This dissertation examines the use of gender-based humor in eight Mexican novels published between 1979 and 2007, examining the way the texts attempt to use this humor in sympathetic portrayals of male homosexuality. The introduction presents the theoretical framework for the analysis of the novels--based on linguistic theories of humor and queer and gender theory-- and suggests the autobiography of the early 20th-century intellectual Salvador Novo as a precursor to later sympathetic humorous portrayals of male homosexuality in Mexican literature. The following four chapters each juxtapose two novels which are related through thematic or formal similarities. The first chapter focuses on El Vampiro de la colonia Rama by Luis Zapata and Matame y veras by Jose Joaquin Blanco, two novels whose narrators unconsciously and ironically reiterate homophobic and masculinist values through their narrations, showing the instability of their own sense of identity and how homophobia is often reiterated by gay culture in Mexico. The second chapter examines Brenda Berenice o el diario de una loca by Luis Montano and Luis Zapata's La hermana secreta de Angelica Maria, two texts that depict transvestism and transsexuality in a humorous manner, questioning the validity and appropriateness of the use of camp and ironic gender performance by homosexual men in the Mexican context. The third chapter looks at Utopia gay, by Jose Rafael Calva, and La historia de siempre, by Luis Zapata, two novels whose plots center on same-sex unions, questioning their viability as a path to homosexual liberation and critiquing the authoritative use of discourse to define love, sex and identity. The fourth chapter analyzes Purpura by Ana Garcia Bergua and Fruta verde by Enrique Serna, two coming-of-age novels in which young male protagonists who are influenced personally and artistically by sexual and emotional relationships with older men ultimately refuse to define themselves as either homosexual or heterosexual: In the consideration of each text close attention is paid to the ways in which gender-based humor disturbs or questions dominant views of sexuality and gender in Mexican society, in which male homosexuality is normally devalued through association with femininity / acase@tulane.edu

This dissertation examines same-sex desire through the course of the twentieth century in the city of New Orleans. In some ways the history of same-sex desire and homosexuality in New Orleans is unique and in other ways it is demonstrative of the rest of the country. Chapter one introduces the city itself as a character in this history so that the unique and the ubiquitous can be more easily discerned. Chapter two examines same-sex desire in the 1920s and suggests that same-sex desire existed in many forms and places without an overarching culture of homosexuality. Chapter three discusses cross-dressing at carnival and the implications for the history of same-sex desire in New Orleans. Chapter four and five examine the regulation of homosexuality through formal and informal methods and suggests that 1958 was a pivotal year in the history of homosexuality in New Orleans. Finally, chapter six qualifies the dominant narrative of political activism in the historiography of homosexuality and describes New Orleans's unique contribution to the history of same-sex desire in the United States. The appendix is a discussion of the regulation of same-sex desire and physical acts of sexuality through legislation in Louisiana / acase@tulane.edu

Many researchers and academics argue that there is a significant disparity in the rates of attempted and successful suicide between the GLBT and the heterosexual community. Anecdotal evidence has also suggested this for well over a century. There appears to be several unique phenomena that intersect to place this minority at greater risk of suicidality. Heteronormativity, heterosexism, homophobia, rejection, bullying, violence, isolation, negative self-image and discrimination have all been implicated as significant contributing factors in increased suicidality within GLBT youth. It is the intersection of these issues as they relate to the GLBT youth that this thesis seeks to investigate with the view to inform progressive and sensitive social work practice in the future. / Honours thesis

No Place Like Home: A Cultural History of Gay Domesticity, 1948-1982, explores the development of gay male domestic spaces and their representation in American culture, from the publication of the first Kinsey Report to the AIDS epidemic. Through archival research, and analysis of periodicals, books, and film, it shows that gay men frequently experienced their homes as key sites in the construction of sexual identities, relationships, and communities. Social scientists, journalists, and filmmakers of the 1950s and 60s typically depicted gay men as outsiders, if not threats, to the ideal heterosexual household, either anti-domestic (lonely figures who lurked city streets, bathrooms, and bars in search of a one-night stand), or hyper-domestic (prissy interior decorators whose work alienated "real" men from their homes). Such images, however, overlooked the actual range of social and political possibilities gay men found in the supposed privacy of apartments and houses. No Place Like Home uncovers these domestic performances in order to reconsider the evolution of gay culture and domesticity in the postwar period. Each chapter advances chronologically while tracing the lineage of five tropes of gay male home-making: (1) the interior decorator; (2) homosexual marriage; (3) camp humor and cooking; (4) communes; and (5) vacation homes. In practice and representation, domesticity provided a stage for gay men and their observers to negotiate social anxieties around masculinity and sexuality, and debate conventional conceptions of home and family.

