Little is known about the healthcare experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) young adults (ages 18-24) and even less is known about LGB college students (ages 18-24). Helping LGB college students effectively access appropriate, sensitive healthcare has the potential to reduce negative long-term health consequences. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to describe the healthcare experiences of LGB college students (ages 18-24) in the local college community using community-based participatory research (CBPR). Three online synchronous focus groups and one online individual interview were conducted with 19 LGB college students between January and February 2011. The focus groups were segmented into lesbian (n= 7), gay (n= 7), and female bisexual (n = 4) groups. One male bisexual was interviewed individually. The mean age of the sample was 20.7 years (SD = 1.2, range = 19-24). The sample was predominately White non-Hispanic (85%). Qualitative content analysis was used to describe the healthcare experiences of lesbian, gay, and bisexual college students in the local community. One overarching theme (not all the same), one main theme (comfort during the clinical encounter), three sub themes (personalizing the clinical encounter, deciding to disclose and social stigma, and seeking support of self-identified sexual orientation) and one preliminary sub theme (perceived confidentiality) emerged from the analysis. One major action emerged from the analysis and supported the development of the social network site (on Facebook) entitled: College Alliance Towards Community Health (CATCH). The mission of CATCH is to provide LGB college students in the local community with a comfortable forum to learn about various healthcare concerns of lesbian, gay, and bisexual college students. Additional implications for nursing practice and implications for further research in the LGB college community are addressed.

It is a difficult task to interpret historical silences, to investigate subjects that are largely missing in the archives. However, the writing of history must not stop because of that, but with the help of the small amount of material that exists, research must move forward and create more knowledge. One purpose of the essay is precisely this, to contribute with inspiration and knowledge about working with limited materials from marginalized groups. This particular essay is about lesbian living conditions during the 1940s in Stockholm and this is examined using documents from a police investigation during the time, that convicted five women by the swedish law against homosexuality, "fornication that is against nature". This court case is unique as it is the first case in swedish legal history where women have been convicted of homosexual acts. The source material is examined using text analysis, queer theory, queer phenomenology and gender theory. Through this method and theory formation, lesbian living conditions are studied based on factors such as identity, community, norms and attitudes. The main results show that the prevailing heteronormativity and gender order were both limiting and liberating for gay women in different situations and that there were different attitudes towards female homosexuality. The various investigated categories are also woven together in the final discussion and their connections and influence on each other are made visible. With this essay, the goal is to contribute to the research of historical lesbian living conditions as well as to contribute with historical role models for lesbians today.

Com a possibilidade de acesso a tecnologias reprodutivas cresce o número de mulheres em relação homoafetiva que engravidam e buscam o sistema de saúde. Estudos mostram que a qualidade do atendimento pode ser afetada por questionamentos inadequados, homofobia e comunicação heteronormativa. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender a percepção de mulheres em relação homoafetiva sobre a assistência à saúde recebida durante concepção, gravidez, parto e pós-parto em serviços públicos e privados na região metropolitana de São Paulo. Neste estudo qualitativo foram entrevistadas de forma individual 19 mulheres que tiveram filhos biológicos durante uma relação homoafetiva, totalizando a história de dez casais. Os resultados apontam que o acesso aos serviços públicos de concepção permanece exclusivo aos casais inférteis heterossexuais. Os casais homoafetivos precisam escolher entre tratamentos médicos caros e invasivos no sistema privado ou uso de inseminação caseira com esperma de doador conhecido, técnica não regulamentada no Brasil e que pode acarretar problemas legais futuros caso o doador decida requerer direitos de paternidade. Mais do que apenas eventos biológicos, a concepção, gestação, o parto e a amamentação possuem dimensões sociais e relacionais importantes de vínculo da parceira que não gesta com o bebê, e também com a companheira que está grávida. No entanto, a reprodução ainda requer a legitimação e o reconhecimento das especificidades de casais homoafetivos por diversos atores envolvidos nesse processo, entre eles os profissionais da saúde. Após a gravidez, a maioria das participantes foi atendida no sistema suplementar de saúde e, apesar da avaliação positiva em geral, foram relatadas situações de desconforto com a postura dos profissionais em diversos momentos, incluindo suposição de heterossexualidade; formulários e orientações voltadas para pai/mãe, questionamento da legitimidade do casal e algumas situações de discriminação e privação de direitos. Os avanços e limites do reconhecimento desse momento para ambas as mulheres, com ênfase na inclusão da parceira