onderdrukking van vroue, beide in die samelewing in die algemeen en in seksuele verhoudings. Om hierdie rede het vroue nie beheer oor hul eie liggame nie en daarom ervaar hulle ‘n hoë risiko om MIV op te doen. Hierdie kwesbaarheid word ook verbind aan die stigmatisering wat vroue ervaar wanneer hulle probeer om voorkomende aksie te neem ten einde die risiko van Vigsoordrag te verminder. Die vrees om deur mans en ander vroue gestigmatiseer te word as iemand met ‘losse sedes’, of as iemand wat MIV-positief is wanneer hulle kondoomgebruik voorstel, weerhou vroue daarvan om die nodige voorkomende aksie vir selfbeskerming te neem. Stigmatiserende gedrag het ook ‘n impak op ‘n mens se vrees om MIV-positief te word en verminder die waarskynliheid dat jy jouself vir die virus sal laat toets, dat iemand hul status aan seksuele maats sal verklaar, of behandeling sal ontvang. Diegene wat reeds MIV onder lede het is bang om hul status te verklaar weens die gepaardgaande stigma. Hierdie tesis ondersoek kulturele en sosio-ekonomiese kwessies wat bydra tot geslagsongelykheid in Suid-Afrika, en wat stigma kan veroorsaak teenoor vroue met betrekking tot MIV and Vigs. Die studie analiseer dan of Vigsveldtogte hierdie stigma kan aanspreek. Dit word gedoen deur radikale feminisme toe te pas as ‘n teoretiese raamwerk om vroue se plek in die Suid-Afrikaanse samelewing te kontekstualiseer, beide in terme van algemene en seksuele mag. Die metode van inhoudsanalise word toegepas om drie Vigsvoorkomingsveldtogte (loveLife, Brothers for Life en TAC) te analiseer en vas te stel of en hoe hulle kwessies wat betrekking het op stigma teenoor vroue aanspreek. Sosio-ekonomiese en kulturele faktore het ‘n sterk invloed op die geslagsongelykeid in seksuele verhoudings in Suid-Afrika; dit lei daartoe dat MIV versprei word en kan stigmatiserende gedrag vererger. Om hierdie rede is dit belangrik dat MIV/Vigsvoorkomingsveldtogte stigmatisering aanspreek ten einde gedrag te wysig en om die getal nuwe Vigsbesmettings te laat daal. Die drie veldtogte wat in hierdie tesis geanaliseer is het beide nagelaat om stigma direk aan te spreek op ‘n algemene vlak, en was ook nie direk gerig op vroue nie. Die veldtogte kan daarom beskou word as ontoereikend deurdat hulle belangrike komponente van MIV-voorkomig in Suid-Afrika misgekyk het.

This study attempted to make releveant connections between the marginalization theory posited by Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky and Indiana news media coverage of the 1993 Gay, Lesbian and Bi-Sexual March on Washington. To date, Herman and Chomsky's work has looked at the marginalization of political or racial minorities. This study looked at how the elements of marginalization, the perpetuation of stereotypes and the complete annihilation of thought or consideration of the minority group, as seen regarding gay and lesbian people in America. Further, the theory guided the study's content analysis of Indiana news media coverage of the 1993 Gay, Lesbian and Bi-Sexual March on Washington. Taking the form of a case study, the contextual basis for the content analysis was provided by an interview with Gregory Adams, media co-chair for the march.Indiana coverage of the march in The Indianapolis Star was content analyzed sentence-by-sentence, while the same coverage was analyzed sentence-by-sentence from stories broadcast on WISH-TV, Channel 8 in Indianapolis. In addition, media images from the March broadcast by WISH-TV, Channel 8 in Indianapolis were also content analyzed video cut-by-cut.The study found gay and lesbian people were marginalized in the text of the Indiana news media coverage. The study also found that the marginalization of gay and lesbian people in the coverage was consistent among the three media types measured (newspaper text, television text and television images).
Department of Journalism

This study was performed to provide social workers with knowledge about the psychosocial risks of a lesbian client's coming-out event. A survey was administered consisting of 22 questions and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depressed Mood Scale (CES-D).

