Gender and Sexuality Commons^™

Renaming Me: Assessing The Influence Of Gender Identity On Name Selection, Sharon Obasi, Richard Mocarski, Natalie Holt, Debra Hope, Nathan Woodruff

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Our identity is our name connected with a specific face and body. Yet, our name, a critical aspect of the “names-body-identity” nexus is rarely selfselected. The naming of a newborn is often the purview of family and the name selected is often linked to the sex assigned to the child. Assigned sex, however, may differ from gender identity. Renaming, the process of selecting and using a new name, can be instrumental in expressing an authentic gender identity. Thus, gender identity and renaming were examined among transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) adults using an online survey. Participants indicated that the recognition …

Trans Collaborations Clinical Check-In (Tc3): Initial Validation Of A Clinical Measure For Transgender And Gender Diverse Adults Receiving Psychological Services, Natalie R. Holt, Terrence Z. Huit, Grant Shulman, Jane L. Meza, Jolene Smyth, Nathan Woodruff, Richard Mocarski, Jae Puckett, Debra A. Hope

Trans Collaborations Academic Papers

One key aspect of evidence-based psychological services is monitoring progress to inform treatment decision making, often using a brief self-report measure. However, no such measure exists to support measurement based care given the distinct needs of transgender and gender diverse people (TGD), a group facing large documented health disparities and marginalization in healthcare. The purpose of the present study was to develop and provide initial psychometric validation of a short, behavioral health progress monitoring self-report measure, the Trans Collaborations Clinical Check-in (TC3). TGD communities, providers identified as TGD-affirmative, and relevant academic experts contributed to item and scale development. The final …

Bat Meets Girl: Adapting The Dark Knight’S Love Life To The Big Screen, Brandon Bosch

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

It is no secret that Hollywood loves a good romance. What is perhaps sometimes overlooked however is how important romance and female characters are to male-dominated action films. Esma Kartal argues women and romance are deliberately placed into action films to create “romantic relief” and attract female viewers for greater crossover appeal.¹ In addition to romance, Yvonne Tasker observes how women in action films serve as a witness for “the hero’s suffering” and humanity in action films.² Finally, a classic use of women and romance in action films is that of the damsel-indistress, which continues to this day …

First Impressions Online: The Inclusion Of Transgender And Gender Nonconforming Identities And Services In Mental Healthcare Providers’ Online Materials In The Usa, Natalie Holt, Debra A. Hope, Richard Mocarski, Nathan Woodruff

Trans Collaborations Academic Papers

Background: When accessing mental healthcare services, transgender and gender nonconforming (TGNC) individuals face systemic barriers to gender-affirmative care. Initial points of contact, like intake forms, may show limited consideration for the heterogeneity of TGNC identities and can lead to negative consequences prior to face-to-face interaction with providers.

Aims: The first aim was to mimic a likely pathway a TGNC individual may follow to seek mental healthcare services in the USA and to describe the extent to which they may encounter enacted stigma or affirmative messages that may impede or facilitate access to care. The second aim was to determine if …

Unmet Expectations In Healthcare Settings: Experiences Of Transgender And Gender Diverse Adults In The Central Great Plains, Heather Meyer

Trans Collaborations Academic Papers

Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) individuals face a long-term, multi-faceted process if they choose to begin a gender affirmation journey. Decisions to go on hormone therapy and/or have a surgical procedure necessitate the TGD individual to set up an appointment with a healthcare provider. However, when TGD patients interact with healthcare practitioners, problems can arise. This article documents and categorizes the types of unmet expectations that are common in the TGD patient-healthcare provider social dynamic in the Central Great Plains of the United States. Utilizing a community-based participatory research model, qualitative in-depth interviews were conducted with 27 TGD individuals about …

Drawing On Lgb Identity To Encourage Participation And Disclosure Of Sexual Orientation In Surveys, Mathew Stange, Jolene D. Smyth, Kristen M. Olson

