This phenomenological qualitative study is informed by integrated theories including a social constructionist perspective on human sexuality, sexual identity development models, heterosexism with theoretical support of minority stress model and feminist theory. The aim was to uncover the lived experiences of 20 male sexual minority students navigating heterosexism in secondary schools, within the socio-cultural context of Hong Kong Chinese society. Due to the invisibility of sexual minority adolescents in Hong Kong, purposeful sampling was used to recruit informants who were having same-sex sexual attractions and/or sexual behaviors/sexual identity. Over the period 2008-2011, twenty male informants, aged 14 to 19 and currently enrolled in secondary schools, were recruited for in-depth interviews. In terms of community labels, these informants might be known as gay, bisexual, memBa, tongzhi, tongxinglian, and those who are still questioning their sexual identity. Parental consents were waived for informants under eighteen years old and alternative measures were carried out to safeguard confidentiality and their best interests. Qualitative data analyses via a software package NVivo yielded several overarching themes: 1) “exploring my sexuality in school”; 2) “feeling powerless over overt homophobia”; 3) “feeling alienated over heteronormative assumptions”; 4) “feeling oppressed over silencing”; 5) “angry over curriculum omission”; 6) “distressed with risk stories”; and 7) “empowered with stories of resilience”. The results suggest that with variations in their sexual identity developmental process, they defined and interpreted their sexualities with reference to the specific social cultural context of Hong Kong, especially linked to the Christian value, Chinese Confucianism and Western human rights concepts. In the process of exploring a stigmatized sexual identity within schools, the informants generally felt powerless, alienated, and oppressed when encountering psychological and cultural heterosexism, manifested through overt and subtle forms by individuals and the systems within the school context. In the process of navigating homophobia and heterosexism, informants shared both risk and resilience stories. The current findings will be helpful for those in the teaching and counseling professions. These professionals can also help raise public awareness of this group of students in order to eliminate the social stigma, prejudice, and discrimination that still plague sexual minorities. Recommendations are made for further research, education policy, professional training for teachers and counselors, and support services for sexual minority students. / published_or_final_version / Education / Doctoral / Doctor of Education

Anthropology has long understood that cultures proscribe gender-specific roles. This thesis explores how gender role dynamics in America may contribute to more college women going abroad to study than college men. The past decade of data consistently indicates that two-thirds of American students studying abroad are female. While this statistic seems counterintuitive to the stereotype that Americans rear boys to be adventurous and girls to be protected; ethnographic methods were primarily used to identify and analyze the cultural scripts that influence female decision-making among this population. This research will reflect the web of complex and competing cultural scripts students face regarding the decision to study abroad, many of which are at least influenced by gender and socially transmitted by their families. / Department of Anthropology

This study employed quantitative and qualitative methods to examine gender trends and the quality of gender interactions at the United States Naval Academy (USNA). In addition to gender, midshipmen demographics, experiences, personality types, interests, and graduation outcomes were compared within and across gender for graduation years, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, and 2004. Representation of women has increased to the current high of around 16%. Further, the data revealed similarities and differences between men and women in terms of their non-gender characteristics. Women's SAT scores and Cumulative Quality Point Ratios (QPRs) are on par with the men's. Proportionally, women are more likely to be extroverts and varsity athletes than are men. Women are less likely to be technical majors. Women are being afforded leadership experiences to the same extent as men. Perceptions regarding gender relations and cohesion were assessed through focus groups conducted with 110 midshipmen. Although gender representation has increased, and the Administration is credited with improving the explicit climate, there does not yet exist a completely gender-neutral or women "friendly" climate. The preponderance of findings regarding gender interactions at the Naval Academy suggests that male midshipmen have yet to fully accept female midshipmen. The Naval Academy must continue to confront the subsurface issues and dynamics persisting amongst male and female midshipmen. Recommendations include making an institutional commitment to improving gender interactions and company cohesion, securing alumni cooperation, and involving midshipmen in improving the gender climate.

