Lesbian and gay awareness training: a critical analysis

In this thesis, I explore lesbian and gay awareness training from a critical perspective. Lesbian and gay awareness training represents one of the few contemporary interventions attempting to effect positive social change on behalf of lesbians and gay men, and my research assesses whether and how this social phenomenon works. My research brings together a diverse range of ideas from critical psychology, lesbian and gay psychology and feminist psychology, using a (predominantly qualitative) multi-method approach with an emphasis on the process of training in action. I draw on a range of data source S, namely: tape-recordings of 'live' training sessions; interviews with trainers and trainees; field notes; pre- and post-training homophobia scales; and post-training evaluation forms. These data are analysed using descriptive statistics (Chapter 3), thematic analysis (Chapters 3,4,5,8), (thematic) discourse analysis (Chapters 6 and 7), and conversation analysis (Chapter 9). In seven empirical chapters I analyse various aspects of training. In Chapter 3,1 demonstrate that training 'works' when evaluated using outcome measures, and I critique the liberal ideology embodied in homophobia scales. I focus on training exercises, in Chapter 4, and I show how training is couched within a broad liberal framework. I examine pitfalls in training and how to overcome them from the trainers' perspective, in Chapter 5. Chapter 6, presents a discursive analysis of how trainees talk about their behaviour and attitude 'change' following training, and Chapter 7 analyses ways that mundane heterosexism is manifest in training. Chapters 8 and 9 analyse questions from the floor and highlight how the 'real' event differs from training manual advice. In the final chapter, I discuss the contributions and implications of my research for social change and indicate some future developments for research on lesbian and gay awareness training, and for lesbian and gay psychology

Coming of age: a reflection on Psychology of Sexualities at 20

Coming of age: a reflection on Psychology of Sexualities at 2

‘It has had quite a lot of reverberations through the family’: reconfiguring relationships through parent with dementia care.

‘It has had quite a lot of reverberations through the family’: reconfiguring relationships through parent with dementia care

Polyphonic legality: power of attorney through dialogic interaction

Building on Bakhtin’s work on discourse, this paper uses the concept of polyphony to explore capacity law praxis. Drawing on everyday interaction about power of attorney, we demonstrate how legal, lay, and medical understandings of capacity operate dialogically, with each voice offering distinct expressions of legality. Analysing lay and medical interactions about Lasting Power of Attorney - the legal authority to make decisions on behalf of a person who loses the mental capacity to make their own decisions - we argue power of attorney holds a ‘polyphonic legality’. We argue that legal concepts (like power of attorney) are constructed not solely through official law, but through dialogic interaction in their discursive fields. We suggest ‘polyphonic legality’ offers an innovative approach to understanding how law works in everyday life, which is attentive to the rich texture of legality created by and through the multiple voices and domains of socio-legal regulation

Stories of grief and hope: Queer experiences of reproductive loss.

When parents and researchers talk of queer perspectives on pregnancy, birth and parenting, an issue that we often avoid is queer experiences of loss during pregnancy, birth or adoption. This chapter centers on the personal narratives collected by two researchers—an American anthropologist and a British psychologist —who met online after their own experiences with pregnancy loss as queer women. We present the stories of queer people—primarily lesbian and bisexual women, but also several gay men and transpeople—as they have experienced reproductive loss. These stories are drawn from Peel’s online survey of 60 non-heterosexual women from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia and Craven’s 40 interviews with LGBTQ people who had experienced loss in the USA and Canada. We argue that for LGBTQ people, challenges in achieving conception and adoption amplify stories of loss, and that both grief and hope suffuse stories of reproductive loss. We identify several factors, such as the severely under-researched experiences of nonEgestational or “social” parents, financial concerns about loss following assisted reproduction or adoption expenses, and fears of further marginalization as non-normative parents. These issues are particular, if not unique to queer experiences of reproductive loss. As most research and existing resources for support have focused heavily on the experiences of married, heterosexual (primarily white, middleEclass) women, we conclude by suggesting ways for medical professionals and support groups to better serve LGBTQ people following reproductive loss

