Same-sex Couples Research Articles

A Sudden Epiphany

This creative work, featuring a poem and two photographs integrated into the text, details a queerrelationship in Vienna, Austria, against the backdrop of global and historical violence. In the poem, a queer couple walks in downtown Vienna, noticing how stoplights in the capital city seem to depict same-sex relationships, thereby demonstrating an acceptance that was only just legalized in 2019. Initially overjoyed, given the country’s historical legacy of intolerance (Austria was the birthplace of Adolf Hitler, early 20th century fascism, and is still well-known for its traditional and conservative values), the couple realizes that their happiness is overshadowed by the epiphany that Austria is one of the few countries to have voted against a ceasefire in Gaza. Stunned by this realization, the couple looks on at the stoplights, aghast, considering the complexities of violence in today’s social context.

Denied dreams: The struggle for Same-Sex couples adoption rights in India

In the landscape of India's evolving legal framework concerning LGBTQ+ rights, recent years have seen significant progress towards equality and acceptance. However, the journey towards full integration of LGBTQ+ individuals into society remains fraught with challenges, particularly in the realm of adoption rights for same-sex couples. This article navigates through the legislative landscape of India, discussing the present standing of same-sex relationships, breaking barriers in adoption laws, and examining global advances in adoption rights. Despite recent setbacks, such as the Supreme Court's refusal to legalize same-sex marriages, the resilience of the LGBTQ+ community persists. This article emphasizes the urgent need for legislative clarity and comprehensive anti-discrimination measures to ensure the protection and recognition of LGBTQ+ rights in India. As the fight for equality continues, the unwavering determination of activists reflects a hopeful future where love knows no bounds, and all relationships are celebrated and protected.

Jeremy Bentham on adult-child sex and infanticide

ABSTRACT Jeremy Bentham is becoming increasingly well-known for his defence of consensual male same-sex relationships on the grounds of an ‘all-comprehensive' sexual liberty. The question arises whether his defence of pæderasty, or ‘the love of boys', and hence of adult-child sexual relationships, on the same principle makes his defence of male same-sex relationships problematic. This paper investigates the extent to which, under Bentham's principle, adults would not be legally punished for having consensual sexual relationships with children, or rather with adolescents. It concludes that Bentham’s position in relation to sexual relationships between adult males and under-age females followed the provisions of the English law of his time, while his position in relation to sexual relationships between adult males and under-age males is little different from the provisions of the law of our own time. Bentham was, moreover, concerned about the reputational damage suffered by unmarried mothers, and hence recommended the decriminalizing of infanticide. In the post-Malthusian age, Bentham, like many of his contemporaries, had become concerned about the potential suffering caused by over-population. His aims in this respect would be met by the forms of contraception and abortion available today.

Should Mother Baby Units be renamed Parent Baby Units? A critical reflection on gendered language in perinatal psychiatry.

Mother Baby Units provide mental health care to parents experiencing severe perinatal mental illness. The majority of admitted parents identify as mothers and are the birthing parent and primary caregiver for their infants. However, there is increasing recognition of transgender and gender diverse people who birth and parent infants, as well as awareness of the mental health needs of fathers, people in same-sex relationships, and other non-birthing parents. As such there are moves to use ungendered language for health services including renaming these units as Parent Baby Units. This paper explores this debate, critically reflecting on emergent tensions. Movements towards, and resistance against, changing language in perinatal mental health care are attempts to ensure the visibility of groups within mainstream services. Whether to adopt new terminology is a complex question. But ensuring MBUs meet the needs of people who require them should remain paramount.

How Do Intimate Partner Violence, Outness, and Community Connection Relate to Minority Stressors for Men Who Have Sex with Men?

