Background: Gender Variance (GV) is an experience that the gender assigned at birth is different to one’s preferred gender identity. It includes the possibility of a preferred gender identity being different to either male or female. It is reported that around 4000 people per year access care from the NHS in relation to GV (Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES), 2009) and both the physical and psychological elements of these experiences is well documented. However, little research specifically explores how Gender Variant (GVt) people make sense of their experiences and construct meaningful expression of their preferred identity. The aim of this study is to further the understanding of GV with a view to considering the implications for service provision to this population. Methodology: The study employed a qualitative method that explored the narratives of the participants. A purposive sample of seven participants self identified as GVt was recruited for a single interview. The interviews used a topic guide to elicit the narratives that these people tell about their experiences. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using a narrative approach to explore what the participants said and the way they said it. This was then situated within the local and broader social contexts within which the narratives exist. Analysis and findings: The findings are presented through a global impression of each of the individual narratives and then through discussion of the similarities and differences in relation to the collective storylines. Particular attention is paid to the identity construction and the emotional experiences that take place during the interviews. These two elements are told within and through each of the storylines. The local and wider narratives available to the participants are used to contextualise the analysis and findings, and so are reported within the analysis. The analysis offers the following findings: i) their first experiences of understanding GV was important, leading them to find others who felt the same to gain a sense of hope of a normal life ii) sharing their experiences with others was an anxiety provoking time and was part of a decision making process about treatment and establishing an acceptable gender expression iii) relationships with family, friends, peers and members of their social context influence sense making and identity constructions of GVt people and typify the challenges faced within their GVt experiences. Some of these challenges were reported as ongoing and illustrated throughout the stories of the day to day lives of the participants iv) for these participants distressing emotional challenges were often situated in the past and participants spoke of ‘overcoming’ challenges. This offered a counter to the more dominant isolation and loneliness narratives within the literature on GVt experiences The findings of the study are discussed in relation to its clinical implications, the strengths and limitations of the methodology, and directions for future research.

Traditionally and historically certain jobs have been recognized as male or female professions leading to the assumption that the barrier crossing men and women working in these gender atypical jobs are being less masculine and less feminine. The aim of this study is to examine similarities and differences among male social workers and female police officers in the experience of being a gender minority in their workplace and how it effects the construction of their gender identity. Working with a qualitative approach and using semi-constructed interviews the study was conducted by interviewing a total of five social workers and four female police officers, in six different communities, about their personal experiences of being a gender minority in a gender atypical job. The result shows both differences and similarities between the genders and their occupation; on a personal level neither of the respondents seemed to have a problem working in a gender atypical job although admitting that working in a “female” and “male” profession  had effects on their personality but not on how they viewed themselves as men or women. On a group level the respondents experienced both differences and similarities; both genders talked about being stereotyped into taking on certain tasks but also about having advantages of being male or female in certain situations. Further on the female police officers talked about being pushed aside to give room for the male colleagues while the male social workers experienced the opposite; being more acknowledged. On a societal level respondents from both groups were talking about a shift in societies showcasing that the view on men and women and what is considered male and female have been or in a process of being disintegrated. The results were seen from a social constructionist viewing point and were interpreted and analyzed using following theories and theoretical concepts: Stereotype, gender, role theory, identity, gender identity and the theory about the mirrored self.

Moje diplomová práce se věnuje tomu, jakým způsobem přistupují vyučující na druhém stupni základních škol k dívkám a chlapcům, kteří jsou genderově atypičtí. Tedy k dětem, kteří nesplňují představu "správné" dívky či "správného" chlapce z hlediska genderového řádu společnosti a nějakým způsobem se těmto představám vymykají (v rovině osobnostní, vzhledové či behaviorální). Ve výzkumu se zajímám o zkušenost vyučujících s těmito dětmi, o charakteristiky, jenž jsou podle nich genderově atypické, jak tyto děti podle nich přijímá kolektiv či učitelský sbor, apod., avšak podstatou mého zkoumání je zjistit, jaký postoj vůči těmto dětem učitelé a učitelky zaujímají a co jej ovlivňuje. Z výsledků výzkumu pak vyplývá, že existuje určitá typologie postojů vyučujících k genderově atypickým dětem, přičemž jednotlivé postoje vyučujících jsou ovlivňovány mnoha faktory. Faktor, který se ukázal jako nejdůležitější, protože významně ovlivňuje to, zda se bude jedna spíše o pozitivní či negativní přijetí dítěte, je to, zda projevy atypického dítěte narušují či znesnadňují vyučování a práci vyučujícího, nikoliv pouhá skutečnost, že je dítě genderově atypické. Tato práce je tvořena dvěma částmi: teoretickou a empirickou. V teoretické části se zabývám informacemi, které jsou základem pro můj výzkum a v rámci celé práce z...

AMBIVALENT SEXISM, AMBIVALENCE TOWARD MEN AND DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES AS PREDICTORS OF TURKISH COLLEGE STUDENTS&rsquo / ATTITUDES TOWARD MEN IN SOCIAL AND WOMEN IN NATURAL SCIENCES G&ouml / ker G&uuml / l&ccedil / &uuml / r M. S., Department of Psychology Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuray Sakalli - Ugurlu August 2006, 96 pages The aim of this thesis was to investigate the effects of ambivalent sexism, ambivalence toward men and demographic variables on attitudes toward men in social and women in natural sciences. 217 METU students participated in the study. Results of hierarchical regression demonstrated that sex, major, political view, department satisfaction and benevolence toward men (BM) significantly predicted attitudes toward men in social sciences / whereas sex, major, political view, hostile sexism (HS), hostility toward men (HM) and BM significantly predicted attitudes toward women in natural sciences. Additional analysis revealed main and interaction effects of sex and major on attitudes toward men in social sciences. Additional analysis also revealed main effects of sex and major on attitudes toward women in natural sciences. This thesis aims to contribute to literature by assessing (1) the relationship between sexismand attitudes toward individuals in gender atypical departments, and (2) the effects of demographic variables such as gender, major and political view on attitudes toward individuals in gender atypical departments.