Recently, the population of gay and lesbian persons who are open about their sexuality has increased (Evans and Wall, 1991). Student attitudes toward these subpopulations are of interest to educators and administrators who are involved in directly serving students. While several national studies have been conducted to assess general attitudes toward gays and lesbians, little research is aimed at assessing student attitudes toward this population. Past research has pointed up the need for an instrument that assesses attitudes toward gay men and lesbians as two distinct groups. Herek developed an inventory to address this issue. The attitudes of Virginia Tech’s Resident Advisors toward lesbians and gay men were assessed using Herek’s (1988) Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men scale. A three-way ANOVA was used to determine the degree to which gender, academic level, and tenure of experience were associated with scores on the inventory. No significant effects were revealed from this analysis. Overall mean scores fell in the "neutral" range suggesting a lack of support for both gay and lesbian persons. The results of this study should aid educators and other administrators at Virginia Tech in better understanding the attitudes of the Resident Advisors toward gays and lesbians and to consider the implications of this assessment data. / Master of Arts

This dissertation describes efforts to facilitate participation in deconstructing gay discourse in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). Gay discourse is challenged through the sharing of gay Christians' stories. While serving on the task team on homosexuality of the General Synod of the DRC a DVD on which gay people share their stories was produced and employed in order to facilitate participation. In reflecting on my research journey I have learnt that participation, prejudice, dogma and context as dimensions of gay discourse lie on a continuum. These dimensions, and the two extreme positions on the continuum: radical exclusion/antagonist and radical inclusion/protagonist, are represented in my model of deconstructing gay discourse. In the process of discourse change, various positions on the continuum become possible. Shifts happened in the task team and General Synod (DRC), resulting in a more gay inclusive decision on the position of gay people in the DRC. / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

This dissertation describes efforts to facilitate participation in deconstructing gay discourse in the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC). Gay discourse is challenged through the sharing of gay Christians' stories. While serving on the task team on homosexuality of the General Synod of the DRC a DVD on which gay people share their stories was produced and employed in order to facilitate participation. In reflecting on my research journey I have learnt that participation, prejudice, dogma and context as dimensions of gay discourse lie on a continuum. These dimensions, and the two extreme positions on the continuum: radical exclusion/antagonist and radical inclusion/protagonist, are represented in my model of deconstructing gay discourse. In the process of discourse change, various positions on the continuum become possible. Shifts happened in the task team and General Synod (DRC), resulting in a more gay inclusive decision on the position of gay people in the DRC. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

The work deals with the phenomenon of homosexuality from the perspective of the Roman Catholic Church and organizations in the Czech Republic, represented by the SOHO / Gay Initiative and South Bohemian Lambda, which are espoused to the rights of gay and lesbian people. The first part describes the basic concepts that define homosexuality. It deals with historical perceptions of homosexuality in the line of historical period of humanity, to present a comprehensive empirical evidence. The second part describes the ideological background and practical approaches of the Roman Catholic Church. It deals with the interpretation of the Scripture's texts, and knowledge of Magisterium of the Church's documents in relation to homosexuality. The theme of the third part is the recognition of organizations in the Czech Republic SOHO / Gay Initiative and South Bohemian Lambda. Describe the ideological foundations and practical approaches to gay and lesbian individuals in Czech society. The final chapter compares, based on current empirical knowledge, the homosexual orientation and the ideological resource of selected organizations also reflects the tension in the way of experiencing the gay and lesbian individuals in the Czech society.

