<p> The purpose of this project was to write a grant to fund spirituality-focused support groups for Latino adults who are HIV positive and their family members or significant others. The groups will provide a safe place for participants to receive additional education and support to enhance their coping skills and promote healthy ways to manage stress. An extensive literature review was conducted regarding traditional Latino cultures, including their emphasis on spirituality and communal support. </p><p> The Elton John AIDS Foundation was chosen as an appropriate funder. The groups will be provided in both English and Spanish through The LGBT Center OC. The Center is located in Orange County, California, where there are large numbers of HIV positive Latinos and few resources specifically designed to meet their needs. The actual submission of the grant application was not a requirement of the thesis project.</p>

<p> The U.S. military has struggled with the implementation of diversity efforts throughout history and a key factor supporting this failure is the lack of information collected from its minority groups. An extensive examination of women and gays in the military illustrated a continued disadvantageous environment for both minority groups, which was created by the military's sexual based discrimination. More specifically, the history of sexual orientation discrimination of gays in the military coupled with the lack of research available indicated a need for additional exploration in this field of study. Seminal research efforts provide little insight to the gay service members' perspective within the military. Additionally, current research is excessively narrow, focusing on military readiness, cohesion, and overall military effectiveness. In an effort to close the gap in literature, this qualitative study explored the perspectives of 11 gay men and their experiences as gay service members, before and after the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT). The results of this phenomenological research indicated, as per social identity theory, participants struggled with being gay in the U.S. military. Based on the in-depth interviews, participants felt DADT was an unfair policy which silenced them as a minority group. The DADT policy created family issues and a hostile work environment where participants were subject to sexual orientation discrimination, leading to a sense of alienation, a reduction in job participation, and a decrease in overall job satisfaction. After the repeal, participants reported a slow and sometimes forced attempt at cultural change which resulted in continuing discrimination and ongoing family issues. Out of fear of military retaliation, only some of the participants chose to reveal their sexual orientation following the repeal. Some of the participants who chose to come out of the closet reported continued harassment from their peers and leadership. These gay servicemen suffered from minority stress related to their experiences and expressed concerns regarding their future treatment in the U.S. military. </p>

<p> The Church of the Nazarene asserts that homosexuality is a perversion of human sexuality, and that homosexual acts are sinful and subject to the wrath of God. The denomination also states that all people should be treated with dignity, grace, and holy love&mdash;regardless of sexual orientation&mdash;while firmly maintaining its position that a &ldquo;homosexual lifestyle&rdquo; is sinful and contrary to scripture. Nazarene clergy experience a tension between the denomination&rsquo;s position on homosexuality and ministering to LGBT people. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of thirteen Nazarene clergy responses to homosexuality and their interactions with LGBT people. The resulting themes offer implications for Nazarene clergy, the Church of the Nazarene, LGBT people, counselor educators, and clinical practitioners.</p>

<p> One major conflict some lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals face is how to maintain their religious affiliations while developing their sexual identity. Some of these individuals choose to reject theist ideology altogether. Very little is known about the atheist and theist differences among the LBG populations. This study aimed to explore relationship challenges that LGB individuals face when having differing religious ideologies from their parents. In addition, the study addressed the need to examine additive links of multiple potential oppressive forces when identifying as a LGB atheist. </p><p> The study found that all participants perceived having relationship strain when having a theist parent. However, participants who identified as atheists had more relationship strain than participants who shared the same theistic belief as their parents. Most participants were not &ldquo;out of the closet&rdquo; and reported the greatest relationship strain in almost all subscales.</p><p> The implications for social work practice is to emphasize the importance of theist belief, or lack there of, in family dynamics. In addition, social workers must advocate in religious institutions for civil treatment not only for LGB but for atheists as well.</p>

<p> Given the intolerance of homosexuality in many religions and religious communities, particularly Muslim American communities, many LGBTQ-identified individuals who grow up in Muslim families and societies struggle with the two oft perceived incompatible identities. Numerous researchers have examined this phenomenon among Christian and Jewish gay men in the United States, but minimal research has addressed men who identify as gay and Muslim. These individuals face an even greater risk of psychological and physical harm due to the cultural and religious proscriptions that gay Muslims face and the lack of social and psychological resources available to them. By further examining how gay Muslim men cope with their sexual and religious identities, and how personal traits, experiences, and situations mitigate or enhance the conflict that many experience, my intent with this study was to contribute to the nascent psychological framework that mental health providers, especially therapists, could access when working with clients who identify as gay and Muslim. Using a social constructionist paradigm and thematic analysis, the lived experiences, attitudes, and beliefs of nine men all of whom are between the ages of 24 and 35, were raised in Muslim families, and are attracted to other men were examined in this qualitative study. The analysis of the interviews focused on religion, sexuality, identity negotiation, relationships, and mental health. Particular efforts were invested in looking at how the participants negotiate their religious and sexual identity development and, if present, how they resolve their identity conflict. The majority of the participants rejected their Muslim identities with a few participants maintaining their Muslim and gay identities. Implications for clinical practice are discussed.</p>

<p> In the United States, workplace discrimination against African-Americans and women has been a primary focus of Industrial/Organizational psychology research (Ruggs, Law, Cox, Roehling, Wiener, Hebl, &amp; Barron, 2013). I hope to broaden our understanding of discrimination by examining lesbians and gay men in the workplace. In this 2 (gender) by 2 (sexual orientation) design, lesbians and gay men received the same hiring ratings and salary appointments as heterosexual applicants for a male-oriented job. There were, however, significant differences in agency with lesbians receiving the highest ratings. Results showed that applicants may want to consider the perceptions of agency for a male-oriented job instead of focusing on sexual orientation or gender in the initial hiring process. Implications, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed.</p>

