Lesbonormatiivisuuksien ristipaineessa: määrällistä ja laadullista analyysiä Suomi24-verkkokeskusteluista

Artikkelissamme identifioimme tilastollisella avainsana-analyysillä Suomi24-keskustelufoorumilla tuotettuja lesboerityisiä diskursseja, joissa – toisin kuin homodiskursseissa – keskitytään seksuaaliseen suuntautumiseen, sukupuoleen ja ulkonäköön. Lesbodiskursseja tarkastelemme edelleen teoriavetoisen kriittisen lähiluvun avulla. Analyysi nostaa esiin keskusteluja, joissa heteronormatiivisuuden kautta määrittyvä lesbous voidaan kokea hyvinkin ristiriitaiseksi ja ahdistavaksi. Käyttämällä hyväksi lesbomatriisin ja lesbonormatiivisuuden käsitteitä osoitamme, kuinka sekä nais- että miesfeminiinistä lesboutta ja lesboparisuhteita koskevissa keskusteluissa nojataan yhtäältä normatiiviseen ajattelutapaan ja toisaalta haastetaan sitä.Avainsanat: lesbous, lesbonormatiivisuus, keskustelufoorumit, korpusavusteinen diskurssintutkimusCross pressured by lesbonormativity: Quantitative and qualitative analysis of online conversations on the Suomi24 discussion forumIn our article, we use statistical keyword analysis to identify typical lesbian discourses at the Suomi24 discussion forum. Contrary to gay discourses, they focus on sexual orientation, gender and looks. These lesbian discourses are further analyzed by critical close reading. The analysis highlights conversations in which lesbianism can feel extremely conflicting and distressing when defined in heteronormative terms. Moreover, by using the concepts of lesbian matrix and lesbonormativity, we show how discussions concerning both feminine and masculine appearing lesbians as well as lesbian relationships rely on normative thinking, while also challenging it.Keywords: lesbianism, lesbonormativity, discussion forums, corpus-assisted discourse studies

Discourse analysis of lesbian relationships in Canadian mainstream media

In this Major Research Paper, representation of lesbian relationships was examined in Canadian newspaper articles using a critical discourse analysis. Lesbian representation in mass media has mostly conformed to heteronormative norms. This research aimed to illuminate themes present in newspaper articles from 2018 and 2019 about lesbians. Three discourses were present in these articles. They included a focus on sexual assault and sexual behaviour, the word lesbian paired with words that were sexualized or inappropriate, and the stories of coming out and facing isolation. Identifying and examining these discourses will show social workers what assumptions and prejudices lesbians may face in their lives and in representations they see. Understanding these discourses will aid in the knowledge needed to work with lesbians with intersecting identities.

Discourse analysis of lesbian relationships in Canadian mainstream media

In this Major Research Paper, representation of lesbian relationships was examined in Canadian newspaper articles using a critical discourse analysis. Lesbian representation in mass media has mostly conformed to heteronormative norms. This research aimed to illuminate themes present in newspaper articles from 2018 and 2019 about lesbians. Three discourses were present in these articles. They included a focus on sexual assault and sexual behaviour, the word lesbian paired with words that were sexualized or inappropriate, and the stories of coming out and facing isolation. Identifying and examining these discourses will show social workers what assumptions and prejudices lesbians may face in their lives and in representations they see. Understanding these discourses will aid in the knowledge needed to work with lesbians with intersecting identities.

Anachronism in Croatian lesbian literature

Although queer literature can fit into common timelines of the history of literature, this essay discusses ways in which Croatian lesbian fiction challenges and sabotages such attempts. It combines interpretations of fin-de-siècle early lesbian writing (novels the Widow by Josip Eugen Tomić and the Passion by David Pijade) with those of contemporary texts. As for recently published texts, the essay analyzes short story collection Posudi mi smajl (Lend Me Your Smile) and novel Do isteka zaliha (Until the Supplies Run Out) by Nora Verde, the short story "Vrata Pakla" ("the Gates of Hell") by Ružica Gašperov and the postmodernist short story collection Moja ti (My You) by Jasna Jasna Žmak, in order to show that foreign model should not be uncritically applied to Croatian literature. These texts were published almost simultaneously, which prevents a simple understanding of Croatian lesbian fiction as developing from suffering and secrecy towards affirmation and open displays of identity. Also, the authors appropriate and reinterpret older genre models - in the essay, I show that the timeline of Croatian lesbian fiction is a queer (nonnormative) timeline. Like the coherent chronology, coherent identity also comes under question: Žmak destabilizes it through her postmodernist textuality. The authors of Croatian women's prose treat lesbian relationships as parts of female self-actualization narratives. This shows that Croatian lesbian (and, more generally, queer) literature cannot be reduced to gay and lesbian confessions targeting a similar audience.

OLDER LESBIAN HEALTH VIA RELATIONSHIP STATUS: HEALTH CONDITIONS AND HEALTH BEHAVIORS

Existing research has demonstrated that those in committed relationships are healthier than those who are not. However, very little research on same-sex relationships and particularly older lesbian relationships exists. The current study fills the gap by providing a health profile of lesbians in different relationship status, including partnered, widowed, casual dating, single—not dating, and celibate. The outcomes include diagnosed health conditions (include arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, heart problems, and stroke) and health behaviors (exercise, smoking, and drinking). Data are from an original sample of 456 older lesbians aged 55 and over. Convenience sampling was adopted for this hard-to-reach population. Bivariate analysis results showed that widowed and celibate lesbians are more likely to report depression than other relationship groups. No disparity was found regarding health behaviors among different relationship groups. To further understand the unique group identifying as celibate, multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to examine celibacy’s impact on lesbians’ reported depression after controlling for demographics and reported physical health. Multiple imputations was performed to handle missing values. Results showed that being celibate was associated with higher odds of reporting depression compared with having a partner or casually dating. Being celibate was also associated with lower odds of reporting depression compared with widows and singles who are not dating. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine in details the health consequence of different relationship status among older American lesbians. Findings have important implication for health promotion among older lesbians.