Showing papers in "Journal of Homosexuality in 1998"
TL;DR: The more widely a woman disclosed her sexual orientation the less anxiety, more positive affectivity, and greater self-esteem she reported, and a mediating effect of social reactions on the relation between identity development and self-disclosure was revealed.
Abstract: The present study investigated relations between lesbians' disclosure of their sexual orientation and psychological adjustment. The 499 participants responded to a questionnaire assessing level of self-disclosure, sources of social support, forms of socializing, self-description of sexual orientation, and length of self-identification as a lesbian. The more widely a woman disclosed her sexual orientation the less anxiety, more positive affectivity, and greater self-esteem she reported. Degree of disclosure to family, gay and lesbian friends, straight friends, and co-workers was related to overall level of social support, with those who more widely disclosed reporting greater levels of support. Participants who more widely disclosed their sexual orientation were less likely to engage in anonymous socializing, had a larger percentage of lesbian friends, and were more involved in the gay and lesbian community. Path analyses revealed a mediating effect of social reactions (both initial and current) o...
225 citations
TL;DR: The principal finding was that gay men and lesbians do not experience much discrimination in organized, nonprofessional sports, but in those sports where lesbians have become open about their sexuality, they do encounter a high level of discrimination.
Abstract: At the request of the Dutch government, a group of researchers looked into the experiences of gay men and lesbians in organized, nonprofessional sports. The principal finding was that gay men and lesbians do not experience much discrimination. This circumstance results from the invisibility and silencing of homosexuality in athletics, both by sports organizations and by gay men and lesbians themselves. But in those sports where lesbians have become open about their sexuality, especially in soccer, they do encounter a high level of discrimination. Gay men, on the other hand, have not become visible in any sport. Several suggestions are offered on how to open up sports for lesbians and gay men.
124 citations
TL;DR: Examination of self-esteem and satisfaction with supportiveness as predictors of emotional distress in a sample of 90 self-identified urban gay male and lesbian youth found that high levels of selfesteem and social supports may moderate gay-identified stressors.
Abstract: Many gay male and lesbian youth experience isolation, self-hatred, and other emotional stressors related to harassment and abuse from peers and adults, leading to risk factors associated with alcohol and substance abuse, suicide, prostitution, running away, and school problems. Research findings have indicated that high levels of self-esteem and social supports may moderate gay-identified stressors. The current study examined self-esteem and satisfaction with supportiveness as predictors of emotional distress in a sample of 90 self-identified urban gay male and lesbian youth.
82 citations
TL;DR: An attitude change among third year undergraduate social work students in a major university in Israel is described and an open-ended question was used to qualitatively explore the students' associations with the term "homosexuality."
Abstract: This paper describes and analyzes an attitude change among third year undergraduate social work students in a major university in Israel. The subject of attitudes towards homosexuality, while receiving extensive theoretical attention, lacks documentation of actual change in attitudes. This paper is an attempt to fill the gap by using a quasi-experimental non-equivalent control group design evaluation of the impact of an elective course on homosexuality on students' attitudes. The experimental group was comprised of 31 students who enrolled in an elective course, entitled “Individual, familial, and social aspects of homosexuality.” The course combined theoretical as well as experiential frameworks. The control group was comprised of 56 third-year social work students who did not enroll in the course. Both quantitative and qualitative methodologies were employed in comparing the two groups prior to and following the intervention. Specifically, a 25-item questionnaire was used to measure homophobia ...
81 citations
TL;DR: A review of the history and theoretical assumptions of reparative therapists can be found in this paper, where the evolution from medically concerned practitioners into antigay political activists is discussed.
Abstract: Reparative therapy has come to generically define talking cures that claim to change an individual's homosexual orientation to a heterosexual one. Although other treatment modalities have also promised to “cure” homosexuality, the history of reparative therapies has become inexorably linked with that of psychoanalysis. This paper reviews the history and theoretical assumptions of psy-choanalytically-oriented practitioners, beginning with Freud's juve-nilization of gay people to the later analysts who pathologized and attempted to change same-sex attractions. The evolution of reparative therapists from medically concerned practitioners into antigay political activists is also discussed. The evolution of one branch of psychoanalytic theory into an antihomosexual political movement illustrates the permeability of boundaries between clinical issues and political ones. In their open support of antigay legislation, reparative therapists have moved from the traditional psychoanalytic center and have bee...