The aim of the study was to gain a holistic understanding of the lived experiences of four South African, black, Xhosa-speaking lesbians in Nelson Mandela Bay. Contextual, exploratory, descriptive qualitative research based on a phenomenological approach was conducted and analysed through interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). A combination of purposive and snowball sampling was used to recruit participants and semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted with four South African adult, black, Xhosaspeaking females of homosexual orientation between the ages of 18 to 35 years. Findings indicate that the participants experience the following: (a) sexual development as a major influence on their sexual- and self-identity, (b) homosexual sexual orientation had a psychological impact on their lives, (c) they have a holistic understanding of who they are, and this understanding of themselves, has positively influenced their lives, (d) their homosexual sexual orientation has influenced the personal relationships in their lives in both positive and negative ways, (e) society has influenced their lives both positively and negatively because of their homosexual sexual orientation , (f) social networking can act as a risk to unintentional disclosure of homosexual sexual orientation and (g) they have experienced discrimination in various areas of their lives because of their homosexual sexual orientation. Some suggestions for future research included exploring lesbian stereotypes within the broader society, as well as inside the black lesbian community and examining the so-called differences between city and township lesbians with an emphasis on beliefs, attitudes, practices, subcultures and gender identity issues.

This thesis seeks to explore how young, educated and seemingly liberated women construct their identities and make sense of their futures around their heterosexual relationships. Using the experiences of eight women participants engaged in long-term heterosexual relationships, combined with relevant secondary literature, issues of sexuality, identity, power and intimacy are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the implications of their identity construction and how they 'perform' their roles as women in society. How their sexual stories reflect their positioning in society is premised by the phrase, 'the personal is political' . Through analysis of the participants' experiences mixed with theoretical arguments, this thesis finds that young women are apparently sexually, economically and intellectually liberated but locked into discourses that provide highly unequal, limiting, disempowering and oppressive understandings of masculinity, femininity and sexuality. They live and experience a reality which is far from liberated.