Thesis (MA (Psychology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Same-sex sexuality research in the field of psychology has adopted various different perspectives during recent history. Often these perspectives have been limiting in how sexuality is understood, and in answering why different forms of expression manifest. The normative research approach is to comprehend sex and sexuality as a set of physical behaviours that ideally should be regulated through models of rational decision making. Also, much of same-sex research has placed an almost exclusive focus on the behaviours of white, middle-class men. International same-sex sexuality research places heavy emphasis on matters of sexual health, notably that of HIV. Furthermore, the research is strongly influenced by quantitative methods of capturing information. Limited studies have been conducted on African same-sex interactions. The work that has been done is clustered mainly around the field of historical, sociological and anthropological investigations. In South Africa, it is remarked that we have not yet begun to debate the complexities of differing ‘sexual orientations’, both in terms of how it relates to HIV, as well as how sexual orientation is understood amongst the many cultural and ethnic groups in the country. Also, sexuality in all its forms has historically been understood as a private matter, and was also highly regulated by the state apparatus, resulting in the extreme limitation of any kind of public sexual dialogue. Still, even in post-apartheid South Africa, sexuality remains contested. This study attempted to address some of the many issues relating to sexuality research in South Africa and elsewhere. It was decided to collect information on same-sex sexuality by focusing on coloured1 men from a rural district in the Western Cape. This target group was selected due to the immense lack of knowledge in the field of South African psychology regarding the constructions of sexuality of both same-sex practices and coloured men. The objective of the study was to gain an understanding of how sexuality is constructed and experienced in this specific community. This goal was reached by collecting qualitative data from in-depth, unstructured interviews. The qualitative results indicate a highly complex interplay between understandings of gender identity and sexuality. The respondents all identified as ‘gay’ men, connecting this with being feminine and “like a woman.” A strong focus on a specific type of bodily representation was also noted. The sex act was read by me as an act of submission, with respondents placing great emphasis on behaviour, with little or no weight given to the emotional loading of the event. Sex just “happens”, with participants constructing experiences that strongly suggest the importance of them being passive. This in turn lead to me interpreting narratives as suggesting continued exposure to sexual coercion. Meanings around oral and anal sex were also explored. The grounded theory method was used to analyse the qualitative data. The core category identified the need to be like a woman and to demonstrate extreme forms of femininity. I showed that specific communities of practice produce and hold the idea of equating gay with having to be feminine. Further, I argued that the idea of a passive female subjectivity strongly informs the participants’ sexual decision making. I conclude by suggesting that a different way of being feminine is needed in order for these participants’ to expand their sexuality.

