Estudos mostram que transexuais vivenciam preconceitos e discriminação em suas relações familiares e sociais, o que pode acarretar vivências de sofrimento, ansiedade e depressão. Existem evidências de que o vínculo satisfatório com um parceiro afetivo e a presença de uma rede de apoio pessoal adequada atuam como proteção em relação a manifestações de estresse, ansiedade e depressão, além de serem igualmente protetivos durante a revelação e assunção da transexualidade. Contudo, pouco se conhece sobre a rede de apoio e a qualidade dos relacionamentos afetivo-sexuais das pessoas transexuais em processo de transição. A partir de tais considerações, o presente estudo teve por objetivo investigar os relacionamentos familiares e afetivo-sexuais de pessoas transexuais e compreender como esses relacionamentos estão inseridos na sua rede de apoio social. Trata-se de um estudo qualitativo, descritivo-exploratório, com delineamento transversal. Como referencial metodológico foi utilizado o estudo de casos múltiplos e como marco teórico, a teoria dos roteiros sexuais de Gagnon e Simon. Participaram do estudo doze pessoas. São seis mulheres transexuais e seis homens transexuais, com idades entre 19 e 58 anos, que vem sendo acompanhados por um serviço ambulatorial especializado vinculado ao sistema de saúde pública. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio da aplicação dos seguintes instrumentos: roteiro de entrevista semiestruturada, com questões que buscavam circunscrever a rede familiar e de apoio social, Genograma, Mapa de Rede. Os dados da entrevista foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo na modalidade temática, e a interpretação dos resultados foi pautada no referencial teórico adotado. Os resultados obtidos indicam ambiguidade na reação de familiares frente à revelação da transexualidade, oscilando entre aceitação e rejeição. Os relacionamentos afetivos estabelecidos pelos(as) participantes tendem a se fragilizar e se desfazer frente à pressão do julgamento social e à dificuldade de reconhecimento do gênero assumido. O processo de construção da identidade como mulher ou homem transexual é marcado por mudanças nas concepções de gênero, de sexualidade e de papéis sociais, destacando o nome social e a luta pelo reconhecimento legal e obtenção dos novos documentos como faceta crucial nesse processo. A presença de uma rede apoio social, com participação ativa de familiares e amigos, parece exercer uma função de proteção e acolhimento frente às inúmeras dificuldades enfrentadas pelas pessoas transexuais em seu processo de transição, ocasionadas pelo preconceito e intolerância enfrentados. / Studies show that transsexuals experience prejudice and discrimination in their family and social relations, which can lead to experiences of suffering, anxiety and depression. There is evidence that a satisfactory attachment to an affective partner and the presence of an adequate personal support network act as protection against manifestations of stress, anxiety and depression, as well as being equally protective during the revelation and assumption of transsexuality. However, little is known about the support network and the quality of the affective-sexual relationships of transsexual people in transition. Based on these considerations, the present study aimed to investigate the family and affective-sexual relationships of transsexual people and to understand how these relationships are inserted in their social support network. This is a qualitative, descriptive-exploratory study, with a crosssectional design. As a methodological reference, the study of multiple cases was used, and as theoretical framework, the theory of the sexual scripts of Gagnon and Simon. Twelve people participated in the study. Six transsexual women and six transsexual men, aged between 19 and 58 years, accompanied by a specialized outpatient service linked to the public health system. Data collection was performed through the application of the following instruments: semi-structured interview script, with questions that sought to circumscribe the family network and social support, Genogram, Network Map. The data of the interview were submitted to content analysis in the thematic modality, and the interpretation of the results was based on the adopted theoretical framework. The results indicate ambiguity in the reaction of family members to the revelation of transsexuality, oscillating between acceptance and rejection. The affective relationships established by the participants tend to become fragile and undo in the face of the pressure of social judgment and the difficulty of recognizing the gender assumed. The process of constructing identity as a transsexual woman or man is marked by changes in conceptions of gender, sexuality and social roles, highlighting the social name and the struggle for legal recognition and obtaining new documents as a crucial facet in this process. The presence of a social support network, with the active participation of family and friends, seems to play a protective and welcoming role in the face of innumerable difficulties faced by transsexual people in their transition process, caused by prejudice and intolerance.