Women are subject to a number of societal recommendations about what it means to be an 'ideal' woman. These recommendations take the form of social scripts, constructing an idea of ideal femininity, which women must perform in order to be socially accepted and successful. 'Emphasized femininity', a white, Western, script of femininity is dominant and has been critiqued by feminists, social theorists, and individual women for the limits that it places on women's behaviour. As a result a number of alternative scripts of femininity have arisen. These scripts can provide alternatives to restrictive understandings of female sexuality and beauty - they can serve to challenge 'appropriate' feminine behaviour and hence allow women to live more freely. Raunch femininity is a contemporary alternative that uses sexually explicit public performance, and encourages specific body and dress norms, in an attempt to challenge the norms of emphasized femininity. This thesis looks at raunch femininity, specifically its norms of sexuality and beauty, in the hopes of understanding what the effects of such a script are on women's behaviour. Theoretical understandings and explanations of women's lives are often contradicted by reports that women provide of their lived experiences. For this reason, this thesis investigates the lived experiences of women who self-identify as subscribers to this script in order to assess to what extent superficial expressions of freedom have deeper effects on women's freedom. The tension between theory and empirical reports is evident. However, in many cases, the reports of research participants reveal that the script of raunch femininity, like other scripts of feminine behaviour, has its own limits that women must abide with in order to be accepted. This thesis argues that these limits outweigh the benefits of this script.
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Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2001
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Dialogue between Christians of different sexual orientations is not taking place in the church. From a missiological perspective this lack of dialogue damages the unity of the church and therefore its credibility to the outside world. There is a diversity of opinions and experiences in terms of sexual orientation in the church. Dialogue with each other from an arrived and positioned attitude, where judgement and rejection dominates, does not model reconciliation and the experience of unity. This research aims to further the intra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation ecclesiologically in such a way that the unity of the body of Christ be embodied and the credibility of the church heightened. The interreligious experience of the dialogue process and the skills that have been learned from it, are researched via an extensive literature study to establish if it can serve as an source of experience from which a dialogue-skills model can be developed that furthers the intra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation, with specific mentioning of homosexuality, ecclesiologically. A historical overview of the interreligious dialogue development in the ecumenical movement is given. This overview highlights the tension that has developed between the church's understanding and use of witnessing and dialogue in its contact with and reflection on other faiths. Historically, priority has been given to witnessing, because it is understood as being part of the essence of the Christian faith. The role of witnessing in dialogue, however, is small, because dialogue does not have a missiological intention, but a missiological dimension. In this research the tension between dialogue and witnessing is handled via this distinction, without separating the two. This missiological dimension is understood to be concerned with the relevant, adequate, intelligible and credible communication of the triune God's communication with the Christian and the other of another faith. The research develops a model of interreligious dialogue-skills to make clear the procedure and polyhedral of this kind of dialogue in conjuction with the big challenge and demand for skills required. The research then gives a working definition for the concept "intra-faith dialogue", whereafter the intra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation, with specific mentioning of homosexuality is described and researched in two casestudies. The first casestudy is the World Council of Churches's "Padare" occasion at their Harare Assembly in December I998 and it serves as an example of an ecumenical intra-faith dialogue on macrolevel. The second casestudy is the Dutch Reformed Church's Western Cape Sinodical Commission for Doctrinal and Actuality's Adhoc Studycommission which, via a denominational intra-faith dialogue, developed guidelines for a Biblical founded pastoral care for the homosexual neighbour. This casestudy serves as an example of an intra-faith dialogue on microlevel. Both casestudies are then evaluated via the use of the developed dialogue-skills model. The results prove that the hipotheses that there is a lack of dialogue-skills and guidelines in these intra-faith dialogues, is correct. The research offers the dialogue-skills model as a praxismodel to further the intra-faith dialogue regarding sexual orientation ecclesiologically. The importance of a pastoral aptitude and attitude in this dialogueprocess and how pastoral care for a homosexual person ought to be, are described as an example.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dialoog tussen Christene van verskillende seksuele orientasies vind nie plaas in die kerk nie. Vanuit 'n missiologiese perspektief, skaad hierdie gebrek aan dialoog die eenheid van die kerk en daardeur haar geloofwaardigheid na buite. Daar is 'n verskeidenheid van menings en belewenisse rakende hierdie saak en om vanuit 'n gearriveerde, geposisioneerde houding met mekaar te praat, bewerk nie versoening en die belewenis van eenheid nie. In hierdie navorsing word gepoog om die intra-geloofsgesprek rondom seksuele orientasie kerklik op so 'n wyse te bevorder dat die eenheid van die liggaam van Christus vergestalt word en die geloofwaardigheid van die kerk na buite verhoog word. Die ervaring van die interreligieuse dialoogproses en die vaardighede wat daaruit aangeleer is, word ondersoek deur middel van 'n uitgebreide literatuurstudie. Die literatuurstudie het ten doel om vas te stel of die interreligieuse dialoogproses kan dien as ervaringsbron waaruit n dialoogvaardigheidsmodel ontwikkel kan word. So n model sou dan die intra-geloofsgesprek rondom seksuele orientasie, met spesifieke verwysing na homoseksualiteit, kerklik kon bevorder. 'n Geskiedkundige oorsig oor die ontwikkeling van interreligieuse dialoog in die ekumeniese beweging word gegee. Hierdie oorsig toon aan dat daar 'n spanning ontwikkel het tussen die kerk se verstaan en gebruik van getuienis en dialoog in die kontak met en nadenke oor ander gelowe. In die geskiedenis is prioriteit gegee aan getuienis, omdat dit deel is van die wese van die Christel ike geloof. Die rol van getuienis in dialoog is egter klein, omdat dialoog nie 'n missionere intensie het nie, maar wei 'n missionere dimensie. Die navorsing hanteer die spanning tussen dialoog en getuienis kreatief deur bogenoemde onderskeiding, sonder om die begrippe van mekaar te skei. Hierdie missionere dimensie word dan verstaan as die relevante, verstaanbare en geloofwaardige kommunikasie van God Drie-enig met die self en die ander van 'n ander geloof. Die navorsing ontwikkel dan 'n interreligieuse dialoogvaardigheidsmodel om die multidimensionele aard van die soort dialoog, tesame met die groot uitdaging en eise aan vaardighede, aan te toon. Vervolgens word 'n werksdefinisie van die begrip intra-geloofsgesprek gegee, waarna die intra-geloofsgesprek rondom seksuele orientasie, met spesifieke verwysing na homoseksualiteit in twee gevallestudies ondersoek en beskryf word. Die eerste gevallestudie is die Wereldraad van Kerke se "Padare" geleenthede by hul Harare byeenkoms in Desember 1998 en dien as voorbeeld van 'n ekumeniese intrageloofsgesprek op makrovlak. Die tweede gevallestudie is die Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk se Wes-Kaapse Sinodale Kommissie vir Leer en Aktuele Sake se Adhoc Studiekommissie wat via 'n denominasionele intra-geloofsgesprek, riglyne vir 'n Bybelsgefundeerde pastoraat aan die homoseksuele naaste ontwikkel het. Hierdie gevallestudie dien as voorbeeld van 'n intra-geloofsgesprek op mikrovlak. Beide gevallestudies word dan aan die hand van die ontwikkelde dialoogvaardigheidsmodel, krities geevalueer. Die resultaat bevestig die hipotese dat daar 'n gebrek aan dialoogvaardighede en riglyne in hierdie intra-geloofsgesprekke bestaan. Die dialoogvaardigheidsmodel word as praktykmodel aangebied om die intra-geloofsgesprek rondom seksuele orientasie kerklik te bevorder. Die belang van 'n pastorale ingesteldheid en houding in hierdie dialoogproses en hoe die pastoraat teenoor die homoseksuele persoon behoort te Iyk, word as voorbeeld beskryf.

