Thesis (M.A.)--University of Central Florida, 2008. / Adviser: Ernest Smith. Includes bibliographical references (p. 74-78).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on September 20, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.A.)--Humboldt State University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 55-70). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Washington, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 95-104).

Thesis (M.A.)--Ohio State University, 1985. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-170). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2009-12-15Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T20:59:01Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 lima_mm_me_assis.pdf: 746567 bytes, checksum: 725bc3d4a33d18fde44ca7e965d38deb (MD5) / A partir do método cartográfico, esta pesquisa apresenta os relacionamentos amorosos de mulheres lésbicas, em uma cidade de médio porte, no interior paulista. A proposta metodológica foi de fundamental importância, na medida em que permitiu o desenvolvimento de uma investigação participativa na qual o pesquisador se implica. A partir de Michel Foucault, focamonos no processo de resistência como forma dessas mulheres afirmarem suas escolhas amorosas e resistirem ao poder heteronormativo. Como foco de interesse, também privilegiamos a produção de subjetividades, os processos de singularização e “revolução molecular”– propostas desenvolvidas por Gilles Deleuze e Feliz Guattari –, que se centram nos processos de criação de novas formas de existir, ao invés das idéias de classe, submissão e opressão. Algumas questões norteiam este trabalho: O que é ser lésbica? É desejar uma mulher? É manter relações com ela? É ser amiga delas e se solidarizar com elas? Pode ser tudo isso. Elas são várias, estão em todos os lugares e se manifestam de múltiplas formas. Também amam, se relacionam e fazem sexo de infinitas maneiras diferentes. / From the cartographic method, this research presents the love relationships of lesbian women, in a city of a medium size, the São Paulo state interior. The methodological proposal was of fundamental importance, as it allowed the development of a participative inquiry in which the researcher envolves herself. From Michel Foucault, we focuse ourself in the resistance process as a form of these women to affirm ther love choices and to resist the heteronormative power. As a focus of interest, we also privilege the production of subjectivities, the processes of singularization and “molecular revolution” - proposals developed by Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari -, that they are centered in the processes of creation of new forms to existing, instead of the ideas of classes, submission and oppression. Some questions guide this work: What is to be a lesbian? Is it to desire a woman? Is it to have sex with her? Is it to be friendly with them and to be solidary with them? This can be everything. They are several kind of womem, are everywhere and they reveal themselves in multiple forms. They also love, they get along and they make sex in infinite different ways.

Societal pressures have led to social and legal policy changes that have resulted in fertility clinics increasingly permitting lesbians access to their services. Therefore, lesbian women are able to conceive their children and create their families in ways that historically were not available to them. While some research has been conducted examining the needs, experiences, and issues faced by lesbian-led families in general, there is a dearth of research that exclusively explores lesbian couples who conceived their children through the use of anonymous donor insemination. The qualitative method that guided this research was interpretive interactionism. Interviews were conducted with 10 couples who self-identified as lesbian, chose to have their children while in their lesbian relationships, and conceived their children through the use of anonymous donor insemination. Analysis of the transcripts revealed that four themes shaped, constructed, represented, and gave meaning to these unique family configurations. These four themes are (a) conception options of two women, (b) two women parenting, (c) anonymous donors/not fathers, and (d) families with lesbian mothers. These themes are elaborated in terms of their implications for lesbian-led families, clinical practice, and future research. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

No description available.

Bibliography: leaves 286-301. / Most of what little research has been done on South African lesbians has been based on a clinical perspective. This study is based on Kitzinger's (1987) British research on the social construction of lesbianism, which includes an analysis of seven accounts of lesbian identities elicited using Q methodology. The major aim of this research was to find the accounts of lesbian identities presented by some South African lesbians, as the first stage in examining the ways in which these identities are constructed. Auxiliary aims were to examine the accounts of the natures and roles of women and men in society (rather than having the women identify their feminist and non-feminist orientations) and to attempt to link these two sets of accounts. One hundred and six self-identified lesbians, located largely in the major urban areas, volunteered, and sixty participated fully in the research. The participants ranged in age from 17 to 58, with a mean of 30.4 years. The majority were in managerial and professional positions (50%) or students (23.3%); and roost had completed a minimum of Standard 10. Fifty-five are classified "white", three "black African", one "Asian" and one "coloured". A Q-sample (1) of 65 statements, using Kitzinger's broad definition of lesbianism as a guideline, was developed from various sources including correspondence with participants. A second Q-sample (2) was developed from feminist and non-feminist perspectives on women, men and society presented in this thesis. Volunteers were sent a demographic questionnaire, and all those who returned this were sent the Q-samples and a standard set of instructions for completing the Q-sorts. The principal components factor analytic technique, with varimax rotation, was used to analyse the completed Q-sorts. Fourteen factors were extracted for Q-sample 1, and accounts were developed from the resulting factor Q-sorts. Two accounts were discarded. The following twelve accounts of lesbian identities are presented: "born lesbian; and happy"; "feminist and happy"; "woman-loving-woman"; woman-choosing-woman"; "definitely lesbian, but no different from heterosexuals"; "no strong sense of lesbian identity"; "certainly lesbian, but not really happy"; "lesbian as fairly happy gay person"; "wanting to be a man"; "bisexuality: lesbianism as sexual identity"; "lesbianism as sexual rejection of men"; and "sinful and sorry". Thirteen factors were extracted from the analysis of Q-sample 2, and one of the resulting accounts was discarded. These accounts can generally be characterised as moderate, with some support for feminist propositions and a strong rejection of both conservative views about women and controversial feminist propositions. Attempts to link the two sets of accounts were unsuccessful for a number of reasons which are discussed. The research fulfils one criterion for feminist research in that many participants found the process of completing the Q-sorts valuable. The need for a post Q-sort interview to clarify accounts is stressed. Suggestions are made for research into the way these identities are constructed; and for investigations into the experiences of "black" lesbians.

Individuals that perceive stigma surrounding their identity and fear rejection of support requests may experience a paradox whereby they seek support indirectly from support networks (friends and family) to avoid rejection and are met with unsupportive responses. This study extended this paradox to sexual minorities using survey data from a sample of 133 individuals self-identified as gay and lesbian. Results of structural equation modeling showed self-stigma and fear of support rejection linked to increased indirect support seeking, which in turn explained unsupportive network responses, providing support for a paradox among gays and lesbians. Findings may have implications for interventions to improve support exchanges in the lives of sexual minorities.