There are many possible sources for youth to become educated about sexuality and reproduction, however the media are cited as particularly powerful and prominent sources of information (Jaworski, 2009). Particularly in an era in which abstinence-only messaging dominates sex education, media become a source to which young people turn and where they receive much of their sex-based messaging. Due to backlash over problematic content that perpetuates gender stereotypes and relays harmful messages about sex and sexuality, some magazines, including Teen Vogue, have attempted to shift towards more feminist-minded content (Keller, 2011, Milkie, 2002). This study is a qualitative critical feminist media analysis that examined the framing of sex, sexuality, and reproduction content in a sample of 60 Teen Vogue articles, an online publication that targets adolescents and young adults. The analysis revealed that overall, articles conveyed positive representations of sexuality, advocating for affirming and evidence-based sex education, self-empowerment through knowledge, and comprehensive reproductive healthcare for all. However, contradictory frames of sex stigmatization and a reproductive rights framework that advocates primarily for abortion rights were still highly prevalent in the data. Considering media is a significant component of the sexual socialization of youth, Sex Positive framing of sexuality which prioritizes pleasure, healthy relationships and sexual dynamics, and inclusive and affirmative sex education helps to create new narratives in media concerning how sex is viewed. These messages may have positive impacts by creating healthier sexual scripts and becoming dominant narratives in the future. However, articles in the data also utilized fear-mongering tactics that are notoriously used in abstinence-only sex education. These messages aid in further stigmatizing young people not only for having sex but also for not being informed of the potential associated risks, creating a harmful paradox that may counteract the goals of sexual health and sex positivity. Additionally, reproductive rights and reproductive justice messaging and the presentation of policy updates relevant to young readers has the potential to inform and socialize young people to be better informed about sex and sexuality, which may, in turn, lead to greater sexual empowerment. Such messaging may also empower youth activists in a time of political turmoil, connecting teen readers to what is going on around them, and providing concrete actions they can take to create political change.

Sexual violence (SV) among women is a significant public health concern linked to several adverse mental and physical health consequences. Though national estimates suggest that more than 50% of women experience SV in their lifetime, recent research finds that sexual minoritized women experience greater risks for SV and adverse health consequences. SV disclosure experiences, including who, when, and responses from disclosure recipients, has been previously studied to understand how these interactions may serve as a buffer and/or barrier for SV survivor recovery. However, SV research often group together sexual minoritized individuals into one category and therefore fails to consider potential heterogeneity between lesbian and bisexual SV survivors. Accordingly, the current study addresses these limitations by investigating SV experiences, SV disclosure characteristics, and survivor well-being, from a national sample of heterosexual (HW), lesbian (LW), and bisexual women (BW). Guided by Ullman's (2010) Social Ecological Model to Sexual Assault Disclosure and Help-Seeking Outcomes and Meyer's (2003) Minority Stress Model, this dissertation examined (1) SV experiences, SV disclosure characteristics, and SV survivor well-being across sexual identity, (2) the associations between disclosure characteristics and well-being and (3) if, and to what extent, does sexual identity moderate the association between SV disclosure reactions and well-being. Using a convenience sampling approach where participants completed a cross-sectional online survey and were recruited from the CloudResearch Prime Panels survey platform, women SV survivors (n= 923; HW= 455; LW= 166; BW= 302) and women SV survivors who disclosed (n=571; HW= 250; LW= 107; BW= 214) were assessed. Results show that there were unique differences in SV survivor experiences across sexual identity groups and negative social reactions from disclosure recipients were uniquely associated to greater symptoms of depression and anxiety for HW and LW, but not BW survivors. This study has implications for research, theory, and tertiary SV prevention efforts.

