Sex reversal in fish can occur as a result of disturbances in natural conditions or laboratory manipulations. Trenbolone Acetate (TBA), a synthetic anabolic-androgenic steroid used mainly in the cattle industry, was applied to female Betta splendens, a sexually dimorphic fish. Previously, females were analyzed for secondary sex characteristics after treatment with TBA, increased temperature, or a combination of both. This study focused on primary sex characteristics by histological examination. Gonads were surgically removed and prepared following basic histological techniques. Following H&E staining, sections were observed for signs of ovarian regression, as well as signs of testicular formation. The presence of TBA significantly reduced the size of the gonad and the number and size of vitellogenic oocytes, indicating a loss of ovarian function. Temperature had a synergistic effect on TBA, as more oocytes were atretic and interstitial tissue was more abundant, some with clear spermatocysts. Temperature alone had no significant effect.

No description available.

No description available.

After many decades in which femininity, ‘female experience,’ and the social-political situation of women have formed the rightful foci of research, the male psyche and self have, at least since the 1980s, begun to receive attention in the US and UK academy. However, in most European countries masculinity studies are still the exception, and in comparison to the importance of gender studies they represent a minority interest in the field of gender research worldwide. Due to the relative lack of communication and exchange among the various disciplines dealing with masculinity, no consensus has been reached about the role that biological determinism, anthropological, evolutionary, and socio-historical factors, and representations as well as images of masculinity circulating in the cultural imaginary actually play in the construction of masculinity. Thus masculinity is still a highly problematic and controversial field of study that is located at the intersection of the humanities and the arts, the social sciences and natural science. This chapter begins by critically taking stock of the images of masculinity presented in the media in the early twenty-first century; it then offers a short survey of current approaches to and concepts in masculinity studies, ranging from a survey of US American perspectives and Raewyn Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity to recent European approaches and theories. This is followed by a discussion of topics that are still unresolved by masculinity studies, such as the notion and importance of the body, female masculinities, and the question of whether there is something ‘queer’ about or within masculinity as such. In the conclusion, the chapter presents complementary, and up until now neglected, perspectives on masculinity and argues for rethinking masculinity with the help of concepts taken from intersectional, trans-, and interdisciplinary theories, the new field of comparative masculinity studies, and transgender and intersex studies. Masculinity studies as well as gender, transgender, queer, and intersex studies interest me because they ultimately revolve around more complex understandings of identity and subjectivity. Because of their inherent power to blur and question binaries, masculinity and sexuality studies are intimately linked to questions of epistemology (“What can we know?”) and insurgent forms of knowledge (“What are we allowed to know?”), as well as to the distribution of power and the marginalization of minorities within societies.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2019-03-08T16:57:02Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira Alban_.pdf: 1440441 bytes, checksum: fdd289e0843f8d11d6114ccc549b147f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2019-03-08T16:57:02Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Carlos Eduardo de Oliveira Alban_.pdf: 1440441 bytes, checksum: fdd289e0843f8d11d6114ccc549b147f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-02-26 / Nenhuma / O presente trabalho é realizado mediante uma contraposição analítica das críticas trazidas pelos movimentos políticos internacionais e cientistas sociais da “questão intersexo” à maneira com que o discurso e práticas biomédicas pautam-se em formas reificadas – conforme preceitua Axel Honneth – de racionalidade para tratarem dos sujeitos intersexuais. Nesse ponto, questiona-se em que medida esse modus operandi dificulta o seu reconhecimento e a efetivação dos seus direitos. Como consequência, tem-se a hipótese de que as noções médicas que alicerçam os tratamentos e o cuidado com o “paciente” intersexo terminam por objetificá-lo mediante estruturas de racionalidade pautadas em modelos reificados, o que traz obstáculos para que algumas das suas demandas éticas e jurídicas sejam alcançadas. Para tanto, apresenta-se como objetivo geral analisar, contrapostamente aos pleitos políticos e jurídicos do movimento internacional intersex, o discurso empregado pela construção racional da teoria e da prática biomédica diante das doenças que se convencionou chamar pelo termo “anomalias da diferenciação sexual”. Nesse ínterim, investiga-se em que medida esse esquema viola direitos e impossibilita um efetivo reconhecimento dos intersexuais. Em relação aos objetivos específicos, busca-se, inicialmente, conceituar a noção de reificação em meio às bases teóricas que compõem o sentido trazido por Axel Honneth e a relação do termo com a noção do autor de reconhecimento. Ainda, propõe-se contextualizar a emergência e evolução histórica da prática médica diante do fenômeno e firmar alguns dos preceitos que compõem o que pode se chamar de “racionalidade biomédica”. Além disso, apresenta-se como propósito situar um pouco da apresentação do estado da arte da conquista dos direitos intersex, com especial ênfase à Colômbia e à Austrália. A fim de alcançar esses propósitos, aplica-se como método de abordagem a Teoria de Representação dos Atores Sociais do linguista Theo van Leeuwen (2008), a qual se constitui em modelo crítico de análise do discurso. / The present work is carried out through an analytical contrast of the criticisms brought by the international political movements and social scientists of the "intersex issue" to the way in which the biomedical practices and discourses are based on reified – according to Axel Honneth –forms of rationality set to deal with intersex subjects. At this point, it is questioned to what extent this modus operandi hinders the recognition and realization of intersex rights. As a consequence, it is hypothesized that the medical notions underlying the treatments and care for the intersex "patient" end up by objectifying it through structures of rationality based on reified models, which causes obstacles to some of their ethical and legal demands. In order to do so, it is a general objective to analyze, in opposition to the political and juridical questions of the intersex international movement, the discourse used by the rational construction of biomedical theory and practice in the face of the diseases that are conventionally called the "anomalies or disorders of sexual differentiation". In the meantime, it is investigated to what extent this scheme violates rights and makes impossible the effective recognition of intersexuals. In relation to the specific objectives, it is intended, initially, to conceptualize the notion of reification on the theoretical bases that compose the sense brought by Axel Honneth, as well as the relation of the term with his notion of recognition. Moreover, it is proposed to contextualize the emergence and historical evolution of medical practice in the face of the phenomenon and to establish some of the precepts that make up what can be called "biomedical rationality". In addition, it is proposed to situate some of the state of the art of the conquest of intersex rights, with special emphasis on Colombia and Australia. In order to achieve these aims, the theory of representation of social actors of the linguist Theo van Leeuwen (2008), which constitutes a critical model of discourse analysis, is applied as a method of approach.