Substantial contributions have been made by lesbian and gay developmental theorists in understanding the development of lesbian and gay sexual identities, or what has come to be known as the coming out process. “Coming out of the closet” has become a central metaphor, in western contexts, for the recognisable process gay men and lesbians undergo in order to claim a relatively stable and enduring sexual identity, while overcoming obstacles such as heterosexism. Lesbians’ sexual identities are examined in this thesis through a Foucauldian lens which is fused with a narrative-discursive perspective. The aim of this study is not to trace a progressive development of identity, but rather to consider how lesbians in this study are located within a specific context, namely, a historically white university in post-apartheid South Africa, and how their identities are dynamic products of ever-shifting socio-historical spaces. Eight lesbians’ stories are analysed using the narrative-discursive method, which allows for a consideration for how the construction and negotiation of identities is shaped and constrained by social and discursive conditions. The women in this study do utilise the concept of coming out to some extent in their stories, but this narrative does not entirely account for their experiences. Instead, these women’s accounts reflect the way in which they personally experience heterosexism, and how they constantly negotiate their sexual identities within certain social and geographical spaces. When the nuances of lesbians’ contexts are taken into account, it becomes clear that claiming a lesbian identity is more than just about “coming out”, and rather about an on-going process of identity management.

This study examined the relationships between parents' and their gay and lesbian children from the parents' perspective. Forty-seven questionnaires containing thirty-two questions were distributed and completed. This study sought to identify barriers parents experienced and the levels of acceptance prior to and after their child's disclosure, in order to assist families during the coming out process.

This work is principally an investigation into visual and screen culture, using four specific regions of the three-dimensional virtual world of ‘Second Life’ as case studies. The analysis follows a thematic application of discourse analysis as a basis for critiquing Western screen culture, most importantly the cultural and social conditions that replicate dominant paradigms of power and agency. Of particular pertinence to this study are the framing, representational and spatial practices of gendered and sexual identities within ‘Second Life’ spaces. As is typical of the internet, sexual freedom is a given, yet representational performance (how one appears through their embodied avatar) is predicated on significations from the corporeal. So, within potentially subversive spaces, there is a normativity that persists which reiterates the ideological foundations of identity that are historically and culturally ascribed to. This is particularly prevalent in gendered representation – avatars tend to hyper-gendered expression and the excesses of Western bodily presentation and adornment, so that bodies are seen to move beyond all biological capacity of attainment. That these representational practices carry over into sexually diverse regions is perhaps unsurprising given that gay and lesbian culture has been in a large way subsumed into contemporary mass culture. It is the tensions that occur as a result of the normative acting upon the subversive that forms the basis of investigation, specifically the relationship between corporeal normativity and screen culture as well as the tensions between cultural conservatism, subversive representation and gender conformity.