Berättelsen om testosteronet. En historisk studie av vetenskapen om det manliga könshormonet inom det manliga klimakteriet och homosexualitet. Syftet med denna uppsats är att undersöka hur historien och idéerna om manliga klimakteriet och testosteron är kopplade till de idéer som finns om sexualitet, moral och hur läkarna såg på det manliga klimakteriet. Syftet är också att förstå hur idéerna om det manliga klimakteriet har förändrats från 1920-talet jämfört med idag och hur det har diskuterats under åren av forskare. Vikten av testosteron och vilken roll idéerna om testosteron har spelat är också av betydelse för syftet i denna uppsats. I uppsatsen använder jag sociologen Peter Conrads teori om medikalisering. Conrad beskriver medikalisering genom att säga att det är en process där icke medicinska problem förändras och bli definierade och behandlas som medicinska problem och detta görs vanligen i form av sjukdom och störningar. I den här uppsatsen beskriver jag hur idéer om ett manligt klimakterium utvecklades under perioden 1920-talet – 1960-talet. Jag beskriver de idéer forskarna och läkarna hade om vad ett manligt klimakterium kunde vara. I uppsatsen undersöks även vilken effekt upptäckten av testosteron hade på idéer om det manliga klimakteriet. Debatten som läkarna har haft om det finns ett manligt klimakterium eller inte behandlas även i uppsatsen. I uppsatsen presenterar jag fyra olika svenska läkare och en finsk läkare från perioden 1920-talet – 1960-talet och behandlar deras idéer om det manliga klimakteriet och testosteron. Då diskussionen vänder sig till testosteronet presenterar jag Paul de Kruif som publicerade boken The Male Hormone (1945) och var en av de första att göra reklam för testosteronbehandling. Jag beskriver även medikaliseringen av det manliga klimakteriet och testosteron och varför det manliga klimakteriet och testosteron inte fick samma genomslag som det kvinnliga. I denna uppsats behandlas också förhållandet mellan de manliga könshormonen och homosexualitet. Jag undersöker varför läkare försökte använda testosteron och andra manliga hormon som ”botemedel” av homosexuella män och jag beskriver ett experiment som gjordes på homosexuella av den svenska doktorn Erik Lundberg. / The purpose of this essay is to investigate the history and ideas of the male menopause and testosterone and how they are linked to ideas about sexuality, morality and how the doctors viewed the male menopause. The aim is also to understand how ideas about the male menopause has changed from the 1920’s compared to today and how it has been discussed by scientists. The importance of testosterone and the role the ideas of testosterone have played is also of importance for the purpose of this essay. In the essay, I use the sociologist Peter Conrad's theory of medicalization. Conrad describes medicalization by saying that it is a process where non-medical problems change and become defined and treated as medical problems, and this is usually done in the form of disease and disorders. In this essay, I describe how the ideas of a male menopause evolved in the period 1920’s - 1960’s. I describe the ideas scientists and doctors had about what a male menopause could be. This essay also examines the impact the discovery of testosterone had on ideas about the male menopause. The debate that doctors have had if there is a male menopause or not is also discussed in the essay. In this essay, I present four Swedish doctors and a Finnish doctor from the period 1920’s - 1960’s and their ideas about the male menopause and testosterone. When the discussion turns to testosterone, I present Paul de Kruif who published the book The Male Hormone (1945) and was one of the first to promote testosterone treatment. I also describe the medicalization of male menopause and testosterone and why the male menopause and testosterone did not have the same impact as the female menopause. This essay also discusses the relationship between the male hormone and homosexuality. I examine why doctors tried to use testosterone and other male hormones as a "cure" of gay men and I describe an experiment conducted on homosexuals by the Swedish doctor Erik Lundberg.

