Gender-specific Research Articles

On the issue of the gender specificity of the sports news narrative

On the issue of the gender specificity of the sports news narrative

Analyzing Thailand’s Amendments to the Civil and Commercial Code on Marriage Equality: Progress, Shortcomings, and the Struggle for LGBTIQAN+ Rights to Family Establishment

Thailand’s proposed amendment of the Civil and Commercial Code (“CCC”) on marriage equality, recently passed by the lower house of Parliament on 27 March 2024, marks a historic milestone and represents a significant step towards recognizing the rights of Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Intersex Queer Asexual and Non-Binary+ (LGBTIQAN+) individuals to establish families. This commentary article critically examines the draft legislation through the lens of international human rights law and domestic constitutional principles of equality and human dignity. Situating the Act within Thailand’s international obligations, the article traces the legislative history and highlights the progressive vision of the Civil Society Draft, which developed from the thesis-based research of Chawinroj Teerapatcharaporn, School of Law, Sukhothai Thammathirat Open University (STOU). It commends the shift towards gender-neutral language in marriage eligibility while critiquing the retention of binary “father/mother” terminology as falling short of genuine inclusivity. Drawing from parliamentary debates, the commentary engages with objections raised by religious party MPs, countering them by reasserting the primacy of constitutional equality and secular human rights principles over religious precepts in civil law matters. The article concludes by assessing the Act’s potential impact and the ongoing struggle for fully realizing LGBTIQAN+ family rights, calling for further reform that embraces gender neutrality and equality regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

Improving youth well-being and social integration: the role of leisure in organized public spaces in Kazakhstan

The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of youth participation in organized public spaces on the well-being and social integration of young people in Kazakhstan, with a focus on leisure activities. Through empirical research and analysis, the research aims to elucidate how active engagement in these spaces influences the physical, emotional, and psychological well-being of youth. The study involved 420 students from one of Kazakhstan's universities and divided them into the influence and control groups. The research tools were the Youth Well-Being Scale (YWBS) and the Youth Social Integration Scale (YSIS). The influence group demonstrated a significant increase in well-being and social integration. This result confirms the significant positive effect of interventions based on leisure activities in public spaces. The study offers practical recommendations for improving the well-being and social integration of young people. These findings also contribute to the scientific understanding of the gender specifics in this context. The article emphasizes the importance of organizing public space for positive youth development through leisure due to the identified positive effects. Keywords: leisure; public spaces; social integration; well-being; youth

Lactating exposure to microplastics at the dose of infants ingested during artificial feeding induced reproductive toxicity in female mice and their offspring

Microplastics (MPs) pollution poses a global environmental challenge with significant concerns regarding its potential impact on human health. Toxicological investigations have revealed multi-system impairments caused by MPs in various organisms. However, the specific reproductive hazards in human contexts remain elusive, and understanding the transgenerational reproductive toxicity of MPs remains limited. This study delves into the reproductive toxicity resulting from lactational exposure to polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) in female mice, extending the inquiry to assess the reproductive effects on their offspring bred by rigorous natural mating. The MPs dosage corresponds to the detected concentration in infant formula prepared using plastic bottles. By systematically evaluating the reproductive phenotypes of F0 female mice from birth to adulthood, we found that female mice exposed to PS-MPs exhibited delayed puberty, disturbed estrous cyclicity, diminished fertility, elevated testosterone, abnormal follicle development, disrupted ovarian steroidogenesis, and ovarian inflammation. Importantly, the observed inheritable reproductive toxicity manifested with gender specificity, showcasing more pronounced abnormalities in male offspring. Specifically, reproductive disorders did not manifest in female offspring; however, a significant decrease in sperm count and viability was observed in PS-MPs-exposed F1 males. Testicular transcriptomics analysis of F1 males significantly enriched pathways associated with reproductive system development and epigenetic modification, such as male germ cell proliferation, DNA methylation, and histone modification. In summary, real-life exposure to PS-MPs impaired the reproductive function of female mice and threateningly disrupted the spermatogenesis of their F1 male offspring, which raises serious concerns about inter- and trans-generational reproductive toxicities of MPs in mammals. These findings underscore the potential threats of MPs to human reproductive health, emphasizing the need for continued vigilance and research in this critical area.

