Heterosexual Ones Research Articles

Sexual satisfaction and oversexualization among adults. The moderating role of self-esteem

BackgroundIn the contemporary world, there is excessive creation and exposure of one’s own sexuality among adults. Taking this into account, the determinants of sexualization are being sought. The aim of this research was to assess the significance of se-lected demographic variables and the number of sexual partners, as well as psychological variables (self-esteem and sexual satisfaction) for revealing behaviours related to over-sexualization. We also investigated whether self-esteem can moderate the relationship between sexual satisfaction and over-sexualization.Participants and procedureSeven hundred persons, including 403 women (298 heterosexual and 105 gay) and 297 men (199 heterosexual and 98 gay) were surveyed. The respondents were aged from 18 to 45 years (M = 22.90, SD = 4.62). In the study the following tools were used: the Oversexualization Questionnaire, the Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Self-Esteem Scale.ResultsIt was found that sexualized appearance was more important for homosexual persons than heterosexual ones and seduction differentiated women and men and was correlated with the age and the number of sexual partners. Oversexualization demonstrated in appearance and message contents was correlated with low self-esteem and low sexual satisfaction. Low self-esteem was found to be a significant moderator in the relationship between sexual satisfaction and sexualized appearance.ConclusionsThe present study indicates the importance of self-esteem and sexual satisfaction for sexualized appearance. Low self-esteem moderates the relationship between sexual satisfaction and sexualized appearance.

Violence Against LGB+ people in Brazil: analysis of the 2019 National Survey of Health.

To analyze the association between self-reported sexual orientation and violence in the Brazilian population. This cross-sectional epidemiological study used the 2019 National Survey of Health database. Total violence and its subtypes (psychological, physical, and sexual) were analyzed in the previous 12 months. Prevalence and odds ratio adjusted for age group were estimated, with their respective 95% confidence intervals, according to the self-reported sexual orientation of the Brazilian population aged 18 years and older. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Most of the Brazilian population self-identified as heterosexual (94.75%) and 1.89% as LGB+. This percentage was lower than that of respondents who refused to answer the question (2.28%). The prevalence of violence in the general population of Brazil was 18.27%, and the most common subtype was psychological violence (17.36%). The LGB+ population was more than twice as likely to experience any type of violence. LGB+ women had the highest prevalence in all violence subtypes, and heterosexual men had the lowest. LGB+ women were over three times more likely to experience physical violence compared to heterosexual ones. Meanwhile, the probability of LGB+ men experiencing sexual violence was almost eight times higher than in heterosexual men. The prevalence of violence against the LGB+ population was high in the country. Public policies aimed at this population are necessary to fight discrimination against sexual diversity and ensure the rights of non-heterosexual people.

Marriage Patterns Among Portuguese-Brazilian Couples

This paper presents the evolution and most relevant characteristics of binational (Portuguese/ Brazilian) same-sex marriages in Portugal, from 2010 to 2020, comparing them with the binational heterosexual ones. The analysis was based on marriage micro-data published by the National Statistics Office.
 Data reveals that the increase of binational marriages has been more significant among samesex couples than among heterosexual couples; binational same-sex couples are younger than heterosexual ones, although they also record lower levels of age-related homogamy, and are more qualified than hetero couples. Hetero binational couples engaged more frequently in cohabitation before marriage and tend to opt for shared estate ownership.
 This study enables a diagnosis of the present situation and constitutes a contribution to knowledge surrounding the marriage market within groups that are minorities not only as immigrants but also as homosexuals.

No licence for love versus same-sex relationships - partner relations and interpersonal commitment.

Like heterosexual ones, homosexual partners strive to fulfil their needs for belonging and love. They also build their relationships in countries where less favourable public opinion exists towards same-sex relationships, due in part to the lack of equivalent legislation between heterosexual and non-heterosexual persons and couples. As opponents of such relationships claim them to be less stable and of lower quality, the current study examines whether the sexual orientation of partners may determine the quality of their relationship and their commitment to it. The study was conducted in a group of 530 cohabiting persons, aged 18-44 (230 persons with a homosexual orientation and 300 heterosexual) living in Poland. The participants were tested with three tools: a sociodemographic survey, the Polish version of the Partner Relations Questionnaire by Halhweg, adapted by Janicka, and the Interpersonal Commitment Inventory (KZI) by Janicka and Szymczak: the Polish adaptation of the Commitment Inventory by Stanley and Markman. The findings indicate that sexual orientation of women and men may influence their tendencies to change partners and their interpersonal commitment, interpreted as their dedication and obligation to stay in the relationship. Some detailed analyses suggest that cohabitations between gay women portend better than those of gay men.

