published_or_final_version / Literary and Cultural Studies / Master / Master of Arts

This thesis explores the participation of women in trade union activity at local level. The central question it addresses is why do women participate in trade unions at this level? It identifies the factors that shape and influence women's participation and, in particular, the role of gender. In addition the thesis critically exatnines the concept of women's interests. The methodological approach is that of a case study of women activists in the South Wales and Western division of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers (USDA W), and a principal case study of women activists in the South and West area of the Banking, Insurance and Finance Union (BIFU). In recent years there has been a growing body of research considering the role of women in trade unions. The main focus of these studies has been the barriers to women's participation. Where women's participation has been investigated the majority of studies have been concerned with women full time officers and 'senior' trade union leaders. Within trade union renewal debates women have been highlighted as one of the groups to target in recruitment campaigns. As such, it is appropriate to consider women's trade union participation at local level. The general literature suggests that people join and participate for traditional collective reasons. This proposition is critically examined. The findings present a model of trade union activity that differs significantly from typologies created to examine 'senior' women leaders. Equally, studies of women at local level which attach one ideological position to women's attitudes and behaviour are argued to fail to capture the diversity of views evident at local level. As such, the typology developed from this study places the WOlnen activists in four groups; the individualist, the collectivist, the carer and the equal rights representative. These groups reflect the context in which the women are situated and the varied interpretations of their activism. The findings suggest the problems of addressing equal opportunities through the union structures and raise, in particular, the difficulties of developing 'separatist' policies for women. Barriers to women's participation in trade unions remain significant for local level activism. The thesis suggests that trade union renewal strategies need to recognise the richness and diversity of attitudes and interests that women bring to the trade union movement.

The purpose of the present study was to determine the current characteristics and needs of the male-to-female transgender voice client. Specifically, what are the current characteristics (e.g. age, marital status, number of children) of the male-to-female transgender client? Does participation in therapy affect overall satisfaction with feminine presentation? Do alternative methods for voice feminization (e.g. DVDs, YouTube, peer mentors) result in similar levels of satisfaction? Lastly, do male-to-female transgender avoid community activities in order to prevent being perceived as male, and can therapy help with this? We evaluated the responses of 77 participants who completed an Internet-based survey. Results were compared to Blanchard’s 1994 study of characteristics of male-to-female transgender persons. Characteristics of the 1994 study and the MtF transgender client of 2010 were comparable, with a slightly older age for the present study. The client was likely to have been married at least once, and to have at least one child. Respondents who had participated in speech therapy were more satisfied with their femininity overall when compared to those who had not received speech services. Satisfaction with alternative methods was low. In addition, both groups reported a high level of avoidant activities based on fear of being perceived as male. / text

<p>Denna studie handlar om icke-heterosexuella* ungdomars upplevelser av mobbning i skolan p.g.a. deras sexuella läggning och ungdomarnas upplevelser om vad som görs av lärarna för att motverka denna mobbning. Studien genomfördes i två delar: förstudie och huvudstudie. I förstudien studerades lärarestuderandes åsikter om utbildningen som de får om mobbningen av icke-heterosexuella elever i skolan på lärareprogrammet. I förstudie medverkade 11 lärarestuderande, alla var kvinnor. I huvudstudien studerades erfarenheter och åsikter av icke-heterosexuella ungdomar som mobbas eller mobbades i skolan. Där studerades elevernas upplevelser av mobbning och elevernas förståelse av hur lärarna hjälper dem med mobbningsproblemet. Eleverna angav även en del förslag på hur situationen kan förbättras. I huvudstudien medverkade 12 ungdomar, 5 tjejer och 7 killar med olika sexuell läggning som läser i gymnasieskolan i Karlstad. En del av dessa ungdomar ingår i Karlstads RFSL- ungdom och en del ingår inte i den. Studien visade att (1) alla de icke-heterosexuella ungdomarna upplevde sig vara mobbad i skolan p.g.a. sin sexuella läggning, (2) alla ungdomar som medverkade i intervju anser att lärarna i skolan inte gör tillräckligt mycket eller inte gör något alls för att motverka mobbningen av icke-heterosexuella elever i skolan. Vad det beror på, ur ungdomarnas perspektiv, står det mer om i resultatdelen av denna studie och (3) ungdomarna har sina egna förslag på problemlösning.</p><p>(*Icke-heterosexuella kallas också ibland för HBT-folket, d.v.s. homo-, bi- eller transsexuella folket).</p> / <p>This study is about non-heterosexual* youths experiences of being harassed in the school because of their sexual disposition and the youths experiences of what their teachers do to counteract this harassment. The study was carried out in two parts: pre study and main study. In the pre study, the students in the teacher program were asked for their opinion about the education they receive on dealing with harassments of non-heterosexual pupils. In the pre study, 11 students in the teacher program were contributing, all of them were women. In the main study, experiences and opinions from non-heterosexual youths who are or have been harassed in the school were studied. The pupil’s experiences of harassment and their understanding of how their teachers are helping them with the harassment problem were studied. The pupils also gave some suggestions of how the situation can be improved. In the main study 12 youths, 5 girls and 7 boys with different sexual disposition who studies in intermediate level up to upper secondary school in Karlstad contributed. Some of these youths are members in RFSL- ungdom and some are not. The study shows that (1) all the non-heterosexual youths has experience of harassment in school because of their sexual disposition, (2) all the contributing youths consider that the teachers is not making enough or nothing to counteract the harassment of non-heterosexual pupils. What it depends on, from the perspective of the youths, can be read in the result part of this study and (3) the youths have their own suggestions of the solution of the problem.</p><p>(*Non-heterosexual is sometime also called HBT-people, i.e. homo-, bi- or transsexual people)</p>

