The study explores the reproductive decision-making of eight self-identified lesbian women in same-gendered relationships as it is interested in the ways in which they construct their reproductive decisions, particularly as it relates to their gender. Four open-ended, semi-structured, joint interviews were conducted with couples who have already made the decision to parent, thereby offering retrospective accounts. Interview transcriptions were analysed by employing thematic analysis underpinned by principles of Foucauldian discourse analysis and rooted in a feminist poststructuralist theory. Three discursive themes are identified in participants' accounts namely: 1) the discourse of heterosexual gender roles; 2) the discourse of heteronormative parenting; and 3) the counter-discourse of parental responsibility and the responsible parent. In a context where lesbian mothers' reproductive decisions are often called into question and where lesbian mothers' parental roles are constructed according to gender binaries, the study concludes that in exercising their limited agency within restrictive heteronormative discourse, participants made their reproductive decisions based on their ability to care for a child in terms of pragmatic factors, their capacity to meet the child's emotional needs and to protect them from potential "othering" by segments of the society. The findings of this study carry implications for addressing the marginalisation and stigmatisation of lesbian women who wish to become parents and raise their children without having to justify their decisions purely because of their sexual identity. / Mini Dissertation (MA)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Psychology / MA / Unrestricted

The purpose of the study was to identify the risk- and protective factors to the family identity experienced by same sex family systems, as well as the resilience processes implemented by these family systems. It forms part of a broader study, and aimed to provide additional information in order to support researchers, health care practitioners, and family therapists in working with same sex family systems. Secondary data analysis was conducted on 21 transcribed interviews, which included 14 lesbian, 4 gay, 1 bisexual, and 12 child participants living in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces. Risk and protective factors were found within the individual, family, and community contexts. Resilience processes identified from the family resilience framework were clarity in communication, open emotional expression, positive outlook, meaning making through adversity, flexibility and connectedness. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

The purpose of this study was to explore foundation phase teachers' perceptions of the way in which supportive school environments are being created for children from same-sex parented families. It focused specifically on how foundation phase teachers perceive their role in accommodating, including, and positively representing the same-sex parented family in their classroom practice. Current literature highlights the negative experiences of homophobia and heteronormativity in schools, together with the need to create more supportive school environments for children from samesex parented families. The increasing prevalence of same-sex parented families in South Africa has created the need for extended research in this regard, and yet there is a gap in national literature on the school experiences of children from this nontraditional minority family form. Foundation phase teachers play a central role in teaching their young learners to accept and celebrate diversity. However, no research has been done in South Africa to explore foundation phase teachers' perspectives on their role in interrupting heteronormativity in their schools and classrooms. This study was approached from an interpretive paradigm and qualitative methods were employed to collect and analyse the data. Individual interviews were conducted with four foundation phase teachers, and interpretive thematic data analysis techniques were used to analyse the data. Culturally responsive pedagogy was used as a framework to explore barriers to inclusion, and to recommend ways in which foundation phase teachers in South African schools can be supported in creating safe, positive and counter-heteronormative school environments for children from same-sex parented families. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Educational Psychology / MEd / Unrestricted

Sverige är ett av de mest jämställda länder i världen när det kommer till arbetsmarknaden mellan kvinnor och män (Magnusson, 2002). Omfattande fältexperiment (Carlsson & Sinclair, 2017)  har visat att det förekommer mycket lite diskriminering utifrån kön när män och kvinnor med motsvarande meriter söker samma tjänster. Med tanke på att arbetsmarknaden trots detta är ojämställd i flera avseenden (Magnusson, 2002) är det möjligt att man trots allt upplever diskriminering vid anställning (Andersson, 2011). Studien är experimentell med syftet att undersöka upplevelse av diskriminering i anställningsprocessen. Frågeställningen  var  om det finns skillnader i upplevd diskriminering för ett typiskt kvinnligt-, manligt- samt könsneutralt namn på den arbetssökandes CV till ett könsneutralt yrke. 180 studenter besvarade en enkät med en fiktiv historia om en arbetssökande som blev nekad till 7 av 10 arbetsintervjuer. Tre olika formulär delades ut, ett med ett typiskt kvinnligt-, manligt och könsneutralt namn som sedan bearbetades statistiskt. Resultatet från studien tyder på att arbetssökande i scenariot med ett könsneutralt- och kvinnligt namn upplevdes mer diskriminerad än arbetssökande med ett manligt namn. Slutsatsen av studien är att arbetssökande med ett kvinnligt- samt könsneutralt namn upplevs bli mer diskriminerad under en arbetsrekrytering till ett könsneutralt yrke än vad en arbetssökande med ett manligt namn upplevs bli.

<p>This quantitative study sought to expand upon research surrounding the influence pornography use has on relationship and sexual satisfaction for gays and lesbians. Previous literature has primarily focused on the couple outcomes associated with pornography use for heterosexual romantic relationships. This research was conducted and conceptualized through the lens of queer and minority stress theory. It was hypothesized that amount of shared pornography use would be positively associated with relationship and sexual satisfaction for same-sex couples. Additionally, it was hypothesized that the relationship between amount of shared pornography use and relationship as well as sexual satisfaction for same-sex couples will be more strongly positively associated for a high level of acceptance of pornography use. Lastly, it was hypothesized that the relationship between the amount of shared pornography use and level of relationship as well as sexual satisfaction will be more strongly positively associated for women than men. Five of the six hypotheses were not statistically significant. The relationship between amount of shared pornography use and level of sexual satisfaction was strongly positively associated for higher levels of acceptance of pornography use. In addition, higher levels of acceptance of pornography use were related to higher levels of relationship satisfaction. Regarding control variables, relationship status was found to be significantly associated with relationship satisfaction. Participants who reported being either engaged or married indicated higher satisfaction with the current state of their romantic relationship than participants who were dating or cohabitating. Strengths and limitations, clinical implications, and future directions for research are explored.<br></p>

