The purpose of this exploratory investigation was to investigate how self-identified gay or bisexual (GB) men with developmental disabilities managed their complex identities. Through various profiling strategies and snowball sampling techniques, seven such GB men volunteered. These key participants resided over a wide geographical area, from the coastal US to the southern part of British Columbia. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with each person, three of whom identified a caregiver as being a particularly important part of his "coming-out" process. Semi-structured interviews were also conducted with these supporting participants, as well as a few other relevant professionals. Key participants' life stories were framed within several theories: namely; Goffman's (1963) stigma, Lave and Wengers' (1991) legitimate peripheral participation, disability theory, queer theory and Smith's (1987) institutional ethnography. Similarly, the supporting professionals' responses were analyzed. The results present rich kaleidoscopic narrative descriptions, and provide many implications for special education practice and queer activism.

Androphilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult males, whereas gynephilia refers to sexual attraction and arousal to adult females. Prehistoric artifacts such as art and pottery indicate that male-male same sex behaviour has existed for millennia. Bearing this in mind, and considering that male androphilia has a genetic component yet androphilic males reproduce at a fraction of the rate than do gynephilic males, how the genes for male androphilia have been maintained in the population presents an evolutionary puzzle. This thesis tests two hypotheses that attempt to address this Darwinian paradox. Chapter one reviews the current literature on the kin selection hypothesis and the sexually antagonistic gene hypothesis. In addition, rationales for testing these hypotheses in Canada are provided. Chapter two tests the kin selection hypothesis for male androphilia within a Canadian population. Results and implications are discussed. Chapter three tests the sexually antagonistic gene hypothesis within a Canadian population. Results and implications are discussed. Chapter four summarizes the results of the two studies and discusses how these findings may be interpreted from an evolutionary perspective. The impacts of gene-environment interaction on the functional behavioral expression of traits are emphasized. / viii, 113 leaves ; 29 cm

This qualitative study, informed by narrative and social constructionist theory, aimed to engage with the tensions and complexities emerging from the narratives of six white, South African homosexual men, of two different age-groups (older and younger). The intention was to assess the extent to which time-constrained understandings of homosexuality - as sin, sickness and adaptive choice - have impacted on the lived experience of these homosexuals. It was found that all-independent of era - refer to internalised homophobia. It was discovered, however, that due to freedom of the press, and psychologisation, while the younger participants testify to the complexity of their lived experience, they do have more recourse and agency in constructing and negotiating their sex lives, and their place in their gay communities. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

This paper explores the reality of a queer individuals life and the reality of a mother of a queer individual, where the author himself and his mother are the subjects. The paper seeks to explore these person's experiences/realities using both an autoethnographic approach and a life history approach. Coming from a postmodern and feminist position the author delves into such issues as power, oppression, social construction, personal voice, and identity. Personal narratives and academic literature within this paper are going to display queer realities and the broad range of oppression (such as heterosexism, homophobia and gendering) that they face (in educational, familial, and religious settings) and the experiences of a mother who has a queer child (such as emotional reactions, lack of resources/information). / The methodologies used within this paper also seek to explore and expand the use of alternative forms of academic research, focusing on the autoethnographic approach. Personal narratives, emotions and experiences take center stage within the body of this paper and seek to represent the realities of queer youth and their families to the reader, and hopefully, expose the need for more queer awareness, education, and advocacy.

This study was designed to examine psychology graduate students' attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. It was hypothesized that the following variables would predict participants' attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women: participant gender, amount of client contact with gay men and lesbian women, and gender role attitudes. Additionally, a measure of social desirability was included to investigate the validity of responses. Data were analyzed by conducting an independent t-test, a correlated t-test, and hierarchical multiple regression. Results indicated that gay men were viewed more negatively than were lesbian women. As expected, participants' gender role attitudes significantly predicted their attitudes toward gay men and lesbian women. Contrary to predicted outcomes, results indicated that neither participant gender nor client contact predicted attitudes toward homosexuality. Finally, results suggested that participants were not engaging in socially desirable responding. Implications of this study for research, theory, and practice are discussed. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This study examined the relationship between the attitudes of counselors toward gays and lesbians and their ratings of this population, as compared to the heterosexual population, in terms of mental health. Participants (N=92) were masters and doctoral level graduate students at a midsized midwestern university. Counselors who were more prejudiced toward gay and lesbian targets rated them as less mentally healthy than heterosexual targets. Counselors who were less homophobic did not differ significantly from more homophobic participants in terms of their ratings of mental health. The implications and limitations of these findings are discussed, and future avenues of research are suggested. / Department of Counseling Psychology and Guidance Services

This thesis will examine how gay men are depicted in mainstream Japanese pop culture. To be discussed are: gay-themed comics for girls, mainstream movies in which the protagonists are gay, and finally, gay men's magazines which are gay authored and consumed. In examining how fantasies in these texts respond to the needs of various readerships, it is possible to understand how important and challenging it is for gay Japanese men to create identities of their own, identities which will allow them more possibilities than the prevailing facade of compulsory heterosexuality, complete with marriage and children.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Freiburg (Breisgau), 2007. / Includes bibliographical references and sources (p. 332-390).

Thesis (Ph.D) -- University of Western Sydney, Nepean, 1999. / Bibliography : p. [295]-312.

Thesis (M.A.)--Auburn University, 2008. / Abstract. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-57).