This dissertation explores how players of the Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game (MMORPG), World of Warcraft, responded to in-game instances of sexism and racism before and after the Activision Blizzard lawsuit was made public. It also covers the responses of players to the lawsuit itself to see if player responses changed once the lawsuit was made public. These results illustrate if and how player responses may change regarding in-game social issues based on the real-world environment that the game is being created within. To establish what players are seeing in the game, I first analyzed the narratives of four major World of Warcraft characters to identify if sexist and racist story lines were utilized within the narrative. I then analyzed forum posts from players speaking on in-game sexism and racism before the lawsuit, player responses to the real world allegations against Activision Blizzard during the lawsuit, and the player discussions of in-game sexism and racism after the lawsuit. I then categorized the forum post responses into Eduardo Bonilla-Silva's (2018) racial frames. I found that players can recognize sexism and racism within the real world, but disconnect the real world from the virtual world when speaking on sexism and racism within the game. Therefore, players tend to deny in-game sexism and racism exist. Although there was slightly more recognition of sexism and racism in-game after the lawsuit, many responses remained the same as before the lawsuit. This study brings to light the disconnect between the real-world and the game world that players utilize to continue playing the games they enjoy while absolving themselves of responsibility for supporting the game and the company.

Claude Cahun, born Lucy Renee Mathilde Schwob, was an author, playwright, surrealist photographer and anti-fascist activist who spent most of their lives in France and the Isle of Jersey from their birth in 1894 to their early death in 1954. Throughout their career they went by various aliases and pennames, settling on Claude Cahun in 1917, a gender-ambiguous name in French. While they considered themselves a writer before a photographer it is their photography that they are probably best known for today, becoming popular for their "modern" content that explores gender identity and its presentation. These self-portraits, along with their personal writings, support the conclusion that Cahun was (or could be considered, as they did not have the language of gender and sexuality in their lifetime) a transgender, nonbinary individual, possibly gender fluid. For this reason, throughout this research I will be using the singular they/them pronouns in reference to Cahun as well as their partner Marcel Moore. This thesis will investigate and analyze the photographic work of Claude Cahun as their own personal exploration of their sexuality and gender identity. I will use both the context of their writings, and those of other contemporaries within a framework of early 20th cenrtury culture to better understand their content.

The current study examined the relationship between the sexualization of women in the media and its effects on women's self-objectification and sexual priming with sociodemographic variables as a mediator. It was hypothesized that (1) exposure to increased sexual content in music videos would positively correlate with increased sexual priming among viewers and (2) increased sexual priming among females would be associated with increased self-objectification and increased objectification of other women. Additionally, the current study aimed to examine sociodemographic factors and if they correlate to the impact of sexual priming on self-objectification and the objectification of other women. The results of the current study indicated that the participants results to sexual priming when exposed to sexual music videos whether censored or not were significantly different than those who were not exposed to any content prior to answering any questionnaires.

The current study aimed to examine attitudes of sexuality of individuals with CHARGE syndrome by exploring potential barriers that may exist due to differences in the attitudes towards sexuality in parents of individuals with CHARGE syndrome and those attitudes of adults with CHARGE syndrome. Participants included 24 adults with CHARGE syndrome and 31 parents of individuals with CHARGE syndrome. The Attitudes of Sexuality-Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ASQ-ID) was completed by all participants and was adapted to address this specific population for the current study. Using a multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), four themes of sexuality from the ASQ-ID (i.e., sexual rights, parenting, non-reproductive sexual behavior, and self-control) were examined by comparing differences of mean scores across parents of individuals with CHARGE syndrome and adults with CHARGE syndrome. Further, standard linear regressions were used to determine if age was a predictor of attitudes of sexuality within this population. Results indicated that while there was not a statistically significant difference between parents’ overall scores and adults with CHARGE syndrome’s overall score, statistically significant differences were found in two of the subscales. Specifically, adults with CHARGE syndrome were found to have more positive views in the area of parenting, as compared to parents of individuals with CHARGE syndrome. Likewise, parents of individuals with CHARGE syndrome were found to have more positive views in the area of self-control, opposed to adults with CHARGE syndrome. Further, age was not found to be a predictor of attitudes of sexuality within this population. The results and implications of the findings are discussed, as well as limitations and future directions.

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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.