As boys in the upper elementary grades become increasingly influenced by peer pressure, many are less likely to participate in singing activities because singing is considered a "feminine" activity. The purpose of this research was to explore if there was an effect on upper elementary boys' level of participation during group singing activities when they attended music classes in a single-sex setting. This study employed a true experimental design and a mixed method. Boys (N = 186) were videotaped during their regular coeducational music classes on two occasions to establish baseline data. Then the students were randomly assigned to attend music classes in either a single-sex or coeducational group. Boys were videotaped again after seven music classes (approximately 9 weeks later). The videos were scored using the author-designed Singing Participation Measure, and the scores (N = 123) were analyzed using an analysis of variance (ANOVA). In addition, qualitative data were collected in the form of music teacher interviews and journal entries. The ANOVA showed no statistically significant differences between groups (single-sex or coeducational) or within groups (baseline scores versus post-treatment scores). In contrast, the qualitative data showed substantial differences in most of the boys' participation in single-sex classes. The teachers reported a sudden increase in the boys' singing participation and described numerous advantages of single-sex music education. Further research is needed. Implications for music educators suggest teachers could create single-sex singing opportunities, choose repertoire mindfully, and establish a "singing culture" at the school to increase boys' participation during singing activities. In addition, music educators are encouraged to know their students' strengths, weaknesses, interests, and needs, and to remember that "one size" does not "fit all" when it comes to what is best for developing young musicians.

The end of the Vietnam War heralded the beginning of the all-volunteer Army. In the interest of soldier retention, research focused on the military spouse, their challenges and needs. Four decades of research indicate that soldier deployments, separation from loved ones, and limited career options were among factors negatively impacting psychological and physiological well-being of this population. Support offered through military formal and informal support networks, however, provides some relief. The repeals of Don't Ask, Don't Tell and Defense of Marriage Act expanded the military family to include same-sex spouses yet a review of the literature revealed no research on this relatively new phenomenon. This hermeneutic phenomenological study explored how same-sex spouses of enlisted female soldiers perceive support in their military communities. Presented are findings of semi structured interviews conducted with 12 spouses of active duty enlisted female soldiers recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Spouses shared their experiences by answering 8 open-ended questions. Research credibility and validity included verbatim transcription and member checking for accuracy, reflexive journaling, audit trail maintenance, and data saturation; manual coding and NVivo11 identified emergent themes and subthemes. Data revealed spouses faced additional stressors due to their sexual minority status, and perceived rejection from support resources created feelings of alienation and isolation. This research represents the first foundational study of this minority group in this setting. Social implications include a deeper understanding of these spouses by unit commanders, chaplaincies, informal support groups, health care providers, and other military agencies in order that these may improve existing, or create additional, support networks and services.

Communication styles used during divorce-related conversations may negatively influence the quality of parent-child relationships. Researchers have not examined how communication styles used in divorce-related communications affect parent-offspring relationships in same-sex parented families. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to examine offspring perceptions of how divorce-related communication styles affected relationships between the children and their same-sex parents. The research question for this study addressed how the perceived communication styles of same-sex parents in divorce-related conversations influence the parent-offspring relationship. Principles from communication privacy management theory provided the conceptual framework. Two 21-year-old females whose same-sex parents dissolved their relationships participated in the study. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and a demographic questionnaire. Thematic content analysis was used to analyze the data. Findings indicated that same-sex parent-child relationships were negatively impacted when same-sex parents were ambiguous in their communication or triangulated their children by forcing them to send negative messages between their parents. Findings also indicated that same-sex parent-offspring relationships were positively impacted when same-sex parents effectively communicated with their offspring during divorce-related conversations. Findings may provide information to professionals and same-sex parents regarding the importance of communicating effectively with their offspring during divorce-related conversations.

This case study examined the San Francisco Mayoral Office's public relations management of the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses. The research was conductedas a case-study, integrating a comprehensive literature review and semi-structured interviews. Analysis of the results suggested that the Mayoral Office's campaign was successful in meeting its goal of marrying same-sex couples; the Office was somewhat effective in getting its primary messages reported by the print media, and the Office utilized innovative strategies to reach its key publics through the use of diverse spokespersons and a humanizing focus. Five major implications emerged from the study. First, crisis planning is essential to the effective management of crisis situations. Second, humanizing controversial messages to target audiences can be very effective. Third, providing media training to spokespersons can improve the organization's overall message. Fourth, segmenting key messages within the target audience is fundamental. Fifth, spokespersons' roles can have a significant impact on the public's perception of an organization's management of a crisis situation.

The aim of this thesis is to introduce the topic of domestic violence in same-sex relationships with a focus on victims' help-seeking. First, it defines domestic violence, describes its cycle, forms and consequences for the victim. Second, it expands on this topic in the context of same-sex relationships, its prevalence, correlates, theories and myths. Third, it deals with the phenomenon of help-seeking of domestic violence victims and the specifics of this process regarding victims of same-sex domestic violence. Eventually, it briefly describes the situation in the Czech Republic and introduces selected examples of good practice. The empirical part of this thesis presents a qualitative research project in the form of interviews aiming to explore factors affecting the help-seeking process of victims of same- sex domestic violence in the Czech Republic. The data were analysed using the method of thematic analysis. Several factors emerged from the analysis, some of which are common in domestic violence victims in general and others are characteristic for victims in same-sex relationships. These are specific barriers in the help-seeking process related to victims' non- heterosexual orientation and to the fact that they experienced domestic violence in a same-sex relationship. Keywords domestic...