This thesis examined relations of multiple dimensions of gender identity same gender typicality, other-gender typicality, gender contentedness, gender oppression, felt pressure to conform, and gender centrality) to children's adjustment (global self-worth, narcissism, depression, internalizing behaviors, externalizing behaviors, and prosocial behaviors. Participants were 237 fourth through eighth graders (108 males, 129 females; M[underscore] age = 11 years, 4 months). Each measure of gender identity related to children's adjustment in a unique way. Findings also showed gender centrality to moderate relations of other gender identity variables to adjustment, suggesting that how central gender is to a child influences the impact of other gender self-appraisals on the child's development and adjustment. / by Jonathan Perle. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2008. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, FL : 2008 Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Sports and its effects on children have been researched for the benefits that it may bring. The purpose of this study is to see if sports competency, assessed by both peer reports and self-reports, benefits both boys and girls and whether it protects children who generally are gender-atypical from adjustment difficulties and also to see if there are any interactive influences of cross-gender typing and sports competency on self-esteem, depression, and other adjustment indexes. Our results found that there was a significant interaction between sports competence and cross-gender typing when looking at popularity and also a significant interaction between sports self-efficacy and cross-gender typing when looking at self-esteem. Our data did not provide sufficient support for our buffering hypothesis, but it allowed for us to conclude that self-esteem of low-cross-gender-typed children profit more from high sports self-efficacy and suffer more from low sports self-efficacy than the self-esteem of high-cross-gender-typed children. / by Arian Frias. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2011. / Includes bibliography. / Electronic reproduction. Boca Raton, Fla., 2011. Mode of access: World Wide Web.

This thesis will suggest how Woolf scholarship's rich exploration of Virginia Woolf's representations of girls, women and femininities may be complemented by more systematic feminist study of constructs of masculinities, as they appear in her work. Elaborating the concept of the ‘private brother', the figure of a form of maleness that the daughters of educated men ‘have reason to respect', but that Three Guineas' narrator stipulates is ‘sunk' by men's exposure to society and replaced by the ‘monstrous male', my thesis will focus particularly on the representations of boys, men and masculinities in To the Lighthouse, Between the Acts and Woolf's biography Roger Fry, though I will additionally use material from Woolf's essays, diaries and letters, as well as from Mrs Dalloway, The Years and The Pargiters. The first section of my thesis will supplement feminist critiques of the education received by upper-middle-class English boys in Woolf's texts by exploring her representations of young male (inter)subjectivities in the process of being ‘sunk.' In the second section, I will complicate the narrative trajectories often indicated for these characters in Woolf criticism by proposing that Woolf understood this sinking process as always incomplete: I will argue that Woolf's adult male characters, even her patriarchs, professors and otherwise educated men, vacillate continually between stances that might be characterised as monstrous maleness and private brotherliness–in both ‘public' and intimate settings–as one of the preconditions of social existence.

Estudo exploratório e descritivo de abordagem quantitativa sobre a magnitude da violência de gênero contra as mulheres. Ancorado na Teoria da Intervenção Práxica de Enfermagem em Saúde Coletiva, usou como categorias de análise gênero e violência de gênero. Objetivou conhecer a magnitude do fenômeno da violência de gênero cometida por parceiros íntimos entre mulheres trabalhadoras de restaurantes universitários, conhecer o perfil de produção e reprodução social dessas mulheres e os potenciais de desgaste e fortalecimento intrínsecos a essas formas de viver e trabalhar, identificar os tipos de violência que essas mulheres vivenciam e seus agressores, bem como as formas de enfrentamento utilizadas por elas frente à violência sofrida e verificar a possível relação entre os problemas de saúde apresentados pelas mulheres e a violência que vivenciam. O cenário foi a Superintendência da Coordenadoria de Assistência Social da Universidade de São Paulo (Coseas), é vinculada à Reitoria da Universidade de São Paulo. Foram entrevistadas, com instrumento semiestruturado, 91 mulheres trabalhadoras dos restaurantes vinculados à Coseas. Os resultados mostraram que os lugares onde vivem apresentam altas taxas de violência em geral e são vulneráveis socialmente. No momento produtivo, verifica-se que o trabalho formal e estável representa um forte potencial de fortalecimento. No entanto, revela-se também como potencial de desgaste, devido ao processo de trabalho espoliador que exige intenso esforço físico, o que resulta em doenças ocupacionais. A maior parte (70%) exerce