In his model of psychosocial development, Erik H Erikson referred to the concept of generativity as a value that forms part of the adulthood phase of individuals. The concept has been defined as "... the desire to establish and nurture young people". Applied to parenting and in particular fathering, it refers to "... fathering that meets the needs of children by working to create and maintain a developing ethical relationship with them" (Dollahite et al., 1997a: 18). Such a relationship is important insofar as it necessitates the creation and maintenance of three psychosocial strengths, namely hope, fidelity and care - all of which are important for an individual to be healthy and functional (Erikson, 1984; 1997). The dissertation that follows primarily focused on the changing nature of fathering, with particular emphasis on a comparison between heterosexual and gay fathering in South Africa. This comparison served to indicate the manner in which these men conceptualised fathering, and the degree to which they displayed the principles of generative fathering to determine their possible differences and similarities. Evident from some of the key findings were the following. Firstly, in terms of the manner in which the men defined fathering, both groupings used similar concepts to define the position of a father. Secondly, based on the thorough discussion of the basic principles of generative fathering in Chapter Two, it was quite evident that both heterosexual and gay fathers knowingly and unknowingly ascribed to them. These included the components of generative fathering, being interaction, accessibility and paternal responsibility and the various categories of generative fathering, including ethical work, stewardship, development work and relationship work. Based on these similarities, it was of particular interest to the researcher that it was not the sexual orientation of the respondents which impacted on their relationship with their children, but rather independent factors such as the manner in which they were socialised by their fathers, their educational and occupational levels, as well as spousal support. As such, the research underscored the importance of eradicating traditional notions of the father serving only as moral figure, economic provider and gender role model. In addition, it also emphasised the fact that 'gay fathering' should not be regarded as a contradiction in terms, but that 'gay fathering' and the seemingly stereotypical 'gay lifestyle', should be viewed as two distinct and independent entities. / Thesis (M.A. (Sociology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

In his model of psychosocial development, Erik H Erikson referred to the concept of generativity as a value that forms part of the adulthood phase of individuals. The concept has been defined as "... the desire to establish and nurture young people". Applied to parenting and in particular fathering, it refers to "... fathering that meets the needs of children by working to create and maintain a developing ethical relationship with them" (Dollahite et al., 1997a: 18). Such a relationship is important insofar as it necessitates the creation and maintenance of three psychosocial strengths, namely hope, fidelity and care - all of which are important for an individual to be healthy and functional (Erikson, 1984; 1997). The dissertation that follows primarily focused on the changing nature of fathering, with particular emphasis on a comparison between heterosexual and gay fathering in South Africa. This comparison served to indicate the manner in which these men conceptualised fathering, and the degree to which they displayed the principles of generative fathering to determine their possible differences and similarities. Evident from some of the key findings were the following. Firstly, in terms of the manner in which the men defined fathering, both groupings used similar concepts to define the position of a father. Secondly, based on the thorough discussion of the basic principles of generative fathering in Chapter Two, it was quite evident that both heterosexual and gay fathers knowingly and unknowingly ascribed to them. These included the components of generative fathering, being interaction, accessibility and paternal responsibility and the various categories of generative fathering, including ethical work, stewardship, development work and relationship work. Based on these similarities, it was of particular interest to the researcher that it was not the sexual orientation of the respondents which impacted on their relationship with their children, but rather independent factors such as the manner in which they were socialised by their fathers, their educational and occupational levels, as well as spousal support. As such, the research underscored the importance of eradicating traditional notions of the father serving only as moral figure, economic provider and gender role model. In addition, it also emphasised the fact that 'gay fathering' should not be regarded as a contradiction in terms, but that 'gay fathering' and the seemingly stereotypical 'gay lifestyle', should be viewed as two distinct and independent entities. / Thesis (M.A. (Sociology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2009.