Thesis (MTh)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This research paper set out to discover whether a Christian Spiritual perspective (within a framework of a theology of affirmation and a psychological strengths perspective of fortigenesis) on basic threatening existential issues, such as HIV/AIDS Stigma, Homophobia, etc. can help MSM to reformulate the quest for meaning and be integrated in a holistic approach to spiritual healing in order to overcome the schism in HIV/AIDS: Friend or Foe? Setting the stage for exploring the world‟s worst global challenge within the health sector, and how it relates to the South African context for MSM. The research uncovered that MSM face the greatest challenge and burden of HIV/AIDS in many countries, however little research has focused on MSM and HIV/AIDS in South Africa. Literature links this to the fact that throughout Africa, the predominant view of same sex relationships as being un-African, sinful and an abomination. Pointing out that for MSM, the development of God-images usually occurs during the process of growth and maturation as an individual, where a multitude of experiences are based primarily through the filter of belonging to a minority, which are seen predominantly from society as being sinful. The possible multitude of traumatic and often fearful life experiences, including the potentially highly stressful and difficult process of informing their parents and families of their sexuality, may influence their emotional experience and ultimately their God-image. The God-image of parental love, acceptance and caring may be impacted on by fear of rejection and the lack of acceptance. The development of ambivalence may strongly impact on MSM God-images, resulting in conflicted experiences and understanding of God, where the God-image could become distant and judgmental (Hoffman, 2009:15-18). Something that is exacerbated by the stance of some belief systems promote the concept of “love the sinner, hate the sin”, which only results in MSM being ignored or having their partners/relationships rejected, thus isolating them within their own faith community. This impacts their spiritual/religious development and their participation in a non-affirming faith community can result in levels of increased internalized homonegativity (this is defined as negative attitudes to one‟s own homosexuality), causing poorer psychological health and lower self-regard. The dignity, identity and meaning of MSM are further impacted on by their minority existence within the context of South Africa, which places various traumatic stresses on MSM. These traumatic stresses are amplified by the constant negotiation of fear regarding the contracting of HIV/AIDS or even being diagnosed with the life threatening disease. Despite all these external and the resultant internal stressors, Graham and Kiguwa (2005) found that religion and spirituality is important to MSM-youth as it provides possible supportive structures and environments. Many of the MSM-youth believe in the Bible or ancestors (or even both), yet have chosen to adapt their beliefs by taking what was important for them from the Bible and ancestral belief systems. This they have done as the traditional view of religion and the Bible held by most people, where the scriptures are taken literally, is that homosexuality is a sin (Graham and Kiguwa, 2005:7-8). Within this research, the interviewees experienced all this; however the results also showed that all the participants found some beneficial aspects out of contracting HIV/AIDS, with various levels of meanings relating to a sense of growth for each interviewee, while 4 out of 5 indicated that spirituality played an important role in assisting them in improving their lives. It aided in helping them to develop a sense of connection to themselves and others, something that many felt was missing within their lives. They felt that if it hadn‟t been for HIV, they would not have increased their levels of spirituality. This is an important empirical finding with respect to the research question and hypothesis, which hypothesized that HIV/AIDS promoted changes within MSM that results in spiritual growth and the development of internal strengths that allow them to transcend above the stressor of HIV/AIDS. The idea that MSM experience spirituality as something helpful and essential, makes it important to note that comments in the empirical research indicated that they tended to believe that if a Higher Power is involved, that it is unconditionally loving, kind and friendly. This is an important description of a God image within Christian Spirituality, a possible God-image of a Partner for Life or Friend. Thus, for Christian Spirituality to play a role within the healing of MSM and to better enhance spirituality and lay a better spiritual foundation, and develop better internal strengths and existential states, it thus becomes important to explore how Christian Spirituality will be able to address these needs of MSM, within a theological framework of affirmation.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this thesis the potential of Eben Venter’s novel Ek stamel ek sterwe (1996) as a subversive text is investigated. The primary goal is to illustrate how Eben Venter depicts the stigmatisation of homosexuality, aids and death, but more specifically the death of a homosexual individual who has aids, in society. The secondary goal is to investigate the ways in which Venter depicts the impact that the heteronormative ideal has on homosexual individuals by means of the regulation of norms. Judith Butler’s theorisation of sex, gender, identity and performativity is used as a lens with which Ek stamel ek sterwe is read. The finding is that Ek stamel ek sterwe is a novel with subversive potential and the implications that this has is discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie tesis word die potensiaal van Eben Venter se roman Ek stamel ek sterwe (1996) as ’n ondermynende teks ondersoek met as primêre doel om die wyse na te gaan waarop Eben Venter die stigmatisering van homoseksualiteit, vigs en die dood, maar ook spesifiek die dood van ’n homoseksuele individu en ’n vigslyer, in die samelewing uitbeeld. Die sekondêre doel is om ondersoek in te stel na die maniere waarop Venter met die roman die impak van die heteronormatiewe ideaal se regulering van norme op veral homoseksuele individue uitwys. Judith Butler se teoretisering oor geslag, gender, identiteit en performatiwiteit, sowel as die ondermyning van heteronormatiewe norme, word as lens gebruik waarmee Ek stamel ek sterwe gelees kan word. Daar word uiteindelik tot die gevolgtrekking gekom dat Ek stamel ek sterwe wel as ’n ondermynende teks beskou kan word en die implikasies hiervan word bespreek.

<p>The protection of the rights of sexual minorities in Africa is a controversial issue. It is not unusual to find newspaper reports on gross violations suffered by this minority group. Gays and lesbians are victims of violence, sometimes resulting in death. Sexual minorities in Africa are often confronted with government actions such as those of the Nigerian government that recently submitted to the parliament a Bill to make provisions for the prohibition of relationships between persons of the same sex, celebration of marriage, registration of gay clubs and societies and publicity of same sex relationships. The objective of this study was to suggest possible legal protection and recognition of sexual minority rights under the African human rights system.</p>

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