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Nature sports have been touted for their value "as ways of pursuing excellence and relating to the environment" (Krein 2014, 207). This value, however, is not widely available, in large part due to structural features that create barriers to access for all but able-bodied white men possessing substantial disposable income. In this paper, we will analyse four 'isms' that are prominent in nature sport: ableism, classism/elitism, racism, and sexism/heterosexism. Through an examination of nature sports like surfing, skiing, snowboarding, and climbing, we argue that the current culture of nature sports contains institutionalized isms. If we are to create spaces for inclusion and authentic participation and experiences in nature sports, then change needs to occur. To that end, we will address counterculture(s) and programs that challenge the ism-saturated established norms of nature sports, removing barriers to access and opening value-laden opportunities for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Orgasm is considered by many to be an essential part of women's ideal sexual experiences. As a result, sexual liberation narratives have often advocated for the prioritization of women's orgasms – particularly during heterosex – framing them as a central indicator of "good," healthy, liberated sex. However, scholars have increasingly critiqued these narratives, arguing that they result in an orgasm imperative that has negatively impacted women's sexual lives. Perspectives that promote the prioritization of women's orgasm and those that warn against the negative repercussions strive for the same thing – to draw attention to women's sexuality in ways that will lead to more pleasurable, enjoyable, and equitable sex for women overall. Yet, together, they offer contradictory messages about the role that women's orgasms can or should play in women's sexual liberation. For example, one could argue that it perhaps makes sense to prioritize women's orgasms given that they often are highly pleasurable for women, center a unique form of embodied pleasure, and offer a supposedly clear objective for women and their men partners. On the other hand, such narratives frame women's orgasm absence as abnormal, concede to men's sexuality in problematic ways, and constrain more comprehensive possibilities for women's sexual pleasure. In this critical feminist review, I offer a summative outline of these and other contradictions, focusing on how narratives prioritizing women's orgasms can have simultaneous benefits and negative repercussions when it comes to (1) women's sexual pleasure, (2) the medicalization/pathologization of women's orgasms, and (3) heterosex norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings, reflections and lessons learnt from teaching a module on anti-LGB oppression, heterosexual privilege, homophobia and the need for LGB inclusion. It reports the knowledge learnt by heterosexual-identifying university students in Nigeria and their attitudes and responses toward the challenges facing LGB persons. The author draws on evidence from brainstorming sessions, group discussions and other participatory methodologies utilized. The teaching intervention exposed the prejudice, stereotypes and implicit biases of the heterosexual-identifying students toward LGB persons and highlighted the importance of challenging these views in order to disrupt heterosexism. Many participants acknowledged their heterosexual privileges and the disadvantages LGB persons face in society. The teaching intervention led to an increase in the awareness of participants about homophobia and heterosexism as shown by the sympathy the students expressed toward LGB persons who face homophobic victimization and stress. The teaching intervention revealed that some participants have the potentials of becoming heterosexual allies of LGB persons and possibly agents of change in challenging heterosexism and homophobia in Nigeria. The intervention revealed some factors which influenced some students to agree with confronting heterosexism and homophobia as well as factors which contribute to the reluctance of heterosexual-identifying students in assimilating knowledge on anti-heterosexism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study elucidates stigmatization’s mechanisms and power dynamics. Through semi-structured interviews with 13 recent alums and 11 educators at Lakeshore High School, we uncovered a culture of racism, cissexism, heterosexism, and Christian supremacy. Stigmatization manifested through three modes differing by intention, awareness, delivery, directness, and dominant forms of power: casual and misguided, offhand and vulgar, and blatant and traditional. Casual incidents reflect good intentions and perpetrators’ ignorance of their harmful behavior. Offhand incidents reflect offensive jokes and lewd comments openly expressed by perpetrators, emboldened by their lack of intention to cause harm. Blatant incidents reflect perpetrators openly displaying prejudice. Our typology highlights stigmatization process theory’s missing link: interactional processes – what we call “effectualization” – that transfer social boundaries and ideology into status loss and discrimination. Understanding this component has implications for creating equitable environments that uphold dignity and challenging broader societal systems of stigmatization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiences of racism and heterosexism in medical settings are social and systemic barriers to 'on-time' receipt of sexual and reproductive health services among women with both racial and sexual minority identities. Medical mistrust based on experiences related to these dual identities is associated with avoidance and delays in care. However, investigators are just beginning to apply an intersectional lens to quantitatively understanding such barriers. The purpose of this study was to examine the independent and interaction effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on timing of sexual/reproductive health care among Black sexual minority women who have sex with women and men. A total of 320 women participated in an online study of factors affecting sexual health in this population. Ordinal logistic regression was used to assess the independent and interaction effects of racial and heterosexist medical mistrust on self-reported time since last sexual/reproductive health visit. Results indicated an interaction between the two types of medical mistrust. Research on Black women who have sex with women and men's experiences of racism and heterosexism in the US healthcare system can lead to the development of the comprehensive training programmes needed to alleviate medical mistrust among women with racial and sexual minority identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined current levels of sexual prejudice among US college athletes and non-athletes (N = 451), accounting for the impact of traditional masculinity ideology and exclusivity of athletic identity. While no significant multivariate gender x athlete status interaction was found on sexual prejudice, significant main effects occurred for both gender (p < .001, ηp² = .10) and athlete status (p = .28, ηp² = .04). Men reported significantly greater sexual prejudice than women and athletes reported significantly greater sexual prejudice than non-athletes. When controlling for traditional masculinity ideology, gender differences were eliminated (p = .11, ηp² = .01). Similarly, when controlling for athletic identity, significant differences between athletes and non-athletes were no longer present (p = .13, ηp² = .01). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in medical education requires addressing both explicit and implicit biases based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics and the intersectionality with other identities. Heterosexism and heteronormative attitudes contribute to health and healthcare disparities for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning, intersex, asexual individuals. Student, trainee, and faculty competencies in medical education curricula regarding the care of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning, intersex, asexual patients and those who are gender nonconforming or born with differences of sex development allow for better understanding and belonging within the clinical learning environment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning, intersex, asexual learners and educators. The Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics issued a call to action to achieve a future free from racism and bias through inclusivity in obstetrics and gynecology education and healthcare, which led to the creation of the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Guidelines Task Force. The task force initially addressed racism, racial- and ethnicity-based bias, and discrimination in medical education and additionally identified other groups that are subject to bias and discrimination, including sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristic identities, persons with disabilities, and individuals with various religious and spiritual practices. In this scholarly perspective, the authors expand on previously developed guidelines to address sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics bias, heterosexism, and heteronormative attitudes in obstetrics and gynecology educational products, materials, and clinical learning environments to improve access and equitable care to vulnerable individuals of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer or questioning, intersex, asexual community. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To test whether internalized heterosexism, a form of minority stress, heightens the effect of hazardous or harmful alcohol use on frequency of intimate partner violence (IPV) perpetration among sexual minority and same-sex-attracted men. Method: We recruited participants online via Amazon Mechanical Turk (MTurk). Inclusion criteria were adult cisgender men living in the United States who identified as a sexual minority (i.e., gay, bisexual) or who endorsed being sexually attracted to men and who reported a male partner in the preceding year. Participants (N = 198) completed self-report questionnaires measuring sexual orientation and attraction, internalized heterosexism, IPV perpetration (sexual, physical, and psychological), and hazardous or harmful alcohol use. Results: Hazardous or harmful alcohol use and internalized heterosexism were associated with frequency of IPV perpetration. Internalized heterosexism moderated the effect of hazardous or harmful alcohol use on IPV perpetration, such that greater hazardous or harmful alcohol use and higher levels of internalized heterosexism were associated with the greatest rates of IPV perpetration. Results were consistent for each type of IPV (sexual, physical, and psychological). Conclusions: Our findings highlight the association between high levels of internalized heterosexism, magnified by the presence of hazardous or harmful alcohol use, and physical, sexual, and psychological IPV. Alleviating internalized heterosexism is a potential target for decreasing IPV in this at-risk population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Butlerian theory of performativity and subversive performative acts has been always helped to consider the situation of female gender construction in the heteronormative cultures. The situation of male gender identity and roles in the bipolar cultures has not yet been studied and the hegemonic functional context of the heterosexuality was not considered to be effective in the construction of male gender identity and roles. In the light of Judith Butler’s theory, different male individuals are coming into consideration and the complimentary parts to the theory of performativity will be revealed. The present research is the first study of the male gender identities and roles in the light of the Butlerian theory of performativity to understand whether these individuals follow the same constructive elements and react performatively and subversively or not. The importance of the present research is that the representative of the matrix of power, as depicted by Williams, can be female individuals as well as male identities. In these cases, female characters attempt to oblige male gender identities to remain under the control of the heterosexism and understand the binaries that differentiates two intelligible gender identities. On the other hand, the variety of male gender identities that Williams illustrates, provide the opportunity to consider how male gender identity and roles react to the parodic acts and construct their identity through performative acts or subversive performativity. Another significant finding in this research is that to the time that homosexual male gender identities keep their lack of continuity among sex, gender, and sexual desire, they are allowed to live in the cultural context without receiving any harms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the experiences of lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) students' (N = 9, aged 19–24) of sexual harassment via semistructured interviews. Data were analysed using a thematic analysis. Three overarching themes emerged: (a) the paradox of men's unwanted sexual attention, (b) the negative impact on relationships, and (c) the LGBTQ* community as a refuge. The women reported enduring unwanted heteronormative sexual attention, and heterosexist and homophobic harassment which forced some to conceal their sexuality. Support for the LGBTQ* community was central in developing confidence to call-out harassment. The findings call for the inclusion of LBQ-specific messages in sexual violence awareness and prevention interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: People who belong to a sexual and gender minority often face prejudices that have their roots in heterosexism, a sociocultural system that can manifest itself in different ways and sometimes in a seemingly benevolent fashion. The present study examined the psychometric properties of the Multidimensional Heterosexism Inventory (MHI), a scale assessing aversive, amnestic, paternalistic, and positive stereotypic heterosexism, in an Italian sample. Methods: Two hundred one cisgender and heterosexual individuals (129 women and 72 men) aged 18 to 81 years (M = 36.42, SD = 12.56) were recruited online between May and October 2022 and answered questions about social dominance orientation, right-wing authoritarianism, ambivalent sexism, and attitudes toward lesbians and gay men. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the original 4-factor model of the scale fit the data well. Predictive and convergent validity of the Italian version of the MHI was adequate, whereas discriminant validity was not fully achieved due to overlap of multidimensional heterosexism with hostile and benevolent sexism and authoritarianism. Scores were higher for aversive and amnesic heterosexism in men than in women, but not for paternalistic and positive stereotypic heterosexism. Finally, less educated participants, those with no LGBTQI + friends, and religious participants were higher in all MHI subscales than their counterparts. Conclusions: This study provides the first evidence for the validity and reliability of an Italian version of the MHI. Policy Implications: Using the MHI can help to make visible not only the explicit but also the subtle forms of heterosexism, thus recognizing the multidimensional nature of heterosexism produced in social institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of gendered homophobia in authoritarian states like Russia provides insights into intolerance as a function of propaganda. What is the effect on ordinary attitudes of "political homophobia" (Boellstorf, 2009) disseminated at fever pitch by state-controlled media intent on dividing the world geopolitically into debauched gay-friendly states, and those willing to defend "traditional Christian" values? Despite authoritarian societies appearing very different from pluralist ones, attitudes are plastic, diverse views possible, and survey polling unreliable. The ethnographic materials presented here show the need to meaningfully engage with vernacular prejudice and differentiate it from regime and media messaging. Everyday forms of homophobia and heterosexism have their origins in complex social phenomena and historical legacies beyond geopolitically-motivated hatred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The distinct developmental features of emerging adulthood (18–29 years old) expose individuals in this life stage to unique mental health challenges. These developmental and mental health outcomes can be further nuanced based on gender and sexuality. Drawing from an online survey sample of 768 young Filipino female undergraduate students, this cross-sectional study examines how emerging adulthood markers, psychological distress outcomes (i.e., depression and anxiety), and their relationships differ between heterosexual (n = 524) and sexual minority (n = 244) women. Aside from demographic data, key variables were measured using the Inventory of Dimensions of Emerging Adulthood (IDEA-8), and the depression and anxiety domains of the Kessler Psychological Distress scale (K10). Results suggest that sexual minority female students report significantly higher negativity/instability in emerging adulthood, depression, and anxiety compared to heterosexual counterparts (p < 0.05). Moreover, results demonstrate how the nature of the predictive relationship of emerging adulthood markers with depression and anxiety varies between heterosexual and sexual minority respondents. Findings highlight sexual orientation as a gradient linked to developmental and mental health outcomes among emerging adult women, emphasizing the need to integrate gender-inclusive and -specific strategies to promote positive development and mental well-being among emerging adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly two-thirds of new HIV infections are attributed to primary partners, necessitating a greater understanding of relationship context of HIV transmission among sexual minority men. Sexual agreements, which are the explicit decisions couples make about sexual behaviors allowed inside and outside of their relationship, have been primarily studied among adult sexual minority men. Little work has sought to understand how adolescent sexual minority men utilize and navigate sexual agreement conversations. In this qualitative study, we explored adolescent sexual minority men's motivations for having these conversations, how they define different types of agreements (e.g., monogamous, non-monogamous), and the topics most commonly discussed in their conversations. We conducted thematic analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 partnered, HIV-negative, adolescent sexual minority men ages 15–19 years. Participants reported similar reasons, definitions, and desires for creating sexual agreements as those reported in the adult literature. Novel to this population was the influence of stigma and heterosexism on the participants' choice of sexual agreement type. Like adult sexual minority men, participants used sexual agreement conversations to respond to life events; however, the adolescents in our sample, when talking with their partners, led with the context of developmentally specific events such as leaving for college or attending a school dance. Those with more relationship experience often described having intentional, explicit sexual agreement conversations. Study findings suggest that content focused on sexual agreements is important for HIV prevention interventions designed with adolescent sexual minority men, especially young men who have less relationship experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Amy Morris Homans Cotillion, held annually from 1982 to 2014, was a safe space for lesbian professionals in kinesiology, as well as a challenge and a disruption to the misogyny, homophobia, and heterosexism that pervaded the field in the mid- and late 20th century. In this article, we highlight the lived experiences of the broader Cotillion community. We conducted oral-history interviews with American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAPHERD) convention attendees about their memories of the Cotillion and Pre-Cotillion. Through these stories, we convey the significance of these events for the women and lesbians in kinesiology/physical education departments who attended them. The article begins with descriptions of interviewees' lives within the field, progresses to how attendees discovered and experienced the Cotillion and/or Pre-Cotillion, and then explores the impact of the Cotillion, both at AAPHERD and beyond the convention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes an interpretation of Virgindade inútil: Novela de uma revoltada (1927) by Ercília Nogueira Cobra as a counternarrative of the nation. The novel provides an opportunity for a revisionist reading of Brazilian modernity and modernism based on the author's radical critique of prescriptive notions of gender and sexuality in the process of articulating the country's national identity in the early twentieth century. This article demonstrates that Virgindade inútil constitutes a counterpoint to the dominant national ideology, dismantling its foundational formation, the heteropatriarchal family, and inaugurating another