Doctor of Education / Department of Educational Leadership / Donna Augustine-Shaw / Much of the research on gays and lesbians in education has focused on their experiences as a marginalized group. There has been much progress in the understanding of gays and lesbians as a whole and the research shows that indeed this group has shown great contributions to the field. However, a close examination of the history of gays and lesbians also presents considerable evidence that the civil rights of gays and lesbians can indeed influence their professional lives regardless of occupation. This qualitative multiple case study examined the life experiences of the gay or lesbian educator in light of civil rights legislation that continues to influence our lives. Tenured educators were interviewed regarding their lived experiences early in life, during their education and growth in the profession, and currently as educators. The research used reputational snow ball sampling to discover these educators. The concepts behind Queer Theory and Queer Legal Theory were used in examining data in the context of civil rights involving gay and lesbian teachers. This study adds to the body of literature regarding sensitivity and tolerance for gays and lesbians as well as materials designed to enlighten teacher training in sensitivity, and awareness of gay, and lesbian teachers and administrators.

M.A., Faculty of Humanties, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011 / The first Johannesburg Pride march took place in 1990 and an event has taken place in the city every year since. The history of Johannesburg Pride runs alongside the history of the transition to democracy in South Africa. The event has from its very beginnings been the site of multiple contestations sometimes bitterly fought out. These conflicts have erupted around issues such as the route of the parade, its political content and its commercialisation among others. These conflicts it could be argued speak to the generally much fractured nature of gay and lesbian community in South Africa. As a result of apartheid policies of identify control, the ongoing legacies of the apartheid system and the various ways in which all people have been renegotiating their identities within the post-apartheid moment have left a community characterised by massive race, class and gender inequalities. Pride is one of the few times and spaces in which the various members of this community converge and this speaks to why it has become such an important space of contestation. Contestation not just around Pride, but in fact around what it means to be gay in post-apartheid South Africa and what it means to claim community. And importantly, what are the networks of power that exist that determine who is able to define and control both gay and lesbian identity and community.

In this paper, I will analyze the interconnections between Class S and lesbian identity as exemplified by Yoshiya Nobuko’s early writings with the goal of reconciling two schools of thought—that Class S is inherently lesbian fiction, or that it does not depict lesbians at all. To do so, I will be examining “Yellow Rose” through the lens of biographical criticism in order to illuminate the inherent connection between the themes present in Yoshiya Nobuko’s writings and her lived experience as a same-sex attracted woman.

Em nossa sociedade, a relação heterossexual ainda parece ser a única possibilidade legitimada para formação de um casal ou até mesmo de uma família. Porém, é cada vez maior o número de pessoas que desafia os discursos normativos presentes e busca a constituição de parcerias afetivo-sexuais com outras de seu próprio sexo, muitas vezes associando essas parcerias à experiência da parentalidade, seja com filhos biológicos ou adotivos. Com as crescentes discussões sobre os direitos sexuais reprodutivos e com o surgimento de novos arranjos familiares, entre eles o formado por casais homossexuais, começa-se a desconstruir o modelo ideal de família nuclear e abre-se caminho para discussão de temas como a maternidade lésbica. Este trabalho pretende contribuir com o debate da homoparentalidade, procurando demonstrar as especificidades existentes entre essas mulheres e suas formas de construir sua cidadania íntima dentro do contexto heteronormativo da sociedade brasileira. Para tanto, foi traçado o seguinte objetivo geral: compreender as concepções sobre a parentalidade de mulheres lésbicas que buscam a gravidez por meio de doadores de sêmen, sejam eles conhecidos ou desconhecidos. O estudo proposto baseia-se nos pressupostos da pesquisa qualitativa, como forma de privilegiar os discursos dos sujeitos como fonte de informação. Doze mulheres lésbicas aceitaram participar do estudo e foram entrevistadas entre os anos de 2009 e 2011. Os dados foram transcritos, organizados e analisados. A partir dos resultados, foi possível perceber que a vivência da maternidade por parte das mulheres lésbicas depende de fatores diversos como o histórico-cultural, o social, o jurídico-legal, o econômico e os relacionados às políticas públicas, além, é claro, da história de vida de cada uma dessas mulheres. Desta forma, para a mulher assumir a homossexualidade em uma sociedade heteronormativa e, ao mesmo tempo, optar pela maternidade, é necessário percorrer um árduo caminho, onde uma das saídas parece ser a luta pela cidadania plena e consolidação dos direitos humanos. Isto aponta para a importância de se abordar o tema em estudos e discussões acadêmicas com outras esferas da política pública e da vida social, incluindo a saúde pública / In our society, the heterosexual relationship still appears to be the only legitimate form to be a couple or to be a family. However, an increasing number of people who challenge the normative discourse are seeking for same-sex partnerships, often associating these partnerships to the experience of parenting, with biological or adoptive children. The increasing discussions about reproductive and sexual rights and the emergence of new family arrangements, including the one formed by homosexual couples, began to deconstruct the ideal model of nuclear family and its opens up the way for new discussions such as lesbian motherhood. This study intend to contribute to the homoparenthood debate, by demonstrating the specificities between these women and their ways to construct an intimate citizenship within the context of Brazilian heternormative society. To do so, the following overall aim was: to comprehend the parenthood concepts of lesbian women who seek pregnancy through known or unknown semen donor. The proposed study is based on the assumptions of qualitative research, which means that the subjects discourse was the source of information. Twelve lesbians were interviewed between the years 2009 and 2011. The data were transcribed, organized and analyzed. From the results, it was revealed that the motherhood experience by lesbians depends on several factors such as historical, cultural, social, juridical, legal, economic, public policies, and, of course, the personal history of each of these women. Thus, for women who come out as a lesbian in a heteronormative society and at the same time, opt for motherhood, they have a hard road to face. The solution seems to be to struggle for citizenship and human rights consolidation. So, its important working up this issue in academic studies and to discuss with other spheres of public policy and social life, including public health