75 citations
TL;DR: For males and females prejudice increased between grades 7 and 9, but from grades 9 to 11 it decreased for females and increased for males, explained by the increased vulnerability of males to defensive reactions in response to the prospect of intimate relationships.
Abstract: The authors studied the development of gay and lesbian prejudice in white, suburban adolescents in grades 7, 9, and 11. Results parallel several major findings with adults: males were more prejudiced than females; this difference was greater towards gay males than lesbians; and same-sex prejudice was greater than opposite-sex prejudice. For males and females prejudice increased between grades 7 and 9, but from grades 9 to 11 it decreased for females and increased for males. These differences were explained by the increased vulnerability of males to defensive reactions in response to the prospect of intimate relationships. None of the personality measures were significantly correlated with prejudice.
75 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that while the weight of American culture sanctions homophobia, training educators and personnel about the nuances of institutional homophobia may provide a fairer environment for gay students and colleagues.
Abstract: In this paper we chronicle the prevalence of and cultural prescription for homophobia in the United States. The endemic nature of homophobia as it has been studied by behavioral scientists is reviewed. We then suggest that as social institutions reflecting cultural values, schools, colleges, and universities sanction an environment that neglects the value of gay students, staff, and faculty. Institutional homophobia dismisses the legitimacy of these individuals, thereby minimizing their contributions to learning. Addressed specifically are suggestions for training individuals who work with students to recognize, address, and challenge homophobia. We conclude that while the weight of American culture sanctions homophobia, training educators and personnel about the nuances of institutional homophobia may provide a fairer environment for gay students and colleagues. An appendix of resources describing effective programs for educational and training use is provided.
74 citations
TL;DR: A reliable and valid measure of self-reported anti-gay behaviors should help advance the understanding of the relationships among the affective, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of homonegativity.
Abstract: The prevalence of anti-gay violence is a widespread problem calling for thorough study and effective solutions. Hudson and Ricketts (1980) viewed homonegativity as composed of cognitive, affective, and behavioral aspects. Patel (1989) developed the Self Report of Behavior Scale (SBS) to measure respondents' previous negative behaviors toward gay individuals. Other research using this scale has yielded useful information, and further study is needed to refine the now-evolved scale (SBS-R). Participants in the present study were 264 college students who completed the SBS-R, the Crowne-Marlowe Social Desirability Scale (CMSDS) and Hudson and Ricketts' Index of Attitudes Toward Homosexuals (IAH). A factor analysis of the SBS-R yielded two factors: “avoidance behaviors” and “aggressive behaviors” toward gays. High internal consistency as well as construct validity for the SBS-R were found. This reliable and valid measure of self-reported anti-gay behaviors should help advance our understanding of the ...
72 citations
TL;DR: A stratified random sample of 750 males aged 18 to 27 in Calgary, Canada included questions on sexual activity and orientation, and the elevated depression scores for celibate homosexual and heterosexual males permit various interpretations, but are not supportive of beliefs and related institutional policies recommending or requiring that young adult homosexual males be celibates.
Abstract: A stratified random sample of 750 males aged 18 to 27 in Calgary, Canada included questions on sexual activity and orientation. A computerized response format (established as a good method for eliciting sensitive personal data) ensured anonymity. Three measures of homosexuality were employed: (1) voluntary, same-gender sexual contact from age 12 to 27: 14.0%; (2) overlapping homosexual (5.9%) and/or bisexual (6.1%) self-identification: 11.1%; and (3) exclusive (4.3%) and non-exclusive (4.9%) same-gender sexual relationships in past 6 months: 9.2%. On the basis of one or more of the three often overlapping measures, 15.3% of males reported being homosexual to some degree. CES-D depression scores did not differ significantly for sexually active homosexual (mean 14.6), bisexual (mean 15.7), and heterosexual (mean 13.7) males. The elevated depression scores for celibate homosexual (mean 27.1) and heterosexual (mean 23.6) males permit various interpretations, but are not supportive of beliefs and rela...
