Gay And Lesbian Studies Research Papers (original) (raw)

3rd revised edition, 2019

Violence against lesbians and gay men has increasingly captured media and scholarly attention. But these reports tend to focus on one segment of the LGBT community—white, middle class men—and largely ignore that part of the community that... more

Violence against lesbians and gay men has increasingly captured media and scholarly attention. But these reports tend to focus on one segment of the LGBT community—white, middle class men—and largely ignore that part of the community that arguably suffers a larger share of the violence—racial minorities, the poor, and women. In Violence against Queer People, sociologist Doug Meyer offers the first investigation of anti-queer violence that focuses on the role played by race, class, and gender. Drawing on interviews with forty-seven victims of violence, Meyer shows that LGBT people encounter significantly different forms of violence—and perceive that violence quite differently—based on their race, class, and gender. His research highlights the extent to which other forms of discrimination—including racism and sexism—shape LGBT people's experience of abuse. He reports, for instance, that lesbian and transgender women often described violent incidents in which a sexual or a misogynistic component was introduced, and that LGBT people of color sometimes weren't sure if anti-queer violence was based solely on their sexuality or whether racism or sexism had also played a role. Meyer observes that given the many differences in how anti-queer violence is experienced, the present media focus on white, middle-class victims greatly oversimplifies and distorts the nature of anti-queer violence. In fact, attempts to reduce anti-queer violence that ignore race, class, and gender run the risk of helping only the most privileged gay subjects. Many feel that the struggle for gay rights has largely been accomplished and the tide of history has swung in favor of LGBT equality. Violence against Queer People, on the contrary, argues that the lives of many LGBT people—particularly the most vulnerable—have improved very little, if at all, over the past thirty years.

In the field of identity politics and cultural identity, the representation of differences plays a crucial role. The extent of the differences a society has determines the social outcomes in divergent ways. Surely, there are other... more

In the field of identity politics and cultural identity, the representation of differences plays a crucial role. The extent of the differences a society has determines the social outcomes in divergent ways. Surely, there are other variables that cause social anxiety or communal solidarity such as religious views, socio-political conditions and also gender relations. To the point of departure, the case of homosexuality, or in a general way, the boundaries of sexuality is very controversial field so as to reveal the effects of ideologies, social conditions and historical past where all of these evolved through times. In order to understand and to reach a general view, the experiences of small towns are very decisive and unavoidable parts of such studies. As a basic explanation, that is why Arlene Stein chooses to make an ethnographic study in the USA around 1990s. In this paper, I will try to make a basic analysis of ‘The Stranger Next Door: The Story of a Small Community’s Battle Over Sex, Faith and Civil Rights’ by presenting my reading of this story and through reacting to the general points.

Living Out Loud: An Introduction to LGBTQ History, Society, and Culture offers students an evidence-based foundation in the interdisciplinary field of LGBTQ Studies. Chapters on history, diversity, dating/relationships, education, sexual... more

Living Out Loud: An Introduction to LGBTQ History, Society, and Culture offers students an evidence-based foundation in the interdisciplinary field of LGBTQ Studies. Chapters on history, diversity, dating/relationships, education, sexual health, and globalization reflect current research and thinking in the social sciences, humanities, and sciences. Coverage of current events and recommendations for additional readings, videos, and web resources help students apply the contents in their lives, making Living Out Loud the perfect core text for LGBTQ Studies (and similar) courses.

In light of recent "bathroom bills" in several states, this essay addresses gender identity in the Bible, which proponents of the bills claim supports their legislation. However, this essay argues that the Bible challenges many aspects of... more

In light of recent "bathroom bills" in several states, this essay addresses gender identity in the Bible, which proponents of the bills claim supports their legislation. However, this essay argues that the Bible challenges many aspects of gender, especially in Roman perspective, and actually supports a more tolerant and communal respect for gender identity and the transgender community as a whole.