Women's Reaction to Opposite- and Same-Sex Infidelity in Three Cultures : Data from Canada, Samoa, and the Istmo Zapotec.

Previous research indicates that Euro-American women are more upset by imagining their male partners committing homosexual infidelities than heterosexual ones. The present studies sought to replicate these findings and extend them to two non-Western cultures wherein masculine men frequently engage in sexual interactions with feminine third-gender males. Across six studies in three cultural locales (Canada, Samoa, and the Istmo Zapotec), women were asked to rate their degree of upset when imagining that their partner committed infidelity that was heterosexual in nature, as well as infidelity that was homosexual. In two Canadian undergraduate samples, women reported greater upset at imagining partner infidelity with a female, whereas a community sample of middle-aged women reported equal upset across infidelity types. Samoan women reported substantially less upset at the thought of partner infidelity with a third-gender male (fa'afafine) than with a female. Istmo Zapotec women reported equal upset toward infidelity with a female or a third-gender male (muxe), whereas a second Zapotec sample reported slightly greater upset at the thought of infidelity with a muxe. Results illustrate how cultural contexts moderate the degree to which same-sex infidelity scenarios are upsetting to women.

Nonattendance at Scheduled Appointments in Outpatient Clinics Due to COVID-19 and Related Factors in Taiwan: A Health Belief Model Approach.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of hospital visits and attendance at scheduled appointments have dropped significantly. We used the health belief model (in three dimensions) to examine the determinants of non-attendance of scheduled appointments in outpatient clinics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants in Taiwan (n = 1954) completed an online survey from 10 April 10 to 23 April 2020, which assessed how people perceived and responded to the outbreak of a fast-spreading infectious disease. We performed both univariate and multivariate logistic regression to examine the roles of cognitive, affective, and behavioral health belief constructs in nonattendance at scheduled appointments. The results indicated that individuals who perceived high confidence in coping with COVID-19 were less likely to miss or cancel their doctor’s appointments, whereas individuals who reported high anxiety and practiced more preventive health behaviors, including avoiding crowded places, washing hands more often, and wearing a mask more often, were more likely to miss or cancel their appointments due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Non-heterosexual participants had a lower rate of nonattendance at scheduled appointments compared with heterosexual ones. The study results increase our understanding of the patients’ cognitive health beliefs, psychological distress, and health behaviors when assessing adherence to medical appointments during a pandemic.

Asignación de la custodia tras el divorcio diferencias y similitudes en el caso de disoluciones de parejas heterosexuales y homosexuales

La asignación de la custodia es un ámbito de estudio cada vez más recurrente. La literatura muestra que el interés por esta temática se ha centrado, principalmente, en disoluciones de parejas heterosexuales.
 El presente artículo pretende conocer, para el caso de España, cómo influyen determinadas variables sociales, y detectar posibles diferencias o similitudes en el caso de parejas heterosexuales y homosexuales. Se utiliza metodología cuantitativa con análisis descriptivo y multivariante, usando la Estadística de Nulidades, Separaciones y Divorcios (ENSD) del Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE). La conclusión principal es que la modalidad de custodia compartida está más presente en el caso de parejas homosexuales que en heterosexuales, siendo el número de hijos, la conflictividad en el proceso de divorcio y la comunidad autónoma (CC. AA.) claves para entender qué modalidad de custodia se asigna.

Impacts of Public Debates on Legalizing the Same-Sex Relationships on People's Daily Lives and Their Related Factors in Taiwan.

This study examined the proportion of the individuals who experienced negative impacts on daily lives resulted from public debates on the legalization of same-sex relationships and related factors in Taiwan. Data provided by 1370 participants recruited through a Facebook advertisement were analyzed. Participants completed an online questionnaire assessing negative impact of public debates on daily lives, gender, age, sexual orientation, the number of lesbian, gay and bisexual (LGB) friends, and perceived population’s acceptance of homosexuality. The results showed that 39.5% of participants reported the negative impacts on their occupational or academic performance; 34.2% reported the negative impact on friendship; 37.7% reported the negative impact on family relationship; and 57.4% reported the negative impact on mood or sleep quality. Non-heterosexual participants were more likely to report negative impacts of public debates on all domains of daily lives than heterosexual ones. The number of LGB friends was positively associated with negative impacts of public debates on all domains of daily lives. Participants who were 20–29 years old were more likely to report negative impacts of public debates on the domains of family relationship and mood/sleep quality than those who were 40 or older. Participants who were 30–39 years old were more likely to report negative impacts of public debates on the domain of mood/sleep quality than those who were 40 or older. Males were less likely to report the negative impact on their mood/sleep quality than females. Perceiving population’s acceptance for homosexuality were negatively associated with negative impacts of public debates on the domains of occupational/academic performance, family relationship and mood/sleep quality.