59 citations
TL;DR: The structure, function, and purpose of S/M (sadomasochistic) parties are explored, and the lack of genitally focused orgasm-seeking behavior at the party is discussed at length.
Abstract: An organized semi-public event for the exhibition of S/M (sadomasochistic) behavior is known as a “party” by the participants. Using a retrospective analysis of the author's experiences over the last 25 years, a description of these parties is presented. The present paper explores the structure, function, and purpose of these parties. The S/M behavior, sexual interactions, rules of etiquette, and structure of the party are summarized. The lack of genitally focused orgasm-seeking behavior at the party is discussed at length.
28 citations
TL;DR: The article examines ways in which Tom of Finland's drawings participated in discursive formations that created and disseminated the gay macho look and explores the meanings of Tom's drawings, particularly in relation to discourses of sexuality, gender, and race.
Abstract: On one hand, the article examines ways in which Tom of Finland's drawings participated in discursive formations that created and disseminated the gay macho look. "Tom's men" appropriated these pictures to make gay identities visible in their bodies, and created potentially resisting meanings. On the other hand, the author explores the meanings of Tom's drawings, particularly in relation to discourses of sexuality, gender, and race. He argues for the multiplicity of power and for ambivalent interaction of resistance and oppression in Tom's drawings. Tom's pictures draw attention to an idea, derived from Michel Foucault, that power and resistance are to be found in one and the same place. Although ways in which these images are used may give rise to subversive meanings they also circulate racist, sexist, and fascist discourses that contradict their potentially radical meanings. Indeed, the problem with the transgressive pleasures is that transgression may help to sustain the limits that are supposed to be crossed and deconstructed by a transgressor.
TL;DR: Findings from close-focus research on older homosexually active men which explore in depth the dynamic whereby these men attached themselves to gay community in terms of an analysis of class, generation, and the interplay with self-construction and masculinity are discussed.
Abstract: Gay Community Attachment has proved a significant predictor of successful behavior change among gay-identifying men in response to HIV/AIDS. Related work at Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, indicated that attachment to gay community is not a simple issue; rather, complex issues of sexual identity formation, the constraints of social inequality and localized sexual cultures inhibit the process of attachment and, therefore, successful HIV prevention. This paper discusses some of the findings from close-focus (qualitative) research on older homosexually active men which explore in depth the dynamic whereby these men attached themselves to gay community in terms of an analysis of class, generation, and the interplay with self-construction and masculinity.
TL;DR: This paper uses two teaching experiences with Baldwin's 1962 novel Another Country to frame a discussion of the complicated critical history of this literary work and its relation to Baldwin's literary reputation.
Abstract: SUMMARY This paper uses two teaching experiences with Baldwin's 1962 novel Another Country to frame a discussion of the complicated critical history of this literary work and its relation to Baldwin's literary reputation. The contested relationship between the categories of race and sexuality in the novel is tracked and its political implications explored.
TL;DR: It is argued that the historical evidence available to us does not show that social constructionism is the correct view, and that essentialism is fully compatible with such evidence.
Abstract: Social constructionism is the view that homosexuality is not an atemporal and acultural phenomenon. Rather, homosexuality exists only within certain cultures and within certain time periods, most obviously Europe and North America after the nineteenth century. Essentialism is the view that homosexuality is an essential feature of human beings and that it could be found, in principle at least, in any culture and in any time. In this paper, I argue that the historical evidence available to us does not show that social constructionism is the correct view, and that essentialism is fully compatible with such evidence. Furthermore, I argue that the historical evidence does not even render social constructionism more probable than essentialism, i.e., both views are equally probable in the face of this evidence.
TL;DR: In this article, the authors argue that the Registered Partnership Act is a product of cohabitation having become more legitimate as a life-form also among heterosexuals and that the practical consequences of the Act have been modest, with relatively few couples having registered their relationship.