que não está biologicamente grávida, foram aspectos destacados pelas participantes deste estudo como determinantes na qualidade dessa experiência de parentalidade. Mesmo com a conquista de direitos legais, como a aprovação do casamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo, entre outras, muitas instituições e profissionais de saúde continuam despreparados para oferecer assistência adequada para casais homoafetivos. Diferentes intervenções podem melhorar a qualidade dos cuidados prestados aos casais homossexuais, incluindo a implementação de leis e políticas públicas; mudanças estruturais dentro do sistema de saúde; e melhor treinamento para profissionais de saúde. A reivindicação é por uma mudança cultural que exige a participação ativa dos profissionais de saúde, gestores e responsáveis por sua formação. / With improved access to reproductive technologies, more women in same-sex relationships are choosing to plan pregnancies and are accessing the health system for care during conception, pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Studies show the affect that homophobia, heteronormative communication, and inappropriate questioning by healthcare practitioners can have on the quality of care that is given. The objective of this study is to understand the perceptions of women in a same-sex relationship on the quality of healthcare received throughout conception, pregnancy, delivery and postpartum while using public and private health services in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. In this qualitative study, 19 women who had biological children while in a same-sex relationship were interviewed, amounting to the shared histories and experiences of ten couples. Access to conception services provided by the public health system in Brazil remains exclusive to infertile heterosexual couples, leaving many homosexual women to choose between two primary options. They can purchase costly medical treatments and services from the private health system or they can perform self-insemination using donated sperm. The latter technique is not regulated in Brazil and could expose women to potential legal problems associated with the possible decision of sperm donors to pursue paternity rights. More than just its biological impact, conception, gestation, childbirth, and breastfeeding have important social and relational effects on attachment for both the partner who is carrying the pregnancy as well as for the partner who is not pregnant with the baby. The legitimation and recognition of the specificities of samesex couples is required by several actors involved in this process, chief among them being health professionals. After pregnancy, the majority of the participants were attended to in the public health system. Despite predominantly positive evaluations overall, participants also reported some discomforting situations involving the behavior of health professionals including assumptions of heterosexuality; forms and orientations addressing parents as only father / mother, doubts or questions cast on the legitimacy of the couples\' relationships, and a few instances of discrimination and violated rights. Participants of this study highlighted how the acknowledgement of this moment for both women, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of the partner who is not biologically pregnant, is a large determinant of their perceptions on the quality of that parenting experience. Even with the advancement of legal rights such as the federal approval of same-sex marriage, among other civil rights achievements, many institutions and health professionals remain unprepared to provide adequate assistance and care that addresses the specific needs of homosexual couples. Different types of interventions can improve the quality of care provided to homosexual couples, include incorporating changes in laws/policies; structural changes within the health system; and better training for health workers. The aim is for a cultural change that requires the active participation of health professionals, managers, and those responsible for their training.

Com a possibilidade de acesso a tecnologias reprodutivas cresce o número de mulheres em relação homoafetiva que engravidam e buscam o sistema de saúde. Estudos mostram que a qualidade do atendimento pode ser afetada por questionamentos inadequados, homofobia e comunicação heteronormativa. O objetivo deste trabalho é compreender a percepção de mulheres em relação homoafetiva sobre a assistência à saúde recebida durante concepção, gravidez, parto e pós-parto em serviços públicos e privados na região metropolitana de São Paulo. Neste estudo qualitativo foram entrevistadas de forma individual 19 mulheres que tiveram filhos biológicos durante uma relação homoafetiva, totalizando a história de dez casais. Os resultados apontam que o acesso aos serviços públicos de concepção permanece exclusivo aos casais inférteis heterossexuais. Os casais homoafetivos precisam escolher entre tratamentos médicos caros e invasivos no sistema privado ou uso de inseminação caseira com esperma de doador conhecido, técnica não regulamentada no Brasil e que pode acarretar problemas legais futuros caso o doador decida requerer direitos de paternidade. Mais do que apenas eventos biológicos, a concepção, gestação, o parto e a amamentação possuem dimensões sociais e relacionais importantes de vínculo da parceira que não gesta com o bebê, e também com a companheira que está grávida. No entanto, a reprodução ainda requer a legitimação e o reconhecimento das especificidades de casais homoafetivos por diversos atores envolvidos nesse processo, entre eles os profissionais da saúde. Após a gravidez, a