In this essay I analyze Karin Boye’s first novel, Astarte, focusing on her views concerning norms,ideals and female liberation. The novel is written in a tone of irony, allowing for many of thecharacters to be viewed as caricatures. The theories and methods I use are drawn from genderstudies and queer theory. Queer theorist Judith Butler, and the concepts of performativity, interpellation, genealogy and the heterosexual matrix, are of central importance for my analysis. I look at the hetero normative values, that Boye ironizes, which are sustained by performative processes. The normative and idealizing proceedings described by Boye are, in my opinion, such performative processes. I examine how Boye illustrates the creation of norms and ideals, their influence and how they spread. Boye lays much of the responsibility for the idealization and normativity on the consciousness industry. I consider the novel to be a form of gender parody, challenging the notion that gender is something that can be defined by certain characteristics. Butler is of the opinion that gender parodies expose the primordial identity that gender imitates as being in itself an imitation without origin.

In this thesis I aim to examine the ways in which cultural beliefs and norms about gender and sexuality are shaped by discourses on animals and nature. I have done a participatory observation on two different guided tours of animals and analyze some information about the animals at a Swedish zoo. With a discourse analytical approach, I analyzed transcribed material from the guided tours of animals and information about animals from a gender and queer theoretical perspective, based on Judith Butler's understanding of the heterosexual matrix and her performativity theory. In my analysis, based on my chosen theoretical framework and with support of previous research, I have seen that the way people talk about animals is characterized by human notions of gender and sexuality. In addition to human notions of gender and sexuality, I have seen human notions of ethnocentrism and the division of labor between male and female. Furthermore, I have seen that some of these texts about animals challenge ideas about the division of labor in the home between male and female.

In 2006 a new law in Sweden let refugees apply for asylum on the grounds of them being in need of protection due to their gender or sexual orientation. Due to this law, the Swedish migration authority are the ones who decide whether or not a person has made it likely to be of a certain gender or sexual preference and whether or not they are in need of protection in Sweden due to this. The asylum process thus becomes a clear example of how norms for gender and sexuality are constructed and reproduced by the government. The limited research about sexual orientation, gender and asylum in Sweden, which in itself was a reason for this paper, stated that there were limited definitions and guidelines on the subject which made decision-making depend on the person in authority. The aim of this study were to understand how the construction of gender and sexuality are made within asylum-cases through analyzing two cases from the Swedish Supreme Court of Migration (Migrationsöverdomstolen) and the government-proposition of the 2006 migration-law. To meet the purpose of the study’s aim, the research questions used were, what constructs of gender and sexuality could be found in asylum-cases and which discourse of gender and sexuality could be seen as ruling in legislations and judgements. To understand this we used a social constructivist approach and Judith Butlers theory about the heterosexual matrix. The main findings were that constructions of sexuality is categorized in terms of homo-, bi- and heterosexual orientation. Hence, the Swedish government produces and reproduces western designations of sexuality as valid, while leaving non-western designations invalid. Further more, our study shows that this is all done under a heterosexual norm that produces and reproduces a binary perception of gender, consisting of male and female as opposites. Hence, the discourse links gender and sexuality together under the heterosexual matrix. While previous reports and research show that decisions are depending on individual decision-makers, this study shows that both the decisions and the decision-makers are depending on the judicial and societal discourse.

<p>The purpose of this paper is to investigate how gender and sexuality are made in the videogames <em>Prince of Persia</em> and <em>Fable II</em>, and more specifically to look at possibilities and limitations for the construction of gender and sexuality in these games. I understand videogames as an interactive media form that differs from other types of media like film and literature. It is a media form that depends on a player to be played. At the same time it is constituted by rules of how it can be played. I have analyzed my material by a method called close-playing. I ask questions about the conditions for play in terms of avatar design, ways of acting in and moving through the game by using Judith Butler’s notion of the heterosexual matrix and Gayle Rubin’s sex value system. I have found that <em>Prince of Persia</em> does not offer the player any possibilities to contribute to the making of gender and sexuality of the avatar. <em>Fable II</em> on the other hand provides a range of options that shape gender and sexuality. But at the same time the game rewards the player if he or she shapes the gender and sexuality of the avatar in a way that fits the heterosexual matrix. I argue that <em>Prince of Persia</em> carries rules for how you <em>can </em>shape gender and sexuality, and <em>Fable II</em>, carries rules for how you <em>should </em>shape it.</p>