Contrastive adversarial gender debiasing

This research contributes a comprehensive analysis of gender bias within contemporary AI language models, specifically examining iterations of the GPT series, alongside Gemini and Llama. The study offers a systematic investigation, encompassing multiple experiments spanning sentence completions, generative narratives, bilingual analysis, and visual perception assessments. The primary objective is to scrutinize the evolution of gender bias in these models across iterations, explore biases in professions and contexts, and evaluate multilingual disparities. Notably, the analyses reveal a marked evolution in GPT iterations, with GPT4 showcasing significantly reduced or negligible biases, signifying substantial advancements in bias mitigation. Professions and contexts exhibit model biases, indicating associations with specific genders. Multilingual evaluations demonstrate subtle disparities in gender bias tendencies between English and Spanish narratives. To effectively mitigate these biases, we propose a novel Contrastive Adversarial Gender Debiasing (CAGD) method that synergistically combines contrastive learning and adversarial training techniques. The CAGD method enables language models to learn gender-neutral representations while promoting robustness against gender biases, consistently outperforming original and adversarially debiased models across various tasks and metrics. These findings underscore the complexity of gender bias in AI language models, emphasizing the need for continual bias mitigation strategies, such as the proposed CAGD approach, and ethical considerations in AI development and deployment.

Gender Equity in Nigeria: A Social-Psychological Explanation of Gender Prejudice

Gender equity is a global phenomenon. One of the central aims of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to eliminate gender disparity, ensure equality and human dignity to all men and women. Promoting gender equity and equality is important part of the development strategy that seeks to empower people (both men and women), diminish poverty and improve the standard of living. However, gender inequalities have existed and still persist in most Africa countries and women are not adequately represented in many social, economic and political activities. Consequently, women particularly in Nigeria are among the most disadvantaged population group. This paper aimed at investigating gender equity, identifying forms and causes of gender prejudice in Nigeria and suggesting plausible efforts and remedies to address the intersectional gender imbalance in this country. To achieve this, the study employed the use of secondary sources data and content analysis as its method of data collection and data analysis respectively. To ameliorate gender inequalities toward realization of millennium goals, the following recommendations were put forward: the need for pragmatic and specific gender- focused policies, programmes and actions across all level of government, using multidimensional strategies in uplifting women in politics, education, administration and security outfits, creation of a special agency - equal opportunities commission under ministry of women affairs in every state to address the issue of gender imbalance and lastly ensuring adequate and sustained media campaign and consistent public sensitization on the issues of gender prejudice with a view to achieving the target of SDGs on gender equality in Nigeria.

Racial and Gender Differences in Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Atrial Fibrillation.

The expanding field of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) in individuals with and without atrial fibrillation (AF) presents a complex landscape, demanding careful interpretation of the existing research. AF, characterized by significant mortality and morbidity, prompts the exploration of strategies to mitigate its impact. Increasing physical activity (PA) levels emerges as a promising avenue to address AF risk factors, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus, through mechanisms of reduced vasoconstriction, endothelin-1 modulation, and improved insulin sensitivity. However, caution is warranted, as recent investigations suggest a heightened incidence of AF, particularly in athletes engaged in high-intensity exercise, due to the formation of ectopic foci and changes in cardiac anatomy. Accordingly, patients should adhere to guideline-recommended amounts of low-to-moderate PA to balance benefits and minimize adverse effects. When looking closer at the current evidence, gender-specific differences have been observed and challenged conventional understanding, with women demonstrating decreased AF risk even at extreme exercise levels. This phenomenon may be rooted in divergent hemodynamic and structural responses to exercise between men and women. Existing research is predominantly observational and limited to racially homogenous populations, which underscores the need for comprehensive studies encompassing diverse, non-White ethnic groups in athlete and non-athlete populations. These individuals exhibit a disproportionately high burden of AF risk factors that could be addressed through improved CRF. Despite the limitations, randomized control trials offer promising evidence for the efficacy of CRF interventions in patients with preexisting AF, showcasing improvements in clinically significant AF outcomes and patient quality of life. The potential of CRF as a countermeasure to the consequences of AF remains an area of great promise, urging future research to delve deeper to explore its role within specific racial and gender contexts. This comprehensive understanding will contribute to the development of tailored strategies for optimizing cardiovascular health and AF prevention in all those who are affected.

