This video is a visual representation of the frustrations that I suffered from when I, a queer, gender non-conforming, person of color, went to “pasty normals” (a term defined by Jose Esteban Munoz to describe normative, non-exotic individuals) to get a definition of what Punk meant and where I fit into it. In this video, I personify the Punk music movement. Through my actions, I depart from the grainy, low-quality, amateur aesthetics of the Punk film and music genres and create a new world where the Queer Person of Color defines Punk. In the piece, Punk definitively says, “Don’t try to define me. Shut up and leave me to rest.”

A presente dissertação tem o objetivo de discutir a proposta dos critérios diagnósticos da CID-11 para Incongruência de Gênero e comparar as diretrizes dos manuais diagnósticos DSM-5 e CID-10 para Disforia de Gênero e Transtorno de Identidade de Gênero, respectivamente. A Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) está em processo de revisão da Classificação Internacional de Doenças (CID). Diferentemente do sistema de classificação vigente (CID-10), as modificações propostas pela CID-11 no que diz respeito à condição transexual são norteadas pela compreensão de que esta não é doença mental e que o acesso à saúde desta população necessita ser ampliado. O artigo derivado desta dissertação compara os critérios nos manuais diagnósticos existentes, o DSM-5 e da CID-10, em uma amostra brasileira de pessoas transexuais que procuraram serviços de saúde especificamente para a transição física. Este é um estudo transversal multicêntrico que inclui uma amostra de 103 indivíduos que procuraram os serviços em um dos dois principais centros de referência no Brasil especializados em identidade de gênero. O método da pesquisa consiste na aplicação, por profissionais previamente treinados, de uma entrevista estruturada desenvolvida pelo WHO´s Field Study Coordination Group for ICD-11 Mental and Behavioural Disorders que contempla os critérios diagnósticos. Os resultados revelam que, embora exista desacordo teórico nos critérios há uma sobreposição entre os dois sistemas quanto à confirmação do diagnóstico, com o DSM-5 mais inclusivo. Adicionalmente, a média do tempo de espera para ter acesso a este tipo de serviço é de quase uma década. Nossos achados confirmam a ideia de que há pouco consenso quanto aos critérios diagnósticos dos comportamentos transgêneros, considerando a diversidade de contextos sociais e culturais e que seguem com pouca diferenciação tanto etiológica quanto clínica para fins diagnósticos. / The current work aims to discuss the proposed diagnostic criteria of ICD-11 for Gender Incongruence and compare the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 and ICD-10 Gender Dysphoria and Gender Identity Disorder, respectively. The World Health Organization (WHO) is reviewing the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Despite the existing classification system (ICD-10), changes proposed by ICD-11 concerning transgender condition are guided by the understanding that it is not a mental illness and that this population needs health service access to be expanded. The study derived from this work aim to compare the criteria in the existing diagnostic manuals, the DSM-5 and the ICD-10, among a Brazilian sample of transgender persons who sought health services specifically for physical transition. This is a multicenter cross-sectional study that includes a sample of 103 subjects who sought services for gender identity disorder in one of two main reference centers in Brazil. The research method consists of applying a structured interview, which is comprised of the diagnostic criteria from the two manuals. The results reveal that although the theoretical disagreement in the criteria, there is an overlap among the two systems as diagnosis confirmation, to the DSM-5 more inclusive. Additionally, the average waiting time to access this type of service is nearly a decade. Although there is not a consensus concerning such on transgenderism in the diversity of social and cultural contexts, the findings confirm previous impression that despite efforts to determine the diagnostic settings, they follow slightly different as to etiology and different clinical presentations of this condition.