Religious authority figures often use religious texts as the primary basis for censuring homosexuality. In recent years, however, non-heterosexual Christians and Muslims have begun to contest the discursively produced boundary of sexual... more

Religious authority figures often use religious texts as the primary basis for censuring homosexuality. In recent years, however, non-heterosexual Christians and Muslims have begun to contest the discursively produced boundary of sexual
morality. Drawing upon two research projects on non-heterosexual Christians and Muslims, this article explores the three approaches embedded in this strategy. While acknowledging that homosexuality is indeed portrayed negatively in some parts of religious texts, the participants critique traditional hermeneutics by highlighting its inaccuracy and socio-cultural specificity, and arguing for a contextualized and culturally relevant interpretation. They also critique the credibility of institutional interpretive authority by highlighting its inadequacy and ideology, and relocating authentic interpretive authority to personal experience. Finally, they recast religious texts to construct resources for their spiritual nourishment.This strategy generally reflects the contemporary western religious landscape that prioritizes the authority of the self over that of religious institution.

Feministische Interventionen gegen geschlechtsspezifische Gewalt führten in den letzten Jahrzehnten zu politisch-institutionellen Maßnahmen. Dieser Entwicklung steht eine wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung gegenüber, die ihren Blick... more

Feministische Interventionen gegen geschlechtsspezifische Gewalt führten in den letzten Jahrzehnten zu politisch-institutionellen Maßnahmen. Dieser Entwicklung steht eine wissenschaftliche Auseinandersetzung gegenüber, die ihren Blick zunehmend auf Handlungsmacht von *Frauen richtet und die Debatte um queere sowie postkoloniale Sichtweisen erweitert. Die Autor_innen stellen sich der Frage, wie feministische Ansätze die vielgestaltigen Gewaltformen adäquat erfassen können.

A 1930s study showed that most intersex seem to cope just fine with their disfigured gonads. Boooring. Much more fun (profitable) to con desperate parents into buying a nice model from your array of high tech doodads. How did this... more

A 1930s study showed that most intersex seem to cope just fine with their disfigured gonads. Boooring. Much more fun (profitable) to con desperate parents into buying a nice model from your array of high tech doodads. How did this quackery -- if in doubt, chop ‘it’ (penis, clitoris) off; if penis, castrate, so no messy gonads left to fester (they don’t) -- became the rage in the 1950s?

Essa pesquisa investiga algumas experiências de homossexualidade vividas em São Paulo nas últimas décadas do século XX. No decorrer desse período, uma série de transformações modificou antigas representações de homossexualidade e esse... more

Essa pesquisa investiga algumas experiências de homossexualidade vividas em São Paulo nas últimas décadas do século XX. No decorrer desse período, uma série de transformações modificou antigas representações de homossexualidade e esse segmento social passa a ser significado de maneiras diversas, tanto internamente quanto externamente. A idéia de identidade homossexual se transformou e múltiplas classificações pautadas em estilos de vida diferenciados, se insinuaram no dia a dia dessas pessoas. Assim, é analisando o tipo de ocupação urbana que a homossexualidade promove, as relações com o mercado e com a mídia e ainda, pensando seus corpos e suas ações políticas que pretendo refletir sobre as configurações historicamente novas em que estão imersos os sujeitos que mantêm relações sexuais e afetivas com outros do mesmo sexo na cidade de São Paulo. Esse novo contexto fez da homossexualidade vivida em São Paulo nesse período um fenômeno historicamente novo e multifacetado

This essay analyzes discourses and narratives of men who frequent the washrooms at public venues in Havana. The graffiti on toilet room walls works as an articulator of micro markets of sexual communication and gender/sexual relations. In... more

This essay analyzes discourses and narratives of men who frequent the washrooms at public venues in Havana. The graffiti on toilet room walls works as an articulator of micro markets of sexual communication and gender/sexual relations. In this article graffiti is the focus of an ethnographic approach to everyday life and discourses on homoeroticism at play in those sites. The final part of the essay moves on from graffiti in public toilets to chart other places constituting a homoerotic ambiente in Havana.

Can popularized images of lesbians exist beyond their sexualized stereotypes? At different points Willow and Tara's relationship on Buffy the Vampire Slayer adheres to and transgresses constructed stereotypes. This paper seeks to explore... more

Can popularized images of lesbians exist beyond their sexualized stereotypes? At different points Willow and Tara's relationship on Buffy the Vampire Slayer adheres to and transgresses constructed stereotypes. This paper seeks to explore how this relationship can provide viewers a transgressive experience while remaining within the bounds of normative representation on a corporate television network. Willow/Tara's visibility contributes to an archive of transgressive lesbian representation.

