This master thesis is discussing ten pony books from 2006 in relation to the heterosexual matrix. It contains a rather extensive research overview regarding horse riding from a gender perspective, pony books, traditional feminist studies of girls’ books and queer readings of girls’ and children’s literature. The aim of the empirical study is two folded; firstly to show how the girl protagonists’ horse riding is presented in terms of masculinity and femininity (as defined by Natalie Koivula), secondly to analyze the relations between the girls appearing in the books from a queer perspective attempting to find some queer leakage in the depictions. The theory applied is based on Judith Butler and the method is derived from the tradition of queer readings and feminist counter readings. The results show that the protagonists construct masculinity as well as femininity, often combined, which question the assumption that girls and women can only construct femininity and furthermore illustrate that the division between femininity and masculinity is not as natural as is often assumed. The analysis also demonstrates that some of the girls express intense emotions for other girls and show a stronger bond towards other girls than towards boys. However, the relations between the girls are often normalized in accordance with the heterosexual matrix. The conclusion of the thesis is that the pony books can be both liberating from current heterosexual gender norms and reinforcing this societal order. Another important conclusion is that the liberating potential varies greatly between the books. / Uppsatsnivå: D

My intention with this essay is to analyze how lesbianism is described in Swedish youth literature. I have done a queer reading of three books written in the 2000’s to find out if lesbian love is described as a problem, and if it isn’t: what it causing problems in the novels? When reading the novels I have also observed how the environment and the characters themselves perceive lesbian identity. The novels I have chosen are Det händer nu by Sofia Nordin (2010), Som eld by Sara Lövestam (2015) and Du och jag, Marie Curie by Annika Ruth Persson (2003). To apply queer theory I have used several concepts, such as heteronormativity, coming out, shame and internalized homophobia, when analyzing the texts. The conclusion of my analysis is that one of the novels describes the lesbian love itself as a problem, while the other two are wider in their descriptions. Some characters are comfortable in their lesbian identity, while some are struggling with shame and coming out-issues. My final conclusion is that it is heteronormativity that is causing problems in the novels, not lesbianism.

This thesis explores the experience of reorientation from being in relationships with men to be in relationships with women. The study is based on semi-structured interviews with 8 women between the ages of 28-67 years old. The purpose of the study is to analyze the women’s narratives on this experience in relation to sexuality, relationships, embodiment and various norms associated with heteronormativity. The theoretical framework for the study is queer phenomenology and the interpretational work has been conducted with close reading combined with narrative analysis. The study shows that the women perceive themselves as freer within the lesbian relationship, because they experience that the lesbian relationship does not have to confirm heteronormative expectations to the same extent as a heterosexual relationship. Further this is also one of the main themes throughout the material and thus the thesis: the women sense, for example, that their bodies do not have to conform heterosexual norms for how they do, move or embody themselves. Within the study I argue that this perceived freedom could be understood in relation to the former heterosexual life as well as an overall insight to how power structures specifically between men and women works to subordinate women.

Abstract The concept of a woman's value, possibilities and visibility within the world being linked to youthfulness and fertility, is widely discussed in various contexts. This thesis seeks to focus on female aging specifically within lesbian communities, and thus in contrast investigate whether heterosexuality, a heteronormative lifestyle and the male gaze are determining factors in women socio-culturally turning "invisible" after middle age. While there is research done on LGBTQ aging, mainly highlighting vulnerabilites and marginalization, there seems to be a lack of explorations on whether there may be socio-cultural advantages to living a queer, older life. Focusing on how the subject positions are fleeting and ever-changing in time and space, I wish to shed light upon the complex lived experience of being woman, old(er) and LGBTQ.  My research indicates that there are indeed several strengths and advantages related to the quality of life in the generation of current older lesbians. The study is based on qualitative, semi-structured interviews with seven lesbian women aged between 53 and 78.  Keywords: ageism, lhbtq, lesbianism, intersectionality, queer ageing, male gaze