GENDERED LANGUAGE IN THE CONSTITUTION OF NIGERIA – REPHRASING TO ACHIEVE GENDER NEUTRAL DRAFTING

The use of words to portray gender and therefore apportion benefits or disadvantages is true in both verbal and written communication. This is even truer in legislative drafting, as the use of gendered language may depict a more serious problem of sexism, discrimination and paternalism in the society. Using the doctrinal approach, this paper examined gendered language in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 relating to the qualification and appointment of judicial officers, to analyse the effect of such gendered language on the interpretation of the constitution and the likelihood of the female gender suffering disadvantage thereby. The paper found that the gendered language used in the 1999 constitution of Nigeria in the qualification and appointment of judicial officers, is gender insensitive, ambiguous and capable of excluding the female gender from consideration for appointment to such offices. It also found that the gendered language in the relevant constitutional provisions exhibit masculinity and does not promote the required gender equality in a legal draft. The paper recommended amendment to reconstruct the language of the constitution to achieve gender neutrality.

ГЕНДЕРНЫЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ МЕХАНИЗМОВ ПСИХИЧЕСКОЙ АДАПТАЦИИ У ПСИХИЧЕСКИ ЗДОРОВЫХ ЛЮДЕЙ

It seems important to study the gender features of the mechanisms of mental adaptation in mentally healthy people due to a high correlation between the increase in the number of mental disorders and the frequency of catastrophes, social crisis periods and traumatic situations, as well as the fact that perceived levels of stress and stress factors can vary between genders. The aim of this study to identify the psychological features of stress response, taking into account gender specifics, to determine adaptation mechanisms in life-threatening situations. Two hundred mentally healthy people aged 18–60 years with a high level of adaptation to stress took part in the research. The diagnostic complex was aimed at studying individual psychological and individual typological characteristics, regulatory processes, and assessing the value-semantic component of personality. Women are distinguished by high rates of anxiety and depression, emotional instability and sensitivity; use of defense mechanisms of regression, compensation and hypercompensation; the use of coping strategies — “escape” and “positive revaluation”. Men are characterized by high levels of modeling in the regulatory profile and the use of the protective mechanism of displacement. They are able to plan in accordance with goals and suppress unacceptable desires, thoughts and feelings in situations of stress. Analysis of intragroup relationships showed that in men and women anxiety is associated with personal characteristics, as well as with the general level of formation of the self-regulation system. For men, the profile of intragroup connections is represented primarily by personal characteristics. Whereas women have a more complex profile organization, which includes not only personal characteristics, but also variables of the value-semantic level, as well as a broader system of regulatory processes. It is advisable that the identified patterns be taken into account when developing individualized programs for the prevention of stress-related disorders in lifethreatening situations and creating medical and psychological technologies for preserving health and extending professional longevity.

SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCE DRIVERS: ANALYSING THE IMPACT ON ONLINE BUYING BEHAVIOUR OF UNIVERSITY EMPLOYEES IN PUNJAB

Many businesses are using social networking sites to try to change how people behave, but not many studies have looked into how these tactics influence the online purchasing habits of university workers throughout India. Therefore, this study examines the impact of social media marketing on the online shopping habits of university staff in Punjab. It focuses on how different demographics factors affect how often and how much people buy. Despite extensive research on the general impact of social media on buyer behaviour, the effects on Indian university workers have received less attention. This gap highlights the need for more focused research to enhance the effectiveness of marketing plans and understand the impact of social media on this specific group of individuals. The research employed quantitative methods, polling 673 workers from several universities in Punjab and analysing the data through multiple regression and other statistical techniques. We looked at major factors such as age, gender, ease of shopping, competitive price, number of choices, response to ads, and yearly income. The results show that gender, how simple it is to buy something, and income have a big effect on how people buy things online. Average age, price competition, number of options, and ad engagement have less impact. These results indicate that marketing strategies that prioritize ease of purchase and cater to specific gender and class groups are likely to yield better results.

