Bridging LGBT+ Content Gaps Across Wikipedia Language Editions

In the past several years, the Wikimedia Movement has become more aware of the lack of representation of specific communities, that is, content gaps. Next to geographical and gender-related initiatives, the LGBT+ Wikimedia community has organized to create LGBT+ content encompassing (among other topics) biographies, events, and culture. In this paper, we present a computational approach to collecting and analyzing LGBT+ articles. We selected 14 Wikipedia language editions to study the coverage of LGBT+ content in general, its visibility in the list of Featured Articles, and its overlap with the local content of the Wikipedia language editions. Results show that a considerable part of potentially LGBT+ related content exists across Wikipedia language editions; however, this relation is not evident in each language edition. In this sense, closing the LGBT+ content gap is about creating articles and making connection to the topic visible in already existing articles. We also analyze the frequency of biographies of persons with non-heterosexual sexual orientations. We find that even though they represent only a small share of all biographies, they are a bit more frequent among the Featured Articles. When taking into account all the LGBT+ biographies of the different languages, English context celebrities are the most visible. While part of the LGBT+ content is related to each language edition's local context, it tends to be less contextualized than the entire language editions. This indicates the possibility of growing LGBT+ content in each Wikipedia language edition by representing its most immediate LGBT+ local context. We propose a dashboard tool to find relevant LGBT+ articles across language editions and start bridging the gaps. Finally, we conclude this study by presenting recommendations for the next steps amongst the Wikipedia communities to fill some of these gaps.

How a “Hunt for Homosexuals” in 1987 Ultimately Contributed to a Real Change in Emancipation for Gay Men Serving in the Armed Forces of the Netherlands

In 1974, the Netherlands became the first country in the world that no longer forbade gay men from joining the military. It took other Western countries much longer to do the same. From the outside, therefore, it looked as though the liberal country of the Netherlands took a leading position in 1974 regarding the inclusion of people with different sexual orientations in the military. That does not mean, however, that gay service members had an easy time after 1974. The situation hardly changed for the better. This article argues that the dominant view of the Netherlands as a liberal country that was the first to allow gay people into the army in 1974 is in need of revision.

Caregiver Services: Needs, Benefits, and Best Practices

Just under 1 in 5 Americans (19.2%) are caregivers for adults with chronic illnesses. Caregiving is the great equalizer as caregiving remains an activity that occurs among all generations, racial/ethnic groups, income or educational levels, family types, gender identities, and sexual orientations. This presentation will provide a snapshot of the current status of caregiving in the United States. It will explore why caregiver services are needed and will highlight the impacts many caregivers face as a result of their stepping up to help family and friends. In addition, this presentation will discuss what is considered best practice in caregiver services and how the public and private sectors can work together to develop solutions to support family caregivers and those under their care.

“If You Do Not Fit in With the Stereotype, They Eat You Alive”: Discourses of Masculinities and Their Reflections in Young Spanish Men’s Health

Hegemonic masculinity has been especially linked, among other aspects, to unhealthy behaviors and heterosexuality. This study aimed to explore the discourses of masculinities with young Spanish men with different sexual orientations (heterosexuals, bisexuals, and homosexuals), comparing them with the social representations that are put into practice on Instagram. Three qualitative approaches were triangulated to seek a richer comprehension and interpretational level: discussion groups, semi-structured interviews, and an online non-participant observation on Instagram with a total of 26 young men aged between 18 and 24. Results indicate that hegemonic masculinity discourse is still significant when understanding and experiencing young men’s masculinities, promoting behaviors that put their health at risk and generating psychological discomfort, especially among non-heterosexual men. Our findings provide knowledge of the social framework that legitimizes and reproduces male domination in younger generations both online and offline and how this is reflected in men’s health.

Whiteness and the Rainbow: White LGBTQ+ College Students’ Racial Identity Development

LGBTQ+ communities and spaces on college campuses are often known as white-centered spaces, implicitly or explicitly excluding students of color. While White LGBTQ+ students may experience marginalization and exclusion on the basis of their sexual orientations and/or gender identities, they may unwittingly perpetuate oppression on the basis of race. Utilizing Helms’ (1990) white racial identity development model, this study explored how White LGBTQ+ college students understand their racial identity and white privilege. The sample of 12 White LGBTQ+ college students was drawn from a larger four-year longitudinal qualitative study of LGBTQ+ college student success. In early interviews, students either did not discuss their white racial identity or did not view their white racial identity as a salient aspect of their identity. However, students increasingly spoke about their white identities, race, and racism in later interviews. Interpersonal experiences, academic engagement, and national events provided access points for White LGBTQ+ students to talk about race and their white identities. Implications for research and practice with White LGBTQ+ college students and in LGBTQ+ campus spaces are discussed.