função de auxiliar de cozinha e cozinheira, e 82,4% disseram ser subalternas. Cerca de 70% relataram ter sofrido violência gênero perpetrada por parceiro íntimo, destas, 66% sofreram violência psicológica, 36,3% violência física e 28,6% sexual. No enfrentamento dessa situação, 65,2% procuraram ajuda. As mais frequentes foram a ajuda familiar (46,5%) e da enfermeira de saúde mental da Coseas (23,3%). Os problemas de saúde decorrentes da violência foram referidos por 59,1%, a maior parte tendo alguma relação com a saúde mental. Os resultados indicam que a situação exige uma intervenção imediata pautada principalmente na instrumentalização dessas mulheres e no apoio do Estado e da Universidade para que se realize o enfrentamento que a realidade exige. / This is an exploratory and descriptive study that does a quantitative approach on the extension of gender violence against women. Having its basis on the Praxical Intervention Theory in Nursing of Colective Health, it has taken a few analysis categories related to gender and gender violence. This works aim was knowing the magnitude of the gender violence phenomenon as it is committed by intimate partners of women who work in college restaurants; knowing the production and reproduction social profile of these women, as well as the potential weakening and strengthening processes that are intrinsic to that way of living and working; indentifying the types of violence that these women have to cope with, as well as their aggressors (besides the ways of facing the violence they are exposed to); and, finally, verifying a possible relation between the health problems theses women develop and the violence they suffer. The place was the Social Work Bureau of the University of São Paulo (Coseas), which is part of this institution rectory. The 91 women who work at the university restaurants of the Coseas system, they were interviewed as a semi-structured instrument subjects of this study. The results have shown that the places where they live have high rate of general violence and they are socially vulnerable. In their productive moment, it is known that the formal and stable work represents a strong strengthening potential. Nevertheless, it has, at the same time, a weakening potential due to the despoiling work process that demands intense physical effort, which results in occupational diseases. Most of these women (70%) is cook or auxiliary cook. 82,4% of them consider themselves as subordinate workers. Around 70% of them have reported to be victims of gender violence committed by an intimate partner, 66% psychological violence, 36,3% physical violence and 28,6%, sexual violence. In facing this issue, 65,2% has searched help. The most frequent one was the help from someone inside the family (46,5%), and from the mental health nurse of Coseas (23,3%). The health problems that were consequences of the violence suffered were mentioned by 59,1%, and the major part had a relation with mental health. The results indicate that this situation demands an immediate intervention based especially on the providing that women with means of coping with their problems, as well as the support of the State and the University of São Paulo, so that all together can struggle to win this battle for a more respectful and honorable reality.

O transexualismo é um transtorno da identidade sexual, associado a uma forte e persistente identificação com o sexo oposto. Há poucos estudos referentes à utilização de testes psicológicos para auxiliar no diagnóstico do transexualismo. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar os aspectos da psicossexualidade de pacientes autodenominados transexuais através do teste de Szondi: Estudo retrospectivo e prospectivo no quais os pacientes com transtornos da identidade de gênero foram avaliados através de entrevistas livres; com aplicação dos critérios diagnósticos de transexualismo da DMS-IV da Associação Psiquiátrica Americana, seguido da aplicação dos testes projetivos de Szondi e H-T-P. O teste de Szondi foi aplicado por 8 vezes em cada indivíduo para avaliação quantitativa das proporções psicossexuais Dur e Moll. OS pacientes com diagnóstico de transtorno específico da identidade de gênero (transexualismo) foram acompanhados em psicoterapia de grupo por pelo menos 2 anos. Casuística: 105 indivíduos autodenominados transexuais (78 masculinos); grupo controle: 109 indivíduos (55 homens) autodenominados heterossexuais. Após aplicação dos critérios diagnósticos para transtorno da identidade de gênero do DMS-IV da Associação Psiquiátrica Americana e acompanhamento psicoterápico foram definidos como transexuais 41 indivíduos do sexo masculino e 17 indivíduos do sexo feminino. Na análise estatística as variáveis obtidas nos testes Szondi e H-T-P foram avaliadas por testes não paramétricos. Resultados: No grupo masculino, houve predomínio da proporção Moll total assim como na proporção Moll no vetor sexual e no do ego nos transexuais em comparação aos heterossexuais e aos portadores de transtorno da identidade de gênero não especificado (p<0,05). A sensibilidade do teste Szondi para identificação feminina nos transexuais masculinos foi de 80%, a especificidade de 86% e a acurácia de 83% enquanto que a sensibilidade do teste H-T-P foi de 88%, a especificidade de 54% e a acurácia de 72%. No grupo feminino houve predomínio da proporção