Vaping Frequency in Young Users: The Role of Gender and Age Among Regular Users

Background: Vaping is popular among adolescents and emerging adults; however, little is known about regular vaping patterns in older adolescents and emerging adults. Objective: The current study explored whether gender and age are associated with nicotine-based vaping frequency to ascertain ascertaining which subgroups of youth are most at-risk for frequent use. Methods: In a cross-sectional survey, participants using nicotine-based vaping devices (N=535, age range 16-24) reported frequency measured as vaping days in a week, number of episodes during which participants vaped, and puff numbers for each episode. A two-way multivariate analysis of variance was used to test the effects and interactions of gender and age groups on the three frequency outcomes. Results: Emerging adults and males vaped more frequently than their older adolescent and female counterparts, respectively. Specifically, emerging adults vaped more days per week in comparison to older adolescents, whereas males vaped more days per week and had more vaping episodes per day relative to females. Further, emerging adult males had more vaping episodes in comparison to other subgroups, and adolescent females as well as emerging adult males took more puffs per episode in comparison to emerging adult females. Conclusion: Vaping differences among subgroups suggests the need for policies to reduce regular nicotine vaping targeted toward specific gender and age groups.

Feminist Relational Agency and the Cultural Contestation of Heteronormative Gender Norms in the Indian American Diaspora

Through an analysis of essays published by the online magazine American Kahani, a publication that centers contemporary generations of the Indian American community, we argue that feminist relational agency allows Indian American community members to challenge dominant expressions of culturally specific heteronormative gender norms while simultaneously fulfilling their need to maintain an “authentic” sense of cultural identity. In doing so, cultural contestation emerges as a process internal to the community through which members seek to develop alternate forms of relationality while sustaining their connectedness to “Indian (American) culture.” This study contributes to scholarship about intersectional and transnational feminist agency and the Indian American diaspora by challenging the problematic application of western frameworks of agency that see non-western cultures as barriers for women of color to overcome and by specifically calling for studies that center complex and culturally specific conceptions of agency.

Children and adolescents rectify unequal allocations of leadership duties in the classroom.

Little is known about how children and adolescents evaluate unequal teacher allocations of leadership duties based on ethnicity-race and gender in the classroom. U.S. boys and girls, White (40.7%), Multiracial (18.5%), Black/African American (16.0%), Latine (14.2%), Asian (5.5%), Pacific Islander (0.4%), and other (4.7%) ethnic-racial backgrounds, 8-14 years, N = 275, evaluated teacher allocations of high-status leadership positions favoring specific ethnic-racial or gender groups during 2018-2021. Adolescents, more than children, negatively evaluated unequal teacher allocations of leadership duties that resulted in group-based inequalities, expected peers who shared the identity of a group disadvantaged by the teacher's allocation to view it more negatively than others, and rectified inequalities. Understanding perceptions of teacher-based bias provides an opportunity for interventions designed to create fair and just classrooms that motivate all students to achieve.

Do we accept all - Gender neutrality of laws

In recent decades, society has witnessed remarkable strides towards achieving gender equality, dismantling antiquated norms and discriminatory practices that have persisted for centuries. As the global community grapples with evolving perspectives on gender, the legal landscape has become a crucial battleground for shaping more inclusive and equitable societies. This paper seeks to explore and evaluate the impact of gender-neutral legal frameworks as a pivotal mechanism for fostering a fair and just society.