Wilhelm von Gloeden, a minor German aristocrat, and his cousin, Guglielmo Plüschow —both homosexual, both photographers — succumbed to what historian Robert Aldrich has called "the seduction of the Mediterranean," a mythic construct of... more

Wilhelm von Gloeden, a minor German aristocrat, and his cousin, Guglielmo Plüschow —both homosexual, both photographers — succumbed to what historian Robert Aldrich has called "the seduction of the Mediterranean," a mythic construct of southern Italy that was a central theme in homoerotic art and literature from the 1750s to the 1950s. Although Plüschow has been overshadowed by his more famous relative, his work was more transgressive, and as his life demonstrates, he was much more the "sexual outlaw," to borrow the American author John Rechy's locution. This paper compares the lives and work of Gloeden and Plüschow but focuses mainly on the latter. I present biographical detail and cultural history and I discuss the politics of representation as embodied in his (and his cousin's) images of Southern Italian masculinity

Rosamaría Roffiel (1945) con su poesía y su narrativa respondió, desde los años ochenta, a un público ávido de lecturas sobre homosexualidad femenina, y sigue estando vigente y presente en nustros días; para comprender este hecho... more

Rosamaría Roffiel (1945) con su poesía y su narrativa respondió, desde los años ochenta, a un público ávido de lecturas sobre homosexualidad femenina, y sigue estando vigente y presente en nustros días; para comprender este hecho cabalmente, es necesario atender a lo literario como conformación histórica, como proceso, lo que requiere de un método de estudio que no jerarquice y deseche las obras según criterios de calificación canónica y comercial, que dé cuenta, en cambio, de su significado en relación con su inscripción social, es decir, como producción individual inscrita en el ámbito de la cultura colectiva.

【Now published: https://shorturl.at/dDV34 】 Coming out in queer community is widely discussed and theorized in the West. While the burgeoning research on coming out has explored many of its aspects, ranging from parental reactions (Denes... more

【Now published: https://shorturl.at/dDV34 】
Coming out in queer community is widely discussed and theorized in the West. While the burgeoning research on coming out has explored many of its aspects, ranging from parental reactions (Denes & Afifi, 2014; Fields, 2001) to online identity formation (Craig & McInroy, 2015; Gray, 2009), a notable gap exists pertaining to coming out in cross-cultural contexts. In other words, few studies address LGBTQ individuals’ lived experiences of coming out in diverse cultural backgrounds. This paper investigates the coming-out narratives of four gay Indian immigrants that were elicited in interviews; it highlights how the narrators bring about their social identities as they respond to available social constructs and the sociopolitical landscape in the U.S. Heeding Rust’s (1993) call for reconceptualization of coming out as “an ongoing dynamic process of describing one’s social location within a changing social context” (p.74), I use discourse analysis to examine the narrators’ use of linguistic devices to accomplish positioning in their coming-out stories, thus illuminating how gay immigrants negotiate the challenges and evaluations they face in migrating from India to the U.S. and revealing their reflections on these contrastive sociocultural contexts.
The analysis demonstrates three significant shared features in the coming-out stories. First, in responding to the interviewer’s question “what is coming out,” participants emphasize coming out to others, a departure from the Western theorization that coming out to self is the first and most important stage (e.g., Cass identity model, 1979). Second, their engagement in local queer communities in the U.S. reinforces their openness toward disclosure of their gay identities that would be impossible in India, indicating their identification with queer discourse and their understanding of the transition from one social context to another as facilitating coming out. Finally, they cast themselves against the backdrop of marriage to resist traditional Indian heteronormativity while affirming their gay identities in the U.S.

