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<p>  </p> <p>Gender, anxiety, identity, and Gawain’s impossible choice have long been identified and examined as worth studying in the fourteenth-century alliterative poem <em>Sir Gawain and the Green Knight</em>. By focusing on the different states of dress that Gawain finds himself in, the gendered behaviors he engages in, and the fact that he takes on and wears a piece of woman’s clothing as his own before his final encounter, it becomes clear that Gawain begins to utilize and slip into a gender fluid state of identity. His behaviors in Haut Desert cross gendered lines, but also the lines of private and public identity: Gawain’s fault is revealed at the Green Chapel, when the Green Knight reveals himself to be Bertilak as well as his knowledge of Gawain’s girdle. By taking up the green girdle, Gawain cross-dresses and gains access to alternative courses of action and paths towards virtue and survival. Upon returning to his court, his community must take on the girdle as a token of Gawain himself and integrate it in a way that allows for his gender fluidity to become enclosed within the borders of the chivalric community. Gawain’s survival and the benefit which he brings his court are materially represented by the girdle which stands for both the honorable and shameful, the knightly and the monstrous, and the feminine and masculine. </p>

Studiens syfte är att beskriva och förstå fem vuxna kvinnors levda erfarenheter av eftervåld och deras upplevelser av samhällets stöd. Utgångspunkten är kvinnornas berättelser, där deras erfarenheter och upplevelser, tankar och känslor står i centrum. Studiens vetenskapsteoretiska förankring är hermeneutisk och utgår från en kvalitativ metod med abduktiv ansats. Studiens empiriska material består av fem intervjuer som analyserats genom ett hermeneutiskt tolkningsförfarande. Bourdieus teori om den manliga dominansen och Ebaughs exitteori har använts som teoretiska utgångspunkter i tolkningen. Resultatet pekar på att eftervåldet kan utövas på olika sätt och innebära olika konsekvenser. Hot och trakasserier är en vanlig våldsform, liksom att gemensamma barn utnyttjas som maktmedel av våldsutövaren i syfte att fortsätta kontrollera den våldsutsatta kvinnan. Resultatet pekar vidare på att upplevelsen av samhällsstödet kan skilja sig åt samt att förståelse och kunskap om våld och eftervåld är en gemensam faktor för att samhället ska kunna stödja kvinnorna på ett adekvat sätt. Våra främsta forskningsfynd är att de våldsutsatta kvinnornas livskvalitet försämras av eftervåldet och dess konsekvenser, men även att motståndskraften hos dem hela tiden ökar trots barriärerna. / The aim of this study is to describe and understand five adult women’s lived experiences of post separation violence and their experiences of society support. The focus is the women’s own stories. The grounding is hermeneutic and emanates from a qualitative method with an abductive approach. The empirical materials consist of five interviews which has been analyzed by a hermeneutic interpretation procedure. Bourdieu’s theory masculine domination and Ebaugh’s theory the process of role exit has been used as theoretical starting points in the interpretation. The results shows that post separation violence can be exerted in different ways and implicate various consequences. Threats and harassment are a common type of violence, as well as using mutual children as a mean of power for the abuser to continue control the exposed woman. The results also shows that the experiences of society support differ and that understanding and knowledge of domestic violence and post separation violence is a common factor for society to be able to support the women in an adequate way. Our main findings are that the exposed women’s quality of life decreases because of the post separation violence and its consequences, but also that the resilience increases despite the barriers.

