In this thesis, I engaged in a possibility of developing a Post-Heteronormative mission praxis with the black Pentecostal Christians and the sexual minorities in Polokwane, South Africa. The thesis critically examines the current heteronormative oriented mission praxis of the black Pentecostal Christians in Polokwane. It moves from the premise that the hegemonic position of heteronormativity within the black Pentecostal Christian’s circle in Polokwane needs to be problematized. I show in this thesis that the Christian church which challenged the social ill such as poverty, racism and apartheid in South Africa should take as its moral crusade the challenging of heteronormativity in the contemporary South Africa. Additionally, the re-reading of Biblical passage of scriptures when developing mission strategies is in a way recommended. Following the same recommendation, the sexual minorities in Polokwane are regarded as a type of the Good Samaritan. From a Samaritan who was marginalised because of his ethnicity however, Jesus placed him in a position of a good neighbour as presented in the Parable of the Good Samaritan. The black Pentecostal Christians in Polokwane are called to come out of their confines. They are further challenged to see the good in the lives of the sexual minorities. By doing that, they can in process discover the presence of God already at work in the lives of the sexual minorities. Consequently, the post-heteronormative mission praxis was defined in the following manner: Mission as going out to see the good in the lives of the sexual minorities. / Christian Spirituality, Church History and Missiology / D. Th. (Missiology)

Marginalization and stigmatization heighten the vulnerability of sexual minorities to inequitable health outcomes. Although men who have sex with men (MSM) are at elevated risk for HIV infection in India in comparison with the general population, there is a lack of MSM-focused research—particularly regarding stigma and mental health outcomes. This dissertation aimed to explore the influence of sexual stigma, gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma on depression and life satisfaction among MSM in South India. This study used a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted with MSM (n=200) in two locations in Tamil Nadu, South India: Chennai (urban) and Kumbakonam (semi-urban). Due to multicollinearity between sexual stigma and gender non-conformity stigma, the stronger predictor of each outcome (gender non-conformity stigma) was included in regression models. Results were analyzed to identify the associations between independent (gender non-conformity stigma, HIV-related stigma), moderator (social support, resilient coping) and dependent (depression, life satisfaction) variables. Due to significant differences between locations across a substantial number of variables, block regression analyses were conducted separately for each location. Higher levels of depression were predicted by gender non-conformity stigma in both locations, and also by HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam. Lower levels of depression in both locations were predicted by higher levels of social support and resilient coping. Higher life satisfaction was predicted by social support and resilient coping in both Chennai and Kumbakonam. Lower life satisfaction was predicted by gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam, but not in Chennai. Social support and resilient coping did not moderate the impact of stigma(s) on depression or life satisfaction in either location. The results indicate that the majority of participants experienced stigmatization based on same-sex sexual behaviour and/or gender non-conformity. Another striking finding of the study was the alarmingly high rates of depression, whereby over half of participants in each region reported moderate to severe depression scores. Practice and policy implications include the development, implementation and evaluation of: multi-level stigma reduction interventions that account for socio-environmental and contextual factors; mental health interventions that promote resiliency and build social support; and policy initiatives to advance human rights protection.

Marginalization and stigmatization heighten the vulnerability of sexual minorities to inequitable health outcomes. Although men who have sex with men (MSM) are at elevated risk for HIV infection in India in comparison with the general population, there is a lack of MSM-focused research—particularly regarding stigma and mental health outcomes. This dissertation aimed to explore the influence of sexual stigma, gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma on depression and life satisfaction among MSM in South India. This study used a cross-sectional survey design and was conducted with MSM (n=200) in two locations in Tamil Nadu, South India: Chennai (urban) and Kumbakonam (semi-urban). Due to multicollinearity between sexual stigma and gender non-conformity stigma, the stronger predictor of each outcome (gender non-conformity stigma) was included in regression models. Results were analyzed to identify the associations between independent (gender non-conformity stigma, HIV-related stigma), moderator (social support, resilient coping) and dependent (depression, life satisfaction) variables. Due to significant differences between locations across a substantial number of variables, block regression analyses were conducted separately for each location. Higher levels of depression were predicted by gender non-conformity stigma in both locations, and also by HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam. Lower levels of depression in both locations were predicted by higher levels of social support and resilient coping. Higher life satisfaction was predicted by social support and resilient coping in both Chennai and Kumbakonam. Lower life satisfaction was predicted by gender non-conformity stigma and HIV-related stigma in Kumbakonam, but not in Chennai. Social support and resilient coping did not moderate the impact of stigma(s) on depression or life satisfaction in either location. The results indicate that the majority of participants experienced stigmatization based on same-sex sexual behaviour and/or gender non-conformity. Another striking finding of the study was the alarmingly high rates of depression, whereby over half of participants in each region reported moderate to severe depression scores. Practice and policy implications include the development, implementation and evaluation of: multi-level stigma reduction interventions that account for socio-environmental and contextual factors; mental health interventions that promote resiliency and build social support; and policy initiatives to advance human rights protection.