abstract: Information concerning sexual minorities is conspicuously absent from secondary education curriculums. Student attitudes toward sexual diversity are impacted, and those entering higher educational environments are at a disadvantage when faced with diverse university populations. This study attempted to close the information gap among first year college students and to improve attitudes by teaching about sexual minorities, especially gays and lesbians. In addition to their standard coursework, 41 student participants (31 in the intervention group, and 10 in the control group) who were enrolled in required introductory college courses received six short lessons on sexual diversity. Mixed methods data collection and analysis included a pre and post intervention survey, the Riddle Homophobia Scale (1985), and qualitative electronic discussion boards throughout the intervention. Surveys revealed a significant decrease in negative attitudes but no increase in more affirming attitudes. Qualitative data showed somewhat inconsistent results with quantitative surveys, but allowed deeper analysis of the familial, social, religious and societal influences on student attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual and questioning (LGBQ) people. Discussion includes possible explanations for the findings, suggestions for future research, and suggests refinements of the Riddle Homophobia Scale. / Dissertation/Thesis / Doctoral Dissertation Leadership and Innovation 2016

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No. of bitstreams: 1 NASCIMENTO_Rogeria_2015.pdf: 4206834 bytes, checksum: cd8957da95d610603c4bf98a6c3a10dc (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-06 / Não recebi financiamento / The research is linked with the Education StrictuSensu Post-Graduation Program of UFSCar – Sorocaba and started with the participation in a group of homosexual/transgenderparents that used to arrange meetings of mutual help to fight against homophobia in the family context, the GPH, that has been established as a public policy in Sorocaba-SP since April/2013. The investigation was takento find out the limits and possibilities of this homophobia combat space through the presentation and analysis of categories and social conventions that merge there. From the theoretical field of gender and post-structuralistsexuality, it was sought to investigate the relations between families and homosexual/transgender, particularly the lives of the parents with the objective of comprehending and integrating their children. Because learning and investigating this relationship space is a process that cannot be measured to quantifiable variables, this research is qualitative. The methodological work was accomplished through the bibliographical research of documents and field studies, using the following procedures: documental analysis, interviews, prioritizing the participating observation and speech quantitative analysis in the perspective of events that took place in the maternity. The most difficult elements of this journey is the binary speech inheritance – man/woman, male/female, straight/homo – produced and reproduced daily inside the homophobic speech as in those that in some way are favorable to gender diversity and sexual orientation. The difficulties felt and supposedly faced by the GPH parents and the categories and social conventions mobilized in this journey were considered to be linked to differences built – social and culturally – translated in power relationships that rank gender, rendering inferior all forms that do not correspond to the linearity of sex, gender, desire and sexual practice. The implementation and participation at the GPH Sorocaba shown, not only the strength of heteronormativity, but also that the different fugitive form of being and living the genders and sexualities, generally not accepted but tolerated, highlighting that there is no social convention detachment in this context. At the same time, the attribution of new senses, the questioning of built “truths” that, for a long time, were naturalized and reproduced by these LGBT parents shows that public policies aimed to homophobic confrontation in family context have an important role to mitigate it. / A pesquisa está vinculada ao Programa de Pós-Graduação em Educação Strictu Sensu da UFSCar - Sorocaba e se iniciou com a participação em um grupo de pais de homo/transexuais que realizava encontros de ajuda mútua para o combate à homofobia no contexto familiar, o GPH, que se estabeleceu como política pública em Sorocaba-SP a partir de abril de 2013. Buscou-se investigar quais são os limites e as possibilidades que se estabelecem nesse espaço no combate à homofobia por meio da apresentação e análise das categorias e convenções sociais que emergem nesse espaço. A partir do campo teórico dos estudos de gênero e sexualidade de matriz pós-estruturalista, procurou-se investigar as relações entre famílias e homo/transexualidades, em especial as trajetórias vividas por pais e mães com o objetivo de compreender e integrar seus filhos e filhas. Por investigar e apreender esse espaço de relações, um processo que não pode ser reduzido à operacionalização de variáveis, esta é uma pesquisa de cunho qualitativo. O trabalho metodológico ocorreu a partir de pesquisa bibliográfica documental e de campo com a utilização dos seguintes procedimentos: análise documental, entrevista, com prioridade para a observação participante e a análise qualitativa dos discursos, na perspectiva de acontecimentos discursivos que se efetivam no âmbito da materialidade. Pode-se identificar como elementos dificultadores dessa trajetória a herança dos discursos binários – homem/mulher, feminino/masculino, hetero/homo – produzidos e reproduzidos cotidianamente tanto em discursos de cunho homofóbico quanto naqueles que, de alguma forma, são favoráveis à diversidade de gênero e orientação sexual. Considerou-se que as dificuldades sentidas e supostamente enfrentadas por pais e mães do GPH e as categorias e convenções sociais mobilizadas nas trajetórias estariam atreladas às diferenças construídas – social e culturalmente - traduzidas em relações de poder que hierarquizam o sexo e tornam inferior todas as formas que não correspondem à linearidade sexo- gênero- desejo e prática sexual. A implementação e participação no GPH Sorocaba mostrou não apenas a força exercida pela heteronormatividade, mas também que as diferentes formas fugidias de ser e viver os gêneros e as sexualidades, de modo geral, não são aceitas, mas sim toleradas. Isso evidencia que não há total desprendimento das convenções sociais nesse espaço. Ao mesmo tempo, a atribuição de novos sentidos e o questionamento de “verdades” construídas e que foram por um longo período, naturalizadas e reproduzidas por esses pais e mães de LGBTs, mostram que políticas públicas voltadas ao enfrentamento da homofobia, no contexto familiar, podem ter um papel importante para mitigá-la.