Abstract: The article discusses the Registered Partnership Act, passed in Norway in 1993, which has given gay and lesbian couples a right to register their relationship and to obtain many of the legal rights that heterosexual couples have. The article argues that the introduction of the Act is a product of, among others, cohabitation having become more legitimate as a life-form also among heterosexuals. The practical consequences of the Act have been modest, with relatively few couples having registered their relationship. The article suggests that the symbolic rather than the practical aspects of the Act have been important, and even then, the symbolic effect of the Act is equivocal. The new formal rights of gays and lesbians are of decreasing social and symbolic value, as new boundaries for legitimate life-forms are being demarcated elsewhere: While legislation on marriage concedes that personal relationships are a private matter, the right to have and to foster children is regarded as an issue where society at large should have a say. This view is also reflected in the restrictions that the Registered Partnership Act has placed on gay and lesbian couples in having children of their own.
TL;DR: This paper chronicles the birth of lesbian-feminist publishing in the 1970s, a significant but often overlooked chapter of American alternative publishing history, and one that would help create the circumstances supporting a flourishing lesbian and gay literature in the 1980s and 1990s.
Abstract: This paper chronicles the birth of lesbian-feminist publishing in the 1970s, a significant but often overlooked chapter of American alternative publishing history, and one that would help create the circumstances supporting a flourishing lesbian and gay literature in the 1980s and 1990s. Between 1968 and 1973, over 500 feminist and lesbian publications appeared across the country, and what would become an organized network of independent women's bookstores began to appear. In 1976, a group of feminist trades-women-printers, booksellers, and others-would meet in the first of a series of Women in Print conferences that would give a name to the fledgling alternative press movement. Fueled by the energy of the women's movement, lesbians were instrumental actors in a variety of feminist publishing enterprises that, taken together, constituted a unique brand of print activism that illuminated and revised categories of identity; empowered individuals to overcome social isolation and discrimination; and informed nascent lesbian and feminist communities about strategies of resistance.
TL;DR: Based on ethnography of Stockholm's only true leather club, it shows how identity and spatial location are implicated in one another and looks at social and cultural processes of containment and dispersion within leather culture, the creation of erotic bodies, and forms of erotic interaction.
Abstract: There has been much recent attention to the relationship between the construction of place, identity, and the body. This paper examines some of these themes in a presentation of the gay leather scene in Stockholm, Sweden. Based on ethnography of Stockholm's only true leather club, it shows how identity and spatial location are implicated in one another. It also looks at social and cultural processes of containment and dispersion within leather culture, the creation of erotic bodies, and forms of erotic interaction. These processes are seen as reflecting features of the wider Swedish gay scene and society in general, which is sometimes less tolerant than it is imagined to be. Aspects of current and possible future transformations of leather culture and style are also briefly considered.
TL;DR: It is argued that everyday understandings of homosexuality tend to be resolved in such as way as to press homosexuality into the service of privileging a male, masculine, and heterosexual subjectivity.
Abstract: This paper examines the assumption that male homosexuality has a natural affinity with femininity and that male hetero-sexuality has a natural affinity with masculinity. An analysis of the relationship between people's disclosure or concealment of their homosexual practice or identity, particularly as it relates to notions of hegemonic masculinity and femininity provides the focus of this paper. It is argued that everyday understandings of homosexuality tend to be resolved in such as way as to press homosexuality into the service of privileging a male, masculine, and heterosexual subjectivity. This privileging is achieved, in part, as a result of the everyday social practices of homosexually active men's witting and unwitting deference to the hegemonic presumption that masculine men are naturally heterosexual, and its inverse, that feminine men are homosexual and are a perturbation of the natural order. We argue that this correlation is manufactured in everyday life in the world of appearances, b...
TL;DR: The article argues that, as part of the social and cultural change, marriage has become an empty institution; hence the ostensibly remarkable progress that gay and lesbian couples have also been conceded a marriage-like status.
Abstract: SUMMARY The article discusses the trajectory of lesbian and gay politics in Denmark, from the 1970s to the 1990s. It argues that, as part of the social and cultural change, marriage has become an empty institution; hence the ostensibly remarkable progress that gay and lesbian couples have also been conceded a marriage-like status. However, while pursuing this right, lesbian and gay organizations may have been too compliant with middle-class ideals of “decent” lifestyles; entering a registered partnership may become a new norm which excludes “less respectable” modes of homosexual lifestyles. The radical potential of homosexuality as a manifestation of the variety of lifestyles should not be jettisoned in the name of politics of assimilation.