Titre de l'écran-titre (visionné le 13 décembre 2023) / Appartenant au champ d'intérêt du travail social, cette étude qualitative s'intéresse plus précisément à l'expérience des mères ayant vécu des violences interpersonnelles et vivant avec un trouble de santé mentale [TSM] dans leurs rapports avec les services publics. De fait, elle vise à répondre aux questions suivantes : Dans leurs rapports avec les services publics, quels sont les défis rencontrés par les mères ayant reçu un ou des diagnostics en santé mentale et ayant vécu des violences interpersonnelles ? Quelles ont été leurs stratégies mobilisées, dans leurs rapports avec ces institutions, pour répondre à leurs besoins et à ceux de leurs enfants ? L'approche féministe intersectionnelle, comme cadre théorique, permet de considérer le système patriarcal comme une construction sociale dans laquelle interagissent les différentes formes d'oppressions. Dans le cas de ce travail, les systèmes d'oppression principaux sont ceux du sexisme et du sanisme. Cette posture permet d'observer un processus de reproduction des inégalités à l'intérieur même des services publics. Cette recherche suggère donc que les mères victimes de violences interpersonnelles et vivant avec un TSM se retrouvent à l'intersection d'au moins deux systèmes d'oppression, dans une société patriarcale, qui se manifestent également au sein même des services publics qu'elles fréquentent. Il est considéré que le fait de vivre plusieurs formes d'oppressions engendre des conséquences et des expériences particulières dans la vie des mères qui les subissent. Les résultats permettent d'exposer la complexité des expériences des mères victimes de violences interpersonnelles et vivant avec un TSM à travers leurs parcours au sein des services publics. Différentes trajectoires sont donc exposées, révélant les rapports qu'entretiennent ces mères avec les différents secteurs publics impliqués dans leur vie, tels que la protection de la jeunesse, le système de justice, le secteur psychiatrique et le milieu communautaire. Les résultats mettent également de l'avant les stratégies mobilisées par les mères afin de répondre à leurs besoins ainsi qu'à ceux de leurs enfants à travers leurs parcours. Les perspectives pour la recherche et la pratique y sont présentées abordant l'importance que les connaissances en matière de violences interpersonnelles sexistes et de santé mentale soient davantage répertoriées et que les intervenant$.$es impliqué$.$es dans la vie de ces mères soient mieux informé$.$es et outillé$.$es sur cette réalité complexe. / Belonging to social work's field, this qualitative study focuses more specifically on the experiences of mothers who have experienced interpersonal violence and living with a mental health disorder [MHD] in their relationship with public services. In fact, this work aims to answer the following questions: In their dealings with public services, what are the challenges encountered by mothers who have received one or more mental health diagnoses and who have experienced interpersonal violence ? What strategies have they adopted, in their relations with these institutions, to meet their needs and those of their children? The approach of intersectional feminism as a theoretical framework makes it possible to consider the patriarchal system as a social construction in constant interaction with the oppression systems, in the case of this work the main oppression systems are those of sexism and sanism. This posture makes it possible to observe a reproduction of inequalities within public services themselves. This research therefore suggests that mothers who are victims of interpersonal violence and living with an MHD find themselves at the intersection of two oppression systems, in a patriarchal society. This position would engender consequences and experiences in the women's lives, which are reproduced within the very public services they frequent. Because of the results it is possible to expose the complexity of the experiences of mothers who are victims of interpersonal violence and living with an MHD through their journeys within public services. Different trajectories are therefore exposed revealing the relationships that they maintain with the various public sectors involved in their lives, such as Youth protection, justice system, psychiatric sector and community services. Results also highlight the strategies used by mothers to meet their needs and those of their children throughout their journeys. Perspectives for research and practice are presented addressing the importance that gender-based violences and mental health knowledge can be better documented and also that the intervenants involved in these mothers' lives can have better access to that knowledge and have better formations on this complex reality.

Tableau d’honneur de la Faculté des études supérieures et postdoctorales, 2015-2016 / Ce mémoire explore les stratégies corporelles des hommes gay, ainsi que leur rôle dans la construction, la négociation et l'affirmation de leur identité masculine, au quotidien. Il repose sur les concepts centraux d'identité incorporée et de performativité de l'identité de genre. Les données, qualitatives, ont été recueillies auprès de résidants de quatre métropoles états-uniennes qui s'investissent activement dans des projets corporels incluant la chirurgie esthétique, les rituels de grooming et les pratiques vestimentaires. Le mémoire met en évidence le rôle crucial du corps dans la création et la performance de l'identité masculine gay. Parfois transformé afin qu'il se conforme aux canons de beauté associés à la masculinité hégémonique, dans la communauté gay comme dans la société en général, le corps, nu ou habillé, apparaît dès lors comme le produit d'un travail, l'indicateur d'une volonté et le signe d'une compétence, car chacun est considéré responsable de l'image qu'il donne de lui-même. MOTS CLÉS: masculinité, gay, identité, corps, ville globale, apparence, chirurgie esthétique.