Methodology for social life cycle impact assessment enhanced with gender aspects applied to electric vehicle Li-ion batteries

Abstract Purpose The objective of this study is to assess the potential social risks and benefits of EV Li-ion batteries by combining the S-LCA framework with gender aspects throughout all the life cycle phases of the battery. Methods The social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) methodology has been applied to determine social concerns about a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack design for electric vehicles (EVs) from cradle to grave. A questionnaire based on UNEP S-LCA guidelines and literature case studies of S-LCA on batteries and the energy industry has been prepared for each of the stakeholder categories and distributed among experts in the Li-ion battery sector (more than 21 industrial and academic experts representing the whole battery value chain). Furthermore, the social assessment also includes updated gender aspects to provide wider and more comprehensive social impacts to ensure a gender-neutral approach. Results and discussion The Li-ion battery presents a positive social impact in all the stakeholder categories evaluated, where the worker category has the best social performance driven by the highest score (scores range from 0 to 1, where 0 is the worst social performance and 1 is the best) in 13 indicators out of 23. Furthermore, local community, consumers, and society categories have a good social performance attributed to the absence of involuntary resettlement of individuals, the possibility of the product being reused for other purposes and technology accessible and affordable to developing countries, among others. Four out of seven indicators to evaluate the gender aspects and impacts have the highest score, demonstrating a commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable work environment. The end-of-life phase presents a positive social performance with a score of 0.77 out of 1 attributed to the presence of infrastructure to dispose of product components other than landfill and incineration responsibly, the possibility of the product to be reused for other purposes and clear information provided to consumers on end-of-life options, among others. Conclusions The study presents generally good social impact and gender neutrality on the battery pack design. It gives an insight into the actual status of Li-ion battery social and gender impacts, and the results can be useful to policymakers to design and implement strategies for the welfare of various stakeholders.

Thyroid cancer trends in China and its comparative analysis with G20 countries: Projections for 2020-2040.

Thyroid cancer, a leading type of endocrine cancer, accounts for 3-4% of all cancer diagnoses. This study aims to analyse and compare thyroid cancer patterns in China and the Group twenty (G20) countries, and predict these trend for the upcoming two decades. This observational longitudinal study utilised data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 2019. We used metrics including incidence, mortality, mortality-incidence ratio (MIR), age-standardised rate (ASR) and average annual percent change (AAPC) to examine thyroid cancer trends. Joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify periods manifesting notable changes. The association between sociodemographic index (SDI) and AAPC were investigated. The autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model was used to predict thyroid cancer trends from 2020 to 2040. From 1990 to 2019, thyroid cancer incidence cases in China increased by 289.6%, with a higher AAPC of age-standardised incidence rate (ASIR) in men. Contrastingly, the G20 demonstrated a smaller increase, particularly among women over 50. Despite the overall age-standardised mortality rate (ASMR) was higher in the G20, the increase in mortality was less pronounced than in China. Age-standardised incidence rate increased across all age groups and genders, with a notable rise among men aged 15-49. ASMR decreased in specific age groups and genders, especially among women. Conversely, the ASMR significantly increased in group aged over 70. The MIR exhibited a declining trend, but this decrease was less noticeable in men and the group aged over 70. Joinpoint analysis pinpointed significant shifts in overall ASIR and ASMR, with the most pronounced increase in ASIR during 2003-2011 in China and 2003-2010 in the G20. Predictions suggested a continual ASIR uptrend, especially in the 50-69 age group, coupled with a predicted ASMR downturn among the elderly by 2040. Moreover, the proportion of thyroid cancer deaths attributable to high body mass index (BMI) escalated, with significant increase in Saudi Arabia and a rise to 7.4% in China in 2019. Thyroid cancer cases in incidence and mortality are escalating in both China and the G20. The increasing trend may be attributed to factors beyond overdiagnosis, including environmental and genetic factors. These findings emphasise the necessity for augmenting prevention, control, and treatment strategies. They also highlight the significance of international collaboration in addressing the global challenge posed by thyroid cancer.