In 1952, at the height of the McCarthy era, Franz Kallmann, a Jewish psychiatrist and eugenicist who fled the National Socialist regime in Germany, published a study, in which he claimed to have found a one hundred percent concordance rate for homosexuality among forty pairs of identical twins. From this data, Kallmann concluded that homosexuality, which he saw as a pathological mental condition, had a genetic cause. As well as being a clear statement that sexual orientation is constitutionally based, Kallmann's study also reflected social and scientific conceptions of lesbians and gay men that had been extant for centuries. The twin study perpetuated the portrayal of homosexual women and men as insane in general, and in particular continued the stereotype that lesbians were masculine and that gay men were effeminate. Seven responses to Kallmann's study were published between 1960 and 1973, some in support of his genetic theory, others favoring environmental explanations based loosely on psychoanalytic theories. The environmental argument eventually gained ground in twin studies in the late 1960s concurrent with the widespread acceptance in the psychiatric community of the theory that homosexuality is caused by dysfunctional relationships between parents and children. The seven twin studies that responded to Kallmann retained his characterization of lesbians and gay men as gender transgressors. Simultaneously, homosexual activist groups began to question the pathological model of sexual orientation. Twin studies of this type ended in 1973, the same year that the American Psychiatric Association reversed its position on homosexuality and removed it from the diagnostic manual.
Graduation date: 2005

The purpose of this study was to analyze the change in gay/lesbian friendships after the disclosure of their sexual identity. Six specific areas were examined: (1) what are the circumstances under which persons find out their close friends are gay/lesbian (hereafter referred to as the event), (2) do relationships change when close friends find out about the participants' sexual identity, (3) if the relationship changes, how does it change (hereafter referred to as the relational outcome), (4) which events are associated with which relational outcomes, (5) how satisfied are the gays/lesbians with their relational outcomes, and (6) what are the gays'/lesbians' perceived causes of the relational outcomes. The results of this study indicated that the majority of the participants disclosed their sexual identity to their close friends. And they did so in an attempt to be honest, to avoid hiding who they are, and to be able to talk about their sexual identity freely. Most of the participants reported being quite satisfied with the relationships which became more close or stayed the same. Most of the participants reported being somewhat unsatisfied with the relationships which became more distant or terminated. The way in which the friends found out about the participants' sexual identity was not related to whether or not the relationship became more close or more distant. The participants believed their relationships became more close because they were honest. However, the participants believed their relationships became more distant because their friends were homophobic. This research is significant because it may help counselors, therapists, and practitioners coach gay men and lesbians when their relationships deteriorate or are strained. This research may also enable gay men and lesbians to be aware of potential factors which might affect their relationships with their friends after disclosure occurs. In addition, this research may equip gay men and lesbians with information to enable them to make educated decisions on discussing their sexual identity with their friends. Furthermore, the results from this research might provide suggestions to individuals who have gay friends to help them make the coming-out process easier for their gay friends.
Graduation date: 1998

This is a study of the mental health status of black homosexuals from LGTBI social organisations who have disclosed their sexual orientation. One hundred participants participated, fifty homosexuals and fifty heterosexuals. The heterosexual participants were used as comparative group. The General Health Questionnaire-28 and a self-designed categorical choice questionnaire were administered to the homosexual sample out of the closet. The heterosexual sample only answered the General Health Questionnaire-28. The designed questionnaire was tested in the pilot study with homosexual participants. The current study seeks to determine whether there is a relationship between disclosure of sexual orientation and mental health. The results suggested that the homosexual population were mentally healthier than heterosexuals of the current study. Nevertheless homosexual people did face significant challenges in disclosing their sexual orientation. Regarding challenges that homosexuals face, some gender differences between gays and lesbians were found. Lesbians were found to be experiencing fewer challenges than gay participants. Being part of LGTBI social networks was found to be associated with positive mental health for homosexuals. Therefore, the study’s general finding was that there is an association between disclosure and positive mental health for homosexuals belonging to LGTBI social networks.
Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Despite the election of a Black President and media assertions at the time heralding a “post racial” America in which racial divides no longer exist, health disparities, poverty rates, incarceration rates, discrimination and educational inequality still are a daily reality for African Americans. African Americans still have the burden of having to cope with racism making the explorations of coping strategies for African Americans dealing with racism vitally important. The present study explored religious orientation, spirituality, race-related stress, mental health outcomes and activism for African Americans. In particular, race -related stress was predicted to be significantly predictive of activism, such that the more one has experienced race related stressors the more likely they would be activated to engage in social justice related activities (H1). The study predicted that higher levels of quest religious orientation and intrinsic spirituality would be related to higher levels of African American activism (H2a). It was also predicted that higher levels of religious fundamentalism would be related to lower levels of activism (H2b). Regarding the relationship of spirituality and activism to mental health, it was predicted that quest religious orientation and intrinsic spirituality and activism would be related to greater mental health outcomes (H3a), while a fundamentalist spiritual orientation and race-related stress would be related of poorer mental health (H3b). It was also predicted that African American activism would be related to greater mental health outcomes (H4a) and that racism-related stress would be negatively related to mental health (H4b) The results indicated that for this sample, none of the spirituality variables (Quest Orientation, Fundamentalism Orientation, and Intrinsic Spirituality), nor the experience of racism (race-related stress), nor African American Activism, was related to mental health. However, the variables examined were significantly related to African American Activism. Quest Religious Orientation, Intrinsic spirituality, and race-related stress were all positively related to engagement in action for racial justice. Fundamentalist religious orientation was negatively related to action for social justice.