Gender in British media: homosexuality and masculinity in selected TV series

The interaction between masculinity and homosexuality is of interest when considering Connell’s structure of gender power relations. Here gay men are considered subordinate to heterosexual ones, thus linking them to femininity. To fight the attributions of femininity, gay men have adopted a wide range of strategies all centred around hyper-masculinity and adherence to upper social classes, which carry the promise of power. The role of media is pivotal in shaping this imagery. It is our aim to analyse two British TV series portraying gay characters in order to uncover the identities, which may shape the perception of viewers. Furthermore, the two series are compared in regard to three aspects: hedonism, effeminacy and promiscuity. The methodology draws from Lacan’s psychoanalytic theory and the feminist film of Laura Mulvey. Due to the constricted nature of TV series, it also includes theory of Marcel Danesi. The outcomes suggest that there is a shift in the portrayal of gay masculinities towards greater conservativism. The comparison also uncovered that promiscuity is still portrayed as widely accepted in the gay community, whereas positions of effeminacy and hedonism have changed. It must be pointed out that such portrayal may be motivated by the presence of the series within heteronormative mainstream media.Keywords: homosexuality, media, television, masculinity, hegemony, men.

Preocupación asociada al descubrimiento de la orientación sexual

El nivel de aceptación por parte de la sociedad sobre la diversidad afectivo-sexual influye directamente en la vivencia de las personas LGTBI. El hecho de tener que ocultar la propia orientación sexual o vivirla con elevada preocupación fomenta el desarrollo de homofobia interiorizada, con los consiguientes problemas de salud mental que ésta produce. Nuestro objetivo fue analizar las diferencias existentes entre adolescentes y población joven en relación a la vivencia y la preocupación por la propia orientación sexual. Para ello contamos con una muestra de 140 adolescentes y jóvenes (65% mujeres y 35% hombres) entre 12 y 25 años, de dos centros públicos de educación secundaria de la provincia de Castellón. Los participantes cumplimentaron un cuestionario on-line desarrollado ad hoc de 52 ítems. Para este estudio hemos seleccionado los 3 ítems que evalúan la vivencia y la preocupación por la orientación sexual. Ya entre los 12 y 18 años, un 1.1% de adolescentes se siente bisexual, un 3% homosexual, un 4% tiene dudas y un 14% no siente atracción sexual por ningún sexo. Las personas no heterosexuales mostraron mayor preocupación al darse cuenta de su orientación que las personas heterosexuales (un 45.5% frente a un 3.4%) siendo estas diferencias significativas estadísticamente (χ² = 40.505; p£.001). Al analizar la preocupación por su orientación en la actualidad, en el caso de heterosexuales se mantiene en un 3.5% frente a un 31.8% de no heterosexuales (χ² = 23.838; p£.001). Aunque las diferencias no resultaron estadísticamente significativas (χ² = .404; p= .525), observamos que los adolescentes (12-18 años) no heterosexuales presentan menos preocupación que los jóvenes no heterosexuales de entre 19 a 25 años (75% frente a un 61.5%). En cuanto a la edad en que se dieron cuenta de su orientación, en las personas no heterosexuales fue posterior (M=10.45; DT=6.43) que en las heterosexuales (M=5.74; DT=5.04) siendo estas diferencias estadísticamente significativas (t= 3.84; £.001). Finalmente, las personas no heterosexuales, cuanto más tarde se dieron cuenta de su orientación sexual, más preocupación mostraban en la actualidad. Estos resultados muestran que todavía jóvenes y adolescentes presentan preocupación sobre su propia orientación sexual, sobre todo cuando la identificación como no heterosexual se hace a una edad más tardía. Resaltamos la importancia de normalizar la diversidad afectivo-sexual, y la necesidad de romper con la heteronormatividad, para que identificarse como no heterosexual no implique ningún tipo de preocupación que puede ser la antesala de problemas de salud mental.

Class, Demography, and Gay Politics in the West

We examine the economic position of gay couples and show that they are relatively advantaged compared to heterosexual ones, with this advantage being most marked for male same-sex couples. We argue that the issue of gay marriage has to be seen in the context of a general demographic crisis affecting Western capitalist countries. We look at the impact of this on profitability and growth.

Male Homosexual Preference: Femininity and the Older Brother Effect in Indonesia.