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With the ultimate goal of illustrating the ways that queer youth employ change and act as agents of self-representation, this project examines the relationship between the It Gets Better Project, a queer adult project focused upon ‘bettering‘ the lives of their younger generation, and the Make it Better Project created in response by queer youth. This thesis addresses the following questions: How do adult conceptualizations of queer youth as vulnerable victims operate within discourses that employ queer youth as agents of change? In what ways do queer youth grapple with such conceptualizations? Furthermore, how might queer youth actively resist adult narratives of risk, vulnerability, and surveillance? Seeking to not only examine the ways in which queer youth negotiate adult narratives of adolescent risk and vulnerability, this project is organized to highlight the ways in which queer youth understand and experience their own representational and performative narratives, particularly when performed in response to adult narratives. In examination of the “It Gets Better: Dan and Terry” (2010a) and “It Gets Better: President Barack Obama” (2010c) vlogs of the It Gets Better Project, this thesis seeks to uncover the ways that assimilationist goals of inclusion, tolerance, and equality impact the intelligibility of queer youth. As a means for which to explore the possible resistance employed to counter such silencing mechanisms, the examination turns to three youth-produced vlogs of the Make it Better Project. An additional intent of the focus on the “LGBTQ Youth Speak Out”, “Make it Better Project” and “Make it Better Project - You Can Make it Better Now!” vlogs is to construct a space to analyze the complex and fluid dynamics of queer youth communities. With focus given to the various mechanisms employed by the adult and youth performers of these particular vlog-narratives, this project constructs an interdisciplinary framework of new social movement theory, new online media studies, queer theory, quare (queer of color) studies, feminist sociolinguistics, and critical youth studies as a means to position queer youth voices at the forefront of discussion. With the goal of continuing research that represents queer youth as agents of their own experiences, bodies, lives, and identities, it is my hope that the framework provided by this examination will inspire future work that highlights and centers the voices of queer youth. / text

Namibia continues to face an ongoing struggle in protecting the rights and civil liberties of its LGBT population with LGBT rights-based organisations in the country strongly relying upon their volunteers to take advantage of political opportunities and manage multiple visibilities. Despite a growing body of international research into volunteer motivation and the beneficial application of such knowledge in volunteer management strategies, a dearth of literature exists on the motives of volunteers within LGBT rights-based organisations. This study uses data from qualitative interviews with 6 formal volunteers from Namibian LGBT rights-based organisations to explore volunteer motivations. A thematic analysis of the research findings reveal the complex motivations underlying volunteering in these organisations. Volunteer motivations in Namibian LGBT rights-based organisations included: (a) addressing and promoting humanitarian concerns; (b) improved social interaction, integration and support; (c) self-regulatory opportunities for personal enhancement; (d) developing career prospects; and (e) responding to past homophobic incidents. Barriers to volunteering were also identified and included: (a) strained organisational resources; (b) LGBT discrimination; and (c) complacency. For volunteer recruitment and retention strategies to be effective, organisations need to recognise and satisfy volunteers’ motives while also properly training and assisting volunteers in their respective roles. Also, given the local LGBT community’s sense of complacency, Namibian LGBT rights-based organisations would greatly benefit by strategically engaging community members and working to overcome the community’s lack of urgency. / Psychology / M.A. (Psychology)

1 Abstract Thesis title: The legal status of minorities in Russia This work is an overview of the legal status of minorities in Russia and their mutual interaction with the dominant nation in individual historical stages. Its subject is to explore changes in the status of minorities in political, cultural, linguistic, religious and fundamental human rights. This is put in the historical context and the influence of the state's minority policy on state integrity is examined, including the assessment of the adequacy of the state-legal arrangement for the needs of national minorities. The space is also devoted to the administrative division of the country, which plays an important role in Russian terms. The pros and cons of period legislation are evaluated. Its impact on the practical life of minorities is illustrated by examples of specific minorities. The work is structured chronologically, presenting the history of Russia primarily in terms of milestones relevant to national minorities. The first part devoted to the Russian Empire monitors its gradual expansion and differences in the legal status of the conquered nations. Approximately from the middle of the 19th century, the Russian legislation has been directed towards unification, resp. Rusification of the whole empire, while the causes and effects of...

