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Aims to increase awareness about the specific circumstances of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) diversity. Based on a wide array of literature this volume provides a global vision of this reality, explaining the evolution of homosexuality during history and reasons why it has been considered a sin, an illness and a crime, This compilation of experience and sound knowledge seeks to increase awareness about the specific circumstances of LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) diversity. Based on a wide range of literature, it provides a global vision of this reality, explaining the evolution of homosexuality during history and reasons why it has been considered a sin, an illness and a crime. Due to its global scope, this volume presents reflections and solutions relevant to any type of international organization that aims to add LGBT inclusion practices to its agenda

Ordinary in Brighton? offers the first large scale examination of the impact of the UK equalities legislation on lesbian, gay, bi- and trans (LGBT) lives, and the effects of these changes on LGBT political activism. Using the participatory research project, Count Me In Too, this book investigates the material issues of social/spatial injustice that were pertinent for some - but not all- LGBT people, and explores activisms working in partnership that operated with/within the state. Ordinary in Brighton? explores the unevenly felt consequences of assimilation and inclusion in a city that was compelled to provide a place (literally and figuratively) for LGBT people. Brighton itself is understood to be exceptional, and exploring this specific location provides insights into how place operates as constitutive of lives and activisms. Despite its placing as 'the gay capital' and its long history as a favoured location of LGBT people, there is very little academic or popular literature published about this city. This book offers insights into the first decade of the 21st century when sexual and gender dissidents supposedly became ordinary here, rather than exceptional and transgressive. It argues that geographical imaginings of this city as the 'gay capital' formed activisms that sought positive social change for LGBT people. The possibilities of legislative change and urban inclusivities enabled some LGBT people to live ordinary lives, but this potential existed in tension with normalisations and exclusions. Alongside the necessary critiques, Ordinary in Brighton? asks for conceptualisations of the creative and co-operative possibilities of ordinariness. The book concludes by differentiating the exclusionary ideals of normalisation from the possibilities of ordinariness, which has the potential to render a range of people not only in-place, but

This article focuses on the link between the representation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in national legislatures and the existence of equality laws focused on sexual orientation. It addresses three interrelated questions: how many "out" LGBT legislators have served in national parliaments, what explains the cross-national variation in their legislative presence, and what is the relationship between the presence of gay legislators and the enactment of laws that treat gay and straight citizens equally? There is an established literature arguing that the representation of women and ethnic minorities "descriptively" in national legislatures improves the realization of their policy preferences and the position of the group within the society as a whole. This article draws on that literature and extends the analysis to LGBT communities. It finds that the presence of even a small number of openly gay legislators is associated significantly with the future passage of enhanced gay rights, even after including controls for social values, democracy, government ideology, and electoral system design. Once openly gay legislators are in office they have a transformative effect on the views and voting behavior of their straight colleagues. This "familiarity through presence" effect is echoed in studies of U.S. state legislatures and levels of social tolerance of homosexuality in the population at large.

Since the start of the twenty-first century, the literature on same-sex couple relationships and families headed by single parents who identify as lesbian or gay has grown exponentially, and research published in the past 10 to 15 years tackles many new questions about sexual minority families. This review concentrates on four topics that have dominated the sociological arena: who counts as family and how/whether changing definitions of family incorporate households formed by lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people; the biological, social, and legal obstacles that influence family formation for this population; the outcomes for youth raised with lesbian or gay parents; and family dynamics, relationship quality, and relationship dissolution in same-sex couple and transgender partner households. We conclude with future directions for the sociological study of LGBT sexuality and families.