The Pink Tide of the Southern Cone has had a mix record in advancing legal reforms that promote women’s and LGBT rights. Argentina has been no exception to this trend. During 2003 and 2015, national sexual politics were marked by the... more

The Pink Tide of the Southern Cone has had a mix record in advancing legal reforms that promote women’s and LGBT rights. Argentina has been no exception to this trend. During 2003 and 2015, national sexual politics were marked by the tension between the advancement of LGBT rights—particularly the passing of legislation on gay marriage and gender-identity—and the frustrated efforts of feminism to legalize women’s rights to abortion. What are the reasons for this tension? Is Argentina an example of “pinkwashing”? Was the Argentine tension the result of pressure from conservative forces and the Catholic Church, or was it that the population simply was not behind some of these claims? Was it because "progressive" legislators did not fully support women’s demands (Pecheny, 2015) or because of differences between the movements behind each bill (Ariza & Saldivia, 2015)? Over the course of this chapter, we will take up these questions by way of a comparative analysis, to argue that four political factors, combined, opened opportunities or resisted advances in gender and sexual policies. These are: the links between the executive branch and the church, Peronist party politics in a presidential system, the framing of demands, and the both the organizing and strategies of movements supporting the above-mentioned legal reforms.

In this article I consider musical and other sonic constructions of queer identity in the television film, Angels in America (HBO, 2003). I outline various queer strategies in the music and sound of the film, demonstrating how music and... more

In this article I consider musical and other sonic constructions of queer identity in the television film, Angels in America (HBO, 2003). I outline various queer strategies in the music and sound of the film, demonstrating how music and sound contribute to unfixed and unstable identities. The readings of the selected scenes in the film reveal the ways in which queer strategies operate, and how film music symbolises identity in flux.

Pensar la representación de las mujeres lesbianas implica retomar, aunque de forma incompleta, algunos debates que fueron delimitando el camino para identificar las formas en que las mujeres y luego las lesbianas, problematizaron el lugar... more

Pensar la representación de las mujeres lesbianas implica retomar, aunque de forma incompleta, algunos debates que fueron delimitando el camino para identificar las formas en que las mujeres y luego las lesbianas, problematizaron el lugar que ocupaban en un sistema organizado dicotómicamente. Tal como lo observa Martínez (2015): “las concepciones de género propias de la cultura occidental se encuentran configuradas por un conjunto de binarios concebidos jerárquicamente” (p. 119). Esa organización jerárquica, condenó históricamente a las mujeres a ser ciudadanas de segunda y expulsó la disidencia heterosexual hacia los márgenes, valiéndose de una serie de tecnologías de género (De Lauretis, 2000) que, en tanto tecnologías sociales, vehiculizan la producción de representaciones de género ligadas con prácticas socioculturales, discursos e instituciones capaces de crear efectos de significado en la producción de sujetos hombres y sujetos mujeres y por ende de construir marcos de aceptabilidad y abyección.

A luta por direitos da comunidade LGBTQIA+, não foi um processo homogêneo, e mesmo com a crescente exposição obtida pelas campanhas que invadem as redes sociais e instituições durante o mês do Orgulho, existem fortes assimetrias entre os... more

A luta por direitos da comunidade LGBTQIA+, não foi um processo homogêneo, e mesmo com a crescente exposição obtida pelas campanhas que invadem as redes sociais e instituições durante o mês do Orgulho, existem fortes assimetrias entre os diferentes grupos que formam a comunidade. Este é o resultado de uma escala gerada em parte pelos padrões da sociedade heteronormativa e pela apropriação de pautas da luta LGBT, mas também pela padronização de membros internos ao movimento que obtiveram uma inserção parcial devido a sua proximidade aos padrões e construções estabelecidos, havendo discriminação interna e até mesmo uma objeção da própria luta.

Drawing on resilience theories, this study examined the individual and community factors of Israeli lesbians, gays, bisexuals, queers, and questioning (LGBQs) that contribute to positive mental health and the degree to which individual... more

Drawing on resilience theories, this study examined the individual and community factors of Israeli lesbians, gays, bisexuals, queers, and questioning (LGBQs) that contribute to positive mental health and the degree to which individual and community protective factors mitigate the adverse effect of risk factors for poor mental health. Differences in resilience factors between LGBQ youth and adults were explored. Data were collected on 890 LGBQ youth and adults. Findings emphasize the role of community-level resilience factors in the lives of LGBQs, and that these support systems differ slightly between the two age groups. Among youth, family support was both a strong predictor for well-being and a protective factor for mental distress. Although family support was found as a resilience factor among adults as well, other community-level factors (friends’ support, LGBT connectedness and having steady partner) were found as protective factors for poorer mental health. These findings suggest for efforts on fostering familial support for LGBQ youth and a multi-level system that offers support at the familial, peer, relationship and community levels for both LGBQ youth and adults.