order by introducing a familial arrangement composed of two women and their daughter. In Cobra's narrative, the transgression of established gender roles intersects with the subversion of heteronormative sexual morality, enabling us not only to broaden our understanding of Brazilian modernism but also to imagine another Brazil, in which freedom is born of women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual orientation and gender identity are fundamental aspects of every individual's life, protected within the framework of human rights. Unfortunately, both categories persist as recurring grounds for discrimination, violence, and oppression, at times perpetuated even by normative regulations. In this context, education plays a crucial role in emphasizing values such as coexistence, diversity, cooperative learning, and empathy to prevent heterosexism. Educators, therefore, must have training that ensures the creation of safe, reliable, and protective learning environments for all students. It is imperative that every student has the right to develop and socialize without fear of exclusion. The focus of this study is to analyze the consensus and acceptance among experts regarding the factors influencing gender identity in the educational context, using the neutrosophic statistical method. As a result, it was concluded that a reform of current regulations is necessary, coupled with the implementation of human rights training programs, to eradicate deeply rooted prejudices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Sexual and gender minoritized people (SGM) of color experience stigma unique to their intersection of identities, such as racism from SGM and heterosexism from people of color (POC) in their same racial/ethnic group. SGM POC who experience enacted stigma, like microaggressions, have been found to have poorer mental health outcomes. SGM identity authenticity and connections to the SGM community have been associated with better mental health. We sought to test if intersectional enacted stigma, identity authenticity, community connectedness, and the interactions between enacted stigma and authenticity and community were associated with mental health in assigned female at birth (AFAB) SGM young adults of color. Method: Data come from 341 racial/ethnic minoritized SGM-AFAB (Mage = 21.23, SD = 3.80). Multivariate linear regressions tested main effects of intersectional enacted stigma (heterosexism from POC and racism from SGM) and authenticity and community on mental health, as well as interaction effects on mental health. Results: SGM-AFAB POC who experienced more heterosexism from POC reported more anxiety and depression symptoms. Greater connection to the SGM community was associated with fewer anxiety and depression symptoms. Heterosexism from POC and community connection interacted such that SGM-AFAB who experienced less heterosexism from POC reported fewer mental health symptoms if they were more connected to the SGM community, but SGM-AFAB who experienced more heterosexism did not benefit from stronger community connection. Conclusions: Heterosexism from other POC may put SGM POC at higher exposure for negative mental health outcomes and reduce the mental health benefits of a stronger connection to the SGM community. Public Significance Statement: Sexual and gender minoritized (SGM) young adults of color who experience heterosexism from others in their same racial/ethnic group report poorer mental health. A greater connection with the SGM community is associated with better mental health, but that connection is less effective for SGM young adults of color who experience more heterosexism from their racial/ethnic community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rainbow research tends to prioritise gender and sexuality experiences over the racialised experiences of Asian rainbow young people. Informed by an intersectional lens, we employed a hope-based ecological framework to examine how multiple overlapping axes of oppression (e.g. cisgenderism, heterosexism and racism) shape the aspirations of these youth. We drew on the voices of Asian participants from the 2021 Aotearoa New Zealand Identify Survey, who had responded to an open-text question on their hopes for rainbow young people (n = 217; age range = 14 to 26). The content analysis identified seven prominent categories of hope across three ecological levels (macro exo and meso). These categories were societies: 1) break away from cisheterosexist expectations; 2) confront racism and intersection with cisheterosexism; 3) promote rainbow-inclusive education; 4) ban sexual orientation and gender identity change efforts; 5) improve access to culturally safe health care; 6) dismantle white-dominated rainbow spaces; and 7) provide more rainbow-inclusive family support. These hopes were constructed amidst the desire to challenge unacceptance and exclusion by the wider society for not adhering to white cisheterosexist expectations. The study provides critical insights for community organisations, education settings, and government to consider in addressing the diverse needs of Asian rainbow young people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sexual minority young adults are at increased risk for hazardous drinking and alcohol use disorder compared to heterosexual adults. Heterosexism-based stressors contribute and often explain inequities in alcohol outcomes. However, the extant research primarily relies on correlational designs, and often neglects the importance of alcohol craving, despite its foundational role in addiction. Leveraging a novel experimental mood induction paradigm, this study examined the effects of exposure to vicarious heterosexism-based stress on alcohol craving and negative affect among sexual minority young adults who drink heavily. We also examined its effects on cannabis and nicotine craving among participants who used cannabis and nicotine, respectively. Lastly, we examined moderating factors that could influence the impact of exposure to heterosexism-based stress on alcohol craving. Methods: Participants were 101 heavy drinking sexual minority young adults, ages 20–35 (M = 26.46 years old; SD = 3.49), recruited from the community (51.5% female sex assigned at birth; 76.3% cisgender; 51.5% plurisexual; and 42.6% racial and ethnic minorities). They completed three mood induction trials counterbalanced over three visits on different days: heterosexism stress, general stress, and neutral. Structured interviews assessed criteria for DSM-5 alcohol use disorder (AUD) and substance use, and self-report measures assessed lifetime traumatic stressors. Results: Most participants met criteria for past-year AUD (74.7%). Exposure to heterosexism stress produced more negative affect and substance craving than the neutral mood induction, even while controlling for demographic variables and lifetime exposure to traumatic and heterosexism stressors. Exposure to heterosexism-based stress had large effects on alcohol craving among participants who had greater drinking to cope motives and heterosexism-specific rejection sensitivity, whereas the effects were small for those who had lower drinking to cope motives and heterosexism-specific rejection sensitivity. Demographic, lifetime stress, prior alcohol use, and AUD symptom severity variables were not significant moderators. Greater substance craving induced by heterosexism-based stress in the laboratory was associated with greater recent and current substance use. Conclusions: This study findings show that vicarious exposure to heterosexism elicits negative mood and alcohol, cannabis, and nicotine craving among sexual minority young adults who engaged in heavy drinking. The effects for alcohol craving were largest among those who endorse high levels of drinking to cope motives and heterosexism-based rejection sensitivity. These findings have implications for oppression-based stress and motivational models of addiction.