"Sexual orientation" is increasingly used as a prohibited ground for discrimination. The aim of this thesis is to show that this notion is being challenged both at the theoretical and implementation level. As a ground, "sexual orientation" ought to be replaced by "sex", as meaning the social construction of biological sex, in other words, "gender". / First, this thesis exposes the history of "sexual orientation", and then the problems faced by Canadian and international courts when trying to implement it. "Sexual orientation" is then analysed within the broader perspective of the traditional liberal discourse on minorities. That perspective shows that LGBT communities are submitted to criteria established by the majority, therefore regulating their existence. / Finally, the thesis draws on the analysis of scholars who think that those criteria are, in fact, part of a broader discourse aiming at perpetuating the domination of "male" over "female" and that discrimination of LGBT communities is in fact motivated by "gender".

This project explores the question of gay male identity and community formation in relation to the production of social space designated as "gay." What economic, social, political and symbolic resources are involved in the production of gay space? And how can social space be thought of as creating the conditions of possibility for the formation of specific gay identities and communities? / Using a "production of space" analysis adapted from the work of Henri Lefebvre, I examine the case of Montreal's gay village. I argue that the emergence of this space, in both material and symbolic terms, has led to a particular sense of "spatial identity" among many gay men in Montreal. I analyze the implications of these "space-based" identities for queer community formation and conclude that the Village constitutes a compromise with the dominant culture, rather than a radical form of spatial praxis.

Thesis (MA (AborStud))--University of South Australia, 1995

The gay sauna played a central role in the battle for gay liberation in Sydney during the latter part of the twentieth century. This thesis examines the conjunction of social and political forces which contributed to the acceptance of the gay sauna by Sydney???s civic society. Two questions reveal this process: 1. How was an illegal and clandestine place for homosexuals, perceived as a threat to the moral standards of Sydney, transformed into an institutional entity, legally recognised as ???crucial???, and important within particular environs of this city? 2. How did the evolving public domain of gay saunas contribute to the development of gay culture in Sydney by fostering the opportunities for individual and collective expression of homosexual practices? This study is contextualised within international and Australian studies of the sexualisation of urban spaces???such as Michel Foucault???s, Manuel Castells??? and Lawrence Knopp???s???and the role of the built environment in the development of sexual identity and sexual practices???such as Gayle Rubin???s, John Ricco???s, and Joel Brodsky???s. The first part of the thesis is an empirical analysis of development applications for gay saunas in Sydney between 1967 and 2000 which reveals the play of forces within state and local government, legislative processes, the homosexual community and broader civic stakeholders through which the gay sauna achieved acceptance in Sydney???s civic society. Two principal research approaches???documentary research and twenty in-depth interviews???were used in this first part. The second part of the thesis is an ethnography that uses twenty-nine in-depth interviews to provided a unique insight into the evolving public domain of Sydney???s gay saunas and how they fostered the experiences of gay men, allowing gay men to develop individual and collective sexual identities and practices. This exploration of the interplay of built form, sexuality, civic governance, social identity and social action provide a sociological contribution which will also be of interest to gay studies, anthropology, architecture, geography and planning. Essential to an experience of the thesis is a concurrent reading of the Special Enclosures???a schematic chronology of Sydney gay saunas, plans of Sydney and architectural plans of its saunas.

The research is specifically concerned with the notion of the military masque as a projected extension of the history of masqueing behaviour evident in gay men's attire.The creative outcome of the project is a collection of five interchangeable masques, an animated poetic work and a series of photographic images.This exegesis therefore, seeks to contextualise the created artifacts. In doing this it posits a historical and critical framework that considers the hyper-masculine1 and its relationship to gay men's masqueing.21 In this exegesis hyper masculinity is taken to mean an exaggeration of stereotypical male beliefs and behaviors through an emphasis on virility, strength and aggression and dress codification.2 Frye (1957), in his Anatomy of criticism offers a useful definition of masque as I frame it in this thesis. The term may be understood as "a species of drama in which spectacle plays an important role and in which the characters tend to be, or become aspects of human personality, rather than independent characters" (pp. 365-7). In this respect the masque is something donned that presents a decodable identity extra to, or other than the actual personality of the wearer.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Technology, Sydney, 2005. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Feb. 5, 2008). Includes bibliographical references (p. 365-391).

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wyoming, 2005. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Oct. 10, 2007). Includes bibliographical references (p. 64-76).