This thesis is a participatory research study that was conducted amongst twenty-two, 15 to 20-year-old youth with disabilities in the Umgungundlovu district of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The aim of the thesis was to investigate how Zulu-speaking youth with physical and sensory impairments bring into discourse issues surrounding love, relationships, sex and HIV & AIDS in the construction of their sexual identities. As part of this process, three youth with disabilities were trained as co-researchers. In this context, a further aim of this thesis was to make evident what youth with disabilities learn through undertaking sexuality research. Using a post-structural framework, with particular emphasis on queer theory, a key argument of this thesis is that power emerges through the networks of relations in the study. This thesis also troubles the linear discourse of empowerment and the relationships between adults and young people in sexuality and HIV & AIDS research. The thesis adopted a qualitative methodology and used a participatory research design. Data was collected through the use of focus group discussions, individual interviews and participatory rural appraisal (PRA) techniques such as drawings and timelines. The co-researchers were responsible for carrying out the focus group discussions and individual interviews with other disabled youth, as well as being involved in some aspects of the data analysis of this thesis. Data were analysed using a multi-levelled process that combined both content analysis and discourse analysis. The findings make evident that youth with disabilities are sexual beings who continually re-construct their sexual identities in the context of the discourses available to them. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that, in constructing their sexual identities, youth with disabilities do so within the intersectionality of complementary and contentious discourses of gender, culture, modernity, ableism and adultism. In relation to the co-researchers, it was found that being part of the study provided a dialogical space allowing them to develop new self-positions, which they were able to apply to their personal lives outside the research arena. The thesis recommends the training of youth with disabilities as peer educators in sexuality and HIV & AIDS pedagogy. It also strongly argues for the need to review current teacher education curriculum in South Africa in order to take cognisance of the sexuality of youth with disabilities and their vulnerability to HIV & AIDS.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

This thesis examines the problem of sex segregation in the public sector of Pakistan in relation to the increasingly applied development solution of gender training of public sector employees. The three main labour market theories of sex segregation - social, economic and political - and the parallel development approaches, that is, Women in Development (WID), Women and Development (WAD), and Gender and Development (GAD), consider the solution to the problem of sex segregation in the labour market to be, respectively, the integration of women in institutions, women's access to economic resources, and the reorganisation of gender relations through dismantling entrenched patriarchy. In practice, the social approach of gender training has increasingly become the development solution and there is a belief that training will result in institutional transformation and the elimination of gender inequality. The research for this thesis was concerned with how gender training relates to the problem of sex segregation in terms of issues of women's low representation, access to resources, and institutional policies and practices. The research interviewed 198 public sector employees in Pakistan to seek opinions on women's representation, the changes and policies required in the public sector and actual changes in practices after gender training. The data captured the diversity of views of male and female employees both with and without gender training, belonging to two geographic locations, 10 organisations, and at three levels within the organisations. The research found that training provoked resistance to women's representation and access to resources and did not result in changes in practices of research participants, which continued to be determined by institutional inertia owing to unchanged organisational policies. There was a contest between the opposing interests of men and women about the issues of women's representation and access to resources. While both men and women opposed increased representation of women in organisations through quotas, women asked for greater access to institutional and social resources but men in similar positions opposed it, suggesting gender inequality is inherently political. Patriarchal benevolence was shown by men in senior management positions in their support for increased women's representation and resources, because their elite status was not challenged by interventions at the lower level. Further, gender training did not transform organisational practices and gender- trained research participants returned to work in the existing patriarchal framework of the public sector. These findings seek a refocus of development interventions by suggesting that more and better training cannot cure the problem of sex segregation, nor do social and liberal theories of sex segregation offer a solution to the problem of sex segregation, because women's low representation and limited access to resources are not causes of sex segregation, as assumed by the social and economic theories of sex segregation in the labour market, but are effects of the patriarchal control of institutions, as argued in the political theories of sex segregation in the labour market. While training is important, the problem first requires a change in the patriarchal processes, policies and procedures that disenfranchise women.