<p> My main research questions explore how contradictions of unity, organizing structures, gender, sexuality, citizenship, class, and ability are addressed within Filipino leftist organizations that utilize dialectical materialist theory. I also ask: How have US-based women of color feminist and queer of color theory impacted Filipino nationalist frameworks in the US? How do they also remain at odds with one another? I interviewed 21 NYC-based activists and organizers involved in anti-imperialist Filipino organizations the summer of 2012. I also used participant observation as an active member of study groups, educational workshops, and a town forum. </p><p> My central framework explores conflict as contradiction using Mao Tse-tung's "On Contradiction" and the Haitian concepts of balans and konesans. In doing so, I examine how hard-lined leadership has impeded dialogue. I also interrogate how sexism, transphobia, masculinist organizing structures, and neoliberalism impact women, trans, queer, disabled, working class, and undocumented organizers&mdash;particularly those with overlapping identities of marginalization. "The Movement's" familial dynamic, combined with the value of <i>utang na loob,</i> creates hierarchies that cause some members to feel both silenced and guilty. I name these feelings as indicators of invisible emotional labor "for the sake of the movement" that lead many members to eventually leave their organizations. Their departures raise questions of sustainability. Lastly, I ask how the Fil-Am Left can draw strength from its familial dynamic but still address hierarchical issues that mirror societal hierarchies of oppression.</p><p> Applying work by Patricia Hill Collins, Audre Lorde, and other women of color, along with feminist grounded theory and sociological movement theory, I highlight three strategies that New York City based Filipino organizations have taken within the past ten years. I argue that organizations have recognized problems with sustainability and are creating their own interventions as theory-producers. Organizers' relationships to the National Democratic movement in the Philippines shape both the creation of interventions and how they respond to new ideas. Drawing on Arlie Hoschchild's concept of "stalled revolution," individual behaviors lag behind organizations' formal ideological shifts. Thus, they are works in progress.</p>

<p> Hidden deep within the gay male underground lives a small population of gay men who imagined the intentional pursuit of HIV as a means to some end. In terms of nursing care for such marginalized pockets of gay men, most nurses are unaware of their existence or lack sufficient knowledge and compassion to care for this population. Bug chaser is a metaphor used to describe the gay men who intentionally sought the bug--HIV infection. Essential to caring for these men is first discovering them, and then understanding them. </p><p> The purpose of this narrative study was to understand the life experiences of gay men who intentionally sought or seek to become infected with HIV. Using queer theory as its framework, the study was constructed from two research questions: 1) What are the life-stories of gay men who seek HIV infection? 2) How do these life-stories describe and give meaning to sexuality and HIV? In this qualitative study, 18 adult gay men were interviewed three times over a period of three months. Chain referral sampling wherein initial participants spread word of the study in their associate networks limited racial diversity; 15 men self-identified as African American, one as "other" (i.e., Italian and African American), one as Latino, and one as Caucasian. Their ages ranged from 33 years to 61 years (M=48). Most considered themselves Christians (n=13). Socioeconomically, 10 of the men lived in poverty. Sixteen were HIV positive; two were pursuing HIV. Most (n=16) secured health care through one of the Medicare or Medicaid products. Through semi-structured interviews and narrative analyses, their life stories portray who these men were and why they imagined HIV to be a fitting means to an end. Results illustrate that the intentional pursuit of HIV was well thought out and strategically planned, and aligned with lifetime struggles, for example, difficulty accepting one's gay identity. Narrative life patterns that culminated in purposeful pursuit of HIV included addictions, wanting to connect to an HIV positive lover, childhood abuses, secrets, punishment for wrongdoings, and, in one case, HIV as an imagined progression for gay men.</p>

<p> The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and perceptions of individuals who self-identified as trans gender or gender variant on gender identity and mental health care. The study sought to uncover the effectiveness and preparedness of mental health professionals in addressing issues of gender identity, through participants' experiences.</p><p> Fifteen individuals who identified variously on the transgender spectrum participated in the study. Results suggest that mental health professionals are generally unprepared and inexperienced in addressing transgender issues. Participants pointed to trans gender support groups and LGBT organizations as the most helpful services. Implications show the need for mental health professionals to seek out education on the trans gender community, and to assist clients in exploring alternative identities that transcend the gender binary. Additional research that focuses on mental health disparities among the trans gender population is also an implication emerging from this study. </p>