More than any other, the idea of normalisation has provoked deep divisions within queer activism both at a philosophical and also at a political level. At the root of these divisions lies the irreconcilable divergence between an agenda for social change, which advocates the need for society to accept all sexual behaviours and identities as normal, and an approach of radical resistance against some social structures that can only offer a bourgeois and conformist normalisation. Literary fiction and homo-gay-queer themed cinema have explored these and other sides of the idea of normalisation and have thus contributed to the taking of decisive steps: from the poetics of transgression towards the poetics of celebration and social transformation. In this paper we examine two of these literary normalisation strategies: the use of humour and the proliferation of discursive perspectives both in the cinema and in narrative fiction during the last decades. ; Más quizá que ninguna otra, la idea de normalización ha provocado profundas divisiones en el seno del activismo queer, tanto a nivel filosófico/conceptual como a nivel de estrategia política. En el origen de estas divisiones se encuentra la irreconciliable divergencia entre una agenda de cambio social, que propugna la necesidad de que la sociedad acepte como normales todas las conductas e identidades sexuales, y un planteamiento de resistencia radical ante unas estructuras sociales que sólo pueden ofrecer una normalización burguesa y acomodaticia. La literatura de ficción y el cine de temática homo-gay-queer han explorado éstas y otras facetas de la idea de normalización, contribuyendo así a dar pasos decisivos desde las poéticas de la transgresión hacia poéticas de la celebración y transformación social. En esta presentación se exploran dos de estas estrategias de normalización literaria: el uso del humor y la proliferación de perspectivas discursivas en el cine y la narrativa de ficción de las últimas décadas.

"People who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender (LGBT) experience subtle forms of discrimination, also known as microaggressions. Microaggressions are commonplace interactions that occur in a wide variety of social settings, including school or the workplace, among friends and family, and even among other LGBT people. These accumulated experiences are associated with feelings of victimization, suicidal thinking, and higher rates of substance abuse, depression, and other health problems among members of the LGBT community. In this book, Kevin Nadal provides a thought-provoking review of the literature on discrimination and microaggressions toward LGBT people. The generous use of case examples makes the book ideal for gender studies courses and discussion groups. Each case is followed by analysis of the elements involved in microaggressions and discussion questions for the reader to reflect upon. This book includes advice for mental health practitioners, organizational leaders, educators, and students who want to adopt LGBT-accepting worldviews and practices. It has tips for how to discuss and advocate for LGBT issues in the realms of family, community, educational systems, and the government"--Publicity materials. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

AbstractThis article focuses on lesbian and gay couples and families and the politics of same‐sex marriage. Drawing from the literature on same‐sex couples, same‐sex marriage, and queer theory's concept of heteronormativity, we argue that gay and lesbian couples and families both affirm and challenge heterosexual and gendered family forms. First, we review literature that discusses how same‐sex relationships and families are similar to and different from conventional heterosexual relationships and families. Second, we discuss the socio‐legal and cultural inequalities faced by LGBT families. Third, we discuss the politics of same‐sex marriage, examining the debate among social conservatives, pro‐marriage activists, and queer critics over the desirability of same‐sex marriage. We conclude that the growing visibility of LGBT couples and families has made their exclusion from the institution of marriage more conspicuous and that recognition of LGBT relationships and families seems likely to increase.

The Alpine County Project, a climactic event in the gay liberation movement when activists took steps to create a self-governing separatist community in a remote region of rural California, is a largely forgotten topic of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) history. Though historical scholarship treated the project marginally within broader conceptual or regional contexts of gay liberation, the project had not been examined comprehensively in its own right. When approaching the topic, the initial historical problem to resolve was determining whether the project was a hoax staged to generate publicity or part of a genuine gay and lesbian separatist movement. Topical study consisted of archival research and an extensive literature review. The literature review included but was not limited to such seminal works as Sexual Politics, Sexual Communities: The Making of a Homosexual Minority in the United States 1940-1970 by John D'Emilio, and Gay American History: Lesbians and Gay Men in the U.S.A. by Jonathan Katz, as well as more recent interdisciplinary works such as Scott Herring's, Another Country: Queer Anti-Urbanism and Jamie Russell's, Queer Burroughs. Research indicated that: 1) The present LGBT historical narrative of a linear march from oppression toward equality is largely an urban capitalist construct and 2) The present LGBT historiography which is focused mostly on urban LGBT population centers is incomplete because non-urban segments are not included. The study revealed that the Alpine vision was genuine and not a well conspired hoax. Of greater significance, the study demonstrated that the LGBT historical narrative marginalizes gay liberation's radicalism, all but excludes the separatist movement, and does not adequately examine the differences that existed between opposing factions within the movement. Further interdisciplinary examination of these neglected areas will contribute to a more complete understanding of the history of the LGBT people and their experiences.