Herman's father warned him of what would follow in the wake of the Faraday Bridge's construction. Like so many others cut short of pay after the bridge was completed, Herman finds himself confined to a plummeting slum during the high American years following World War II. Haunted by his inability to fulfill his dead father's expectations and the fear of losing his girlfriend, Herman confides in a shadowy underground figure who claims to know how the people of the borough can take back everything they have lost. Some Kind of Glorious is an account of one man's struggle to revive life within himself while being urged to tear the world apart for the sacrifice of his endeavor. It explores the minds of common men to understand how far they are willing to stretch morality in order to save themselves from tragedy. The lines separating the mad and the moral begin to fade as Herman and others follow an enigmatic figure into a clandestine battle with the world, and his middle-aged search for manhood blurs as he struggles to understand what he must become to satisfy his love, and his torment.

Wong, Ching Wa Alana. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-128). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgements --- p.iii / Chapter Chapter One: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Overview --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Objectives --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Who are fashionable Hong Kong young men? --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Significance and Setting --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2 --- Literature Review --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Changing masculinity in postindustrial society --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Beauty used to be associated with women --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Beauty has become part of masculinity --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Hong Kong's changing masculinity --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3 --- Methodology --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Media survey --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- In-depth interviews --- p.20 / Chapter 1.4 --- Structure of the thesis --- p.22 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Changing Perception of Masculinity in Hong Kong: Dominant and Alternative --- p.24 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- Meanings of Chinese masculinity --- p.24 / Chapter 2.3 --- Dominant perception of masculinity in Hong Kong --- p.26 / Chapter 2.4 --- Beauty becomes part of masculinity in Hong Kong --- p.28 / Chapter 2.4.1 --- Male beauty contest on television --- p.29 / Chapter 2.4.2 --- Hong Kong men's opinions on men's beauty --- p.32 / Chapter 2.4.2.1 --- Appearance is important for men --- p.33 / Chapter 2.4.2.2 --- Concern for appearance cannot be publicly admitted --- p.37 / Chapter 2.5 --- Conclusion: Caring for beauty is becoming part of masculinity --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Men's beauty in magazines in Hong Kong --- p.42 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.42 / Chapter 3.2 --- Magazines in Hong Kong --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Youth and gossip magazines --- p.43 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Japanese male fashion magazines --- p.44 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Men's lifestyle magazines --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3 --- Men's images in these three types of magazines --- p.45 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Over- emphasis of Japaneseness: Youth and gossip magazines --- p.46 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Authentic Japanese style?: Japanese male fashion magazines --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- High class men: Men's lifestyle magazines --- p.54 / Chapter 3.4 --- Men's images in magazines in Hong Kong: wen or wu? --- p.59 / Chapter 3.5 --- Conclusion: Beauty has become increasingly important for men in Hong Kong --- p.62 / Chapter Chapter Four: --- "Relationship between ""Japan"" and men's beauty in Hong Kong" --- p.64 / Chapter 4.1 --- Introduction --- p.64 / Chapter 4.2 --- "The meaning and common beliefs about ""Japan"" in Hong Kong" --- p.65 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Japan as work: Hair stylists and fashion designers --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2.1.1 --- Hair stylist assistants --- p.66 / Chapter 4.2.1.2 --- Fashion designers --- p.70 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- """Japan"" as leading fashion trends" --- p.73 / Chapter 4.2.2.1 --- "To be ""cool"" means to learn from Japan" --- p.73 / Chapter 4.2.2.2 --- Japan is the best --- p.77 / Chapter 4.3 --- "The influence of ""Japan"" on men's beauty" --- p.80 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Awareness of Japan --- p.80 / Chapter 4.3.1.1 --- Hong Kong men who deliberately choose Japanized beauty practices --- p.80 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.1 --- Hong Kong men who have long term experiences in Japan --- p.80 / Chapter 4.3.1.1.2 --- Band members --- p.82 / Chapter 4.3.1.2 --- """Japan"" offers an alternative" --- p.83 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Taken-for-Granted Japanese Influences --- p.84 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- The daily beauty practices: Japanese influences are invisible --- p.84 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.1 --- "No ""Japanese"" hair style" --- p.85 / Chapter 4.3.2.1.2 --- "No ""Japanese"" clothing styles" --- p.86 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- """Japan"" mixes with Hong Kong" --- p.88 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Special cases --- p.90 / Chapter 4.4 --- Abandonment of Japanized beauty practices --- p.92 / Chapter 4.5 --- "Conclusion: ""Japan"" represents a temporarily attractive life for men" --- p.93 / Chapter Chapter Five: --- Negotiation with Women: Fashionable Hong Kong Young Men's Beauty Ideals --- p.95 / Chapter 5.1 --- Introduction --- p.95 / Chapter 5.2 --- "Women's ""gaze"" in the male beauty contest" --- p.96 / Chapter 5.3 --- The use of women in encouraging men's beauty in Hong Kong magazines --- p.97 / Chapter 5.4 --- Hong Kong men's masculinity: we listen and obey women's orders --- p.104 / Chapter 5.5 --- Conclusion: Fashionable Hong Kong young men's beauty practices are influenced by women --- p.109 / Chapter Chapter Six: --- Conclusion --- p.111 / Chapter 6.1 --- Conclusion --- p.111 / Chapter 6.2 --- A Review: Men's beauty as an alternative masculinity in Hong Kong --- p.111 / Chapter 6.2.1 --- Hong Kong men need to care about appearance --- p.112 / Chapter 6.2.2 --- "Japanized beauty practices can make men look ""cool"" and trendy" --- p.114 / Chapter 6.2.3 --- Men listen and obey women's orders on beauty practices --- p.116 / Chapter 6.2.4 --- "After all, career achievement and earning ability are more important" --- p.118 / Chapter 6.3 --- Conclusion: Limitations and self reflections --- p.120 / References --- p.123

Thesis (MEdPsych)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The issue of masculinity is complex, and many theories on how gender is constructed exist. The central premise of this study is that gender construction is the result of dynamic social interaction and, as such, a post-structuralist paradigm is ascribed to. The concept of multiple masculinities exists to explain the influences different contexts have on how masculine ideas are constructed. This is not a passive process and individuals are considered active creators of their own identity. However, research demonstrates that not all masculinities are equal. Hegemonic masculinity maintains its leading dominant position status through using strategies of power and dominance to maintain the pinnacle position of status in the hierarchy of masculinities. The purpose of this study is to listen to the narratives of pre-adolescent boys about masculinity. Post-structuralist and social constructivist ideas that meaning is fluid and open to change, is influenced by culture and the individual meanings that people make. This understanding provides the theoretical framework for this qualitative study. Through a narrative-inquiry design, meaning was made of the individual experiences of six boys within the context of a single-sex preparatory school. The narratives of these participants, purposively selected, were obtained using the data-collecting methods of interviews, a focus group and the construction of a collage. The analysed data was presented both in the form of the narratives of the participants and through a thematic analysis. The findings indicate that within this private, single-sex preparatory school context, multiple constructions of masculinity are formed, and they all appear to be constructed in relation to hegemonic notions of masculinity. It was found that fathers play an important role in the way in which boys construct their masculine identity. However, their peers and the school context also play a significant role. Further, the findings revealed that although hegemonic notions of masculinity in this context had a powerful impact on these participants’ construction of masculinity, there are indications some are challenging overt expressions of hegemonic masculinity and, as such, hold more complex, transitional constructs of masculine identity. