“Girl-on-girl culture”

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 195-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aimee Bailey

Abstract This article investigates the construction of sex advice for queer women as it features on the world’s most popular lesbian website, Autostraddle. Based in the United States, the website is a “progressively feminist” online community for lesbian, bisexual and other queer women. Using multimodal critical discourse analysis and corpus linguistics, this article explores how representations of sexual and gender identity facilitate the construction of homonormativity on the website. It argues that these representations involve a tension between exclusivity and inclusivity. On the one hand, Autostraddle wants to construct an exclusive markedly lesbian subjectivity and a subcultural model of lesbian sex, which is lacking in mainstream culture. On the other hand, it aims to be inclusive of transgender and bisexual women, and to deconstruct the idea of sexual homogeneity. Findings show that Autostraddle discursively negotiates these competing goals to construct a distinctly “queer female” normativity centred on young cisgender feminine lesbians.

Author(s):  
Nina Kuorikoski

North American television series The L Word (USA 2004-present) tells the story of a group of lesbian and bisexual women living in Los Angeles. The current article offers a close reading of the first two seasons of the series, analysing them from the perspectives of both feminist theory and queer theory. It demonstrates that even though the series deconstructs the normative boundaries of both gender and sexuality, it can also be said to maintain the ideals of a heteronormative society. The argument is explored by paying attention to several aspects of the series. These include the series' advertising both in Finland and the United States and the normative femininity of the lesbian characters. In addition, the article aims to highlight the manner in which the series depicts certain characters which can be said to stretch the normative boundaries of gender and sexuality. Through this, the article strives to give a diverse account of the series' first two seasons and further critical discussion of The L Word and its representations.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 2120 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecilia Jaques ◽  
Mine Islar ◽  
Gavin Lord

Contrary to what practice suggests, social media platforms may not be an appropriate forum for communicating with civil society about sustainability issues such as climate change. Misinformation campaigns are distorting the line between fact and falsity on social media platforms, and there has been a profound shift in the way that social media users consume and interact with information. These conditions have been popularly labeled as the post-truth era. Drawing from Neo-Marxian theory, we argue that post-truth can be explained as a new iteration of ideological struggle under capitalist hegemony. We substantiate this claim through a mixed methods investigation synthesizing corpus-assisted lexical analysis and critical discourse analysis to evaluate 900 user-generated comments taken from three articles on socioenvironmental topics published on Facebook by news organizations in the United States. The results showed that the nature of this struggle is tied explicitly to the role of science in society, where the legitimacy of science is caught in a tug-of-war of values between elitism on the one hand and a rejection of the establishment on the other. It follows that presenting truthful information in place of false information is an insufficient means of coping with post-truth. We conclude by problematizing the notion that Facebook is an adequate forum for public dialogue and advocate for a change in strategy from those wishing to communicate scientific information in the public sphere.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-154
Author(s):  
Josie Rush

By constructing a lineage of mediated discourse in which queer women theorize their spaces and identities, this article argues for the significant place of communication technologies as venues for queer women’s theoretical discussions. Specifically, it analyses content from AfterEllen, a website devoted to popular culture and media for lesbian and bisexual women, connecting the site to two twentieth-century lesbian periodicals, Vice Versa and The Ladder, ultimately arguing for a conception of the discourse produced in these spaces as a type of proto-queer theory. In each space, queer women reject the fictive wholeness proffered by systems of heteronormativity through their critiques of mainstream society and cultivation of representation and community. However, this article also analyses the dangers of theory, as spaces like AfterEllen theorize a lesbian subjectivity that denigrates and dismisses trans lesbians. Utilizing convergence theory, this article additionally argues that heralding the web as the first liberating space of its kind for LGBT individuals obfuscates a rich history of investment in and dependence on communication networks for identity and community formation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 139-154
Author(s):  
Josie Rush

By constructing a lineage of mediated discourse in which queer women theorize their spaces and identities, this article argues for the significant place of communication technologies as venues for queer women’s theoretical discussions. Specifically, it analyses content from AfterEllen, a website devoted to popular culture and media for lesbian and bisexual women, connecting the site to two twentieth-century lesbian periodicals, Vice Versa and The Ladder, ultimately arguing for a conception of the discourse produced in these spaces as a type of proto-queer theory. In each space, queer women reject the fictive wholeness proffered by systems of heteronormativity through their critiques of mainstream society and cultivation of representation and community. However, this article also analyses the dangers of theory, as spaces like AfterEllen theorize a lesbian subjectivity that denigrates and dismisses trans lesbians. Utilizing convergence theory, this article additionally argues that heralding the web as the first liberating space of its kind for LGBT individuals obfuscates a rich history of investment in and dependence on communication networks for identity and community formation.