Though technically not a new phenomenon historically or geographically, non-binary identities arestarting to be more visible in Sweden, and have become a topic of both discussion concerninghuman rights and anti-discriminatory practices, but also mockery. In this thesis I wanted to have acloser look at how Swedish people identifying as neither wholly male nor female presentthemselves on social media in text and image, as well as how they describe the resistance they meetin regards to their identity and choices of presentation. Its theoretical basis lies in works of JudithButler, Jack Halberstam and Lee Edelman to examine which societal structures the subjects of thisstudy have to relate to. The source of my empirical material are ten Instagram accounts, which wereanalysed via an integrated discourse psychology/discourse theory approach. During the period ofmaterial collection, an incident in the shape of a public debate concerning trans questions had aconsiderable impact on the lives of the subjects of this study, consequentially making it a significanttheme of the thesis. The results show the difficulty of trying to hold a balance between or outsidethe gender and/or sex binary in a society which only recognizes male and female, as well as theconflicts of identity which can arise when one’s gender identity clashes with other importantpersonal values.

Research shows that teachers’ and educators’ responses to gender diversity issues in schools either improves or limits the experiences of students. The school counsellor has an important role to play in this process by working closely with other stakeholders to advocate for transgender, intersex and genderqueer (TIG) students. Following a review of recent developments in the USA, recommendations are made and resources identified to assist school counsellors in validating TIG students, and improving school systems in pursuit of their academic, social and emotional success

Research shows that teachers’ and educators’ responses to gender diversity issues in schools either improves or limits the experiences of students. The school counsellor has an important role to play in this process by working closely with other stakeholders to advocate for transgender, intersex and genderqueer (TIG) students. Following a review of recent developments in the USA, recommendations are made and resources identified to assist school counsellors in validating TIG students, and improving school systems in pursuit of their academic, social and emotional success.