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kwessie rondom manlikheid is kompleks en daar bestaan baie teorieë oor hoe geslag gebou word. Die sentrale uitgangspunt van hierdie studie is dat die konstruksie van geslag ‘n resultaat van dinamiese sosiale interaksie is en dus aan 'n post-strukturalistiese paradigma toegeskryf word. As sodanig bestaan die konsep van verskeie vorme van manlikheid om te verduidelik hoe verskillende kontekste manlike idees beïnvloed. Dit is nie 'n passiewe proses nie. Individue word as aktiewe skeppers van hulle eie identiteit beskou. Navorsing toon egter dat nie alle vorme van manlikheid gelyk is nie. Hegemoniese manlikheid hou 'n dominante posisie in stand deur die gebruik van strategieë van mag en oorheersing; die hoogsteposisie van status in die hiërargie van manlikheid word dus gestaaf. Die doel van hierdie studie is om na die narratiewe van pre-adolessente seuns oor manlikheid te luister. Post-strukturalistiese en sosiale konstruktivistiese idees wat aandui dat bedoelings vloeibaar en veranderbaar is, afhangende van kultuur en die betekenis wat deur 'n individu daaraan geheg word, voorsien dus 'n teoretiese raamwerk vir hierdie kwalitatiewe studie. Deur die gebruik van ‘n narratiewe ondersoek-ontwerp, is die betekenis van die individuele ervaringe van ses seuns in die konteks van 'n enkel-geslag voorbereidende skool geevalueer. Die verhale van hierdie deelnemers, wat doelgerig geselekteer is, is verkry deur gebruik te maak van onderhoude, 'n fokus groep en die konstruksie van 'n collage as data insamelingsmetodes. Die geanaliseerde data is beide in die vorm van verhale van die deelnemers sowel as 'n tematiese analise aangebied. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat binne hierdie private, enkel-geslag voorbereidende skoolkonteks, verskeie konstruksies van manlikheid gevorm word en het telkens beblyk in verhouding tot hegemoniese idees oor manlikheid gebou te word. Daar is bevind dat vaders 'n belangrike rol speel in die wyse waarop seuns hul manlike identiteit konstrueer. Eweknieë en die skoolkonteks speel egter ook 'n belangrike rol in die konstruksie van geslag. Die bevindinge het verder aan die lig gebring dat, alhoewel hegemoniese idees oor manlikheid in hierdie konteks 'n kragtige uitwerking op hierdie deelnemers se konstruksie van manlikheid het, daar aanduidings is dat sommige van die deelnemers openlike uitdrukkings van hegemoniese manlikheid uitdaag en sodoende meer komplekse oorgang-konstrukte van manlike identiteit het.

Thesis (DLitt (Afrikaans and Dutch))--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Since the 1980s the narrative prose of male writers in Afrikaans has been characterised by an intensive questioning of consolidated masculine subjectivity with the (political) father as its primary manifestation. The growing influence of postmodernism and the greater freedom enjoyed by women and gay authors to write about gender issues, facilitated the process of paternal emancipation in Afrikaans narrative. This dissertation is a study of the representation of masculine subjectivity in Afrikaans prose writing from 1980 to 2000 concentrating on the diverse expressions of masculine subjectivity in literary texts with reference to the work of Luce Irigaray (1980 and 1985) on subjectivity, and the theory of R.W. Connell (1995) on the plurality of masculinities. The position of the father in conveying political values to the son within the Oedipal context is examined in a number of texts with specific emphasis on the contrasting processes regulating the hegemonic masculinity of the white father (Alexander Strachan 1984 and Mark Behr 1993) and the marginalised masculinity of the coloured father during apartheid (Benjamin 1997). The work of Alexander Strachan (1994), Piet van Rooyen (1997) and Johann Botha (1997) are examples of texts that display resemblance to the literature of the “School of Virility” identified by Peter Schwenger (1984: 13). Unlike the male protagonists in colonial texts, the masculine subjects in the work of Van Rooyen and Botha can no longer escape the political and historical turmoil of civilisation by finding refuge in “pristine” and unpoliticised hunting fields. Since 1994 the loss of political power, which for so long conditioned the masculine subjectivity of Afrikaner men, has also reached the hunting fields of postcolonial southern Africa. Through the influence postmodernism, a productive tension in literature and theory has developed between the autonomous, consolidated masculine subject, and the decentered masculine subject. Breyten Breytenbach’s representation of the fragmented masculine subject opens up the possibility of a move away from the historical imperatives of the totalising, and often violent, masculine subject. However, Breytenbach (1998) suggests that, in some instances, the fragmented masculine subject may be co-opted by the historically persistent discourse of the autonomous (and violent) masculine subject. Gay writers Koos Prinsloo (1992) and Johann de Lange (1996 and 2000), and to a lesser