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

This paper reports an experiment that tested how three survey cover designs—images of traditional families and individuals displaying themselves in typical gender ways; images of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) and heterosexual individuals and families; and no cover images—affected LGB people’s participation and disclosure of LGB identity and non-LGB people’s participation. Analyses showed the LGB-inclusive cover led to significantly more LGB respondents than the other designs, without significantly affecting the demographic, political, and religious makeup of the completed sample. We discuss what these findings mean for addressing two challenges: getting LGB people to respond to surveys and to disclose their …

Media Exposure And Community Perception Of Alcoholism Among Female Adolescents In South-West Nigeria, Rowland Edet, Julianah Babajide

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of alcohol adverts on female adolescents as well as the perception of the community on alcohol consumption among female adolescents. The authors analyzed respondents’ opinions towards media portrayal of alcoholic beverages. Design/

Methodology/ Approach - The study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional survey. The methodology based upon semi-structured questionnaire among 500 female adolescents and a qualitative methodology using in-depth interviews with parents and alcoholic beverage sellers.

Findings - The study reveals that television was the major source of information on alcoholic beverages among female adolescents in both rural (36.4%) …

Sexual Behaviours Of Adolescents In Creek Town, Cross River State, Nigeria, Kabiru K. Salami, Rowland E. Edet

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Risky sexual behaviors of adolescents in Creek Town have not been fully profiled. This study investigated the sexual behaviors of adolescents and their various dimensions in Creek Town, in Cross River State, Nigeria. This cross-sectional survey design adopted multi-stage sampling procedure to administer a 112-items questionnaire to 422 adolescents, to elicit information on their sexual behaviors and practices. Four focus group discussion sessions were also conducted with in-school and out-of-school adolescents. The mean age of adolescents was 17 years. Majority (65.4%) of the adolescents were sexually active. The mean age at sexual debut was 15 years for both male and …

A Qualitative Study Of Changes In The Traditional Roles Of Housewives In Ibadan, Southwest Nigeria, Rowland Edet, Julianah Babajide, Oluwayimika Ekundina

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Although hinged on the principles of patriarchy, the Nigerian society has witnessed appreciable changes in the roles of women. This change is noticed in marriage particularly among married women or housewives. Thus, the phenomenon of full housewife is gradually fading away due to the joint influence of westernization, globalization, and modernization. Thus, this study delved into interrogating the various changes that have taken place in the traditional roles of housewives in selected locations in Ibadan. This study utilized a purely qualitative method of research because the subject matter focuses on making sense of meanings people attach to gender, gender roles, …

"I Imagine The Male Isn't In The Video And It Is Me:" A Mixed Methods Study Of Internet Pornography, Masculinity, And Sexual Aggression In Emerging Adulthood, Christina Richardson

College of Education and Human Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Research on Internet pornography has consistently found that men are more likely to view mainstream porn than women and that most men view pornography. Additionally, mainstream porn content has been found to portray highly stereotyped views of gender with men in positions of dominance over women and men engaging in aggression toward women. Despite the consistent finding that pornography is a gendered phenomenon, there is little research exploring the connection between masculinity and pornography use. Furthermore, research on the effects of pornography use on sexual aggression has been mixed, with some findings indicating that men who view porn are more …

The Rise And Fall Of Gilmore Girls' Feminist Legacy, Mckenna Ahlgren

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

This thesis explores the feminist legacy that the television series Gilmore Girls (2000-2007, 2016) built during its original airtime and how its later revival diminished that legacy. Gilmore Girls’ main characters are three generations of women within the Gilmore family, providing a unique opportunity to analyze their feminist identities and characterizations relative to different iterations of feminism. This paper examines how the youngest Gilmore, Rory, is influenced by her mother’s and grandmother’s embodiments of feminism. Their expressions of femininity and sexuality, their approaches to motherhood, and their behaviors in their romantic relationships throughout the series correlate with the predominate feminism …

Birds Of A Feather? Friendship Utilization By Sexual Minority Students During The Transition To College, Jessica Morrow