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how gender and sexuality are made in the videogames Prince of Persia and Fable II, and more specifically to look at possibilities and limitations for the construction of gender and sexuality in these games. I understand videogames as an interactive media form that differs from other types of media like film and literature. It is a media form that depends on a player to be played. At the same time it is constituted by rules of how it can be played. I have analyzed my material by a method called close-playing. I ask questions about the conditions for play in terms of avatar design, ways of acting in and moving through the game by using Judith Butler’s notion of the heterosexual matrix and Gayle Rubin’s sex value system. I have found that Prince of Persia does not offer the player any possibilities to contribute to the making of gender and sexuality of the avatar. Fable II on the other hand provides a range of options that shape gender and sexuality. But at the same time the game rewards the player if he or she shapes the gender and sexuality of the avatar in a way that fits the heterosexual matrix. I argue that Prince of Persia carries rules for how you can shape gender and sexuality, and Fable II, carries rules for how you should shape it.

Denna uppsats undersöker hur unga tjejer upplever och påverkas av normer kring sex och sexualitet, samt hur dessa normer återspeglar uppfattningar av genus. Fokuset ligger på de normer kring sex och sexualitet som unga tjejer själva upplever och kan urskilja både i vardagen och i de olika medier de konsumerar, såsom filmer, TV-serier, pornografi och sociala medier. Det material som använts för att undersöka detta har samlats in genom kvalitativa gruppintervjuer med fem tjejer i övre tonåren, samt genom observationer på olika sociala medieplattformar. Genom detta material visar uppsatsen på hur ungdomarna upplever att män förväntas vara mer dominanta än kvinnor, och att män och kvinnor på så sätt görs olika, vilket är en bild de upplever till stor del reproduceras i olika medier. Studien visar även att de unga tjejerna upplever samhället de lever i som heteronormativt, samt att genusuppfattningar även speglas i föreställningar om homosexuella personer, då homosexuella män förväntas vara feminina utav sig, medan homosexuella kvinnor förväntas vara och bete sig mer maskulint.

This essay examines how trans people experience Swedish public libraries, as well as how the library can be an integral part of their trans identity work. The data sample was collected through semi-structured phenomenological interviews with five trans and non-binary library users. The analysis of the interview data was done using the method of thematic analysis (TA), following an inductive approach. The theoretical framework focuses on five different, but connecting, concepts. Mainly, theories about intersectionality; whiteness; the heterosexual matrix; orientation; and categorization. The results of this study show that trans people use and experience the library in a myriad of different ways. It is clear, however, that all the informants look to libraries to provide them with material that they can see themselves represented in, to get a sense of validation for their gender identity. Even though the library provides this in some ways, other aspects connected to libraries function to hinder trans people in their identity work. There are several ways that libraries can improve on their services toward trans patrons, and one of these are to better facilitate meetings between different trans people through more activities catering towards this group. In short, libraries need to be mindful about this specific group both when it comes to the services they offer, as well as the physical layout of the library space. These are all aspects which affect and influence trans people and their ability to construct and express their gender identity. / Den här uppsatsen undersöker hur transpersoner upplever Svenska folkbibliotek, och dessutom hur biblioteken kan fungera som en viktig faktor i deras identitetsarbete. Dataansatsen samlades in via semi-strukturerade fenomenologiska intervjuer med fem trans- och icke-binära biblioteksanvändare. Analysen denna intervjudata gjordes med hjälp av metoden tematisk analys (TA), utifrån en induktiv ansats. Det teoretiska ramverket fokuserar på fem olika, men integrerade, koncept. Detta baserat på teorier kring intersektionalitet; vithet; den heterosexuella matrisen; orientering; och kategorisering.  Resultatet av denna studie visar att transpersoner använder och upplever bibliotek på en rad olika sätt. Det framgår dock tydligt att informanterna alla ser till biblioteken för att erhålla material de kan se sig själva representerade i för att få en känsla av erkännande av deras genusidentitet. Även om biblioteken lyckas erbjuda detta i vissa fall lyckas andra apsekter av biblioteken fungera för att hindra dem i deras identitetsarbete som transpersoner. Det finns flera sätt som biblioteken kan förbättra deras tjänster gentemot sina användare som är trans, ett av sätten vilket relaterar till att arbeta mer mot att skapa mötesrum för transpersoner genom att erbjuda mer aktiviteter som riktar sig mot denna grupp. I korthet kan man säga att bibliotek måste vara medvetna kring hur de vänder sig mot den här användargruppen, både när det kommer till vilka tjänster de erbjuder samt hur biblioteket som fysisk plats utformas. Dessa är alla aspekter som påverkar och har en inverkan på transpersoners möjlighet att konstruera och uttrycka sin genusidentitet.