<p> This qualitative study examined how 14 Latino men attending a large, public institution in California questioned and explored their sexual identities. There is a paucity of literature on the experiences of Latino male students who identify as gay and bisexual. Understanding how these students navigate this aspect of their identity development is important. The findings of this study suggested that the questioning process is a transition that alters relationships, routines, assumptions, and roles. Three themes were identified: how the participants (a) questioned and explored their sexuality, (b) balanced cultural expectations, (c) and came out. Some of the students in this study managed their identities within the Latino community and the gay community while others disengaged from their cultural values and upbringing. </p>

<p> <i>RuPaul's Drag Race</i> is one of the few reality television shows focusing on QLGBT (queer, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) identified individuals that has made it into mainstream consciousness. <i>RuPaul's Drag Race</i> debuted in 2009 and appears on the channels, Logo and VH1. This thesis analyzes the four seasons from 2009 through 2012. <i>RuPaul's Drag Race</i> provides a unique perspective on the ways that gender identity, sexuality, size, class, race, and ethnicity intersect and interact in people's lives. The television show augments many of these intersections and the challenges related to these identities while still reflecting the daily struggles that people experience. In many respects, the show works to promote messages of self-love and acceptance and makes an effort to praise each contestant. However, it also promotes many problematic and damaging stereotypes. This thesis conducts a feminist analysis in order to answer the question: How does <i>RuPaul's Drag Race</i> relate to hegemonic and oppressive stereotypes and roles associated with gender identity, sexual orientation, size, class, race and ethnicity? Does it challenge or reinforce such hegemonies? This thesis utilizes a number of secondary questions in its analysis. How does <i>RuPaul's Drag Race</i> portray fat and thin contestants? How do contestants' socioeconomic backgrounds fit into their portrayals on the show? How does <i> RuPaul's Drag Race</i> portray queer cultures, and are these portrayals stereotypical? How is race represented on the show; do racial stereotypes come into play? In order to answer these questions, this thesis examines visual imagery, narrative, and dialogue in the show as well as some supporting materials. It utilizes theories from cultural studies, women's studies, English, and communications within its analysis. This thesis concludes that although <i> RuPaul's Drag Race</i> does engage in some subversive behavior, it ultimately reinforces harmful hegemonic stereotypes.</p>

<p>Media outlets have propagated news about teen suicides resulting from bullying and harassment because of perceived or identified sexual orientation and gender identity. However, the issues of bullying and harassment based on sexual orientation and gender identity are rarely addressed at the elementary school level because of limited resources, little training, and low incidences of such reported events. </p><p> The purpose of this study was to explore the attitudes and knowledge of elementary school principals in one Southern California school district regarding LGBTQ-related issues and to identify the requirements principals deem necessary in order to create a safe learning environment for LGBTQ students. The study relied on two sources of data, including a survey and individual interviews. After data was gathered, it was analyzed to determine common themes among participants. </p><p> Three major themes emerged from the qualitative study that connected principals' experiences and attitudes regarding the integration of LGBTQ topics in the school curriculum and LGBTQ bullying at the elementary school level. The themes included a) affirmative views that personal backgrounds influenced attitudes regarding LGBTQ issues, (b) adequate or sufficient education not provided for principals at the school district level, and (c) elementary school environments were not safe learning environments for students who identify as or are perceived to be LGBTQ. </p><p> Based on the findings of this qualitative study, three recommendations were made to assist principals in their efforts to create safe learning environments for LGBTQ elementary school students and to integrate LGBTQ topics into the classroom. These recommendations included, (a) provide elementary school principals with professional development opportunities on LGBTQ topics, (b) educate parents on LGBTQ issues, and (c) include information on LGBTQ bullying and harassment in school discipline policies and safe schools plans. </p><p> Elementary school principals are not provided with sufficient professional development and resources to address the issues of bullying of LGBTQ students or the integration of LGBTQ topics into the instructional program. This study contributed to the extant body of literature that exists to support school leaders in providing LGBTQ students with safe learning environments and information on the integration of LGBTQ related topics into the school curriculum. </p>