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a pervasive issue among men who have sex with men (MSM). However, IPV has long been conceptualized as abuse between a male perpetrator and a female victim, leaving gaps in the literature on the unique impacts IPV victimization has for both male victims and victims in same-sex relationships. This study examines relationships between IPV and negative minority stress experiences specific to LGBTQ individuals: overt experiences of homophobia, sexual orientation microaggressions, and internalized homophobia. Participants (N = 168) were recruited through three popular MSM networking applications (i.e., Grindr, Jack'd, and Scruff. Most were recruited from one state in the southeastern United States. Ordinary Least Squares regressions were used to examine IPV as a predictive factor in three separate models, all of which controlled for age, race, outness, and gay community connection (GCC). IPV victimization is associated with increased levels of experiences of overt homophobia, homophobic microaggressions, and internalized homophobia for MSM. Outness, or being open with the people in one's life about one's MSM identity, is associated with lower levels of both sexual orientation microaggressions and internalized homophobia. GCC is also associated with lower levels of internalized homophobia. Results from this study show that IPV victimization is related to minority stressors for MSM. These findings support the existence of unique elements of IPV for LGBTQ victims, specifically MSM. Implications for IPV researchers and service providers are discussed, including the importance of the protective role of outness and GCC against some minority stressors.

Same-sex sexual behavior in brown-headed spider monkeys (Atelesfuscicepsfusciceps) during grappling between two subadult males.

Sexual behavior in animals fulfills reproductive and social functions, extending beyond the traditional focus on reproduction. Same-sex sexual behavior, defined as genital contact or manipulation between individuals of the same sex, occurs in various primate species. In spider monkeys, grappling, a behavior involving prolonged mutual embraces, face greeting, tail intertwining, and genital manipulation, occurs primarily between males. Here, we report a novel incidence of same-sex sexual behavior and grappling between two subadult male brown-headed spider monkeys (Atelesfuscicepsfusciceps). Our observation contributes to the understanding of the social functions of sexual behavior and to the broader appreciation of primate sexuality.

“Jack and Johnny went up the hill”: Emergent homonationalism and the construction of a palatable queer subject in post-Section 377 Bollywood cinema

ABSTRACT This article interrogates an archetype it terms the “palatable queer subject” in post-Section 377 Bollywood cinema. It advances that the production of this subject reflects and reifies India’s emergent homonationalism in the wake of the 2018 decriminalization of homosexual relations. The palatable queer upholds nationalism while enabling India to present itself on the global stage as a progressive nation state. In the Indian context, decriminalization granted this particular subject access to a newly sedimented norm of queerness predicated on the exclusion of more marginalized queer communities. This article strives to excavate this archetype in Hitesh Kewalya’s Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan (Be particularly careful of marriage). It extends Jasbir Puar’s framework of homonationalism in new geographic and conceptual directions, arguing that the palatable queer subject in Bollywood cinema reveals that certain queer people – namely, cisgender upper-caste, upper-class men – have been folded into the nation state, at the expense of more vulnerable queer people.

Protection of the LGBT community’s rights during the war in Ukraine

The article puts an emphasis on the need to protect the rights of LGBT communities. Although the issue of protecting LGBTI rights was considered in the writings of domestic scientists, the Russian- Ukrainian war has become a new challenge for LGBT representatives and caused new problems for them. In the conditions of the war in Ukraine, this is an urgent issue today, because nowadays, persons in same-sex relationships experience restrictions on their rights. The author emphasizes that in connection with the desire of our country to become a full member of the EU, a significant task for it is to prevent discrimination based on such grounds as sexual orientation and gender equality. Despite the public’s negative attitude towards representatives of the so-called “sexual minorities”, the latter stood up to protect their Motherland. Therefore, the state’s performance of its obligations towards such persons is an important issue today. The problem is that there is no normative consolidation of the legal status of LGBT communities in Ukraine and this leads to a limited amount of constitutional, civil, and family rights compared to other citizens. However, in the conditions of the war, representatives of the LGBT community feel even more restricted in their rights than before the war. In particular, they cannot legalize their relations and because of this certain difficulties arise. The author draws attention to the fact that the presence of gaps in the current legislation leads to the fact that LGBT military personnel do not have the same rights as other citizens of Ukraine, although they fight for the independence and territorial integrity of our state. The article highlights that changes to the Constitution of Ukraine cannot be made during the war. Therefore, injustice towards LGBT military personnel should be eliminated by adopting the Law of Ukraine “On the Institute of Registered Partnerships”. The article draws attention to the fact that national courts, if to analyze their practice, are «not ready» to protect LGBTI rights due to the negative perception of these persons in the state. The author emphasizes that the courts must effectively protect the rights of LGBTI people and restore their violated rights. They should also take into account the fact that the practice of the ECtHR is aimed at protecting the rights of the LGBT community. However, a completely different situation is observed in Ukraine, which leads to the adoption of decisions against our state and this generates negative consequences for it.