Sexual orientation and gender identity are fundamental aspects of every individual's life, protected within the framework of human rights. Unfortunately, both categories persist as recurring grounds for discrimination, violence, and oppression, at times perpetuated even by normative regulations. In this context, education plays a crucial role in emphasizing values such as coexistence, diversity, cooperative learning, and empathy to prevent heterosexism. Educators, therefore, must have training that ensures the creation of safe, reliable, and protective learning environments for all students. It is imperative that every student has the right to develop and socialize without fear of exclusion. The focus of this study is to analyze the consensus and acceptance among experts regarding the factors influencing gender identity in the educational context, using the neutrosophic statistical method. As a result, it was concluded that a reform of current regulations is necessary, coupled with the implementation of human rights training programs, to eradicate deeply rooted prejudices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual minority women (SMW) are at risk for sexual victimization and stressors specifically related to their minority identity (e.g., discrimination). However, SMW experience posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at rates beyond what may be explained by elevated risk for sexual victimization alone. This study aimed to examine the impact of stigma on PTSD symptoms among SMW survivors of sexual victimization. Results indicate that in relation to minority-specific distal stressors (i.e., heterosexist experiences), both minority-specific and general proximal stressors (i.e., internalized heterosexism, negative posttraumatic cognitions) indirectly affected PTSD symptom severity among this cross-sectional sample of sexually victimized SMW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A. K. Summers' graphic memoir Pregnant Butch: Nine Long Months Spent in Drag (2014) visually enunciates the author's lived experience as a pregnant butch in a cis-normative culture. In this interview, Summers elaborates on her intention behind creating the memoir as bestowing visibility and intelligibility to the reproductive experiences of the LGBTQ+ community. The conversation also addresses the memoirist's insecurities and fears as a queer parent raising a child in a homophobic cultural setting, also pointing out how being a 'child's mother' accords cultural legitimacy to her non-normative queer family. Identifying comics as a potent medium to represent one's inner realities, Summers emphasises the wider scope of the visual-verbal canvass in representing lived and tabooed experiences unswervingly when compared to mere verbal expressions. Furthermore, the conversation highlights Summers' observations on the homophobic attitudes that mediate medical attitudes towards queer motherhood and the significance of queer autobiographical comics in destigmatizing the often complex and diverse LGBTQ+ experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This essay encourages scholars to pay more attention to Shel Silverstein's unfortunately neglected short plays. Arguing that Silverstein's plays are a particularly queer subset of Silverstein's oeuvre, both formally and thematically, one that offers a profound articulation of Silverstein's bohemian critique of our dominant, heterosexist institutions and ideologies, particularly our bourgeois constructions of the family and the family's concomitant ideology of futurity as embodied in the image of the child. Finally, the essay suggests that the ideological and aesthetic work of Silverstein's plays hinges upon the audience's familiarity with his popular persona, Uncle Shelby, the playful playground raconteur behind The Giving Tree and Where the Sidewalk Ends. Shel Silverstein's short plays are a key part of his conceptual continuity. We ought to be more mindful of them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2016, Human Rights Watch, an international human rights organisation, published a report on the use of forced anal examinations to identify and prosecute putative 'homosexuals'. The report provided detailed descriptions and first-person accounts of these examinations in several countries in the Middle East and Africa. Drawing on theories of iatrogenesis and queer necropolitics, this paper uses these accounts and other reports of forced anal examinations to explore the role of medical providers in the 'diagnosis' and prosecution of homosexuality. The goal of these medical examinations is explicitly punitive rather than therapeutic, making them quintessential examples of iatrogenic clinical encounters which harm rather than heal. We argue that these examinations naturalise socioculturally derived beliefs about bodies and gender that construct homosexuality as 'readable' on the body through close medical inspection. These acts of inspection and 'diagnosis' reveal broader hegemonic state narratives of heteronormative gender and sexuality, both within countries as well as internationally as different state actors circulate and share these narratives. This article highlights the entanglement of medical and state actors, as well as contextualises the practice of forced anal examination within its colonial roots. Our analysis offers the potential for advocacy and holding medical professions and states accountable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Explore the perspectives of people with expertise on physiotherapy and/or Queer and Transgender (Trans) health regarding possibilities for transforming outpatient physiotherapy clinics to be inclusive of the Queer and Trans communities. Methods: This research used a cross-sectional, descriptive, qualitative study design. Fifteen individuals with insight regarding cisgenderism and heterosexism in the context of Queer and Trans health, physiotherapy, and/or outpatient physiotherapy clinics in Canada completed one-onone semi-structured interviews. Participants' perspectives were organized into key themes through a thematic analysis approach following the DEPICT model. Results/Discussion: Queer and Trans participants described strategies for transformative change in outpatient physiotherapy clinics at three levels. At the micro level, strategies involved individual clinics implementing changes to reduce Queer and Trans trauma and 'labor' as an initial step to meet the immediate need of Queer and Trans individuals within these spaces. At the meso level, participants emphasized that physiotherapists engage in learning and unlearning to build awareness of their own positionalities and Queer and Trans health needs. The macro level identified that community-led initiatives can push for large-scale policy and practice changes that disrupt and redistribute power from oppressors to Queer and Trans communities. Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of how cisgenderism and heterosexism impact Queer and Trans patients and providers in physiotherapy and offers new insights and strategies into disrupting these two systems of inequality in outpatient physiotherapy clinics in Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the late eighties of the 20th century, the methodological reflection of lesbian identity arose within the framework of feminist jurisprudence. Although the original intention was to include lesbian identity in a woman's identity, in a relatively short period there was a sudden break. Lesbian identity became a distinct identity considered to be the central position of lesbian jurisprudence. This study presents the peculiar features of lesbian legal theory. It tries to point out the historical and ideological determinants that led lesbianism to enter (legal) feminism. Lesbian separatism also took part in this development. It turned out to be the main reason for the separation of lesbian legal scholars from the feminist jurisprudence. The study presents the core ideological assumptions that constitute the theoretical nature of the lesbian theory of law, which is based on lesbian (legal) experiences.

We hypothesized that because politically conservative ideology legitimizes the status quo—including heteronormative institutions and arrangements—it should be negatively associated with in-group identification, opposition to homophobia, and support for LGBTQ+ rights among sexual minorities. These hypotheses, which were derived from system justification theory, were assessed in large US samples of sexual minority respondents. In Study 1 (N = 4,530) and Study 2 (N = 1,107), we observed that more conservative sexual minorities expressed weaker sexual identification, and, relatedly, less support for same-sex marriage and adoption and other rights and privileges, as well as less participation in collective action in favor of LGBTQ+ rights. In Study 3 (N = 446), heterosexist system justification was associated with decreased sexual identification and support for LGBTQ+ rights. In all studies, identity and ideology accounted for unique variance in support for vs. opposition to LGBTQ+ rights. Implications for the politics of sexual identity and collective action among disadvantaged groups are discussed.

The present research focused on predictors of acceptance of gay and lesbian people among Polish teachers. The relationship between acceptance and intergroup contact was examined through the lens of intergroup contact theory. The secondary goal of this article was to investigate the relationship between gay and lesbian acceptance and endorsement of LGBT-related conspiracy theories. The results (N = 1,638) indicated that intergroup contact and belief in an LGBT conspiracy were the strongest predictors of gay and lesbian acceptance. Moreover, belief in an LGBT conspiracy mediated the relationship between the frequency of church attendance and acceptance of gay and lesbian people. These findings are consistent with the framework of intergroup contact theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiences of heterosexism are rampant online, where bias and harassment against LGBTQ+ individuals spread conveniently and widely. Yet, research has been limited in understanding the exposure to online heterosexism among LGBTQ+ individuals partly due to the lack of a quantitative measure to advance this research. Thus, the current study developed and examined the psychometric properties of the Perceived Online Heterosexism Scale (POHS). Items were developed via a literature review, a survey of social media platforms, and an expert review. Exploratory (N = 288) and confirmatory (N = 653) factor analyses yielded a 4-factor structure and produced a 20-item scale with the following subscales: (1) Heterosexist Cyberaggression (4 items), (2) Online Heterosexist Stereotyping (4 items), (3) Online Exposure to Systemic Heterosexism (8 items), and (4) Heterosexist Online Media (four items). Internal consistency estimates ranged from.91 to.96, and the POHS accounted for 65.9% of the variance. Examination of a second-order model suggested that a total scale score can also be used. Initial construct validity was evidenced as POHS scores were associated with an existing heterosexism measure, anxiety and depressive symptoms, internalized heterosexism, and LGBTQ+ community connectedness in line with theory and empirical evidence. Implications for research practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many scholars have documented the critical importance of youth having access to spaces of joy and homeplaces in which they learn to matter. Research has shown that Black LGBTQ+ youth often struggle to locate homeplaces and spaces of joy in K-12 schooling contexts due to societal beliefs flowing from anti-blackness, (hetero)sexism, homophobia, transphobia, and classism. These discriminatory beliefs coupled with the lack of understanding many educational stakeholders have about the (dis)connections between interlocking systems of oppression complicates their capacity to construct spaces of affirmation and inclusion for Black LGBTQ+ youth in K-12 schools. In this article, I draw on previous scholarship within Black LGBTQ+ communities in which I worked within a queer of color critique framework to explore how Black LGBTQ+ youth and their communities practice love, agency, and world-making. I reflect on this previous work and offer three practical invitations for education stakeholders committed to creating spaces of joy and homeplaces for Black LGBTQ+ youth in K-12 schooling spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people's gender practices and the function of the school in shaping these practices have become a contentious issue in Chinese public discussions over the past decade. This article explores an emergent strain of thinking within this debate: that schools should promote the notion of gender equality. Focusing on the case of Daode yu fazhi (Morality and legal rule) textbooks currently used in all junior high schools (Grades 7-9) across the country, the article employs qualitative textual analysis to examine whether and how the gender equality principle is presented to youth in the Xi Jinping era (2012-). The study finds that the Xi-era textbooks promote the principle of equality between men and women and urge young people to fight for the implementation of this principle. In a notable break from the past, the books also acknowledge the existence of diverse gender practices among contemporary youth. At the same time, the textbooks endorse the notion of "natural" gender difference and "harmonious" gender complementarity. The books also censor gender/sexuality expressions