extent Hennie Aucamp (1981), devote themselves to a sceptical interrogation of identity and subjectivity as categories that are based on heterosexist values. Prinsloo and De Lange employ sexuality as a way to give expression to their antihumanist critique of the subject. The tension between consolidated masculine subjectivity and decentered masculine subjectivity is also present in the autobiography of Joseph Marble (1999). In Marble’s life history the discontinuity between the youthful “I” as protagonist and the adult “I” as narrator contributes to the multiplicity that ultimately characterises Marble as a masculine subject in the text. Finally, this dissertation presents a view of masculine subjectivity in Afrikaans narrative that emphasises diversity. Yet, it is noticeable that nearly all the texts under discussion maintain a certain relationship with hegemonic masculinity. Furthermore, it is only in the work of a small number of writers such as Breytenbach, Prinsloo and De Lange that the interrogation of masculine subjectivity leads to an exploration of modes of being that may transcend the historically persistent discourse of masculine domination. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Sedert die jare tagtig van die twintigste eeu word die prosa van manlike skrywers in Afrikaans gekenmerk deur ’n intensiewe bevraagtekening van gekonsolideerde manlike subjektiwiteit soos veral beliggaam deur die (politieke) vader. Hierdie proses van ontvoogding in die Afrikaanse prosa is gefasiliteer deur die groeiende invloed van die postmodernisme en die groter vryheid wat vroueskrywers en gay skrywers geniet het om oor geslagtelike kwessies te skryf. Hierdie proefskrif is ’n studie van die representasie van manlike subjektiwiteit in die prosa van 1980 tot 2000 en bestudeer die uiteenlopende verskyningsvorms van manlike subjektiwiteit in literêre prosatekste met verwysing na onder andere die werk van Luce Irigaray (1980 en 1985) oor subjektiwiteit en die teorie van R.W. Connell (1995) oor manlikheid as ’n meervoudige verskynsel. Die posisie van die vader in die oordrag van politieke waardes na die seun word in enkele tekste ondersoek binne die Oidipale familiedrama met aandag vir die kontrasterende prosesse wat ’n rol speel by die hegemoniese manlikheid van die blanke vader (Alexander Strachan 1984 en Mark Behr 1993) en die gemarginaliseerde manlikheid van die gekleurde vader tydens apartheid (S.P. Benjamin 1997). Strachan (1994) se prosa word verder saam met die werk van Piet van Rooyen (1997) en Johann Botha (1997) bestudeer as voorbeelde van tekste wat toegespits is op viriele manlikheid. By Van Rooyen en Botha kan die manlike subjek nie meer soos in die koloniale prosa die vermoeiende politiek en geskiedenis van die beskawing agterlaat deur hom tot die “ongeskonde” en ongepolitiseerde jagveld te wend nie. Die verlies van politieke mag, wat vir lank die manlike subjektiwiteit van die Afrikanerman bepaal het, is na 1994 ook ’n werklikheid op jagvelde van die postkoloniale Suider-Afrika. ’n Produktiewe spanning in beskouings van manlike subjektiwiteit bestaan sedert die postmodernisme tussen die outonome, gekonsolideerde subjek en die gedesentreerde subjek. Breyten Breytenbach (1998) se representasie van die gefragmenteerde manlike subjek bied op die oog af die potensiaal om manlike subjektiwiteit los te maak van die geweld en dominasie wat die patriargale orde kenmerk. By Breytenbach blyk dit egter dat die gefragmenteerde manlike subjek in sommige gevalle gekaap kan word deur die histories standhoudende diskoers van die outonome (en gewelddadige) manlike subjek. Die gay skrywers Koos Prinsloo (1992) en Johann de Lange (1996 en 2000), en in ’n mindere mate Hennie Aucamp (1981), is in hulle werk betrokke by ’n skeptiese vraagstelling oor identiteit en subjektiwiteit as kategorieë wat gegrond is op heteroseksistiese waardes. Prinsloo en De Lange gryp gay seksualiteit aan as ’n medium om uiting te gee aan hulle antihumanistiese kritiek teen die subjek. Die spanning tussen gekonsolideerde manlike subjektiwiteit en gedesentreerde manlike subjektiwiteit is ook aanwesig in Joseph Marble (1999) se outobiografie. In Marble se lewensverhaal dra die diskontinuïteit tussen die jeugdige “ek” as protagonis en die volwasse “ek” as verteller by tot die uiteindelike meervoudige beeld wat van Marble as manlike subjek na vore tree. Hierdie proefskrif bied uiteindelik ’n beeld van manlike subjektiwiteit in die Afrikaanse prosa wat diversiteit vooropstel, maar dit is nietemin opvallend dat feitlik elke besproke teks ’n sekere verhouding handhaaf met hegemoniese manlikheid. Dit is verder net by enkele skrywers soos Breytenbach, Prinsloo en De Lange dat die bevraagtekening van manlike subjektiwiteit lei tot ’n verkenning van synsvorme wat moontlik die histories deurlopende diskoers van manlike dominasie sou kon oorskry.