The compulsory subject Life Orientation in the school curriculum serves a central role in the socialization of learners into the constitutional imperative of non-discriminatory and democratic values as evidenced by the specific subject aims contained in the CAPS statement. Given the dearth of knowledge in the area of sexuality and the formation of sexual identity through curriculum materials, and framed by the sociological view that sexuality and sexual identity is a social construction, the aim of this study was to investigate the representation/construction of sexualities and sexual identities in a sample of Grade 10 Life Orientation textbooks. The study is informed by critical discourse theory in conjunction with queer theory and examines the vocabulary, grammar and textual structures of language, to expose how representations of sexuality implicitly and explicitly function to a construct and transmit dominant form of sexual identity. A selection of the content of three Life Orientation textbooks was analysed in terms of coverage given to LGBT sexualities and heterosexualities, using a quantitative research approach. The context and quality of those representations was also interrogated using qualitative methods including thematic content analysis and a queer critical discourse analysis to examine the discursive construction of those representations. A standard hegemonic notion of heterosexuality appears to be the all-pervasive and unexamined norm in the Life Orientation textbooks whereas LGBT identities, as revealed by a content and thematic analysis, are virtually invisible. Generally it would appear that Life Orientation textbooks transmit a dominant notion of heterosexuality as the norm, arising out of a common-sense understanding of sexuality which naturalizes a form of heterosexuality that privileges male desire and subordinates women. These underlying ideological meanings are revealed through an examination of the experiential, relational and expressive value of the language such as the lexicalization (connotations and denotations), overlexicalization, classificatory schemes, euphemism and register. Grammatical features for instance active and passive voice, nominalization, modality and the use of logical connectors also serve to bolster a heterosexual sexuality in the Life Orientation textbooks. Frequently, the stated intention of the writers to challenge stereotypes and prejudice would appear to be contradicted or betrayed by the language used and illustrations which further reinforce heterosexuality as a universal norm. Where LGBT identities are mentioned it is usually in the context of human rights, abuse, violation, pathology and emotional disorder.

Orientadora: Lidia Maria Vianna Possas / Banca: Sueli Guadelupe de Lima Mendonça / Banca: Tânia Suely Antonelli Marcelino Brabo / Banca: Lilian Henrique de Azevedo / Banca: Daniel Henrique Lopes / Resumo: A presente pesquisa tem como objetivo apresentar a pertinência do ensino de temáticas de gênero na disciplina de Sociologia para jovens do Ensino Médio. O problema central é compreender como as relações de gênero constituem uma questão educacional e as relações escolares em uma escola pública no interior do Estado de São Paulo. As bases teóricas da pesquisa obtêm seus fundamentos nos estudos sobre gênero na perspectiva do feminismo pós-estruturalistas de Louro (2008;2015), Butler (2003) e Scott (1995). Através dos métodos de observação participante e pesquisa-ação buscamos compreender a relação de ensino e aprendizagem dos/as jovens estudantes do Ensino Médio sobre as temáticas de gênero abordadas nos Cadernos de Sociologia, distribuídos pelo projeto São Paulo Faz Escola da SEE/SP. Entre os resultados que pudemos analisar na pesquisa, percebemos que as temáticas de gênero promovem uma naturalização de identidades de gênero centrada nos papéis masculino e feminino a partir do sexo biológico, não problematizando outras possibilidades de identidades de gênero, resultantes das experiências culturais que fogem à coerência sexo e gênero. Outros conceitos, como violência de gênero e movimentos sociais de mulheres são abordados, problematizando o lugar periférico das mulheres na sociedade brasileira, mas não compreendem que a violência de gênero pode ser construída também na perspectiva do masculino e exploram superficialmente a existência do movimento LGBT como movimento político im... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This research aims to present the relevance of teaching gender issues in the sociology discipline for high school youth. The central problem is to understand how gender relations constitute an educational and school relations issue in a public school in the interior of the State of São Paulo. The theoretical foundations of the research derive their foundations from gender studies from the perspective of poststructuralist feminism by Louro (2008; 2015), Butler (2003) and Scott (1995). Through participant observation and action research methods, we seek to understand the teaching and learning relationship of young high school students on gender issues addressed in the Cadernos de Sociologia, distributed by the São Paulo do Escola project of SEE/SP. Among the results we were able to analyze in the research, we noticed that gender themes promote a naturalization of gender identities centered on male and female roles from biological sex, not problematizing other possibilities of gender identities, resulting from cultural experiences that escape gender and gender coherence. Other concepts such as gender violence and women's social movements are approached problematizing the peripheral place of women in Brazilian society, but do not understand that gender violence can also be built from the male perspective and superficially explores the existence of the LGBT movement as a political movement. important. In the researched school, such themes were restricted to the discipline of Socio... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Doutor

