Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Wollongong, 2005. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references: leaf 264-292.

Thesis (M.S.)--Ohio University, June, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-143).

Thesis (doctoral)--La Salle University, 2005. / ProQuest dissertations and theses ; AAT 3227735. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 64-76)

Orientador: Fernando Silva Teixeira Filho / Banca: Wiliam Siqueira Peres / Banca: Regina Facchini / Resumo: Este estudo aborda o modo como estigmas e estereótipos a respeito das lesbianidades influenciam, na esfera da sexualidade, a vida de mulheres que se autodenominam lésbicas. Primeiramente, realizei uma retomada crítica sobre a história da construção desses estigmas e estereótipos para apreender as relações de poder que os sustentam até o presente. Entre estas, estão o machismo, fruto do viriarcado, e seus referentes de sustentabilidade, a saber, a heteronormatividade e o heterossexismo, enquanto formas de relação de poder que, independentemente do vínculo entre as pessoas, regulam a construção de suas identidades de gênero, sexuais e políticas a partir dos estigmas e estereótipos a elas aplicados. O estudo aponta que, em um contexto social machista, as mulheres que se relacionam eróticoafetivamente com outras mulheres permaneceram invisíveis, o que possibilitou a perpetuação de discursos homofóbicos a seu respeito, os quais se apresentam como inteligíveis para os padrões heteronormativos de relações entre as pessoas. Em um segundo momento, entrevistei cinco mulheres lésbicas (três de 18 a 25 anos e duas de 40 a 50 anos, residentes em Assis, interior do Estado de São Paulo, de classe média, de formação educacional até o ensino médio, sendo uma "mulata" e quatro brancas) com o objetivo de compreender como estigmas e estereótipos sobre as lesbianidades influenciam o discurso dessas mulheres no que diz respeito à construção de suas subjetivações. Os resultados apontam que essas mulheres foram (e ainda são) atravessadas pelos estigmas e estereótipos abordados e que há variações no modo como essas influências se deram, em razão da questão geracional e do modo como elaboram o luto da heterossexualidade. Espera-se que este trabalho possa... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: This study approaches the ways that stigmas and stereotypes of lesbianity influence the sexuality realm of the lives of women who define themselves as lesbians. The study intended to understand how stigmas and stereotypes of lesbianity influence women's discourse regarding the construction of their subjectivations. I begin with a critical review of the history of the construction of those stigmas and stereotypes, so as to access the power relationships that perpetuate them to the present. Amongst these relationships, I found that the machismo, a result of the viriarcal system, is supported by heteronormativity and heterosexism. Independently of people's bonds and of the form of power relationships, both regulate the construction of these women's gender, sexual and political identities by means of the stigmas and stereotypes that are applied to them. My study suggests that, within a macho social context, women that relate to other women erotically and affectively remain invisible. Such invisibility not only perpetuates homophobic discourses, but it also makes heteronormativist pattern of relationships among people possible and intelligible. The study is grounded on the data collected by means of interviews with five middle class, high school graduated lesbians. Three of them were aged between 18 to 25, and two aged from 40 to 50 years old. Four were white and one was mulatto. The results suggest that these women's discourses are crossed by those stigmas and stereotypes. There are also variations in these influences due to generational issues and the ways they elaborate the mourning of their heterosexuality. The results of this study are... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

This diploma thesis discusses the issue of registered partnership and the Czech public´s opinion of it from the social and legal aspect of a new establishment. The theoretical section characterises the basic terms applying to this issue. The purpose of this work is to establish the predominant attitudes in Czech society towards homosexuality and homosexual orientation as such, including attitudes towards registered partnership. Three hypotheses have been determined. H 1: A greater part of the Czech public perceives introduction of the registered Partnership Act to be a positive step for homosexually orientated citizens. H 2: more than half of respondents do not have enough information about the issue of registered partnership. H 3: More than half of respondents are chiefly influenced by the media in their attitudes. The research section contains processing and evaluation of data obtained by the quantitative method of inquiries made through a questionnaire, when an anonymous questionnaire investigation established the general public´s attitudes towards homosexuality and registered partnership. The obtained data implies that the Czech public is aware of the establishment of registered partnership as such, but knowledge of specific aspects, which are significant from the social or legal aspect, are not on the required level. A pleasing discovery is that the Czech public has an open approach to the establishment of registered partnership and agrees with its introduction to practice by means of approval of Act number 115/2006 Coll.