ILR Review ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 622-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Blandford

This analysis of 1989–96 General Social Survey data reveals how sexual orientation and gender jointly influence earnings outcomes. Gay and bisexual men experienced a 30–32% income disadvantage relative to heterosexual peers, while lesbian and bisexual women enjoyed a wage premium of 17–23%. The disparate earnings effects of sexual orientation across genders suggest that workplace discrimination may be only one factor accounting for measured wage differentials associated with sexual orientation. These findings qualify pioneering work on the subject that indicated that wage differentials were attributable largely to employer bias. A further analysis that distinguishes the separate effects of gender, marital status, and sexual orientation suggests that differentials long attributed to marital status may in part reflect previously unobserved effects of sexual orientation.


2021 ◽  
pp. 01-04
Author(s):  
Jagriti Gangopadhyay

With the recent Black Lives Matter movement, existing racial inequalities in various sectors of the United States have regained prominence. Due to the pandemic, statistics on racial disparities in the health sector have been aggravated. On a related note, while the #Black Lives Matter movement received substantial support from India’s online community, deeply entrenched inequalities in terms of caste, community and gender in India’s health sector need to be critically evaluated as well. This paper is an attempt to understand how the awareness generated by the Black Lives Matter movement could be an opportunity to address structural inequalities in India’s own public health system.


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 68-68
Author(s):  
Korijna Valenti

Abstract Needs during and following end-of-life (EOL) experiences are distinctive for sexual and gender minority (SGM) people and, in particular, older lesbian, gay, and bisexual women (LGB) women; however, access to supportive services is limited. This poster presents findings from a qualitative study of older (60+) LGB women who have lost a spouse or partner. This work draws on queer gerontological theory, addressing issues of individual agency, systemic silence, and marginalization by invisibility of older SGM women in order to illuminate specific areas in which policy may be changed and improved. The study analyzed participants’ (n = 16) reflections on their experiences of losing a loved one, including how they sought out and received essential grief support and the type of support they would have preferred and from whom, particularly immediately following their spouse or partner’s death. Thematic analysis revealed three main findings: 1) having a women-identifying support presence at the time of death for both themselves and their spouse or partner; 2) needing LGB women (or women allies) during EOL for support; and 3) preferring grief groups comprised of other LGB women (or women allies) based on their feelings of difference from gay men and heterosexual/non-SGM women and men. Findings reveal the need for a better understanding among healthcare and social work support professionals regarding LGB women’s grief needs and preferences; grief options (e.g. lesbian and non-monosexual (bi+) grief groups); and how to implement policy changes reflecting these needs and preferences.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-74
Author(s):  
Amy Burden