This study examines how and why parents of gay and lesbian children come to join a support and advocacy group when same-sex attraction and sexuality are still considered deviant and immoral by the majority of society. Based on participant observation of and interviews with parents in two separate support and advocacy groups this study examines how parents come to define themselves in terms of the issues they are fighting for, in this case gay and lesbian acceptance, inclusion, and equality. This research also examines how parents formulate new religious convictions to satisfy their new parental role as supporter and advocate of their gay or lesbian child, all the while maintaining that they are normal, moral, and good parents, replacing this courtesy stigma with exemplary parenting. In addition, this study explores how parents re-tell stories from their child’s past, using “retrospective interpretation” that foretell their child’s gay or lesbian identity in adulthood. These stories rely on any deviation from culturally accepted and expected gender roles and norms, which are then interpreted as “evidence” or “indicators” that the child was always gay or lesbian and would be in adulthood as well. Furthermore, the parents create a new self based on their religious alterations and the location of artifacts in the child’s past that predict a gay or lesbian identity.

Book Summary: Applying Techniques to Common Encounters in School Counseling: A Case-Based Approach helps counselors in training bridge the gap between theory and practice by showing them how to theoretically frame or understand the problems and issues they encounter, how to proceed, and what action steps to take when they enter the field as school counselors. It answers the questions new counselors have in real school settings, such as What is it really like to live the life of a professional school counselor? How does the theory presented in the classroom apply to the myriad of situations encountered in the real life, everyday school setting? Case studies and scenarios give readers examples of many commonly encountered presenting issues. For each scenario the case is introduced, background information is supplied, and initial processing questions are posed. The authors include a discussion of the theoretical models or frameworks used to address the issue, along with a table segmented by theoretical paradigm and grade level that includes other techniques that could be used in the presenting case. With these tools at their disposal, readers gain a firm understanding of the issues from several frames of reference, along with interventions meant to create movement toward a successful resolution.

Much research has been dedicated to the difficulties LGBTQ individuals face. Further, school counselors have been challenged to assist LGBTQ individuals in the school setting. Being aware of the specific issues and being educated about specific ways to assist these individuals enable school counselors to be more effective clinicians (DePaul, Walsh, & Dam, 2009). This article will address three components of counselor preparation and affirmative school counseling interventions: counselor self-awareness, LGBTQ sexual identity development, and LGBTQ-affirmative school climate. For each component, an activity is presented to assist professional school counselors become more LGBTQ-affirmative.

Much research has been dedicated to the difficulties LGBTQ individuals face. Further, school counselors have been challenged to assist LGBTQ individuals in the school setting. Being aware of the specific issues and being educated about specific ways to assist these individuals enable school counselors to be more effective clinicians (DePaul, Walsh, & Dam, 2009). This article will address three components of counselor preparation and affirmative school counseling interventions: counselor self-awareness, LGBTQ sexual identity development, and LGBTQ-affirmative school climate. For each component, an activity is presented to assist professional school counselors become more LGBTQ-affirmative.

No description available.

Performance ethnography of lesbian K-12 teachers’ stories. For full abstract, visit the American Folklore Society Annual Meeting Program Book .