that do not conform with hegemonic binary gender norms. Reflecting patriarchal and heteronormative ideologies reinforced by nationalist politics and a growing moral anxiety about the blurring of boundaries between masculinity and femininity, the Xi era curriculum ultimately leaves little space for flexible gender formulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the legislation put in place by the United Nations, Africa continues to grapple with issues of monosexism and heterosexism. In fact, of the 54 African countries, 33 have criminalised queer relationships, a legacy primarily attributed to colonial rule. However, social work literature has recently introduced a culturally sensitive model for working with the LGBTQIA+ community, known as Queer affirmative action. By utilising available literature and adopting an intersectional approach, which was collected and analysed through PRISMA, this paper aims to discuss the Africanising of sexuality in Africa. It argues that it is crucial to undertake a critical analysis of the colonial legacy and its impact on queer identities. Furthermore, the article posits that social work education must incorporate knowledge of the intersection of gender, sexuality, and other identity markers to form an inclusive and comprehensive approach towards practice. An affirmative philosophy to social work practice can serve as a counterweight to all punitive and discriminatory practices. Thus, in Africa, the most effective way to improve the well-being of queer individuals is to eradicate structural forms of inequality and decriminalise same-sex consensual relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SKAM (NRK, 2015–2017), a popular Norwegian teen drama series, was praised for its season revolving around a nonheterosexual cis-male teenager coming to terms with his sexual desires and identity. Broadcasting companies from predominantly Western European countries bought the format and created local versions. The essay explores how SKAM and three Western European remakes represent same-sex desire and sexual identity formation. We found that the remakes were rather faithful to the politics of representation of the Norwegian source text. Emphasizing authenticity and everyday realism, they situate the teenagers in a Western context that may feature less blatant heterosexism and homophobia but where heteronormativity still co-constructs the process of sexual identity formation and general attitudes towards same-sex desire and LGBTQ culture. We postulate that SKAM and its remakes encourage LGBTQ and heterosexual teens to deconstruct their homonegative prejudices and become aware of the pervasiveness of heteronormativity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals experience stressors distinctively tied to their sexual identities, such as externalized and internalized heterosexism and identity concealment, which are correlated with increased psychological distress, including depression. The present study examined the variance in depression scores resulting from heterosexism, LGB identity concealment, and minority sexual identities, after adjusting for race/ethnicity and interpersonal violence victimization experiences. Methods: Participants were 277 LGB emerging adults 18 to 29 years old (mean 25.39, standard deviation 2.77; 46 lesbian women, 71 gay men) recruited from an online platform. Results: Nearly 41% reported moderate to severe depression symptoms. A two-step hierarchical regression model examining the effect of sexual minority stressors, heterosexism, LGB identity concealment, and minority sexual identity on depression after controlling for childhood maltreatment and face-to-face intimate partner violence types was significant. Bisexual women (vs gay men), those with greater exposure to heterosexism, and those with a greater degree of identity concealment experienced significantly higher scores on depression. In addition, being a person of color (including identifying as Hispanic), exposure to childhood maltreatment, and experiencing psychological intimate partner violence significantly predicted increases in depression scores. Conclusions: Findings emphasize the importance of assessing minority stressors and taking them into account when providing clinical interventions to LGB individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realities of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) migrants and racialized people are complex, due to the violence and/or invisibilization they may have experienced, both in their country of origin and in the land of establishment (Chehaitly etal., 2021; Roy, 2013). Some have been forced to leave their country of origin because of heteronormative and cisnormative violence, because of political violence or because of unsafe social and legal environments. However, once in Québec, they face new challenges such as professional disqualification, search of employment and housing, and regulation of their migratory status. Thus LGBTQ+ migrant and racialized individuals are faced with major challenges and may experience forms of increased stigmatization (Chbat & Chamberland, 2021). Based on an intersectional theoretical framework that recognizes the intersecting systems of oppression such as racism, cissexism, and heterosexism, this article presents the results of a qualitative research that examined the unique journeys of 21 LGBTQ+ migrants and racialized people who participated in the UNIE-LGBTQ survey (SSHRC-2016-2023), the largest partnership research ever conducted in Québec on the experiences of inclusion and exclusion encountered by LGBTQ+ communities. In addition to presenting the multiple challenges faced by these individuals, this article will also highlight the resistance and resilience strategies shared by them, namely their implication in community-based resources and their critical narrative towards the dominant normative discourse on the coming-out and the visibility of sexuality. Finally, this article will propose some recommendations for practice to reflect on concrete measures that could improve the living conditions of these multimarginalized people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the role of authenticity as a unique psychological strength of sexual minority people is discussed. The current literature suggests that authenticity is a protective factor for sexual minority individuals and, thus, this article aims to highlight the need to study further the psychological correlates of this variable. This article provides a review of the literature examining the role of variables such as internalized heterosexism, spirituality, self-compassion, and psychological flexibility in hindering or facilitating authenticity in sexual minority populations. Future directions and clinical implications for the development of evidence-based treatments for this population are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing body of literature demonstrating that experiences of oppression (e.g., racism, sexism, heterosexism, poverty) are associated with posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms. Traditional trauma assessments do not assess experiences of oppression and it is therefore