maioria das participantes foi atendida no sistema suplementar de saúde e, apesar da avaliação positiva em geral, foram relatadas situações de desconforto com a postura dos profissionais em diversos momentos, incluindo suposição de heterossexualidade; formulários e orientações voltadas para pai/mãe, questionamento da legitimidade do casal e algumas situações de discriminação e privação de direitos. Os avanços e limites do reconhecimento desse momento para ambas as mulheres, com ênfase na inclusão da parceira que não está biologicamente grávida, foram aspectos destacados pelas participantes deste estudo como determinantes na qualidade dessa experiência de parentalidade. Mesmo com a conquista de direitos legais, como a aprovação do casamento entre pessoas do mesmo sexo, entre outras, muitas instituições e profissionais de saúde continuam despreparados para oferecer assistência adequada para casais homoafetivos. Diferentes intervenções podem melhorar a qualidade dos cuidados prestados aos casais homossexuais, incluindo a implementação de leis e políticas públicas; mudanças estruturais dentro do sistema de saúde; e melhor treinamento para profissionais de saúde. A reivindicação é por uma mudança cultural que exige a participação ativa dos profissionais de saúde, gestores e responsáveis por sua formação. / With improved access to reproductive technologies, more women in same-sex relationships are choosing to plan pregnancies and are accessing the health system for care during conception, pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. Studies show the affect that homophobia, heteronormative communication, and inappropriate questioning by healthcare practitioners can have on the quality of care that is given. The objective of this study is to understand the perceptions of women in a same-sex relationship on the quality of healthcare received throughout conception, pregnancy, delivery and postpartum while using public and private health services in the metropolitan region of São Paulo. In this qualitative study, 19 women who had biological children while in a same-sex relationship were interviewed, amounting to the shared histories and experiences of ten couples. Access to conception services provided by the public health system in Brazil remains exclusive to infertile heterosexual couples, leaving many homosexual women to choose between two primary options. They can purchase costly medical treatments and services from the private health system or they can perform self-insemination using donated sperm. The latter technique is not regulated in Brazil and could expose women to potential legal problems associated with the possible decision of sperm donors to pursue paternity rights. More than just its biological impact, conception, gestation, childbirth, and breastfeeding have important social and relational effects on attachment for both the partner who is carrying the pregnancy as well as for the partner who is not pregnant with the baby. The legitimation and recognition of the specificities of samesex couples is required by several actors involved in this process, chief among them being health professionals. After pregnancy, the majority of the participants were attended to in the public health system. Despite predominantly positive evaluations overall, participants also reported some discomforting situations involving the behavior of health professionals including assumptions of heterosexuality; forms and orientations addressing parents as only father / mother, doubts or questions cast on the legitimacy of the couples\' relationships, and a few instances of discrimination and violated rights. Participants of this study highlighted how the acknowledgement of this moment for both women, with particular emphasis on the inclusion of the partner who is not biologically pregnant, is a large determinant of their perceptions on the quality of that parenting experience. Even with the advancement of legal rights such as the federal approval of same-sex marriage, among other civil rights achievements, many institutions and health professionals remain unprepared to provide adequate assistance and care that addresses the specific needs of homosexual couples. Different types of interventions can improve the quality of care provided to homosexual couples, include incorporating changes in laws/policies; structural changes within the health system; and better training for health workers. The aim is for a cultural change that requires the active participation of health professionals, managers, and those responsible for their training.

Background: Several studies have shown there has been significant lack of knowledge about women who have sex with women cross infect each other with STIs. It has been less likely that women who have sex with women visit health care than heterosexuals, they often felt badly treated, invisible and did not always know where to turn in case of an STI. Objective: The objective was to examine if STI information from Kalmar and Växjö county websites and GCK-summit, targeted women who have sex with women. Method: With a queer theoretical perspective a critical discourse analysis was made by STI information on the internet. Results: Women who have sex with women have been excluded in the STI information currently available through Kalmar and Växjö county websites. The public notices for screening tests have not been designed in such way it includes women who have sex with women. Women who have sex with women have been an obscure group. Conclusion: The conclusion was that women who have sex with women have not been included in the STI information available on the internet within the county councils of Kalmar and Kronoberg.