Sexuelle Minderheiten leben in Polen in einer paradoxen Situation. Einerseits wurden homosexuelle Beziehungen in Polen früher als in vielen anderen Ländern entkriminalisiert. Auch gibt es in Polen eine äußerst lebendige Szene von LGBT-Aktivisten und -Künstlern. Andererseits sind homophobe Ressentiments in der Gesellschaft weit verbreitet, und es gibt kein spezifisches Verbot von Diskriminierung wegen der sexuellen Orientierung. Die gesetzliche Anerkennung gleichgeschlechtlicher Lebenspartnerschaften lässt auf sich warten. Doch gerade die heftigen Debatten tragen dazu bei, dass sich die Öffentlichkeit an "queere" Themen und nicht-heterosexuelle Lebensformen gewöhnt. (Osteuropa (Berlin) / SWP)

In early 2011, students at a Christian liberal arts university won a nearly two-year battle for the official university recognition of a faith-based student organization centered on fostering a spiritual dialogue regarding lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) identity and student sexuality. This article utilizes in-depth personal stories of the founding group members to examine current gaps in the identity-based social movement literature. The author argues that individual and group identities are formed reflexively through interaction and self- and group-reflection. Additionally, the author examines respondent stories to shed light on the various collective action frames made possible through discursive opportunity structures. Unforeseen openings within repressive environments may ultimately open the door to social change formerly thought unattainable. Possible implications for future research, specifically that pertaining to LGBT populations and movements, are also discussed.

Growing recognition of homophobic bullying amongst researchers, policymakers, youth workers, teachers and other stakeholders has resulted in an increasing number of research studies and anti-bullying measures in this area. This has led to great advances in interventions addressing the issue. However homophobic abuse remains a reality for too many young people. By undertaking a comprehensive review of recent academic, third sector and government literature, this report unpicks a number of 'taken for granted' assumptions around homophobic bullying and seeks to develop a wider understanding of the nature and extent of homophobic bullying, the groups and individuals affected, the impact on those involved and measures available to tackle the problem.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the ways in which butch lesbians manage and negotiate their sexual identity in the workplace.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study using online ethnographical enquiry to explore lesbians' experiences of performing butch identity in the workplace. Ethical and other issues relating to online ethnographic research are also explored and discussed.FindingsIdentity negotiation is a key issue and lesbians face the constant pressure of identity management. This is not simply a personal perspective but a defence mechanism to counter the heteronormative culture within organisations. Strategies for dealing with these tensions evident in the literature and reflected in this study range from "passing" (passing as a heterosexual) to defying expectations of heteronormativity and remaining constant to individual butch identity.Practical implicationsThe paper can assist HRD professionals and leaders in developing organisation cultures which embrace and include difference and help obviate oppression. It may also be of interest to researchers and policy makers in the fields of diversity and equality and LGB issues.Social implicationsThe findings here will be of interest to social audiences including LGBT individuals, activist groups and support groups. Wider understanding of female masculinity and butch identity may help leverage greater tolerance and acceptance.Originality/valueThis study responds to calls for more LGBT research in the workplace and organisational context. The findings develop the understanding of identity negotiation in conditions of heteronormativity. It is also argued that this study of the experiences of lesbians in the workplace is positioned as an alternative site of understanding organisations, with learning to offer gendered leadership.