Dur total assim como na proporção Dur do ego nas transexuais em comparação as heterossexuais e as portadoras de transtorno da identidade de gênero não especificado (p<0,05). A sensibilidade do teste Szondi para identificação masculina nos transexuais femininos foi de 94%, a especificidade de 67% e a acurácia de 85% enquanto que no teste H-T-P a sensibilidade foi de 94%, a especificidade foi de 33% e a acurácia de 73%. No período pós-cirúrgico todos os pacientes portadores de transtorno específico da identidade de gênero se mostraram satisfeitos, com alguma frustração pela limitação do processo transexualizador, por terem realizado a cirurgia, porém com melhora significativa dos vínculos sócio-familiares. Discussão: A validação de testes psicológicos para o diagnóstico dos transtornos de identidade de gênero é de grande importância visto o número crescente de pacientes com queixas de transtorno sexual que procuram tratamento. No estudo atual analisamos as propriedades do teste Szondi e do teste H-T-P num grupo de pacientes com transtornos da identidade de gênero classificados através dos critérios vigentes. Verificamos que a acurácia do teste Szondi foi maior que a do teste H-T-P no diagnóstico dos transtornos específicos da identidade de gênero a custa de uma maior especificidade frente a uma sensibilidade semelhante. Além disto, a detecção de transtornos psíquicos pelo teste Szondi, que podem ser causa ou efeito do transtorno da identidade de gênero, permite alertar o psicoterapeuta na indicação da cirurgia de transgenitalização. Conclusão: O teste Szondi mostrou ser um excelente teste auxiliar para o diagnóstico do transexualismo em ambos os sexos / Transsexualism is a disorder of sexual identity associated with strong and persistent identification with the opposite sex. There are few studies concerning the use of psychological tests as diagnostic tools for transsexualism. The objective of this study was to assess the psychosexual aspects of self-denominated transsexuals through the Szondi test. Retrospective and prospective study in which patients were firstly assessed through free interviews. monitoring psychotherapy, with assessment of DMS-IV diagnostic criteria for transsexualism from the American Psychiatric Association followed by the HTP projective personality test. The Szondi test was applied 5-10 times to each subject to quantitatively assess the Dur-Moll psychosexual reactions. Subjects: 105 self-determined transsexuals (78 men); control group: 109 selfdetermined heterosexuals (55 men). Twenty-two male subjects and 10 female subjects were defined as transsexuals DMS-IV diagnostic criteria for transsexualism from the American Psychiatric Association followed by monitoring psychotherapy. Statistical analysis of the variables obtained in SZONDI and HTP projective tests were evaluated by non-parametric tests. Results: In the male group, there was a predominance in total Moll proportion and in Moll proportion at the sexual and ego vectors in transsexuals compared to heterosexual and not specified gender identity disorder groups (p <0.05). The sensitivity of the SZONDI test to identify female gender identity in men was 80%, specificity 86% and accuracy 83% while the sensitivity of the H-T-P test was 88%, specificity 54% and accuracy 72%. In the female group total Dur proportion and Dur proportion at ego vector was predominant in transsexuals compared to heterosexual and not specified disorder of gender identity groups (p <0.05). The sensitivity of the SZONDI test to identify male gender identity in women was 94%, specificity 67% and accuracy 85% while for H-T-P test the sensitivity was 94%, specificity 33% and accuracy 73%. After surgery all transsexuals patients were happy but with some frustration with the transgender process limitation but with significant improvement of social and family contacts. Discussion: The validation of psychological tests for diagnosis of gender identity disorders is of great importance considering the increasing number of patients with sexual identity disorder seeking treatment. In the present study we analyzed the properties of SZONDI and H-T-P tests in a group of patients with of gender identity disorders classified by current criteria. We found that the accuracy of the SZONDI test was higher than the H-T-P test in the diagnosis of transsexualism due to greater specificity with similar sensitivity. Furthermore, the detection of mental disorders by SZONDI test, which may be the cause or effect of the gender identity disorder, can alert the psychotherapist in the indication of transgender surgery. Conclusion: The SZONDI test showed to be an excellent tool for transsexualism diagnosis in both sexes