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<p>The means that the Swedish State has to legitimize and standardize different perspectives of women and their sexuality is significant. Persecution of gender and sexuality is today something that can grant refugee status according to the Swedish Aliens Act. By studying the documents that forestall the amendment of the laws is it possible to unveil the concept and ideas about women sexuality that the state manifests and reproduces through these laws and official documents.</p><p>The aim of this essay is to look upon the sexual policy as it occurs in official the documents that deal with lesbian refugees. The study cover and maps present research on this group of women and gives an answer to how norms about women sexuality are expressed in these documents.</p><p>Throughout the survey of the research field not much previous research was found, therefore even research that only partly covers the field is included and reviewed.</p><p>As method a detailed reading of the official documents and a discourse analysis with it’s emphasize on theoretical themes like gender and sexuality, lesbianism and state feminism, was made. Lesbians are missing in the official state documents and the one time the Migration Board’s documents refer to lesbians they are ascribed to as gender and not as sexuality.</p><p>The essay concludes that the confusion about the category gender and the category sexuality has the result that the lesbians become invisible. Lesbians tend throughout the material to be ascribed to the category gender and gay men to the category sexuality.</p><p>The standardized perspective and normative discourse that has been found in the official documents has the effect that women is looked a pound as gender and therefore, by the same logic loose their sexuality. In this way the Swedish State discriminates lesbian.</p><p>Another conclusion is that the Swedish State has a somewhat ambivalence perspective on their own work on promoting gender equality.</p>

The purpose of this essay is to examine religious themes in the novel The Well of Loneliness by author Radclyffe Hall. The novel has been analysed using a hermeneutic method, with focus on the religious world picture of the novel and the faith of the lgbt characters. Conclusions regarding the religious world picture is a world where God is closely linked to nature. All humans, including lgbt people, are a natural part of his creation. The hatred towards lgbt people can be traced to humans, not God. The novel centers around the religious beliefs of lgbt people outside the realm of institutional religion. Their religious beliefs are often closely linked to their lgbt experiences, and characterized by belief in a god who does not condemn them. Their close relationship to nature can be interpreted as a part of their relationship to God.

This study has analyzed five different judgments from the colonial anti-sodomy law Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code using the frameworks of Foucauldian genealogical discourse, and Judith Butler’s heterosexual matrix. The aim was to understand and expose how sexuality and lesbianism were constructed within these judgments and to make the norms within the discourses visible. The findings showed sexuality as dependent on a heterosexual and gender-binary norm. Gender hierarchy creates structures of the gender binary that positioned the man in the center of sexual interaction, desire, and sexuality. In contrast, the woman played a passive and often invisible, and nonsexual role. Further, the gender hierarchy produced a sexual hierarchy with natural heterosexuality as the most desirable. To maintain good heterosexuality, differentiation was crucial hence the undesirable and perverted male homosexuality acted as a hostile opposition. Due to the role of women as passive lesbianism appeared invisible. The discourse of the nonsexual woman made lesbian sexuality unimaginable. As a consequence, the lesbian was assumed asexual.

The means that the Swedish State has to legitimize and standardize different perspectives of women and their sexuality is significant. Persecution of gender and sexuality is today something that can grant refugee status according to the Swedish Aliens Act. By studying the documents that forestall the amendment of the laws is it possible to unveil the concept and ideas about women sexuality that the state manifests and reproduces through these laws and official documents. The aim of this essay is to look upon the sexual policy as it occurs in official the documents that deal with lesbian refugees. The study cover and maps present research on this group of women and gives an answer to how norms about women sexuality are expressed in these documents. Throughout the survey of the research field not much previous research was found, therefore even research that only partly covers the field is included and reviewed. As method a detailed reading of the official documents and a discourse analysis with it’s emphasize on theoretical themes like gender and sexuality, lesbianism and state feminism, was made. Lesbians are missing in the official state documents and the one time the Migration Board’s documents refer to lesbians they are ascribed to as gender and not as sexuality. The essay concludes that the confusion about the category gender and the category sexuality has the result that the lesbians become invisible. Lesbians tend throughout the material to be ascribed to the category gender and gay men to the category sexuality. The standardized perspective and normative discourse that has been found in the official documents has the effect that women is looked a pound as gender and therefore, by the same logic loose their sexuality. In this way the Swedish State discriminates lesbian. Another conclusion is that the Swedish State has a somewhat ambivalence perspective on their own work on promoting gender equality.

This thesis is situated at the intersection of trans, lesbian, and women’s history. It is an exploratory study that has sought to combine the disparate strands of the social movements organised around the identity categories trans, lesbian, and woman. Using a semibiographical and intersectional approach, the study follows in the footsteps of the transsexual lesbian woman Eva-Lisa Bengtson as she navigated the trans, lesbian, and women’s movements between 1964–1999. The analytical focus is on mapping Eva-Lisa’s presence in the movements, dissecting the production, reproduction, and negotiation of identities within and between the movements, and identifying identity-based conflict. The study finds that similar mechanisms of differentiation and the creation of new normativities occurred across all three movements in a recognisable pattern.