Introducción: la población LGBTI busca atención médica con menor frecuencia y en etapas de enfermedad más avanzadas que la población general. Objetivos: identificar los factores asociados a la falta de búsqueda de atención médica en la población LGBTI en Perú en 2017. Metodología: se realizó un estudio observacional transversal analítico de fuente secundaria usando los datos de la Primera Encuesta Virtual para Personas LGBTI, 2017 en Perú. Se elaboró un modelo de regresión de Poisson con varianza robusta para estimar las razones de prevalencias cruda y ajustada. Resultados: se incluyeron 5 646 participantes en el estudio. El 15.85% no buscó atención médica. El 74.04% vivía en Lima y Callao. El 29.84% no contaba con seguro de salud, mientras que el 46.42% refirió problemas de salud mental. Se encontró que la falta de búsqueda de atención médica fue más frecuente entre quienes viven en la región Centro, comparado con Lima (RP: 1.38, IC95%: 1.10-1.74, p = 0.006); quienes refirieron problemas de salud mental, comparado con tener problemas relacionados a enfermedades crónicas (RP: 8.81, IC95%: 6.10-12.71, p < 0.001); y los que no pueden expresar su sexualidad sin temor (RP: 1.23, IC95%: 1.08-1.39, p = 0.001). Conclusión: la falta de búsqueda de atención médica entre las personas LGBTI se asoció a vivir en la región Centro, padecer algún problema de salud mental y no poder expresar la sexualidad sin temor. / Background: LGBTI population use health care services less frequently and in more severe disease stages than general population. Aim: to describe factors associated with non-use of health care services by LGBTI population in Peru in 2017. Methods: we performed a cross-sectional analytical study using data from the First Virtual Survey for LGBTI Population, 2017 in Peru. We designed a Possion regression model with robust variance to estimate the crude and adjusted prevalence ratio. Results: we included 5 646 participants. 15.85% did not use health care services. 74.04% lived in Lima and Callao. 29.84% did not have any health insurance, while 46.42% referred mental health problems. The outcome was more frequent in participants that came from the Central region of Peru (PR: 1.38, CI95%: 1.10-1.74, p 0.006); those who referred mental health problems (PR: 8.81, CI95%: 6.10-12.71, p < 0.001); and in those who felt they could not express their sexuality without fear (PR: 1.23, CI95%: 1.08-1.39, p 0.001). Conclusion: non-use of health care services by LGBTI Peruvian population was associated with living in the Central region of Peru, having mental health problems and not being able to express one’s sexuality without fear. / Tesis

Este artículo analiza el impacto en la imagen corporativa como producto de la inclusión de miembros de la comunidad de lesbianas, gays, bisexuales y transgénero (LGBT) en un grupo de comercios retail en el Perú. Mediante una metodología mixta, se buscó determinar cuáles son las percepciones de los clientes al ver o interactuar con personas de dichas comunidades al momento de visitar tiendas especializadas en ropa; y cuál es la influencia de esa interacción en la formación de la imagen corporativa de esos establecimientos comerciales. Ante la discriminación en espacios laborales por la orientación sexual de sus trabajadores y la ausencia de políticas públicas en favor de las comunidades LGBT, este estudio muestra que la no inclusión se basa en prejuicios o estereotipos que en consecuencias directas negativas y que, comunicacionalmente, no hay un perjuicio en la imagen corporativa de las empresas en los públicos con los que interactúa. / This article analyzes the impact on corporate image as a product of the inclusion of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community in a group of retail stores in Peru. Through a mixed methodology, it was sought to determine what are the perceptions of customers when seeing or interacting with people from these communities when visiting specialized clothing stores; and what is the influence of this interaction in the formation of the corporate image of these commercial establishments. Faced with discrimination in work spaces due to the sexual orientation of their workers and the absence of public policies in favor of LGBT communities, this study shows that non-inclusion is based on prejudices or stereotypes that lead to negative direct consequences and that, communicationally, not there is damage to the corporate image of companies in the public with which it interacts. / Tesis

The system of higher education in the United States of America has retained some of its original character yet it has also grown in many ways. Among the contemporary priorities of colleges and universities are undergraduate student learning outcomes and success along with a growing focus on diversity. As a result, there has been a growing focus on ways to achieve compositional diversity and a greater sense of inclusion with meaningful advances through better access and resources for individuals from non-dominant populations. The clearest result of these advances for sexual and gender diversity has been a normalization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) identities through positive visibility and greater acceptance on campus. However, it appears that relatively few institutions have focused on improving academic diversity and students’ cognitive growth around LGBTQ issues. Through historical inquiry and a qualitative approach, this study explored the fundamental aspects of formal LGBTQ studies academic programs at some of the leading American research universities, including Cornell University, the University of Maryland, College Park, and the University of Texas at Austin – a purposeful sample chosen from the Association of American Universities (AAU) member institutions with organized curricula focused on the study of sexual and gender diversity. The analysis of primary and secondary sources, including documents and interviews, helped create historical narratives that revealed: a cultural shift was necessary to launch a formal academic program in LGBTQ studies; this formalization of LGBTQ studies programs has been part of the larger effort to improve the campus climate for sexual and gender diversity; and there has been a common pattern to the administration and operation of LGBTQ studies. Clearly, the research shows that LGBTQ studies, as a field of study and formal curriculum, has become institutionalized at the American research university. A key outcome of this research is the creation of a historiography of curricular development around sexual and gender diversity at a sample of premier research universities. This work also begins to fill the gap in the study of academic affairs at the postsecondary level of education related to LGBT and queer studies and the organization and administration of learning about diversity and inclusion. Ultimately, the results of this study can influence the continued advancement and maturity of this legitimate field of study as well as academic diversity and social transformation around sexual and gender diversity.