A presente dissertação tem o objetivo de discutir a proposta dos critérios diagnósticos da CID-11 para Incongruência de Gênero e comparar as diretrizes dos manuais diagnósticos DSM-5 e CID-10 para Disforia de Gênero e Transtorno de Identidade de Gênero, respectivamente. A Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) está em processo de revisão da Classificação Internacional de Doenças (CID). Diferentemente do sistema de classificação vigente (CID-10), as modificações propostas pela CID-11 no que diz respeito à condição transexual são norteadas pela compreensão de que esta não é doença mental e que o acesso à saúde desta população necessita ser ampliado. O artigo derivado desta dissertação compara os critérios nos manuais diagnósticos existentes, o DSM-5 e da CID-10, em uma amostra brasileira de pessoas transexuais que procuraram serviços de saúde especificamente para a transição física. Este é um estudo transversal multicêntrico que inclui uma amostra de 103 indivíduos que procuraram os serviços em um dos dois principais centros de referência no Brasil especializados em identidade de gênero. O método da pesquisa consiste na aplicação, por profissionais previamente treinados, de uma entrevista estruturada desenvolvida pelo WHO´s Field Study Coordination Group for ICD-11 Mental and Behavioural Disorders que contempla os critérios diagnósticos. Os resultados revelam que, embora exista desacordo teórico nos critérios há uma sobreposição entre os dois sistemas quanto à confirmação do diagnóstico, com o DSM-5 mais inclusivo. Adicionalmente, a média do tempo de espera para ter acesso a este tipo de serviço é de quase uma década. Nossos achados confirmam a ideia de que há pouco consenso quanto aos critérios diagnósticos dos comportamentos transgêneros, considerando a diversidade de contextos sociais e culturais e que seguem com pouca diferenciação tanto etiológica quanto clínica para fins diagnósticos. / The current work aims to discuss the proposed diagnostic criteria of ICD-11 for Gender Incongruence and compare the diagnostic criteria of DSM-5 and ICD-10 Gender Dysphoria and Gender Identity Disorder, respectively. The World Health Organization (WHO) is reviewing the International Classification of Diseases (ICD). Despite the existing classification system (ICD-10), changes proposed by ICD-11 concerning transgender condition are guided by the understanding that it is not a mental illness and that this population needs health service access to be expanded. The study derived from this work aim to compare the criteria in the existing diagnostic manuals, the DSM-5 and the ICD-10, among a Brazilian sample of transgender persons who sought health services specifically for physical transition. This is a multicenter cross-sectional study that includes a sample of 103 subjects who sought services for gender identity disorder in one of two main reference centers in Brazil. The research method consists of applying a structured interview, which is comprised of the diagnostic criteria from the two manuals. The results reveal that although the theoretical disagreement in the criteria, there is an overlap among the two systems as diagnosis confirmation, to the DSM-5 more inclusive. Additionally, the average waiting time to access this type of service is nearly a decade. Although there is not a consensus concerning such on transgenderism in the diversity of social and cultural contexts, the findings confirm previous impression that despite efforts to determine the diagnostic settings, they follow slightly different as to etiology and different clinical presentations of this condition.