imperative to develop instruments that do. To assess oppression-based traumatic stress broadly, and in an intersectional manner, we have developed the oppression-based traumatic stress inventory (OBTSI). The OBTSI includes two parts. Part A comprises open-ended questions asking participants to describe experiences of oppression as well as a set of questions to determine whether Criterion A for PTSD is met. Part B assesses specific posttraumatic stress symptoms anchored to the previously described experiences of oppression and also asks participants to identify the various types of discrimination they have experienced (e.g., based on racial group, sex/gender, sexual orientation, etc.). Clients from a mental health clinic and an undergraduate sample responded to the OBTSI and other self-report measures of depression, anxiety, and traditional posttraumatic stress (N = 90). Preliminary analyses demonstrate strong internal consistency reliability for the overall symptom inventory (α = 0.97) as well as for the four symptom clusters of posttraumatic stress symptoms in the DSM-5 (α ranging from 0.86 to 0.94). In addition to providing descriptive information, we also assess the convergent validity between the OBTSI and measures of anxiety, depression, and traditional posttraumatic stress and examine the factor structure. This study provides preliminary evidence that the OBTSI is a reliable and valid method of assessing oppression-based traumatic stress symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article contributes to the relatively scarce research on the intersection of various anti-discourses in online hatred by focusing on online verbal attacks on publicly active, nonmature actors of diverse genders. It reveals that patterns of the discursive rejection of youth political actors are similar to the more extensively described hatred against activist women. It also documents that these violent expressions are no longer limited to the realm of extreme or far-right political circles, the typical focus of previous studies, but have penetrated mainstream civic discussions across the media sphere. Youth actors are vulnerable, the article argues, because their individual characteristics are singled out, made hypervisible and mocked as abnormal in the online sphere, or because they are associated with ideologies which the discussants reject as dangerous in their construction of imagined collective identities and mobilization of anti-discourses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sexual coercion is normalized within dominant cultural narratives of seduction and heteronormativity. Many men assert that they abhor rape, but may not comprehend or accept that rape can occur in ways that would challenge their notion of what is acceptable within heteronormative understandings of gender, seduction, and heterosex. Analyses of in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seven male participants in Australia substantiates previous research demonstrating that men are indeed capable of nuanced communication and can understand refusals. Despite understanding refusals, this research found that men perform naivete regarding their use of coercion, or employ language that justifies and minimizes their use of coercion and its potential impact. By exploring sexual negotiation and adherence to heteronormative gender roles and sexual scripts, the findings indicate that coercion is understood by men and employed despite clear signs of refusal, yet ensuing sexualized acts continue to be positioned as "consensual." Suggestions that women should "just say no" overlook that men use coercion past the point of refusals, indicating problematic beliefs about gender, sex, and entitlement, rather than communication issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisexual orientation in the context of long-term relationships comes with a unique set of challenges, especially when that relationship is mixed gender. The cultural belief that bisexual orientation is unstable or temporary paired with the presentation of a partnership that grants heterosexual privilege can be a complex place to exist for bisexual individuals. This experience was examined in semi-structured interviews of 55 bisexual people in a mixed-gender relationship. Participants were an average of 29 years of age and ranged in age from 21 to 48. Reflexive thematic analysis resulted in the identification of three major themes and two subthemes. The major themes were: (1) cultural assumptions of bisexual orientation, (2) bi-negativity/biphobia, and (3) bi-invisibility. These findings highlight the complexity of existing day-to-day as a bisexual person in a mixed-gender relationship. The implications of these findings for individuals, clinicians, and communities and directions for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young adults have gone from consulting matchmakers to app-makers, as they seek ways to meet sexual and romantic partners. Each dating application is constructed in a distinctive manner, creating unique "sexual fields" on each platform. In this study, I consider the affordances of four dating applications—the structure of profiles, available search filters, and application features—in order to understand how dating applications construct sexual fields and emphasize different forms of erotic and romantic capital. I find that which qualities constitute capital differs depending on the platform politics of the application, and the sexual fields vary according to the intended audience and outcome of the rules for interactions on the app. Such an analysis reveals how forces of heterosexism, racism, and classism operate in modern partner-seeking, both romantic and sexual. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While there is growing documentation of pregnancy among sexual minority women, little research has focused on their perceptions and experiences of conflict between sexual minority identity and pregnancy. Because of this, this study used Social Identity Theory and qualitative descriptive analysis to explore the following questions: do sexual minority women perceive sexual minority identity and pregnancy as in conflict; and if so, from where does this conflict arise and how do sexual minority women experience it? Participants included 21 lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer and other non-heterosexual cisgender women, a third of whom had previously been pregnant. Themes captured internally located conflict, including participants who saw pregnancy as irrelevant and those who experienced pregnancy as acceptable for sexual minority women; imposed conflict from healthcare contexts, including both health provider assumptions and imposed conflict on reproductive autonomy; and ambivalence. Overall, few participants noted internalised conflict between their sexual minority identity and pregnancy. Instead, sexual minority women experienced ambivalence or imposed conflict between their sexual minority identities and pregnancy from their health providers, although this imposed conflict was not limited to sexual orientation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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