Researchers examining clinically-relevant trends for sexual minority women have found evidence of psychological distress and greater utilization of mental health services compared to heterosexually-identified women. However, the results of many research studies with this population have methodological limitations surrounding recruitment of participants, cross-sectional methods, and participant report of clinical services utilized. Few researchers have sought to analyze actual clinical presentation, service utilization, or clinical outcome of sexual minority women in a treatment-setting. This study is an in-depth clinical analysis of 215 sexual minority woman who sought services at a large Midwestern university counseling center over a period of two years and nine months. The analyses conducted allowed for the initial clinical presentation, service utilization, and clinical outcome of sexual minority women to be described and compared to comparative samples of service-seeking female college students. Sexual minority women were found to have a greater incidence of prior suicidality and prior counseling compared to heterosexual women at the same agency. Sexual minority women also reported greater symptoms of social anxiety, eating concerns, and family distress than heterosexual women at the same agency. Of seven examined predictors of service utilization, sexual minority identity label, age, and academic term of service initiation differentiated brief and extended service utilization from moderate service utilization. Prior use of counseling, psychological distress, racial-ethnic minority status, and time in the semester of initiation of services were not significant predictors of service utilization. Implications and limitations of these findings are presented, and future directions for research and intervention are discussed.

The present study investigated female sexuality by examining a range of experiential, historical, attitudinal, and behavioral variables, and conceptualizing sexual orientation along several dimensions on a heterosexual/homosexual continuum. The focus was on determining what, if any, important etiological factors emerged, as well as differences in behavior, attitudes, and preferences among women with various sexual orientations. It was concluded that a nonconventionality factor could be interacting with certain experiential and situational variables to produce a bisexual or homosexual lifestyle. Consequently, the ideosyncratic variable nature of such a paradigm could partially explain inconsistencies in past research. Results of this study were comparable to previous ones indicating that the women were similar (across sexual orientations) in their emphasis on emotional aspects of a relationship, history of heterosexual dating and coitus, few (relative to males) sex partners, and a less (than males) actively assertive sexual pattern of behavior. Future research might include males in the investigation of the role of a nonconventionality factor in sexual orientation. Also, relationship between cognitive/perceptual styles and sexual orientation could be explored.

Embora a maternidade lésbica não seja novidade, nos últimos anos sua visibilidade vem aumentando. A ampliação da procura e acesso aos serviços de medicina reprodutiva por casais de mulheres acrescenta novos ingredientes a este cenário, que desperta crescente interesse social. Tão bem arraigada às construções de gênero, a maternidade figura como elemento de fundamental importância em nossa sociedade. Pretendendo tensionar como casais de mulheres que desejam ser mães a partir do acesso às técnicas de reprodução assistida se relacionam com a maternidade e com o serviço de saúde, realizamos entrevistas com cinco casais de mulheres residentes de cidades do Rio de Janeiro e de São Paulo, bem como com seis profissionais de saúde de um centro de medicina reprodutiva localizado na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Mesmo o processo tendo sido longo e dispendioso para muitas, parece a maternidade autorizar manipulações e intervenções profissionais. Ainda que os profissionais entrevistados recebam casais lésbicos e prestem atendimento, as desconfianças sobre a legitimidade desta composição familiar não são poucas. A maternidade ressignificou a vida dessas mulheres, acrescentando novas dinâmicas às relações familiares e conjugais. Todavia, sob olhares que desconfiam e tolhidas de direitos, estas famílias enfrentam lutas judiciais e se articulam para responder as desconfianças. / Although lesbian motherhood is not new, in recent years its visibility has increased. The increase in demand and access to reproductive health services for female couples adds new ingredients to this scenario, which arouses growing social interest. So well entrenched in the constructions of gender, motherhood appears an element of fundamental importance in our society. Aiming to tension how couples of women who want to be mothers using assisted reproduction techniques are related to motherhood and the health service, we conducted interviews with five pairs of women living in cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo and six health professionals from a reproductive medicine center located in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Although the process has been long and expensive for many women, it seems that motherhood allows professional interventions and manipulations. Although the respondents receive and provide care to lesbian couples, there are many suspicions about the legitimacy of this family composition. Motherhood re-signified the lives of these women, adding new dynamics to their family and marital relationships. However, under suspicious eyes and with curtailed rights, these families face judicial struggles and articulate themselves to respond to suspicions.

Master of Arts / Sociology, Anthropology, and Social Work / Nadezda Shapkina / Using a historical comparative analysis, this thesis explores the convergence and divergence of the gay and lesbian rights movement and the transgender rights movement. Historically, these movements have been closely related to each other. In the 1960s, the gay and lesbian rights movement and the transgender rights movement had very similar beginnings. However, the organizations that advocated for gay and lesbian rights marginalized the rights of transgender people, even though both movements were working against similar forms of oppression. While the gay and lesbian rights movement began to include transgender rights into organizations in the 1990s there were still indications that the needs of transgender people are not always met in the LGBT movement. The current steps in the LGBT movement have suggested an attempt to be more inclusive of the transgender rights movement, however there are still signs that the needs of more marginalized members of the LGBT movement are not being met. The thesis suggests an importance of coalition building in social movements to be more able to address intersecting forms of discrimination. It also explores how with diverging interests there is conflict in coalition building.