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Friendship is important for individuals at any point in their lives, but takes on a new role during emerging adulthood as individuals make the transition into adult roles and responsibilities (Arnett 2000, 2006). Potentially even more significant is the importance of friendship to sexual minority young adults who are also forming their identities at this stage (Brandon-Friedman and Kim 2016). Since the transition to college takes place during emerging adulthood, it is important to examine how sexual minority young adults utilize their friendships with other sexual minorities as well as heterosexual peers to navigate this transition. Drawing on in-depth interviews …

Role Of Social Environmental Protective Factors On Anxiety And Depressive Symptoms Among Midwestern Homeless Youth, Kimberly A. Tyler, Rachel M. Schmitz, Colleen M. Ray

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

We employ a social stress framework, which examines the influence of multiple stressors (e.g., physical abuse, foster care placement) on an individual’s ability to function (e.g., mental well-being), to longitudinally examine the effects of stressful life events on mental health and the role of the social environment in this process among 150 homeless youth. Results revealed that numerous stressors, such as physical abuse and running away from home more frequently, were associated with greater depressive symptoms and elevated anxiety. Having mentors and family and friends from home that youth can rely on resulted in more positive social support, which subsequently …

Backlash Or A Positive Response? Public Opinion Of Lgb Issues After Obergefell V. Hodges., Emily Kazyak, Mathew Stange

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Following Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex marriage remains controversial and anti-LGBT state legislation has been passed, which raises questions about whether the Supreme Court’s ruling may have created a backlash. We use data from two waves of a general population survey of Nebraskans conducted before and after the decision to answer three questions. First, we test three theories of how the Court decision influenced public opinion. We find that support for same-sex marriage was significantly higher following the ruling, suggesting that there was not a backlash to it. Second, we assess whether people perceive that the court accurately reflects the public’s …

What Is My Role In Changing The System? A New Model Of Responsibility For Structural Injustice, Robin Zheng

Women's and Gender Studies Program: Faculty Publications

What responsibility do individuals bear for structural injustice? Iris Marion Young has offered the most fully developed account to date, the Social Connections Model. She argues that we all bear responsibility because we each causally contribute to structural processes that produce injustice. My aim in this article is to motivate and defend an alternative account that improves on Young’s model by addressing five fundamental challenges faced by any such theory. The core idea of what I call the Role-Ideal Model is that we are each responsible for structural injustice through and in virtue of our social roles, i.e. our roles …

Women’S Work? The Relationship Between Farmwork And Gender Self-Perception, Jolene Smyth, Alexis Swendener, Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Women have long been involved in agricultural production, yet farming and ranching have been associated with masculinity and men. In recent years women have become more involved and more likely to take active and equal roles on farms and ranches and thus increasingly are doing tasks that have been associated with masculinity. Prior work indicates that women are perceived by others as more masculine when they do these tasks, but less work has focused on the association between women’s involvement in farming and women’s own perceptions of their gender (i.e., how masculine or feminine they feel). Using 2006 survey data …

Relationship Satisfaction Among Infertile Couples: Implications Of Gender And Self-Identification, Arthur L. Greil, Kathleen S. Slauson-Blevins, Julia Mcquillan, Michele H. Lowry, Andrea R. Burch, Karina M. Shreffler

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

We use path analysis to analyze heterosexual couples from the U.S. National Survey of Fertility Barriers, a probability-based sample of women and their male partners. We restrict the sample to couples in which the women are infertile. We estimate a path model of each partner’s relationship satisfaction on indicators of self-identifying as having a fertility problem or not at the individual and couple levels. We find a gender effect: for women, but not men, relationship satisfaction was significantly higher when neither partner self-identified as having a fertility problem. Women’s relationship satisfaction exerted a strong influence on their partners’ relationship satisfaction, …

Child Abuse, Mental Health And Sleeping Arrangements Among Homeless Youth: Links To Physical And Sexual Street Victimization, Kimberly A. Tyler, Rachel Schmitz