“There’s no reason to do monogamy”: Evidence for and Characteristics Associated with a Strong Desire for Consensual Nonmonogamy

Introduction Consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) is a form of relationship practiced by many despite widespread stigma against it. In this study, we explore evidence of strong, persistent desire for CNM among some individuals, and look for commonalities among these individuals. Method Between February 2019 and June 2020, we conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 51 US adults who had practiced CNM for between 3 and 50 years, recruited via community contacts and snowball method. Participants reported a broad diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities; 62.7% reported European/white ancestry. We conducted thematic analysis to examine evidence of strong, persistent desire for CNM and common characteristics and experiences among participants. Results We describe 7 sub-themes that suggest a strong desire for CNM, such as pursuing CNM early in life, experiencing difficulties in attempts at monogamy, and describing one’s desire for CNM as enduring or unchangeable. We then describe 9 characteristics and experiences that were common among participants, such as a preference for autonomy, not experiencing categorical distinctions among relationships, desiring to make life plans with multiple adults, and exposure to communities whose norms do not assume monogamy. Conclusions Our data indicate a pattern of desires, life choices, and self-perceptions suggesting that some individuals strongly desire and persistently pursue CNM (whereas others appear to be comfortable with both CNM and monogamy). Policy Implications Our results suggest that some individuals consistently desire and pursue CNM relationships, and therefore would benefit from efforts toward destigmatization and reduction of institutional disadvantage against the practice of CNM.

Negotiating Intimacy via Dating Websites and Apps

Since the early 2000s, researchers have illustrated the primacy of online spaces for people to find platonic, sexual, and/or romantic intimacy. Online dating has increasingly become among the most common ways for couples of all sexual orientations—particularly heterosexuals and gay men—to meet in the United States. As the study of online and offline intimacy moves forward, it is necessary not only to assess the effects of political contexts and discrimination but to consider how marginalized groups like queer women, trans and nonbinary people, fat, and/or disabled people rely on and navigate these spaces in their efforts to fulfill their sexual lives and find romance. This article provides an overview of existing sociological research on online dating to illuminate the ways dating websites/apps are shaping contemporary relationship formation along the axes of race, gender, class, and sexuality, while also noting avenues for new research trajectories.

Queer Masculinities: Gender Roles, the Abject and Bottomhood in Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous

This article analyzes queerness in Ocean Vuong’s On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous (2019), teasing out how the queer relationship at the core of the novel is framed. Ocean Vuong’s novel mobilizes queerness to straddle boundaries between cultures, gender roles and bodies. On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous places the queer sexual orientations and gender performances of its protagonists, one Vietnamese American, one white American, in firm relation to the formative force of cultural contexts. Zooming in on two young boys’ queerness, the novel diversifies gender roles and makes room especially for non-normative masculinities. What is more, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous mobilizes the abject to showcase how queer sexual intimacy straddles boundaries between bodies and subjects. The article attends to language politics in connection with the novel’s coming-out performance, striated constructions of gender roles and their interplay with the abject and “bottomhood” (Nguyen 2014: 2) to come to grips with the novel’s diversification of queer masculinities.

Presentation in Self-Posted Facial Images Can Expose Sexual Orientation: Implications for Research and Privacy

Recent research has found that facial recognition algorithms can accurately classify people’s sexual orientations using naturalistic facial images, highlighting a severe risk to privacy. This article tests whether people of different sexual orientations present themselves distinctively in photographs, and whether these distinctions revealed their sexual orientation. I found significant differences in self-presentation. For example, gay individuals were on average more likely to wear glasses compared to heterosexual individuals in images uploaded to the dating website. Gay men also uploaded brighter images compared to heterosexual men. To test whether some of these differences drove classification of sexual orientation, I employed image augmentation or modification techniques. I progressively masked images until only a thin border of image background remained in each facial image. I found that even these pixels classified sexual orientations at rates significantly higher than random chance. I also blurred images, and found that merely three numbers representing the brightness of each color channel classified sexual orientations. These findings contribute to psychological research on sexual orientation by highlighting how people chose to present themselves differently on the dating website according to their sexual orientations. The findings also expose a privacy risk as they suggest that do-it-yourself data-protection strategies, such as masking and blurring, cannot effectively prevent leakage of sexual orientation information. As consumers are not equipped to protect themselves, the burden of privacy protection should be shifted to companies and governments.