Estimativas mundiais apontam que 19% das travestis e mulheres trans estão vivendo com HIV/Aids; no Brasil, a prevalência está acima de 30%. Essas taxas são crescentes e expressam a falta de atenção à saúde desta população. Raros estudos abordam a adesão dessa população aos antirretrovirais, com resultados preocupantes demonstrando falhas na adesão; além disso, escassos trabalhos científicos descrevem a qualidade de vida de travestis e mulheres trans vivendo com HIV/Aids. Este estudo teve por objetivos: (i) descrever a adesão à terapia antirretroviral de travestis e mulheres trans vivendo com HIV/Aids; (ii) identificar fatores associados com a adesão à terapia antirretroviral; (iii) mensurar a qualidade de vida entre travestis e mulheres trans vivendo com HIV/Aids; (iv) identificar fatores associados à qualidade de vida; e (v) explorar a associação entre qualidade de vida e adesão à terapia. A ferramenta para estimar a adesão foi o autorrelato desenvolvido pelo grupo Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Reserch on Aids, além do parâmetro clínico carga viral. Para avaliação da qualidade de vida o questionário utilizado foi o Patient Report Outcomes Quality of Life - HIV (PROQOL-HIV). Este estudo foi aprovado pelo comitê de ética e pesquisa da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de São Paulo - FMUSP e pelo comitê de ética e pesquisa do Centro de Referência e Treinamento CRT Santa Cruz, além de estar em consonância com as diretrizes da resolução nº 510 de 2016 pelo Conselho Nacional em Saúde. Os dados foram analisados no programa STATA 15.1, sendo aplicados teste qui-quadrado, teste da soma dos postos de Wilcoxon, cálculo da correlação não paramétrica de Spearman e modelo de regressão logística multivariada. Cento e seis travestis e mulheres trans vivendo com HIV/Aids foram incluídas nesse estudo, das quais 90% declararam adesão ao tratamento; idade mais avançada foi identificada como fator associado a melhor adesão. O escore de qualidade de vida esteve entre boa a excelente em cinco dos 8 domínios do PROQOL-HIV; e menor escolaridade, depressão e uso de drogas ilícitas foram fatores associados com pior escore de qualidade de vida. Não observamos correlação estatisticamente significante entre qualidade de vida e adesão. Nosso estudo sugere que os resultados obtidos possam estar relacionados ao modelo de atendimento adotado no centro recrutador. Estudos multicêntricos, com maior número de participantes e que considere unidades de atendimento localizadas em regiões remotas e menos favorecidas são necessários para expressar a real situação da adesão aos antirretrovirais e qualidade de vida de travestis e mulheres trans. / Worldwide estimates indicate that 19% of transgender women are living with HIV / AIDS; in Brazil, the prevalence is above 30%. The increase of the numbers express the lack of health care for this population. Rare previous studies address transgender women adherence to antiretroviral, with poor results and worrying results; In addition, rare scientific studies describe the quality of life in this population. This study focused on evaluating adherence to antiretroviral therapy, identified predictors for adherence, assessed quality of life, identified predictors for quality of life and explored the association between adherence and quality of life in a population of transgender women living with HIV/AIDS. We interviewed 106 transgender women treated at the outpatient clinic of the HIV / AIDS referral center in São Paulo about their adherence to antiretroviral, using a self-reported tool developed by Terry Beirn\'s group Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS and about quality of life using Patient Report Outcomes Quality of Life - HIV (PROQOL-HIV) questionnaire. We also used viral suppression as an indicator of adherence. Prior to the study, ethical clearance was obtained from a Health Research Ethics Committee and informed consent obtained from the study participants. Results formed part of adherence assessment. Data was analyzed using STATA 15.1, with x-square, Wilcoxon test, Spearman test and logistical regression analysis was performed. The sample declared 90% adherence to treatment in self-report, was created a new variable to measure adherence considering viral suppression and self-report, the results decrease to 78% of participants adherent; statistical analyses showed that younger transgender women have more chances to report low adherence. Most participants reported well to excellent quality of life, and lower schooling, depression, and illicit drug use were predictors for a worse quality of life score. We did not observe a statistically significant correlation between quality of life and adherence. Our study suggests good results from the service model adopted at the recruiting center. Multicentric studies with a larger number of participants and considering service units located in remote and less favored regions are necessary to express the real situation of adherence to antiretroviral and quality of life of transgender women.