A violência doméstica contra a mulher é um evento complexo e muito prevalente no Brasil, sendo os serviços de saúde frequentemente procurados por essas mulheres, o que coloca serviços e profissionais de saúde em lugar de destaque no manejo desses casos. Considerando o papel do enfermeiro dentro do sistema de saúde, o objetivo do estudo foi compreender a percepção destes profissionais sobre a problemática. Para tal utilizou-se uma abordagem qualitativa, em que foram entrevistados 11 enfermeiras que trabalham nas Unidades Distritais de Saúde do município de Ribeirão Preto, utilizando um roteiro semi estruturado. Os dados foram processados, lidos atentamente e organizados nas seguintes unidades temáticas: 1-A visão das enfermeiras sobre a questão de gênero; 2-A visão das enfermeiras sobre a violência contra a mulher; 3-Atendimento: Rezo para não chegar nada no meu plantão[...] Quando chega é um problema!; 4-Aspectos Jurídicos: Está tudo no caderninho! e 5-Formação: Olha se foi, foi uma aula bem superficial. As enfermeiras entrevistadas percebem que houve uma mudança no papel da mulher na sociedade moderna, porém, mantêm uma visão tradicionalista de gênero; assim, identificam um momento de transição em que a \"mulher moderna\" vive entre o paradoxo de ser um sujeito social ativo e ser a \"rainha do lar\". Neste sentido, as enfermeiras entrevistadas percebem que a mulher de hoje apenas multiplicou funções, mas ainda não dividiu responsabilidades. Elas percebem ainda a liberdade sexual feminina como libertinagem; neste sentido prevalece discursos em que às mulheres é vedado o direito de exercerem sua sexualidade de forma livre, sendo este assunto tratado com denotações negativas. Associam a violência contra a mulher a aspectos relacionados à individualidade dos casais; aspectos externos relacionados ao estilo de vida imposto pela sociedade moderna e ao uso de álcool e drogas; atribuem a continuidade das relações violentas pelo medo, pela vergonha e por dependência financeira e moral de seus companheiros e pela falta de apoio social; assim, essas mulheres permanecem nas relações por não verem outra possibilidade de vida. Implícita na temática da violência contra as mulheres, está sempre presente nos discursos o fato das mulheres se manterem em relações assimétricas com seus parceiros, o que as tornam submissas e contribui para a manutenção do ciclo da violência. Quanto ao atendimento, sentemse os profissionais de saúde despreparados para lidar com a situação; reconhecem eles principalmente a violência física e focam sua assistência ao atendimento das lesões, e percebemos então a invisibilidade da violência contra a mulher pelos profissionais de saúde, que possivelmente se distanciam para evitar frustrações frente ao problema com o qual não se sentem preparados para lidar. Não possuem conhecimentos adequados quanto às questões jurídicas; e, assim, ao atender casos de violência, não se prendem aos fatores legais, mas sim a fatores de ordem pessoal, às especificidades do caso atendido e à própria estrutura dos serviços. Por fim, são unânimes em reconhecer a necessidade de treinamento para que possam melhor abordar o tema. / Domestic violence against women is a complex event and very prevalent in Brazil. These women frequently seek for health services, which require them and their health professionals to manage these cases. Considering the role of nurses in the health system, this study aimed to understand the perception of these professionals about the problem. A qualitative method was used and 11 nurses working in the District Health Units in the city of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil were interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire. Data were processed, carefully read and organized into the following thematic units: 1- gender\'s conception; 2- understanding of nurses about violence; 3- care delivery: I pray for nobody to arrive during my shift [...] It\'s a problem when someone arrives!; 4- Law aspects; 5- Education- Well, If I had it, it was a very superficial class. Interviewed nurses perceive that women\'s role has changed in modern society; however, there is a traditional view of genders. Therefore, they identify a moment of transition in which the \"modern woman\" lives the paradox of being an active social subject and \"the lady of the house\". In this perspective, the nurses perceive that today\'s women have multiplied their functions but have not shared their responsibilities. They also perceive that women\'s sexual freedom is seen as debauchery in which discourses about women being forbidden to freely exercise their sexuality prevail and is an issue addressed with negative connotation. They associate violence against women with aspects related to the individuality of couples, external aspects related to the life style that is imposed by modern society and the use of alcohol and drugs, attribute the persistence of violent relationships to fear, shame, financial and moral dependency on partners, and lack of social support. Thus, these women remain in these relationships because they do not see other options for their lives. The fact that women keep asymmetric relationships with their partners is implicit in the violence subject. This asymmetry makes them submissive and favors the maintenance of the violence cycle. Professionals feel unprepared to deal with the situation, especially acknowledge physical violence and focus care delivery on lesions. We perceive that violence against women is invisible to the eyes of health professionals, who possibly distance themselves so to avoid frustration in relation to a problem they do not feel prepared to deal with. They do not have appropriate knowledge related to law and therefore, when they attend cases of violence, do not pay attention to legal issues but on factors related to the individual, to the specificities of each case and structure of the services themselves. Finally, they all agree on the need of education so as to better address the subject.