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Physical safety is a primary concern among homeless youth because they struggle to secure basic necessities and a permanent place to live. Despite this, studies have not fully examined the numerous linkages that might explain risk for victimization within the context of material insecurity. In this study, we examine multiple levels of both proximal and distal risk factors at the individual (e.g. mental health), family (e.g. child abuse), and environmental levels (e.g. finding necessities) and their associations with physical and sexual street victimization among 150 Midwestern homeless youth. Results from path analyses show that child physical abuse is positively associated …

Risk Factors For Forced, Incapacitated, And Coercive Sexual Victimization Among Sexual Minority And Heterosexual Male And Female College Students, Colleen M. Ray, Kimberly Tyler, Leslie Gordon Simons

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Although college students are at high risk for sexual victimization, the majority of research has focused on heterosexual students and often does not differentiate by victimization type. Thus, little is known about prevalence rates and risk factors for sexual victimization among sexual minority college students and whether the interaction between gender and sexual orientation differs by victimization type. To address these gaps, we examine whether risk factors for three types of sexual victimization (i.e., forced, incapacitated, and coerced) differ by gender (n = 681 males; n = 732 females) and sexual orientation (n = 1,294 heterosexual; n = …

Examining The Effects Of A Service-Trained Facility Dog On Stress In Children Undergoing Forensic Interview For Allegations Of Child Sexual Abuse, Cheryl A. Krause-Parello, Michele Thames, Colleen M. Ray, John Kolassa

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Disclosure of child sexual abuse can be a stressful experience for the child. Gaining a better understanding of how best to serve the child, while preserving the quality of their disclosure, is an ever-evolving process. The data to answer this question come from 51 children aged 4–16 (M = 9.1, SD = 3.5), who were referred to a child advocacy center in Virginia for a forensic interview (FI) following allegations of sexual abuse. A repeated measures design was conducted to examine how the presence of a service-trained facility dog (e.g. animal-assisted intervention (AAI) may serve as a mode of lowering …

Ways Of Doing: Feminist Educational Development, Emily O. Gravett, Lindsay Bernhagen

To Improve the Academy: A Journal of Educational Development

In response to the recent special call in To Improve the Academy, we offer the following collaborative essay that describes how feminism is our characterizing perspective on educational development. The essay details various, interrelated facets of feminism that inform our work in the field: gender, intersectionality, power, privilege, standpoint theory, and collaboration. Not only do these facets characterize our own feminist approach to educational development—from consultations to organizational development to publications—but, we argue, they also align well with the values and approaches of the field as a whole.

Why The Classroom Is A Sacred Place For Me And Why I’Ll Keep Venturing Out Into “No-Man’S Land”… Even During These Abortion Wars, Rose Holz

Women's and Gender Studies Program: Faculty Publications

The classroom, as I see it, is not a place where I impose my views. It is a place for the free exchange of ideas even—no, especially—if they differ from my own. Otherwise, how else are we going to learn? Otherwise, how else are we going to get to know each other—maybe even like each other—even if sometimes we hold radically different views? And of course again, I would be lying if I didn’t mention just how many times I’ve miserably failed in this regard. But I’m also happy to report how over the years I’ve managed to achieve a …

Is Male Androphilia A Context-Dependent Cross-Cultural Universal?, Raymond B. Hames, Zachary H. Garfield, Melissa J. Garfield

Department of Anthropology: Faculty Publications

The cross-cultural ethnographic literature has traditionally used the label male “homosexuality” to describe sexual relationships between biological males without considering whether or not the concept encompasses primary sexual attraction to adult males. Although male androphilia seems to be found in all national populations, its universal existence in tribal populations has been questioned. Our goal is to review previous cross-cultural classifications and surveys of male same sex behavior to present a system that does justice to its varied expressions, especially as it is informed by contemporary sexuality research. Previous comparative research does not effectively distinguish male same sex behavior from male …

Gender Pay Gap In Athletics, George Siliman

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The pay gap is a measure of what women are paid relative to men. It is important to to minimize the gender pay gap in athletics so it can successfully help society move in forward progression and not hinder on the past. The effects on women in professional sport setting, and the overall difference between males and females in athletics all play a significant role on the fluctuated pay gap.