A presente pesquisa analisa o processo de emergência de grupos organizados de jovens LGBT e de seu engajamento. Foram realizadas entrevistas semi-estruturadas com fundadores/as e coordenadores/as de grupos jovens LGBT, bem como observação de campo junto às atividades desenvolvidas pelas entidades, o que permitiu problematizar e descrever: o contexto de emergência desses grupos, seus modos de organização e funcionamento, suas bandeiras de luta e formas de ação, tal como o perfil e o processo de engajamento desses/as jovens. Assim foi possível traçar um panorama histórico envolvendo as seguintes organizações atuantes na cidade de São Paulo: Projeto de Apoio a Gays e Lésbicas Adolescentes (PAGLA), E-jovem, XTeens, Jovens e Adolescentes Homossexuais (JA) e Projeto Purpurina. Assim como traçar o cenário atual em Paris com foco nas seguintes entidades: MAG Jeunes LGBT, Pôle Jeunesse, CONTACT e Le Refuge. Essas organizações promovem encontros, online e offline (presenciais e virtuais) de apoio mútuo voltados a jovens, que varia de 13 a 29 anos e abordam sobretudo: autoaceitação, conflitos na família, com amigos, na escola, universidade e trabalho. Os grupos e os/as jovens apresentam ressalvas em relação à política institucional (governos, partidos, eleições, espaços de participação e controle social), para eles/as fazer política significa promover transformações sociais a partir de suas vidas cotidianas, que eventualmente podem passar por reivindicações pontuais em relação a legislações, políticas ou serviços públicos. / This research analyzes the process of emergence of organized groups of LGBT youth and their engagement. Semi-structured interviews were held with founders and coordinators of LGBT youth groups and field observation with the activities developed by the entities, which allowed discuss and describe: the emergence of such groups, their modes of organization and operation, their struggles themes and forms of action, such as their profile and engagement process. Thus it was possible to trace a historical overview involving the following organizations actives in São Paulo: Projeto de Apoio a Gays e Lésbicas Adolescentes (Pagla), E-Jovem, XTeens, Jovens e Adolescentes Homossexuais (JA) and Projeto Purpurina; As well as outline the current situation in Paris focusing on the following groups: MAG - Jeunes LGBT, Pôle Jeunesse, CONTACT e Le Refuge. These organizations hold meetings, online and off-line, of mutual support aimed at young people, which ranges from 13 to 29 years and cover mainly: self-acceptance, conflicts in the family, with friends, at school, university and work. Groups and young have reservations about the institutional policy (governments, parties, elections, opportunities for participation and social control), for them politics means promoting social change from their everyday lives, which can eventually move by specific claims regarding legislation, policies or public services.

The advent of social media enabled sexual minorities, as LGBTQ+ people, to find a community online. However, it can be difficult for transgender people to express their gender identity without risking a form of social injustice, as transgender people are not included in the prevailing gender binary. This thesis explores how transgender people present gender on the hashtag #TransIsBeautfiul on Instagram and to what extent to what extent can a form of ‘passing’ be seen in how transgender people adhere to expressing societal gender norms. Goffman’s (1979) theory on gender display is adapted as a main framework to analyse 346 posts with a qualitative content analysis. The theories of gender display (1979) and self-presentation (1956) by Goffman and the concept of passing by Serano (2007) are also employed for a deeper understanding of the social construction of gender. Findings show a great diversity of gender self-presentations. Transgender people tend to express their masculinity and femininity in an exaggerated way, by emphasizing certain masculine and feminine aspects according to societal gender norms and therefore ‘pass’ as a ‘natural’ member of the gender binary. In complete contrast, there are also transgender people who challenge the gender binary by expressing themselves as non-binary. They represent themselves within and outside the gender binary by mixing and minimizing feminine and masculine aspects. These results show that for transgender people there are two ways of coping with societal gender norms and put the gender binary model into question.

Background: In India transgender people have a legacy of representation and acceptance dating back thousands of years within the Hindu religion. However, studies show that transgender people in today’s indian society experience lack of social rights and are discriminated towards when it comes to employment, housing and healthcare. Being discriminated based on who you are may in turn lead to poor physical and mental health. The healthcare services ability to promote health and give good care to transgender patients is limited due to stigma and lack of knowledge in meeting the needs that transgender people may have when seeking healthcare. Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the experience of identity, health and well-being among transgender people in India. Method: A qualitative semi-structured interview study with five participants was made, four of the interviews were used in the result. The participants were interviewed about their experiences of health and well-being as well as the availability and treatment from the healthcare system. The content was analyzed through a content analysis. Results: The result was divided into Identity and Society where the theme Identity contained 1. Life-stance related reflection about gender identity. 