Bibliography: leaves 264-273. Ch. 1: Introduction -- Ch. 2: Religion -- Ch. 3: Princes men -- Ch. 4. School culture and impact -- Ch. 5: Discipline -- Ch. 6: Competition and success -- Ch. 7: Conclusions. "This study is an oral history based on interviews with fifty men who left Prince Alfred College (PAC) between 1960-65. The aim was to define the codes of masculinity that were accepted and taught at the school and any other definitions of masculinity that were occurring simultaneously" -- abstract.

Bibliography: leaves 264-273. / iv, 273 leaves : charts ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / "This study is an oral history based on interviews with fifty men who left Prince Alfred College (PAC) between 1960-65. The aim was to define the codes of masculinity that were accepted and taught at the school and any other definitions of masculinity that were occurring simultaneously" -- abstract. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Education, 2001

The study explores and describes perceptions of learners in a secondary school on how discipline is enforced at Hintsho, with particular attention to gender. Corporal punishment is one of the methods of discipline that is still used at Hintsho. The issue of corporal punishment is a sensitive one since its use is now illegal. In the course of the study the researcher interviewed learners about this and other forms of discipline. Data was collected through interviews with ten Grade eleven learners. Access was enabled by the position of the researcher as a teacher of over ten years’ standing in the school. The study found that some teachers (especially males) still beat learners in order to enforce discipline and keep order. This occurs despite the fact that the school has formally prohibited the use of corporal punishment and has passed a code of conduct to encourage the use of alternative disciplinary forms. Learners confirmed that other forms of discipline and punishment are indeed used. But these are generally corporal punishment in another guise. Hard labour, for example, was identified by learners as a frequent form of punishment. While some learners accepted the various forms of punishment that were used, others opposed both corporal punishment and the other forms of punishment introduced as an alternative, especially the cleaning of toilets. Male teachers proved to be stricter and more severe than females as they were less tolerant and less reasonable. / Thesis (M.Ed.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

This study sets out to examine the process through which gender is constituted in the English classroom in relation to the teaching of one comprehension lesson at Springfield Model Primary School in KwaZulu-Natal. The study looks at one lesson in-depth and delves into the representations of gender in the lesson. Using qualitative methods and drawing from a comprehension passage entitled, "Shining moon and his toy canoe" (Appendix 1) the study examines the ways in which boys and girls in a grade 7 classroom made sense of the comprehension passage and how that sense-making relates to their understanding of what it means to be male and female. The study shows how resource materials (like the prescribed comprehension, for instance) used in the English classroom articulate young children's knowledge about gender and how they position themselves in the discourses of gender. An analysis and examination of how the learners understood the passage is undertaken, to see how gendered messages were generated within the English lesson. An interview with the teacher was conducted to examine how gender is constructed in the teaching of the comprehensions lesson. Two important findings are highlighted in this study. The text is an important tool through which gender is elaborated. The boys and girls in this study positioned themselves in contradictory ways to dominant perceptions about gender. However, largely they draw on dominant ideas about gender and maintain the status quo. The research also demonstrates further the ways in which the teacher reinforces notions of 'masculinity' and 'femininity', despite her best intentions. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2004.

The prevalence of gender-based violence in South African schools has been identified by the research and the Department of Education has acknowledged its existence. However, little has been done to alleviate the problem. Female learners are continually victimized by male learners at school. The purpose of this study was to examine the factors that explain gender-based violence amongst learners from three secondary schools in the Inanda area. Inanda is a predominantly informal settlement area on the outskirts of Durban, in South Africa. This study has largely focussed on female learners as victims of gender-based violence perpetrated by male learners. Both quantitative and qualitative methods had been adopted through which data was collected. School records were reviewed and one perpetrator and the victim were chosen from each school. The two participants were then, interviewed in order to get both perspectives. The data collected revealed that there are other kinds of gender-based violence besides those that were identified from the records review. The findings from the interviews outlined the factors that explain gender-based violence in schools. In conclusion, some recommendations were made in the light of the findings. / Thesis (M.Ed.) - University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2006.