Women play a prominent role in athletics but the lack of compensation devalues them as competitors and athletes. In sum, I learned about the fluctuation of the pay gap between …

Fight For Equality, Edgar A. Ruiz-Guaderrama

Nebraska College Preparatory Academy: Senior Capstone Projects

The great author Jane Austen lived during a time period in which there was a patriarchal society installed which made it quite difficult for women rights similar to the Victorian Era. Both in Jane Austen’s society and the Victorian Era, there were huge gaps in gender equality. The society at the time made it easy for men to run everything that happened in society which in turn lead to women being at a huge disadvantage.Jane Austen showed people many examples of this inequality in her book Pride and Prejudice It is crucial as a society to improve from and correct …

Checking Privilege At The Door: Men’S Reflections On Masculinity In Women’S And Gender Studies Course, Rachel Schmitz, Emily Kazyak

Department of Sociology: Faculty Publications

Certain types of masculinity undergird gender inequality, but different contexts may encourage individuals to conceptualize gender in new and unique ways. Women’s and Gender Studies (WGS) university courses support this for women, but less is known about men’s experiences. Through an analysis of interview data from 15 men who have taken WGS courses, we ask: What do men experience in the WGS classroom and how do men perceive that their experiences in WGS courses shape their conceptualizations of gender and gender relations? Men described developing their understandings of gender inequality after taking a WGS course and they applied this knowledge …

Gender Differences In Social Support, Self-Salience, And Mental Health, Ee Shin (Emily) Hum, Christina Falci

UCARE: Research Products

Men and women tend to manifest distinct mental health outcomes. Specifically, women report higher levels of internalizing symptoms, such as depression and anxiety, whereas men report higher levels externalizing symptoms, such as alcohol abuse (Rosenfield, S., Lennon, M. C., & White, H. R., 2005; Rosenfield, S., & Smith, D., 2010). However, it is unclear what mechanisms shape the gender differences in mental health outcomes. This research will explore two key possible mechanisms: social support and self-salience. Our aims in this study are to examine how and why mental health outcomes vary by gender? And also to what extent do social …

Understanding Transgender Community: Locating Support And Resiliency Using The Minority Stress Model, Rosalind D. Kichler

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

The minority stress model (Meyer 2003) predicts stigmatized minorities, like transgender persons, suffer worse mental health due to exposure to discrimination. However support from similarly stigmatized others can ameliorate the effect of discrimination stress. Although gender and sexual minorities are often assumed to have access to and support from “the” LGBTQ community or “the” transgender community, many may not understand themselves as members of this community nor feel supported by it. Therefore it is essential to interrogate what community means to LGBTQ persons, particularly to transgender people for whom a paucity of literature exists. Based on in-depth interviews with 10 …

On The Street And On Campus: A Comparison Of Life Course Trajectories Among Homeless And College Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender And Queer Young Adults, Rachel M. Schmitz

Department of Sociology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study examines the life course experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) homeless young adults and LGBTQ college students. Though both of these groups have in common their age (i.e. young adults) and LGBTQ identity, college students generally have more resources and are expected to fare better into later life compared to homeless young adults. Despite these disparities, all LGBTQ young people are likely at greater risk for negative health outcomes and social issues due to their status as sexual and/or gender minorities. Little research, however, has simultaneously examined these two groups, and how their life course …

Transgressing Gender Normativity Through Gender Identity Development: Exploring Transgender, Non-Conforming, And Non-Binary Identities Of College Students, Enrique Tejada Iii

Department of Educational Administration: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This study situates current gender social constructions as harmful, inhibitive, and problematic, especially for those that transgress gender boundaries and do not align with their gender assigned at birth. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to critically challenge and deconstruct the social construct of gender and its norms both within and outside of a college campus. This study works to achieve this purpose and answer research questions through careful analysis of the different gender journeys of three separate gender-diverse individuals. These participants’ stories are shared in a case-study format to recognize how each individual uniquely and personally formed their …