Male homosexual preference (MHP) is an evolutionary enigma because it is partially heritable and imposes a fertility cost. In occidental societies, homosexual men are feminized at various levels and they have more older brothers than heterosexual men. To evaluate whether femininity and the fraternal birth order (FBO) effect are universal features of MHP or not, we collected original data from homosexual men, heterosexual men, and heterosexual women from Java (Indonesia). Facial photographs were used to test whether homosexual faces are feminized when compared with heterosexual ones. We found that faces manipulated to resemble the average face of homosexual men are perceived as facially feminized, suggesting that homosexual men are facially feminized compared to heterosexual men, although a higher facial femininity was not captured by morphological analyses. Then, family data were used to detect differences in siblings' composition between homosexuals and heterosexuals. Homosexual men displayed a higher number of older brothers than heterosexual men, even when sibship size was controlled for, suggesting that the FBO effect exists in Indonesian populations. Independent of sexual orientation, men with older brothers seem more feminized than those without older brothers, consistent with the immune origin of the FBO effect. In conclusion, MHP in Indonesia is partially feminized and they have more older brothers. Such features are also associated with MHP in other cultural contexts, suggesting a cross-cultural effect of men homosexual preference. An evolutionary explanation is available for the feminizing effect, although the FBO effect remains unexplained even if proximal mechanisms start to be identified.

The Haunting of Shame: Autoethnography and the Multivalent Stigma of Being Queer, Muslim, and Single

Sociology has neglected the terrain of the gay Muslim single as a sociological phenomenon. Produced and managed via meaningful social conduct, the gay Muslim single often holds negative symbolic and cultural worth, one of lacking identification and presence. The stigma of the gay Muslim single is actively reproduced through social and power relations. I examine multiple stigmas and dichotomies by using autoethnography to illustrate the human lived experience of a gay Muslim single, who is silenced, invisibilized, and embodies a social life of “emptiness.” The gay Muslim single, bringing about a “moral panic,” confronts temporal regulations, norms, and values, notably those of heterosexual ones in everyday social life. He is cast as an “outsider,” which reinforces his stigma in everyday social life.

A campus LGBTQ community’s sexual violence and stalking experiences: the contribution of pro-abuse peer support

Previous studies of peer support for various types of violence against college students are heteronormative, being primarily concerned with the abuse of heterosexual women by heterosexual males. Using recent data from the Campus Quality of Life Survey conducted at a large residential college in the South Atlantic part of the US, the main objective of this paper is to help fill a major research gap by presenting data on two ways in which negative peer support contribute to sexual violence and stalking in a campus LGBTQ community. The results show that LGBTQ students are more likely to receive such support than heterosexual ones and that negative peer support predicts sexual assault and stalking among both types of students. Implications for further empirical and theoretical work are discussed, as well as some key policy issues.

Indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals.

The aim of this study was to comprehensively examine the syndrome of indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals. 156 homosexual individuals (111 males, 45 females) aged 25-35 (mean age of 29.6) and 561 heterosexual individuals (400 males, 161 females) aged 24-36 (mean age of 28.2) were studied with regard to indirect self-destructiveness. The research instrument was the Polish version of the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale (CS-DS) including: Transgression and Risk (A1), Poor Health Maintenance (A2), Personal and Social Neglects (A3), Lack of Planfulness (A4) and Helplessness and Passiveness in the face of problems (A5). Homosexual individuals obtained significantly higher scores than heterosexual ones in numerous scales: Indirect Self-Destructiveness - global (general) index (p<0.001), A1-Transgression and Risk (p<0.001), A4-Lack of Planfulness (p<0.001) and A5-Helplessness, Passiveness (p=0.04) There were no significant differences in the Poor Health Maintenance scale (A2). They also achieved significantly higher scores in the subscales assessing using of psychoactive substances. Factor analysis revealed the presence of only one factor both in the group of homosexual and heterosexual individuals. The research results indicate that, as compared with the group of heterosexual individuals, in the group of homosexuals there occurs a worsening in psychological functioning, which may be also manifested by an increased indirect self-destructiveness index. The increased intensity of indirect self-destructiveness in homosexual individuals may be considered a manifestation of worsened psychological functioning. The homosexual individuals look after their health similarly to heterosexuals.