<p> Aspects of modernity in Western culture that act to limit conceptions of diversity, such as binary, hierarchical oppositions and the privileging of discursive, analytic knowledge over intuitive and receptive ways of knowing, have played a significant role in both the denigration and erasure of people who have transgender and gender nonconforming identities and experiences. As these elements of modernity are subjected to scrutiny by transgender and cisgender peoples, new knowledge is produced that allows for an increase in transgender visibility. This visibility then works back upon culture to further erode the constraining effects of modernity in the culture at large. Four myths from Ovid's <i>Metamorphoses</i> are discussed to illustrate gender diversity and this spiraling process.</p><p> Ovid's powerful and timely myths help to capture the present moment when the lives and voices of transgender and gender nonconforming peoples are destabilizing old stories and creating new gender myths, new lenses through which to view and understand gender. "Salmacis and Hermaphroditus" is a vehicle for reflecting on modernity, its limitations, and the gender transformation currently taking place in culture. "Iphis and Ianthe" offers an opportunity to consider issues of embodiment and the importance of family and community support for people who are gender diverse. "Caenis/Caenus" is the brave warrior without and within. He faces the challenging confrontations with the cultural status quo and the deep intrapsychic movement that gender diversity can initiate. Finally, "Tiresias" ushers in a meditation on ways of knowing, healing, and the privileged positions gender diverse peoples have held in cultures with more inclusive gender systems. </p><p> The production portion of this dissertation was a public dialogue event for transgender and gender diverse community members and allies in Los Angeles entitled TranSolidarity World Caf&eacute;. Through an organic process of emergence and with the help of public dialogue experts and many volunteers, a gathering for 160 people was hosted. A record of the event was captured in the drawings and graphic recordings of those who participated.</p>

<p>The purpose of this project was to create a program, identify a funding source, and write a grant to fund a one-week father and gay son retreat. A detailed literature review was conducted to analyze the background and prevalence of the problem as well as past solutions attempted to resolve the problem. </p><p> Gay men continue to commit suicide, have substance use disorders, and suffer from bullying and hate crimes at rates that are disproportionate to the general population. This program seeks to help improve the relationships between gay men and their fathers. The goal of the proposed program is to improve the mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of gay males ages 14-24 years old by providing a week-long retreat consisting of workshops, panels, outdoor activities, and support groups. The program will target cities throughout Los Angeles County. The potential funding source was the Long Beach Lesbian and Gay Pride (LBLGP), which has a history of supporting similar programs. </p><p> Actual submission and/or funding of this grant was not a requirement for successful completion of this project. </p>

<p> This dissertation examines the way gender is created and articulated in selected stories from Peyo's <i>bandes dessin&eacute;es</i> [comics], <i> Les Schtroumpfs</i> [<i>The Smurfs</i>]. I pay special attention to his story, "La Schtroumpfette" ["The Smurfette"]. I use an interdisciplinary approach from theorists in the fields of gender and transgender studies: Judith Butler, Susan Stryker, Suzanne J. Kessler and Wendy McKenna, and Julia Serano; and comics studies: Scott McCloud, Thierry Groensteen, Will Eisner and Rodolphe T&ouml;pffer.</p><p> Judith Butler's theory of performativity informs my argument that certain panels from "La Schtroumpfette" function as performatives. They reiterate feminine types and give the illusion of a norm, which in turn hides the fact that their "truth" lies only on its reiteration through time and not on original gender types. Along with Butler's theory, I use Kessler and McKenna's study on gender attribution, Thierry Groensteen's theory that a comics' meaning can by analyzed through the structuration on its pages (<i>arthrologie </i>), and Scott McCloud's idea that the more abstract a comics character, the more a wider range of readers will be said to identify with such a character. </p><p> Using these theories, along with those of Serano, Eisner, T&ouml;pffer and others, I read Peyo's Smurf characters as androgynous before the publication of his story, "La Schtroumpfette." Then, I read "La Schtroumpfette" as a metaphor for transgender and transsexual identities. The first half of Peyo's comics story deals with the first Schtroumpfette, Gargamel's creation, and her problems in the Smurf village. Her primary problem sees her misidentified as a Smurf with long hair and a dress and not a feminine Smurf. I read this as evidence of a transgender identity whereby she expresses herself in the feminine but looks like a Smurf. The second half of his story deals with the second Schtroumpfette, the version of le Grand Schtroumpf [Papa Smurf], and the problems due to her feminine beauty. This beauty is attained through esthetic surgery, a detail that leads me to interpret her as transsexual.</p>

<p> Very little is known about individuals who identify as LGBTQ from Asian and Pacific Island descent despite the fact that Asian Pacific Americans are the fastest growing racial group in the United States. Parallel to the lack of knowledge is the lack of services for this marginalized population. Therefore, the purpose of this project was to write a grant proposal for a supportive therapeutic program for this population. The literature review indicated that Asian Pacific LGBTQ individuals encounter unique experiences compared to White counterparts. The review also explained the links between challenges and their impact on LGBTQ individuals' well-being. The negative impact from heterosexism experiences is compounded by racial minority stressors. The actual submission of this grant was not a requirement for the successful completion of the project. </p>