This thesis aims to highlight, analyse and problematize how sexualities and relationships are constructed as normative and deviant in the Hunger Games trilogy through the character Katniss Everdeen. With this analysis, the thesis aims to further elucidate the pluralism of meaning within literature as a contribution to the field of feminist cultural studies. Queer theory and queer temporality studies have been used to identify and discuss concepts such as the heterosexual matrix, monogamy and mononormativity, polyamory and other marginalized sexualities. A thematic queer reading serves as a methodological approach to the material to enable searching for queer themes in the series. The thesis shows how heterosexuality and monogamy are constructed and portrayed as normative and compulsory, where all other expressions of sexuality are presented as deviant and thereby can be view as different expressions of queer temporality.

Den här studien undersöker Jessica Shiefauers ungdomsroman Pojkarna ur ett intersektionellt, genus och maskulinitetsteoretiskt perspektiv. Analysen handlar om hur genus konstrueras och framställs i samverkan med andra kategorier som ålder och sexualitet, men också vad som präglar pojkars umgängeskoder i romanen och hur huvudkaraktären Kims upplevelse av sin egen kropp och identitet utvecklas i förhållande till detta. Vidare ligger även fokus vid romanens normbrytande och/eller normreproducerande effekter. Den metod som använts är kvalitativ, litterär textanalys. Studiens främsta genusteoretiska nyckelbegrepp är performativitet, den heterosexuella matrisen, hegemonisk manlighet och homosocialitet. Resultatet visar att framställningen av kön är skildrat på ett polariserande sätt genom två binära motsatspar i form av maskulinitet- och femininitetsideal. Dessa fungerar som ett verkningsmedel för att synliggöra den heterosexuella matrisens begränsningar för individer som faller utanför normen. Framställningen tolkas i huvudsak som normbrytande tack vare huvudkaraktären Kims uppror mot normen, även om den binära motsatsbeskrivningen bidrar till att reproducera normer. Analysen visar att pojkars umgängeskoder i romanen är starkt präglade av ett hegemoniskt maskulinitetsideal och ett traditionellt manligt homosocialt umgänge vilket i sin tur även verkar diskriminerande gentemot den underordnade formen av manlighet.

Uppsatsen Den performativa uppväxten syftar till att studera den heterosexuella matrisens verkan i tre svenska skolskildringar. Som teoretisk grund för undersökningen används såväl Yvonne Hirdmans teori om hur genussystemet bärs upp av de logiska fundamenten isärhållning och könshierarki, som Judith Butlers queerfeministiskt filosofiska dekonstruktion av kön som kategori. De skönlitterära verk som analyseras är Agnes von Krusenstjernas Tony växer upp och Tonys läroår, Jan Guillous Ondskan och Jonas Gardells trilogi En komikers uppväxt, Ett ufo gör entré och Jenny. Genom ett textanalytiskt tillvägagångssätt med komparativa inslag undersöks hur genusstereotyper reproduceras och stabiliserar heterosexualiteten som obligatorisk norm, vidare hur dessa processer gestaltar ungdomars identitetstillblivelse i den skönlitterära skolmiljön. De tre skolskildringarna statuerar exempel som belyser hur grupptryck och okritisk medvetenhet resulterar i kollektiv könsseparerad performativitet. Den komparativa analysen av de olika skönlitterära verken framhäver genussystemets samtidigt stabila och föränderliga karaktär. De olikartade verken stärker tesen om könsnormer som kulturella, samhälleliga och tidsanpassade konstruktioner, där dock samtida manliga och kvinnliga ideal definieras utifrån varandra likt binära motsatser. Dessa, utifrån varandra definierade genus, stabiliserar en biologistisk heteronormativ beroendeställning mellan en dominant manlighet och en underordnad kvinnlighet. Genom applicerandet av Butlers teori om genussymmetri som en naturaliserad diskurs snarare än en biologisk sanning analyseras hur de olika utanförskap som gestaltas i skolskildringarna samtidigt avslöjar och stärker genussystemet.