Bosom Friends and the Sapphic Breasts of Belinda

This article examines Maria Edgeworth’s 1801 novel Belinda in order to argue that the breast at the center of Lady Delacour’s narrative signifies not maternal failure but Sapphic feelings and connections. While previous studies of the novel have discussed the wounded breast of Lady Delacour as a punishment for her transgressions or as an emblem of her patriarchal oppression, this article claims that the wounded breast is both a sign of and a means to female same-sex desire and relationships. This article contrasts the wounded, festering breast with the tableau that ends the novel. The tableau, a constructed vision of social expectations at the time, is undermined by Lady Delacour’s final couplet that encourages the reader to “find the moral” of the story. The wounded breast and the many ways in which it connects the characters of Lady Delacour, Belinda and Mrs. Freke undermine the heteronormative tableau that ends the novel and complicate the suggestion that the moral of the story is easy to understand. By exploring the ways in which the breast functions to connect these women through its wounding and its cure, I argue that Sapphic possibilities arise throughout the novel. These possibilities suggest the centrality of the female same-sex relationships to the novel over the heterosexual ones that figure in the tableau.

Intimate Partner Violence Prevention Services and Resources in Los Angeles

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is as prevalent in lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) relationships as it is in heterosexual ones; however, the issues, needs, and challenges associated with assisting or advocating on behalf of LGBT persons are poorly understood. Using community-based participatory approaches, we conducted a brief survey of professionals (e.g., shelter staff, domestic violence prevention and intervention programs, law enforcement) affiliated with one or more domestic violence prevention and/or intervention networks in Los Angeles, California. The sample, which included professionals (N = 54) from diverse programs/agencies, was obtained using purposive and snowball sampling. Participants self-administered a 33-item, online questionnaire. Analyses primarily involved descriptive statistics (frequencies, proportions). Most respondents had little or no training in LGBT IPV; nevertheless, nearly 50% of them reported having assisted LGBTs "sometimes" or "often" in the past year. Nearly all (92%) reported that their agencies/programs lack staff with dedicated responsibilities to LGBT IPV. The most frequent requests for assistance respondents reported receiving from LGBTs were for counseling, safe housing, legal assistance, and assistance navigating the medical system. The findings suggest that staff believe their agencies/programs inadequately address LGBT IPV but that many of the inadequacies (e.g., lack of staff training on LGBT IPV) are remediable.

Heteronormativity in the University Classroom

This article explores the complex relationship between an openly gay instructor, homophobia, and heteronormativity in a university classroom. The authors first tabulated the frequency with which the instructor used the lives of heterosexuals and homosexuals as examples of content or as content itself, and then they interviewed 32 students about their perceptions of these frequencies. They found that students significantly overestimated lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) frequencies and underestimated heterosexual ones. The authors develop two analytical concepts to highlight this form of heteronormativity: novelty attachment and content substitution. They explain these phenomena by suggesting that the novelty of using LGBT examples and discussing homosexuality as content results in the activation of stereotypes among otherwise gay-friendly students. They examine the cognitive underpinnings of this using social identity theory and call for further research to examine the applicability of their theory to other minority groups.

The "Quadroon-Placage" Myth of Antebellum New Orleans: Anglo-American (Mis)interpretations of a French-Caribbean Phenomenon

The intimate relationships between white men and women of color in antebellum New Orleans, commonly known by the term plaçage, are a large part of the romanticized lore of the city and its history. This article exposes the common understanding of plaçage as myth. First, it reveals the source of the myth in a collection of accounts by travelers to the city in the decades leading up to the Civil War. Next, it uses a database of information on hundreds of white male-colored female relationships during the period to provide a more accurate account of the people in and nature of these relationships. Finally, it explains the purpose served by the myth by identifying three traditions that shaped its development: the culture of Southern Honor, the Anti-Slavery movement, and the bon-ton tradition of Georgian England. In a broader sense, this paper shows how myths are created and perpetuated, the temptations and dangers of uncritically accepting them, and the value to understanding their creation.

Spirituality, AIDS, and Sexuality

Some religions, such as many Buddhist schools and traditional Hinduism, believe all sexual desire, whether gay or straight, must be transcended in order to achieve salvation. Neo-Pagan religions are almost unanimous in their acceptance of same-sex relationships as equal to heterosexual ones. But many orthodox leaders in Christianity, Islam, and Judaism maintain the sinfulness of gay and lesbian lifestyles, which may complicate treatment with AIDS victims. This paper explores ways to help gays and lesbians integrate their spiritual beliefs with their sexual orientation. A brief examination of religious texts is offered, but it is recommended that counselors and psychologists avoid theological debates. Instead, therapists can engage clients in psycho-theological discussions. Clients are asked to describe the nature of the Divine (e.g., is this an entity that focuses on punishment or forgiveness?), whether there is a design to the universe, and how the Divine shows love to those who seek him/her. Spirituality may strengthen the immune system, provide a mechanism for positive thoughts, and, in some cases, increase the life expectancy of clients. All of these potentialities make it a vital facet of effective therapy.