TL;DR: In this article, a counseling model based on problem-solving communication-training is presented, meant as a framework upon which professionals can build; professional attitudes, assessment processes, and goal setting are also discussed.
Abstract: Adolescence is a stressful time for many children and identification as homosexual adds to the frustration normally experienced during this period of development. The processes of coming out and disclosing this homosexual identity, while often difficult, are necessary if the adolescent is to develop a stable sexual identity. In families where disclosure has occurred, feelings of regret, confusion, and denial are common; in order to deal with these feelings, many families seek professional help. It is important the therapist working with these family systems has an understanding of homosexuality, positive attitudes towards homosexuality, and an appropriate counseling model to use with these family systems. A counseling model based on problem-solving communication-training (Robin & Foster, 1984, 1989), meant as a framework upon which professionals can build, is presented; professional attitudes, assessment processes, and goal setting are also discussed.
TL;DR: The central issue of this essay is how the insignificant number of court cases and the seemingly very limited judicial interest in the issue of sodomy in Early Modern Sweden should be interpreted.
Abstract: In Sweden, homosexual acts between men were mentioned in secular law for the first time in 1608. Despite the explicit criminalization, very few trials are known from the seventeenth and eighteenth ...
TL;DR: Effects of the "homosexual" label in obtaining community accommodation were examined, in a sample of 180 individuals advertising rooms or flats for rent in two Canadian cities and in Detroit, Michigan.
Abstract: Effects of the “homosexual” label in obtaining community accommodation were examined, in a sample of 180 individuals advertising rooms or flats for rent in two Canadian cities, Windsor and London, Ontario, and in Detroit, Michigan. Telephone calls, for half the sample, made simple enquiries as to availability; for the other half, similar enquiries were made by an individual who was ostensibly homosexual. In the latter condition, rooms were significantly more likely to be described as unavailable. Comparisons are made to similar, previous research, and to current perspectives about community reactions to stigmatizing conditions.
TL;DR: Although the political positions of the two papers appear to be quite different, both papers marginalize and keep under surveillance gay identities, desire, and sexualities through coverage of AIDS; moreover, the press in both cases representsAIDS and gay identity in such excessive ways that marginalization and surveillance strategies are made to seem like a rational response to AIDS and gay desire.
Abstract: This article examines the discursive strategies used by two major daily newspapers from the South from 1981 to 1994 as they construct the story of AIDS and represent gay identity and desire to the "general public." The research employs a cultural studies approach to communication to analyze power relationships at work in the discourse of these media texts. The research here makes use of and extends a previous study on the highly conservative Oklahoma City newspaper, The Daily Oklahoman, by comparing the findings to coverage in the more liberal Alabama daily, The Birmingham News. These were chosen because they offer examples of broadly circulated regional media and because they seemingly espouse opposing political orientations. Although the political positions of the two papers appear to be quite different, both papers marginalize and keep under surveillance gay identities, desire, and sexualities through coverage of AIDS; moreover, the press in both cases represents AIDS and gay identity in such excessive ways that marginalization and surveillance strategies are made to seem like a rational response to AIDS and gay desire. Finally, a cultural studies approach to media allows for an explanation of the recent media silence about AIDS and gay identity.
TL;DR: The history of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, one of the first lesbian-specific collections in the world, from its birth in the early 1970s to the present time is described in this paper.
Abstract: SUMMARY This essay traces the history of the Lesbian Herstory Archives, one of the first lesbian-specific collections in the world, from its birth in the early 1970s to the present time.
TL;DR: There remains a great deal to be accomplished in freeing many millions of gays and lesbian from the tyranny of fear of discovery, of actual and potential economic disenfranchisement, of the burden of ridicule, shame, and scorn, and of penalties for alleged criminal behavior.
Abstract: There remains a great deal to be accomplished in freeing many millions of gays and lesbian from the tyranny of fear of discovery, of actual and potential economic disenfranchisement, of the burden of ridicule, shame, and scorn, and of penalties for alleged criminal behavior. Nevertheless, the recognized status, for example, of openly gay and lesbian psychologists ... is light years away from their inferior and almost certainly closed status of 1954. They are not only free now of the criminal penalties and of the stigma of mental illness, but are in positions of trust, respect, and power.