EN Gender equality in language learning has received considerable attention in research on classroom policy and materials. Within studies of materials like language learning texts, most research focuses on content analyses of character roles and images, with sometimes purposeful exclusion of non-human characters. However, non-humans in children’s picture books comprise almost 60% of the characters children read. Therefore, their representations of gender, including biases, overt sexism, and covert sexism should be examined. In this study, I examine gendering of non-human characters using corpus linguistics and critical discourse analysis. Additionally, I use critical image analysis to discuss pictorial gendering of non-human characters within 12 textbooks in two of the United States’ most widely used textbook series for language learning in elementary schools. Results indicate a strong preference for aggressive and adventurous male characters, male supremacist ideologies, and the suppression of female agency. Key words: CORPUS LINGUISTICS, CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS, TEXTBOOK ANALYSIS, GENDER AND LANGUAGE, ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE (ESL), CRITICAL IMAGE ANALYSIS ES La igualdad de género en el aprendizaje de idiomas ha recibido una atención considerable en la investigación sobre la política y los materiales en el aula. Dentro de los estudios sobre materiales como los textos para el aprendizaje de idiomas, la mayoría de las investigaciones se centran en el análisis del contenido de los roles y las imágenes de los personajes, con una exclusión de los personajes no humanos. Sin embargo, los personajes no humanos de los libros ilustrados para niños representan casi el 60% de los personajes que leen los niños. Por lo tanto, deben examinarse sus representaciones de género, incluyendo los prejuicios, el sexismo manifiesto y el sexismo encubierto. En este estudio, examino la representación de género de los personajes no humanos utilizando la lingüística de corpus y el análisis crítico del discurso. Además, utilizo el análisis crítico de la imagen para analizar el género pictórico de los personajes no humanos en 12 libros de texto de dos de las series de libros de texto más utilizados en Estados Unidos para el aprendizaje de idiomas en las escuelas primarias. Los resultados indican una fuerte preferencia por personajes masculinos agresivos y aventureros, ideologías de supremacía masculina y la supresión de la agencia femenina. Palabras clave: LINGÜÍSTICA DE CORPUS, ANÁLISIS CRÍTICO DEL DISCURSO, ANÁLISIS DE LIBROS DE TEXTO, GÉNERO E LINGUAJE, INGLÉS COMO SEGUNDA LENGUA (ESL), ANÁLISIS CRÍTICO DE LA IMAGEN IT L’uguaglianza di genere nell'apprendimento delle lingue ha ricevuto una notevole attenzione nella ricerca sulle norme di comportamento nelle classi così come nei materiali didattici. All'interno degli studi su materiali didattici come i testi per l'apprendimento delle lingue, la maggior parte della ricerca si concentra sull'analisi del contenuto dei ruoli e delle immagini dei personaggi con l'esclusione, a volte intenzionale, di personaggi non umani. Tuttavia, i non umani nei libri illustrati per bambini costituiscono quasi il 60% dei personaggi. Pertanto, dovrebbero essere esaminate le loro rappresentazioni di genere, inclusi pregiudizi, sessismo palese e sessismo nascosto. In questo studio si esamina la sessuazione di personaggi non umani usando la linguistica dei corpora e l’analisi critica del discorso. Inoltre, viene utilizzata l'analisi critica delle immagini per discutere la sessuazione di personaggi non umani all'interno di 12 libri in due delle serie di libri di testo più utilizzate negli Stati Uniti per l'apprendimento delle lingue nelle scuole elementari. I risultati indicano una forte preferenza per personaggi maschili aggressivi e avventurosi, ideologie suprematiste maschili e soppressione dell'agire femminile. Parole chiave: LINGUISTICA DEI CORPORA, ANALISI CRITICA DEL DISCORSO, ANALISI DEI LIBRI DI TESTO, GENERE E LINGUAGGIO, INGLESE COME SECONDA LINGUA, ANALISI CRITICA DELLE IMMAGINI


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 174-174
Author(s):  
Adena Galinsky ◽  
Karen Fredriksen Goldsen ◽  
James Dahlhamer ◽  
Tina Norris

Abstract Sleep problems may increase the risk for, and result from, other health problems and negatively impact quality of life. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual older adults report more sleep problems compared to their straight counterparts when such problems are measured in the aggregate (e.g. “one or more of four specific sleep problems”). However, scant national research has examined if specific types of sleep problems vary by sexual orientation among older adults. Using 2015-2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data, we used logistic regression to separately model five sleep problems among women 50+ and men 50+ (lesbian/gay women: n=377, bisexual women: n=142, straight women: n=33,216; gay men: n=508, bisexual men: n=115, straight men: n=25,998) as functions of sexual orientation, controlling for age, race, education, and income. Sexual minority older adults were more likely than their straight counterparts to have taken sleep medication in the past week (women AOR=2.04, 95% CI:1.55, 2.67; men AOR=1.81, 95% CI:1.36, 2.40). The only other difference by sexual orientation found for men was bisexual older men’s greater likelihood, compared to straight men, of having difficulty falling asleep (AOR=2.02, 95% CI: 1.08, 3.79). Older women did not differ by sexual orientation in difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, or waking up not feeling rested for four or more days in the past week, or meeting National Sleep Foundation recommendations for hours of sleep per night, whether lesbian/gay and bisexual women were examined together or disaggregated. Future research may examine why sleep quality only sometimes varies by sexual orientation.


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