Des facteurs masculins sont identifiés dans près de la moitié des cas d’infertilité. À ce jour, les tests évaluant la fertilité masculine demeurent peu prédictifs de la survenue d’une grossesse. Dans le but de pallier cette lacune, nous avons mis au point deux nouveaux tests mesurant l’intégrité de l’ADN et le temps de survie des spermatozoïdes. Nous avons effectué une étude prospective portant sur 42 couples infertiles suivis en fécondation in vitro (FIV). Le spermogramme a été effectué selon les critères de l’Organisation Mondiale de la Santé (OMS) et le temps de survie des spermatozoïdes exposés à un détergent cationique a été mesuré en observant la mobilité sous microscope. L’intégrité de l’ADN des spermatozoïdes a été vérifiée par la nouvelle méthode de marquage radioenzymatique et par analyse de la structure de la chromatine (SCSA). Tous les tests ont été réalisés sur la partie des échantillons de sperme non utilisée par la clinique de fertilité. Le projet a été approuvé par le comité d’éthique du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montréal (CHUM) et les patients ont préalablement signé un formulaire de consentement éclairé. L’analyse des paramètres du spermogramme et de l’intégrité de l’ADN n’a montré aucune différence statistiquement significative entre les données chez les couples avec ou sans grossesse. Cependant, le taux de grossesse biochimique était statistiquement plus élevé chez les couples dont le temps de survie des spermatozoïdes était long (>250 s) comparativement à ceux dont ce temps était court (≤250 s): 66% vs 27% respectivement (p<0,05). Les taux de grossesse clinique et d’implantation étaient aussi plus élevés, mais les différences n’atteignaient pas le seuil de signification statistique. Nos résultats confirment que le spermogramme et la mesure de la fragmentation de l’ADN des spermatozoïdes ne sont pas de bons facteurs prédictifs des résultats de la FIV. Par contre, le test de survie des spermatozoïdes serait un meilleur indicateur de la possibilité d’une grossesse en FIV. L’amélioration de sa spécificité et un plus grand nombre de sujets sont nécessaires avant de proposer son application en clinique de fertilité. / Male factors are known to be involved in almost half of the couples consulting for infertility. To date, the tests for evaluating male fertility are poor predictors of pregnancy. We developed two new tests to evaluate sperm function: a sperm survival test and a new method to measure sperm DNA integrity. This prospective study was conducted on 42 infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF). Assessment of sperm parameters was done according to the World Health Organization (WHO) criteria, and sperm survival upon exposure to a cationic detergent was measured by observing motility under the microscope. Sperm DNA integrity was verified by our new radioenzymatic method as well as by the sperm chromatin structure analysis (SCSA) method. All testing was performed on a remainder aliquot of the semen samples. The study was approved by the ethics committee of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Montréal (CHUM), and informed consent was obtained before inclusion. Neither conventional semen analysis, nor sperm DNA fragmentation showed statistically significant difference between conception and non-conception cycles. However, the biochemical pregnancy rate was statistically higher in couples where the sperm survival time was long (>250 s) compared to short (≤250 s): 66% vs. 27% respectively, (p < 0.05). The clinical pregnancy rate and implantation rate were also higher but the differences did not reach statistical significance. Our study confirms that conventional semen analysis and the assay for sperm DNA integrity are not reliable indicators of IVF outcome. In contrast, our new sperm survival test seems to be a better predictor of the pregnancy rate after IVF. Improvement of its specificity and a larger cohort of patients are necessary before proposing its regular application in IVF clinics.