In this essay, I examine this highly-personal, world shaping, and perhaps sometimes invisible potential for comedy to construct identities and relationships. Specifically, I examine laugh track use in two highly popular television... more

In this essay, I examine this highly-personal, world shaping, and perhaps sometimes invisible potential for comedy to construct identities and relationships. Specifically, I examine laugh track use in two highly popular television programs, Will & Grace and Roseanne, to consider how the construction of what is or is not supposed to be funny has rhetorical implications for queer identities and relationships. These texts were selected not only for their abundance of queer characters—Will & Grace focused on a gay man/straight woman best friend relationship and Roseanne featured at least one queer character each year beginning with the third season—but also because of their
immense popularity. I argue that these two programs constitute
what I call enduring popular culture texts, popular entertainment that continues to have social relevance throughout time as it weaves itself into a variety of cultures and becomes constitutive of social understanding. As the case studies presented here illustrate, the way enduring texts are immersed in culture might be misleading and even damaging.

Tourism is undoubtedly one of the foremost industries worldwide , generating jobs, contributing to the GDP of a country and offering exciting opportunities to explore unknown attractions and destinations. South Africa is the leading... more

Tourism is undoubtedly one of the foremost industries worldwide , generating jobs, contributing to the GDP of a country and offering exciting opportunities to explore unknown attractions and destinations. South Africa is the leading tourist destination on the African continent. Niche tourism, or Special Interest Tourism (SIT), as opposed to mass tourism, has been identified by the South African tourism authorities as the preferred way of attracting high-value tourists to this country. One of the identified niche areas is gay tourism. This tourism market segment is characterised by high numbers of single persons (some in a relationship), with considerable disposable income, the so-called DINKs – double income no kids group. Cape Town, with its excellent tourist attractions and facilities, its liberal attitude to people of all walks of life, and its customs, has developed into an important gay tourism destination for South African and international visitors. Being recognised internationally as a leading gay business and holiday destination, the question now arises as to the economic worth of this SIT market segment. The annual Mother City Queer Project (MCQP), which has been held in Cape Town since 1994, was an opportunity to measure the economic impact of this niche tourism sector. To establish the economic importance of the MCQP festival, and therefore the economic contribution to the GDP of Cape Town, businesses in the Mother City, (including those which cater for gays) and especially in close proximity to the 2009 MCQP festival site, were surveyed to establish the impact on their businesses of the festival. Festinos at the festival were also questioned on various personal aspects pertaining to their economic contribution to the festival. The survey results reveal that the one-night 2009 MCQP could have contributed as much as R26 million to the Cape Town economy; a significant injection, and proof of the importance of SIT tourism – in this case gay or 'pink' tourism.

When Hemingway went to Paris, Hart Crane went to Mexico, along with hundreds of others in search of modernism, political action, and a distinctly New World culture. In Mexico's American Bohemia those who would have otherwise been... more

When Hemingway went to Paris, Hart Crane went to Mexico, along with hundreds of others in search of modernism, political action, and a distinctly New World culture. In Mexico's American Bohemia those who would have otherwise been outsiders could thrive -- homosexuals and lesbians, African Americans, women in general. Rene D'Harnancourt caught the Rockefeller's eye as a window dresser in Mexico City who collected folk art -- and Mexican modernism was championed by the new MoMA when D'Harnancourt joined the staff. Photography iin Mexico was strong -- Edward Weston and TIna Modotti its best known practitioners today; they were part of a rich community of writers (Katharine Anne Porter) movie makers (Sergei Eisenstein) and adventurers. After WW2, African American artists used the GI Bill to study in Mexico, where school and work opportunities were greater than in the US. The fine Craft movement flourished here. Black Mountain teachers vacationed here.