Features of differentiation and individualization of criminal liability of women

Gender specificity and the special social status of women determine a slightly different approach to the implementation of criminal liability than other categories of persons. In this context, we are talking about differentiation and individualization of the criminal liability of women. Through an analysis of the main features of criminal liability, tools that are important for implementing a differentiated approach and individualizing criminal liability are identified, in particular criminal punishment and other measures of a criminal legal nature. It has been established that the criterion for differentiation is the gender aspect, which is reflected in the amount and types of punishments and other criminal legal measures applied to women. In turn, the criterion for individualization is taking into account the characteristics, specific needs, and problems of individual categories of women. In this regard, female criminals are divided into separate subcategories depending on a number of criteria, which are: age, health, ability to work, reproductive function, etc. In a particular study, the emphasis is on taking into account the reproductive function of a woman. The final part of the work presents a number of recommendations for improving criminal legislation in the field of implementing a differentiated approach to the implementation of criminal liability for women.

Eco-chic or trendy-chic? Decoding consumer preferences in sustainable and fast fashion across the EU

Abstract The ongoing transformation of the fashion industry is driven by an increasing focus on sustainability, ethical practices, and responsible consumer behavior. Simultaneously, social media platforms have emerged as influential forces in this field, shaping fashion trends and consumer preferences. Despite a substantial body of literature investigating consumer preferences between fast and sustainable fashion, a gap in understanding the intricate relationship between fashion preferences, socio-economic profiling, and social media engagement is evident. Thus, this research was aimed at comparatively decoding EU consumers’ preferences for fast fashion against sustainable fashion by exploring the interplay of demographic factors ‒ age, gender, and geographical location ‒ on fashion preferences, as expressed through the digital engagement with fashion-related content on the Meta social platforms. The research methodology implied resorting to logistic regression analysis, aiming to uncover the underlying patterns that fundamentally characterize consumers’ preferences for fashion in the EU. The results provide novel insights into how digital engagement with fashion-related content can act as a barometer for regional fashion identities and preferences, useful for the identification of both convergence and inflection points. Moreover, findings offer a robust foundation for crafting strategies that promote sustainable fashion practices, tailored to specific EU age, gender, and location demographics, by leveraging the insights gained about EU consumer preferences.

GENDER INCLUSIVE COMMUNICATION IN CUSTOMS AUTHORITIES OF THE REPUBLIC UZBEKISTAN

This article is dedicated to the problem of gender neutralization of the language of business communication. It also gives examples of gender-inclusive vocabulary. Various options for the application of this vocabulary in the language of business communication are analyzed based on the rules and guidelines issued by the European Parliament, the United Nations, as well as the governments of Great Britain and Canada. ‎

Aesthetic Evaluation of Facial Scars in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Basal Cell Carcinoma: A Prospective Longitudinal Pilot Study and Validation of POSAS 2.0 in the Lithuanian Language.

Facial basal cell carcinoma (BCC) surgery enhances the quality of life (QoL) but leaves patients with inferior QoL, presumably caused by scarring, emphasizing the need to understand post-surgery aesthetic satisfaction. This study aimed to validate the Lithuanian version of the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) 2.0 and utilise it to identify scar evaluation differences and correlations among POSAS scores and specific aesthetic facial regions, age, gender, surgery types, and short- and long-term QoL. Employing a prospective longitudinal design, 100 patients with facial scars after surgical BCC removal were enrolled. The validation phase confirmed the translated POSAS 2.0 psychometric properties, while the pilot phase used statistical analyses to compare scores among demographic and clinical groups and evaluate correlations between scar assessment and QoL. The findings indicate that the translated Lithuanian version of POSAS 2.0 exhibits good psychometric properties, revealing insights into aesthetic satisfaction with post-surgical facial scars and their impact on QoL. The Lithuanian version of the POSAS 2.0 was established as a valid instrument for measuring post-surgical linear scars. QoL with scar assessment statistically significantly correlates, 6 months after surgery, with worse scores, particularly notable among women, younger patients, and those with tumours in the cheek region.