Queering reproductive loss: Exploring grief and memorialization

LGBTQ communities have a long history of memorializing loss—The NAMES Project or AIDS memorial quilt, the Transgender Day of Remembrance, art and fiction memorializing the Stonewall riots. Yet the subject of reproductive loss—including miscarriage, infant death and failed adoptions—has often been a silent burden for LGBTQ parents. Few LGBTQ-oriented guides to conception or adoption even mention loss, and most self-help material on reproductive loss is geared toward heterosexual, married (often white, middle class, and Christian) couples. This chapter centers on the personal narratives collected by two researchers—an American anthropologist and a British psychologist —who met online after their own experiences with pregnancy loss as queer women. We present the stories of queer people—primarily lesbian and bisexual women, but also several gay men and transpeople—as they have experienced reproductive loss. These stories are drawn from Peel’s online survey of 60 non-heterosexual women from the UK, USA, Canada and Australia and Craven’s 50 interviews with LGBTQ people who had experienced loss in the USA and Canada. We argue that for LGBTQ people, challenges in achieving conception and adoption amplify experiences of loss and that the severely under-researched experiences of non-biological parents offer important insights into the range of experience with reproductive loss. This chapter highlights the diverse memorialization strategies for reproductive loss that are practiced within LGBTQ communities suggesting that these often actively challenge heteronormative assumptions about loss and grief, as well as expectations of belonging, community and family formation. Through personal stories and photos, this chapter examines physical memorials, religious/spiritual services, and the increasingly popular use of commemorative tattoos and art by grieving LGBTQ parents as strategies for “marking” their experience personally, as well as within their communities

Civil partnership & marriage: what they mean to same-sex couples

An online qualitative survey was used to explore the perspectives of those who have had a civil partnership, a same-sex marriage or have converted a civil partnership to a marriage. The survey asked for views about the legal recognition of relationships and the impact (or not) the introduction of same-sex marriage in England, Wales and Scotland is having. A total of 82 responses were received between Oct 2015 – Apr 2016. This report provides an overview of the findings

Ageing and chronic illness in language and sexuality

An ageing demographic in Western societies as well as globally has made public health issues, such as dementias, subject to hyperbolic metaphor such as “tsunami” and “time bomb.” This chapter reviews the state of knowledge regarding language, sexualities, ageing, and chronic illness. In particular, we focus on discursive research from across the social sciences that furthers understandings of older people’s lives and experiences. We highlight research that has focused on ageism and chronic conditions impacting older people (specifically, dementia and type 2 diabetes), including empirical research on these conditions, and on manifestations of heterosexism and heteronormativity in these contexts. Using illustrative examples that emphasize the intersection of discourse and issues that relate to ageing, we foreground this area as an important element of language and sexuality scholarship. Last, we indicate future directions for the development of research focusing on these topics

Pathways within dementia diagnosis

Pathways within dementia diagnosi

Acute cognitive effects of physical activity for people who have dementia

Background: Physical activity has the potential to improve cognition for those with dementia, as demonstrated by randomised controlled trials lasting at least 6 weeks. Research is yet to explore the acute cognitive effects of physical activity for people with dementia. Acute resistance physical activity with healthy late-middle aged individuals has been shown to facilitate general cognition, as well as benefit executive function specifically. This study therefore aimed to establish if people with dementia experience cognitive benefits from acute resistance physical activity over and above a social control.Methods: A cross-sectional study design was applied to compare resistance physical activity to bingo between 10 participants with dementia to 15 age-matched controls. Following University ethical approval, participants were recruited from Alzheimer’s or dementia activity and support groups held in the community. Acute cognitive effects were assessed using the Mini Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Hopkins Verbal Learning Test (HVLT), Verbal Fluency (VF) and The Cognitive Computerised Test Battery for Individual’s with Intellectual Disabilities (CCIID); before and after a short bout of seated resistance band physical activity or a social control, bingo. The participants then completed the opposing activity 6 weeks later, and then cognitive assessments alone a further 6 weeks later. This allowed to analyse cognitive effects immediately and 6 weeks after. Statistical analysis included Mann Whitney U test, Chi-square test and Mix-measured ANOVA to compare scores across time-points.Results: Participants had a mean age of 76 years, 40% were male and 60% were female. For participants with dementia immediately after the resistance band activity improvements can be observed on the MMSE, VF, HVLT, Series, Jigsaw and Total CCIID. Only the MMSE, Series and Total CCIID still showed improvements at 6-week follow-up. Immediately following the psychosocial intervention, participants with dementia only showed improvements on the HVLT, which were not sustained after 6-weeks. For age-matched controls, bingo appeared to be more beneficial than physical activity.Conclusion: These results indicate that there are differential acute effects of activity depending upon pre-existing cognitive ability. Specific cognitive benefits may be available for people with dementia following resistance band physical activity. This pilot study shows promising indications for physical activity as a therapy for dementia, however results should be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size of this study.</div