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The scope of LGBTQ characters in fiction is wholly limited. When an LGBTQ character makes his or her way into a story, that character is usually flat and static and becomes a caricature rather than a whole character. My critical introduction maps the creation of each of my thesis stories and applies them to patterns that I have discovered while reading Victorian and contemporary literature that stereotypes, isolates, and/or punishes LGBTQ characters. I discuss the idea of displaced desire in Victorian works by Kate Chopin, M.E. Braddon, Oscar Wilde, and Sheridan Le Fanu, and also the stereotyping of characters in contemporary novels ala JK Rowling’s and Cassandra Clare’s novels. Then, in my body of fiction, I take those same patterns and turn them around so as to expose heteronormativity and filter it through a monstrous lens.

The specific aim of this research is to discuss ways that LGBTQ+ Asian Americans’ depression is measured and if there is a correlation into assimilating with U.S. Culture. Additionally, a review the current literature will be conducted on factors that contribute to identifying characteristics that are tied to adolescent depression and determine if increased levels of depression are found in Asian American immigrants and their families. This research will delve into the reasons why Asian-Americans who identify as LGBTQ+ have increased depression levels and what factors contribute to an elevated level of depression. Furthermore, we discover what further actions in research can be implemented to guide research in depression intervention specifically in LGBTQ+ youth in America.

The invisibility of lesbian, plurisexual, and gay (LGB+) women in sexual health research is of particular concern when it comes to understanding and supporting their safer sex practices. Results of a qualitative secondary analysis of sexual decision-making interviews among 22 LGB+ cisgender women showed that LGB+ women both reify and push against heteronormativity in their sexual partnerships. By queering definitions of “sex” beyond heterosexual intercourse, leaning into trust as a foundation of new sexual partnerships, and promoting accessible and realistic hygienic strategies for STI prevention, LGB+ women queer, or reimagine, new sexual scripts. These results highlight the need for relationship and sexual health scholars to direct focus towards the promotion of holistic sexual and relationship education and research which reflects LGB+ women’s various sexual desires, goals and needs. / M.S. / The way we act in our romantic and sexual relationships is shaped by influences we receive from everything around us, including our families, the government, the media, and how we are educated. These influences also default to “heteronormative” partnerships, or those that are between two straight, monogamous, married individuals. In turn, researchers don’t often include lesbian, gay, and bisexual women in their research on sexual risk prevention, even though this group is at certain risk for unintended pregnancy and transmitting sexually transmitted infections. For my thesis, I looked at how the heteronormativity influenced LGB+ women as they discussed preventing pregnancy and STI’s. I found that this population is influenced by heteronormativity in that they prioritize pregnancy over STI prevention, and disregard dental dam (used as a barrier like a condom, but for oral sex) use with partners. However, LGB+ women also push against heteronormativity by holding wider definitions of sex with partners, promoting trust, and promoting hygiene during and after sex.

The minority stress theory proposes that higher rates of mental illness among individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual result from various factors that one may experience as a function of their minority status (Meyer, 1995, 2003). Such factors include internalized homophobia, concealment of one’s sexual identity, and the experiences of discrimination and rejection, whether real or perceived. This study investigated the relationship between minority stress and working memory. Based on the well documented research finding of the higher prevalence of mental illness among individuals who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual, relative to their heterosexual counterparts (S. D. Cochran, Sullivan, & Mays, 2003; Hatzenbuehler, 2009; Mays & Cochran, 2001), it was hypothesized that higher levels of minority stress would predict higher levels of psychological distress. In addition, models of chronic stress have predicted that individuals who are under constant stress conditions are more likely to have working memory deficits (Egeland et al., 2005; Schmader & Johns, 2003). Thus, it was hypothesized that the relationship between minority stress and working memory would be mediated by psychological distress. Identity valence is the evaluation of one’s identity and could be either positive or negative (Ashmore, Deaux, & McLaughlin-Volpe, 2004; Meyer, 2003). It was hypothesized that identity valence would further mediate the relationship between minority stress and working memory. Participants included 309 adults who identify as lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB), recruited via community-based and snowball sampling techniques (Meyer & Colten, 1999; Meyer & Wilson, 2009). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to examine direct and indirect effects of the relationship between minority stress and working memory. Results indicated that higher levels of working memory predict higher levels of psychological distress. Further, the relationship between minority stress and working memory was mediated through psychological distress and rumination. Finally, identity valence did not have the protective factor that was hypothesized and demonstrated in previous literature (Kertzner, Meyer, Frost, & Stirratt, 2009; Meyer, 2003). Rather, higher levels of identity valence predicted higher levels of psychological distress. Implications, strengths, limitations, and directions for future research are discussed. / School Psychology