Thesis (M. A. (Clinical Psychology)) -- University of Limpopo, 2016
The South African constitution makes provision for the rights of gays and lesbians, and has legalized same-sex relationships. However, many people, including students in same-sex relationships continue to be harassed and maltreated. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes of first entering students towards same-sex relationships at the University of Limpopo. A sample of 100 students (first entering students= 50, final level students = 50; with ages ranging from eighteen to forty five years), with a total number of twenty five (25) students drawn each of the four faculties at the university were selected using a convenience sampling method. Data was collected using the Homophobia Scale comprising of 25 close-ended questions which focus on behavioural, affective and cognitive attitudes towards gays and lesbians. Data were analysed using nominal data analysis and interpreted using the Statistical Package for Social Scientists (SPSS) software. The study results revealed that fifty two percent (52%) of first entering students at the University of Limpopo have negative attitudes towards same-sex relationships with seventy four percent (74%) of first-entering students having no knowledge regarding same-sex relationships. Seventy three percent (73%) of participants behave negatively towards people in same-sex relationships. The study is concluded by recommending that more similar studies that include larger sample of students from different universities and different racial backgrounds be conducted. The results of the study have implications for the University of Limpopo in when it comes to understanding and promoting knowledge about same-sex relationships.

Abstract in English and Zulu
This qualitative study set out to discover the lived experiences of South African transgender individuals within the liminal space of having been confirmed for gender affirming surgery, yet who have not completed their surgery. The aim included seeking out how participants’ wellbeing was affected by being within this liminal space. Six participants were recruited in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Cape Town. Thematic analysis was used to derive themes from the transcripts. Themes included coming out; relationships; wellbeing; misgendering/misnaming; support; public and private medical care; and liminality. Recommendations for future studies are included, and recommendations on interventions and support are discussed.
Lolu cwaningo lohlobo lwekhethelo lenzelwe ukuthola noma ukubheka izinselelo zabantu abafuna ukushintsha ubulili babo baseNingizimu Afrika ababhekana nazo uma basohlelweni lokuyohlinzwa ngoDokotela ukuze bakhone ukushintsha ubulili babo. Inhloso yalolu cwaningo ukubheka ngqo kubantu abayihambile lena ndima ukuthi bahlukumezeka kanjani ngesikhathi basohlelweni lokuthi bashintshe ubulili babo. Abantu abayisithupha abazibandakanye nalolu cwaningo batholakale eGoli, ePitoli kanye naseKapa. Kusetshenziswe ucwaningo olubheka indikimba ukuze kutholwe izihloko ezivele embalweni osuselwe enkulumeni eqoshiweyo. Izihloko ezivelayo yilezi, ubudlelwano; impilo; ukubizwa ngobulili ongasibona/ukubizwa ngegama okungasilona elakho; ukwesekwa; usizo lwezibhedlela zikahulumeni nezibhedlela ezizimele; kanye nokuba sesimeni sokushintsha ubulili. Izincomo zocwaningo oluzayo zifakiwe nazo, kuphindwe kwakhulunywa noma kwabhekwa ukuthi kungangenelelwa kanjani ngosizo.
Psychology
M.A. (Clinical Psychology)