<p>Ämnet för den här uppsatsen är mäns föräldraledighet. Det övergripande syftet med denna studie har varit att studera hur män förhåller sig till sina dubbla roller som småbarnsföräldrar och förvärvsarbetare. Specifikt har jag undersökt om mina informanter, fyra män vilka varit föräldralediga, påverkats av deras arbetsgivares, Statoils, småbarnsföräldrapolicy i de val de gjort angående sin föräldraledighet. Genomförandet av studien har skett genom kvalitativ intervjumetod. Informanterna har alla uttryckt att småbarnsföräldrapolicyn gett dem stöd i de val de gjort angående sin föräldraledighet, dock har den inte haft avgörande betydelse. Småbarnsföräldrapolicyn har ett stort symboliskt värde, genom att den finns ges signalen till alla anställda att det är okej att vara föräldraledig oavsett kön.</p>

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<p>Our theatre tradition has a long history where men have written most of the plays. If we want that the theatre should be a place, which should be built as much around womens experience as mens experiences, how can we relate to the canon? This is a study based on questions around our theatre tradition. Three women dramatists have been asked questions like: What do you think about the classics? About the women roles? Do the classics inspire you, in your writing? Is there a difference in being a female dramatist than being a male dramatist? Femi-nist theatre- theories have been used to guide us through the canon. Through the answers and reflection I have found that women writers still feel locked up in their sex, they always have to deal with the fact of being first of all women. The study has also given some answers about their relation to the classics and the women roles in them. We shall also see that it is a possi-ble connection between the canon and some patriarchal conservative theatre institutions.</p>

<p>En analys av den svenska medicinska diskursen om barn med atypiska kön, med särskild fokus på diskursens begripliggörande av kroppar som inte passar in i en heterosexuell matris</p>

<p>I två studier undersöktes skillnader I empati beroende på målpersons kön. I</p><p>studie 1 fick 72 psykologistudenter läsa fyra berättelser där målpersonerna</p><p>befann sig i besvärliga situationer och upplevde känslorna ilska, skam,</p><p>rädsla och sorg. Därefter fick deltagarna skatta sin empati. Resultatet</p><p>öppnade för möjligheten att sorg medförde mer empati för männen och ilska</p><p>mer empati för kvinnorna. I studie 2 fick därför 101 psykologistudenter läsa</p><p>en berättelse där målpersonen upplevde ilska eller sorg i en svår situation</p><p>och därefter skatta sin empati. Resultatet visade en stark tendens att män</p><p>som känner sorg väcker mer empati än kvinnor och att kvinnor som känner</p><p>ilska väcker mer empati än kvinnor som känner sorg. Majoriteten av</p><p>deltagarna var kvinnor. Målpersonens kön, känsloupplevelse och grad av</p><p>empati verkar ha ett samband då en känsla kan medföra skillnader i empati</p><p>mellan kön och olika känslor medföra skillnader i empati för kvinnor.</p> / <p>In two studies differences in empathy depending on target person’s gender</p><p>was examined. In study 1 72 psychology students read four stories</p><p>describing target persons in troublesome situations who experienced anger,</p><p>shame, fear and sadness. Thereafter participants estimate their empathy. The</p><p>results opened for the possibilities that sadness evoke more empathy for men</p><p>and anger more empathy for women. Therefore in study 2 101 psychology</p><p>students read a story where a target person experienced sadness or anger in a</p><p>difficult situation and thereafter estimate their empathy. The result showed</p><p>strong tendency that men who experiencing sadness evoke more empathy</p><p>than women and women experiencing anger evoke more empathy than</p><p>women experiencing sadness. The majority of participants where female.</p><p>Target persons, gender, emotion and degree of empathy seem to be related</p><p>when an emotion can bring difference in empathy between gender and</p><p>different emotions can bring difference in empathy for women.</p>

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