INTRODUCTION: Neovaginoplasty, is a gender affirming surgery provides a way for transfeminine persons to remove masculine appearing genitalia and replace with a more gender congruent appearance. As of 2019 “bottom” surgery was reported in transgender and non-binary persons at a rate of 4-13% with prevalence increasing rapidly (Nolan et al., 2019). The benefits of combined general and epidural anesthesia for neovaginoplasty has been well described (Salgado et al., 2019). In this study we examined dosing strategies for epidural infusions at our institution for patients undergoing neovaginoplasty. METHODS: This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board at our institution. Non-experimental retrospective chart reviews were conducted and all trans-gender patients who underwent neovaginoplasty procedures between 2014-2019 and were over the age of 18 at the time of chart review were included. Patient demographics including age, ethnicity, BMI were collected as well as comorbidities, history of hormone use, DVT, and nausea. Lumbar Epidurals were placed preoperatively and dosed after incision. Epidural start and stop times were collected along with pain scores measured on a visual analogue scale, and blood loss was recorded. RESULTS: The final cohort consisted of 154 cases that matched the eligibility criteria of this study. About half of these patients, 49.3%, spent 2-4 hours in the PACU after their procedures. The most common ASA status was 2. As expected, an overwhelming number of patients, 141 of 154 (91.6%) reported using hormone therapy. Epidural infusion duration prior to first pain score assessment was 0 to 701 minutes. Median epidural infusion duration was 285 minutes. Patients whose epidural was begun early had an average pain score of 5.06/10 (+2.11). Epidurals which were started late had an average pain score of 5.16/10 (+3.04). Maximum EBL noted for all cases was 450 mls. CONCLUSION: Overall, pain score was not significantly impacted by epidural start time post incision. Average initial pain scores were high in both cohorts, despite good pain relief on postoperative day 1. Observed EBL for these procedures was low at our institution, with no patients requiring blood transfusion. Central sensitization may play a large role in the initial pain scores and PACU length of stays for neovaginoplasty patients. Our future protocols will move towards dosing epidurals prior to incision for these procedures.

<p> Parents raising a self-identified sexual minority child face unique challenges, such as stress, shame, and guilt, when compared to parents with heterosexual children. While literature exists regarding parents&rsquo; experiences in raising a sexual minority child, little is known about the specific challenges faced by first generation Latino parents. To address this gap, the current study explored the experiences of first generation Latino parents (N = 9) raising a sexual minority child, from the parent&rsquo;s perspective. In-depth interviews were conducted by telephone and audio-recorded. The qualitative findings suggest that Latino parents face stigma from their family and community. In addition, Latino parents rely on their sexual minority child as a means of information regarding the LGBTQ community. These findings may be useful to inform the way service professionals and social service programs are developed to meet the needs of first generation Latino parents and LGBTQ youth. </p>

<p> The current study examined the role that exposure to natural human sweat has on heterosexual and homosexual men&rsquo;s perceptions of sexual attractiveness. Seventy-two participants were included in the study. Participants engaged in 3 tasks; the first was to provide health history and sexual orientation information, the second task was to view photographs of men and women, and the third was to rate the previous images on level of attractiveness. The photograph viewing and rating tasks were done while participants were exposed to either human male underarm sweat, female Day-14 of the menstrual underarm sweat, female Day-27 of the menstrual cycle underarm sweat, or no sweat, using a small fan that blew air over the sweat pad and onto the participants face. Photographs of male and female faces were rated significantly lower by heterosexual men exposed to male underarm sweat. Heterosexual men rated photographs of female faces significantly higher than male faces in both the Day-14 and Day-27 female sweat conditions. Homosexual men showed no preference for male photographs in the male sweat versus no sweat conditions.</p>

<p> This study assessed sexual satisfaction for individuals 60&ndash;75 years of age in same-sex relationships and explored predictors of sexual satisfaction; associations between internalized homophobia, resilience, sexual communication, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction; and the effects of gender, exclusivity, and length of relationship on sexual satisfaction. Participants (<i>N</i> = 265) were from a non-random sample recruited online who reported high levels of relationship satisfaction and resilience, moderate levels of sexual communication, and low levels of internalized homophobia and sexual satisfaction. The means and standard deviations for each gender were similar. Relationship satisfaction was found to be a predictor for sexual satisfaction. Relationship satisfaction was found to be directly correlated with sexual satisfaction, inversely correlated with internalized homophobia, and directly correlated with resilience; internalized homophobia was found to be inversely correlated with resilience; and length of relationship was found to be inversely correlated with sexual satisfaction. Findings will inform clinicians, sexuality educators, policymakers, and same-sex individuals. Recommendations for sexuality educators, clinicians, and future research are included.</p>