This article addresses the concern that decision-making in sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) asylum claims in Europe is often unfair, and that one way to remedy this is by improving the guidance provided to decision-makers when... more

This article addresses the concern that decision-making in sexual orientation or gender identity (SOGI) asylum claims in Europe is often unfair, and that one way to remedy this is by improving the guidance provided to decision-makers when interpreting the Refugee Convention in respect of these claims. We begin by interrogating a number of different decision-making guidelines and models to assess whether they contribute to a fairer asylum system. We show that, for claims based on SOGI, success invariably depends on the decision-maker's assessment as to whether a claimant is, or would be perceived in their home country to be, a member of a SOGI minority, and so belongs to a Particular Social Group. Such focus risks neglecting analysis of the actual risk of persecution. We set out our own recommendation for a fairer approach based on prioritising SOGI-specific Country of Origin Information (COI) and the risk of persecution, rather than focusing on whether applicants are 'genuinely' members of a SOGI minority. We argue that this will lead to fairer outcomes that are less likely to be overturned on appeal and more consistent with the Refugee Convention's spirit and letter.

Hoover’s War on Gays is an excellent and much-needed empirical contribution to our knowledge on twentieth-century surveillance and harassment of a sexual minority, which intensified as that minority became more self-confident and public... more

Hoover’s War on Gays is an excellent and much-needed empirical contribution to our knowledge on twentieth-century surveillance and harassment of a sexual minority, which intensified as that minority became more self-confident and public in its demands. Douglas M. Charles has demonstrated amply how intricate documentary histories based on deep and hidden bureaucratic paper trails provide uniquely illuminating details of key episodes of state power and grassroots resistance to it.

We will explore the gendered viewpoints and voices of a variety of essayists, writers, filmmakers, storytellers, historians, and activists. In particular, we will investigate how personal & political identities (like gender, race, class,... more

We will explore the gendered viewpoints and voices of a variety of essayists, writers, filmmakers, storytellers, historians, and activists. In particular, we will investigate how personal & political identities (like gender, race, class, and sexuality) position individuals differently in society, which contributes to how individuals experience and make sense of their world. We will study how our own relationships within American cultural systems of privilege and oppression contribute to the theories, ideas, narratives, norms, and stories we see as the " norm. " We will examine how individuals resist inequalities, create new systems of change, and engage in transformational politics. Although some of the focus of the course is women's experiences, we will question what the term " woman " actually means by expanding the category to include a range of diverse perspectives. We will consider women, men, and non-binary individuals equally as agents of change, whose lives and projects impact the direction of feminism, culture, and " voice " on a wider scale.

Dans les études comparées « droit et littérature » ou « économie et littérature », on cherche souvent en priorité ce que la littérature peut nous apprendre sur le droit ou l’économie. C’est prendre un risque : celui d’oublier la dimension... more

Dans les études comparées « droit et littérature » ou « économie et littérature », on cherche souvent en priorité ce que la littérature peut nous apprendre sur le droit ou l’économie. C’est prendre un risque : celui d’oublier la
dimension littéraire des textes étudiés. À plus forte raison, c’est prendre le risque de passer à côté d’un fait précieux, à savoir que la littérature est autre chose qu’un instrument talentueux assigné à la valorisation des thèmes qu’on lui livre : la littérature est plus que cela ! Elle sait elle-même user des autres – en l’occurrence, user du droit et de l’économie comme d’instruments, les mettre à son service. Il n’est pas rare que, ne cherchant pas à représenter ces deux univers, elle les détourne de leurs fins, les vide de leurs fonctions manifestes, mais en conserve mécanismes, raisonnements et vocabulaire : la littérature tire du droit et de l’économie des éléments de poétique qu’elle s’agrège et qui la renforcent, sans qu’elle se soucie de nous apprendre nécessairement quelque chose sur ces deux disciplines, objet de son pillage.
PLAN de l'article :
Balzac/Piketty : la ruse de la Littérature
L’inversion (des valeurs) de M. de Norpois : Qu’est ce que la littérature ?
La carrière littéraire : à quel taux placer sa vie ?
M. de Norpois ? Un bon inverti en vaut deux
Tante Léonie ? Une valeur à investir
L’« action nominative de la Compagnie des Eaux » : Contre Sainte‑Beuve appliqué
Détournement du droit et de l’économie par la Littérature
La Peau de chagrin : la vie est consomptible par le premier usage
La lettre de change : qu’est-ce que la vie ?
Le droit fantastique
La Peau comme instrument du droit : une condamnation du littéralisme
Confusion entre vie, argent et temps : d’une usure à l’autre
« La fille de cuisine était une personne morale » : le droit, auxiliaire de la littérature