It is generally thought that in amphibians, thyroid hormones (THs) regulate metamorphosis, while sex steroids (estrogens and androgens) regulate gonadal differentiation. However, inhibition of TH synthesis in frogs alters gonadal differentiation, suggesting instead that these two endocrine axes interact during development. Specifically, THs may be involved in male development, while estrogens may inhibit tadpole metamorphosis. However, we do not currently know the mechanisms that account for these interactions, let alone how such mechanisms may differ between species. To develop and test new hypotheses on the roles of sex steroids and THs, I first examined transcriptional profiles (mRNA) of enzymes and receptors related to sex steroids and THs during embryogenesis and metamorphosis in Silurana tropicalis. Tadpoles were exposed to either an estrogen synthesis inhibitor (fadrozole) or TH (triiodothyronine, T3) during early larval or tadpole development. Acute exposures of S. tropicalis to fadrozole or T3 during early development resulted in increased expression of androgen- and TH-related genes in whole body larvae, while chronic exposure to fadrozole during metamorphosis affected gonadal differentiation but did not affect tadpole development. On the other hand, acute exposure to T3 during metamorphosis increased the expression of androgen-related transcripts both in the brain and gonad. In S. tropicalis, the results suggested that cross-talk is primarily in one direction (i.e., effect of THs on the reproductive axis) with a strong relationship between TH and androgen status. Lastly, I established developmental transcript profiles and investigated T3 regulation of brain and gonad transcripts in Engystomops pustulosus. I then compared these results with S. tropicalis and an earlier study in Lithobates pipiens. While each species developed with similar profiles, they differed in their response to T3. Exposure to T3 resulted in either an increase in androgen-related genes (S. tropicalis) or a decrease in estrogen-related genes (E. pustulosus and L. pipiens). In conclusion, these data demonstrated that cross-talk mechanisms differ among these three evolutionary separate species, but in all cases, T3 appears to affect the balance of sex steroids, stimulating the androgen system and providing potential mechanisms of the masculinising effects of THs. These results will contribute to understanding the mechanisms of hormone interactions and their evolutionary basis in frogs.

It is generally thought that in amphibians, thyroid hormones (THs) regulate metamorphosis, while sex steroids (estrogens and androgens) regulate gonadal differentiation. However, inhibition of TH synthesis in frogs alters gonadal differentiation, suggesting instead that these two endocrine axes interact during development. Specifically, THs may be involved in male development, while estrogens may inhibit tadpole metamorphosis. However, we do not currently know the mechanisms that account for these interactions, let alone how such mechanisms may differ between species. To develop and test new hypotheses on the roles of sex steroids and THs, I first examined transcriptional profiles (mRNA) of enzymes and receptors related to sex steroids and THs during embryogenesis and metamorphosis in Silurana tropicalis. Tadpoles were exposed to either an estrogen synthesis inhibitor (fadrozole) or TH (triiodothyronine, T3) during early larval or tadpole development. Acute exposures of S. tropicalis to fadrozole or T3 during early development resulted in increased expression of androgen- and TH-related genes in whole body larvae, while chronic exposure to fadrozole during metamorphosis affected gonadal differentiation but did not affect tadpole development. On the other hand, acute exposure to T3 during metamorphosis increased the expression of androgen-related transcripts both in the brain and gonad. In S. tropicalis, the results suggested that cross-talk is primarily in one direction (i.e., effect of THs on the reproductive axis) with a strong relationship between TH and androgen status. Lastly, I established developmental transcript profiles and investigated T3 regulation of brain and gonad transcripts in Engystomops pustulosus. I then compared these results with S. tropicalis and an earlier study in Lithobates pipiens. While each species developed with similar profiles, they differed in their response to T3. Exposure to T3 resulted in either an increase in androgen-related genes (S. tropicalis) or a decrease in estrogen-related genes (E. pustulosus and L. pipiens). In conclusion, these data demonstrated that cross-talk mechanisms differ among these three evolutionary separate species, but in all cases, T3 appears to affect the balance of sex steroids, stimulating the androgen system and providing potential mechanisms of the masculinising effects of THs. These results will contribute to understanding the mechanisms of hormone interactions and their evolutionary basis in frogs.