TL;DR: This essay traces The Ladder from its initial publication in October 1956 as the official vehicle of the lesbian rights group the Daughters of Bilitis to its final issue as a privately published magazine in August 1972.
Abstract: SUMMARY This essay traces The Ladder from its initial publication in October 1956 as the official vehicle of the lesbian rights group the Daughters of Bilitis to its final issue as a privately published magazine in August 1972. By excerpting quotes from key lesbian figures of the time, it seeks to trace The Ladder's history from amateur newsletter to a more polished literary magazine - a reflection of the shift in the culture's perspective of itself from “variant” to “lesbian.”
TL;DR: The major findings showed that the respondents were in significant agreement that their rituals helped solidify lesbian identity through the confrontation of internalized and external homophobia.
Abstract: This study was undertaken to examine the ways in which ritual helps affirm lesbian identity. The study explored two types of rituals commonly used among lesbians: commitment ceremonies and baby naming or child dedication ceremonies. Six in-depth interviews were conducted with lesbians who had participated in rituals which they perceived as affirming to their identities. The major findings showed that the respondents were in significant agreement that their rituals helped solidify lesbian identity through the confrontation of internalized and external homophobia. Subjects reported that this process subsequently fortified them in their daily battles against oppression. Of further significance, the respondents all specified that in several ways, their ritual helped provide balance and establish equilibrium between the many disparate experiences that result from living in a homophobic society. Implications will specify ways that therapists can use ritual as a tool in helping lesbian clients solidify ...
TL;DR: The male homosexual life space in a Nordic city during the decades around the Second World War consisted almost entirely of outdoor places such as parks, public conveniencies, and streets, fostering an extensive and varied social life and a growing community.
Abstract: SUMMARY In this article I describe the male homosexual life space in a Nordic city during the decades around the Second World War. It consisted almost entirely of outdoor places such as parks, public conveniences, and streets. It included, in Delph's (1978) words, not only erotic, but also cultural and social oases, fostering an extensive and varied social life and a growing community. Most of this outdoor space was invisible to those other than the participants. It had its own differentiation of, and meanings for, “public” and “private.” A poor economy, overcrowding, and the classical modern city helped shape the location and design of the male homosexual life space, as did the participation of many men who did not look upon themselves as “homosexual.” During this period, and especially after the Second World War, this life space began to change in a direction pointing towards that of today, that is, towards less outdoor life and more life in homes and semipublic indoor spaces. Better economy, the rise o...
TL;DR: This study will explore the presentation of front and backstage selves of women recreational softball players in Alaska using Goffmanian terminology.
Abstract: American culture and attitudes are profoundly homophobic. Studies abound that describe the violence and discrimination that traditionally have been part of a homosexual's life. Growing up “queer” in the United States prompts many homosexuals to consciously or unconsciously suppress homoerotic feelings (Forstein, 1988). The traditionally male and female identities in society are strongly connected to heterosexuality. Reality and fear that constrain a homosexual result in what Schwanberg (1993) states is a “rigidly segmented life in which one works as a straight person and plays as a gay one” (p. 47). Utilizing Goffmanian terminology, this study will explore the presentation of front and backstage selves of women recreational softball players in Alaska.
TL;DR: The article deals with the horrors of being labelled; but it also discusses labelling as merely a minor part of what goes on in the making of the modern homosexual.
Abstract: In 1860, the Danish fairy tale writer (whose fairy tales are perhaps primarily for grown-ups) met Karl Maria Kertbeny--who is supposed to have coined the term "homosexual" (first used in a private manuscript in 1868). The meeting caused immense despair in Andersen; yet what happened has remained a mystery. A careful study of Andersen's fairy tales and papers, however, provides a clue to an answer. The article deals with the horrors of being labelled; but it also discusses labelling as merely a minor part of what goes on in the making of the modern homosexual. Above all, Andersen's moods seem important and identifiable to us as homosexuals; more generally, they seem stirringly close to postmodern existence.