Yuen Siu Fung. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 157-162). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter One: --- Re-imagining Female Subjectivity beyond Bodily Inscriptions --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two: --- Cultural Body and Female Agency: The Transformation of Identity in Jasmine --- p.21 / Chapter Chapter Three: --- Woman and Unwoman: Reconstructing Subjectivity in The Handmaids Tale --- p.64 / Chapter Chapter Four: --- Beyond Bodily Defined Identity: Per/Re-forming Man/Woman Relationship in Nights at the Circus --- p.114 / Chapter Chapter Five: --- "In Search of Fulfilment, Satisfaction and Development" --- p.150 / Bibliography --- p.157

Liong Chan-ching Mario. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 72-79). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Acknowledgement --- p.iv / Table of Contents --- p.v / List of Tables --- p.vii / List of Figures --- p.ix / Chapter Chapter One --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter Two --- Literature Review --- p.3 / Mental Health Deterioration in Unemployment Process / Is Unemployment Status Responsible for the Mental Health Deterioration / Masculine Gender Role Worsens Mental Health During Unemployment / Chapter Chapter Three --- Objectives and Hypotheses --- p.9 / Objective and Significance of the Present Study / Variables and Factors in the Study / Hypotheses / Chapter Chapter Four --- Methodology --- p.12 / Participants / Procedures / Questionnaire / Chapter Chapter Five --- Results --- p.20 / Operationalizaing Socio-economic Status and Financial Responsibility / Exploratory Factor Analysis on Gender Role Conflict Scale / Psychological Variables / Internal Consistencies of the Scales Used / "Intercorrelations Among Demographic Variables, Psychological Variables, and Psychological Distress" / Hierarchical Multiple Regression / Chapter Chapter Six --- Discussion --- p.63 / Gender Role Conflict in Action / Limitations and Further Studies / Implications and Suggestions / Conclusion / Bibliography --- p.72 / Appendix Questionnaire Used in the Present Study --- p.80

Following the publication of Simone de Beauvoir's influential book, The Second Sex, (1949), many feminist critics in Europe and North America have discussed the problems facing women artists and critics of working within phallocentric and phallo-symbolic culture and language. Simone de Beauvoir was the first to demonstrate how male-dominated culture has used symbolic language in order to exclude, repress, and objectify women. Language is one of the key mechanisms employed in phallocentric culture to define and construct reality and gender identity according to male experience and desire. Feminist critics writing since the 1950s,. have been examining the ways in which women might find or develop a language through which they can express their own experience of reality, gender identity, sexual desire and pleasure. Many contemporary women writers and film-makers have appropriated the representations of female desire and sexuality that pervade male-dominated western culture, deconstructing and subverting them in order to create innovative and challenging representations of their own. They refer to, and draw upon, the traditional imagery and conventions of classic Hollywood cinema, using such references to serve their own ends and create their own meanings. They have also radically deconstructed and reappropriated stereotypical pornographic images, exploring the possibility of creating a female-oriented, woman-centred, non-misogynous erotica. Women working in the fields of literature and film are attempting to explore and develop alternative representations of female desire and gender identities, experimenting with new vocabularies of representation in order to explore women's perceptions of their multiple identities and their experience of themselves as desiring subjects. They have taken some of the most negative representations of women constructed by phallocentric culture, and reappropriated them in order to create innovative, alternative forms of representation and a radical critique of the social construction of "femininity" and gender identity.