2. Life-stance related reflections about own body. 3. Strategies to protect one’s dignity and 4. The meaning of relationships and social networks for one’s own identity. The theme Society dealt with the sub-themes 1. Experiences of attitudes among healthcare professionals and 2. Experiences of discrimination outside healthcare. Discussion: The discussion was held from a life-stance point of view and touched upon how discrimination and lack of knowledge within the healthcare services can lead to not being seen as a person. Violation of dignity was also discussed and how dignity is connected to integrity and self-image as well as how confidence and self-esteem is important in forming one’s identity. / Bakgrund: I Indien har transpersoner sedan tusentals år tillbaka ett stort kulturellt arv och har en lång historia av representation inom hinduismen. Dock visar forskning att transpersoner i dagens indiska samhälle saknar sociala rättigheter och diskrimineras när det kommer till anställning, boende samt hälso- och sjukvård. Att utsättas för diskriminering på grund av att en är den en är kan i sin tur skapa psykisk och fysisk ohälsa. Hälso- och sjukvårdens möjlighet att tillgodose transpersoners behov begränsas av stigma och brist på rätt kunskaper att tillmötesgå de omvårdnadsbehov som transpersoner kan ha när de söker sjukvård. Syfte: Syftet med studien är att undersöka transpersoners upplevelse av identitet, hälsa och välmående i Indien. Metod: En kvalitativ semi-strukturerad intervjustudie med fem deltagande genomfördes, fyra av intervjuerna användes i resultatet. Deltagarna intervjuades om sina upplevelser av identitet, hälsa och välmående, samt tillgänglighet och bemötande av hälso- och sjukvård. Innehållet analyserades genom en innehållsanalys. Resultat: Resultatet indelades i Identitet och Samhälle, där temat Identitet innehöll 1. Livsvärldsrelaterade reflektioner om könsidentitet. 2. Livsvärldsrelaterade reflektioner om den egna kroppen. 3. Strategier för att skydda den egna värdigheten och 4. Betydelsen av relationer och sociala nätverks för den egna identiteten. Temat Samhälle innehöll 1. Erfarenheter av bemötande från hälso- och sjukvårdspersonal. och 2. Erfarenheter av diskriminering utanför hälso- och sjukvård. Diskussion: Diskussionen hölls utifrån ett livsvärldsperspektiv och berörde hur diskriminering och brist på kunskap inom hälso- och sjukvård orsakar att en inte blir sedd som en person. Kränkt värdighet diskuterades även och hur värdigheten är kopplad till integritet och självbild samt hur självförtroende och självkänsla är betydelsefullt för identitetsskapande.

This thesis examines a queer fan community for the television show Once Upon a Time (OUAT) that utilizes the social networking site Tumblr as their primary base of fan activity. The Swan Queen fan community is comprised of individuals that collectively support and celebrate a non-canon romantic relationship between two of the female lead characters of the show rather than the canonic, heterocentric relationships that occur between the two women and their respective male love interests. I answer two research questions in this study: First, how are members of the Swan Queen fan community developing counter narratives of love by engaging in meaning-making processes and interpretations of OUAT? And secondly, how do they talk about the purpose and importance of their narratives for themselves or the Swan Queen fan community? In order to answer my research questions, I consider how the Swan Queen fandom developed and how they convey their meaning-making strategies online. To do this, I have analyzed the Tumblr blog of one Swan Queen fan and have used their blog as a nexus between other Swan Queen fans that use the website for their fan activities. Swan Queen fans argue that the show runners of OUAT use subtextual codes within canonical storylines in an effort to queerbait the show’s queer audience members. Moreover, the show runners refute the notion that they are queerbating queer fans at all by arguing that the fans’ perceptions are baseless and that any perceived queering of the characters Emma Swan and Regina Mills is purely “unintentional.” This response has only served to alienate the show’s queer fan base further as it led to increased complaints that the show runners were gaslighting the entire queer fandom. Additionally, Swan Queen fans maintain that the show’s introduction of canonical storylines featuring romantic relationships between Regina and Robin Hood and Emma and Captain Hook are heterosexist and dangerous. The storylines between Emma and Captain Hook, queer fans argue, often promote rape culture, thus perpetuating violence against both queer and non-queer audiences through storylines grounded in fairytale concepts of “True Love” and “Happily Ever After”. As such, Swan Queen fans push back against and reject this violence through their own interpretations and counter narratives of “True Love”. In accordance with previous research, I have found that historically marginalized groups such as the queer community continue to experience widespread and often aggressive attacks by queerphobic individuals and hate groups that are intent on preserving traditionally heterocentric institutions in our society, including (but not limited to) mainstream media broadcasting. Furthermore, fandom has become institutionalized in the same manner and typically operates within hegemonic, heterocentric standards. Conversely, queer fandoms such as the Swan Queen fandom operate outside of these standards, and fans respond to antagonistic efforts to silence them or cast them in an inaccurate manner by creating close-knit social communities to combat these actions and provide a space wherein individuals are able to counter dominant narratives that serve to further marginalize them. This study elucidates how this effort may occur and questions the effect this membership has on those who participate within a queer fandom. It is imperative that such research takes place, as there are very few accounts of how queer fans navigate the complex intersection between fandom and queerness.