Intimate partner violence in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex relationships: a call for research-to-action partnerships in higher education settings

Intimate partner violence in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex relationships: a call for research-to-action partnerships in higher education settings

Care and Support for same-sex Couples during Pregnancy and Childbirth

Since 2015, same-sex couples in Austria have been able to fulfil their desire to have children with the help of reproductive medicine services. The aim of this study was to determine the needs of women and the special features of care for women in couple relationships during pregnancy and childbirth. Eight interviews were conducted with Austrian women in same-sex relationships using a semi-structured guideline. The women were recruited by means of a convenience sample via an association and word of mouth. The content of the collected data was analysed using the recommended Mayring method. In the obstetric accompaniment of same-sex female couples, it became obvious that the usual use of language was inappropriate and alternatives to the term father, such as the term co-mother, were insufficiently established. Openness, acceptance and understanding as well as being seen as a holistic family were considered important prerequisites for improving the quality of care. In addition, the inclusion of the non-pregnant mother was considered essential. Despite their non-traditional couple relationship, female couples wanted care without special status and prejudice. A comprehensive socio-political discourse is still needed to promote the normality of family models beyond heteronormativity. Unbiased, supportive obstetric care can offer rainbow families a framework in which children can develop healthily from the outset.

Intimate Partner Violence Risk Factors: A Vulnerability-Adaptation Stress Model Approach.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) disproportionally affects women. Using the vulnerability-adaptation stress model, we examined adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), self-esteem, and hope as vulnerability indicators and relationship status and length, positive and negative affect, and socioeconomic status (SES) as stressors to ascertain the risk for IPV. Women (N = 491, M = 37.15, standard deviation = 12.51) completed an online survey comprised of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, Rosenberg's Self-esteem Scale, Snyder's Hope Scale, ACE questionnaire, Composite Abuse Scale Revised-Short Form, and demographic questions. Factor analysis identified four ACE factors of sexual abuse, physical or psychological abuse, witnessing domestic violence, and household dysfunction. A five-step hierarchical multiple regression identified that greater exposure to physical or psychological child abuse was associated with an increased risk of IPV (Step 2), B = 0.73 [0.16, 1.34]. Lower self-esteem, B = -0.30 [-0.47, -0.14] predicted IPV (Step 3). Age B = 0.07 [0.01, 0.13], negative affect, B = 0.39 [0.19, 0.59], and relationship length, B = -1.24 [-2.16, 0.41] were associated with a higher risk of IPV (Step 4). In Step 5, previous variables attenuated to non-significance while age, B = 0.07 [0.01, 0.13], negative affect, B = 0.39 [0.19, 0.59], and relationship length B = -1.25 [-2.16, 0.41] remained significant. While the key findings of this study were inconsistent with some commonly reported findings (e.g., ACEs, self-esteem, hope, relationship status, SES, age), these inconsistencies are important to highlight given the factorial approach to examining ACEs, the comprehensive analyses conducted, and our examination of these variables' direct relationship to IPV. The study was limited by its cross-sectional nature, higher prevalence of IPV victims, and not examining IPV sub-types. Similar studies need to be conducted for other relationship types and victimized individuals (e.g., same-sex relationships and male victims) to provide a complete picture of risk factors for IPV.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Paternal Parenting Experience: A Scoping Review.

The objective of this scoping review was to map the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the paternal parenting experience. Studies published between January 2020 and October 2021 reporting on paternal mental health, interparental relations, and child interactions were eligible. Forty studies from 17 different countries were included. Most studies included data from both mothers and fathers (83%); five studies reported data from fathers only, and three examined same-sex partners. Most commonly reported outcomes included division of childcare activities (n = 14), delegation of household tasks (n = 10), depression (n = 12), and stress (n = 9). The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on fathers varied globally with no clear trends except for the division of childcare and household tasks, in which fathers increased their contribution to childcare and household tasks yet mothers continued to experience a higher domestic burden. Further research is recommended to advance our understanding of how fathers coped during the COVID-19 pandemic and document the long-term impact of the pandemic on families.

On literature, society, sexualities: An interview with the writer Vasudhendra

ABSTRACT This interview discusses same-sex relationships, especially gay relationships, in the writer Vasudhendra’s semi-autobiographical book, Mohanaswamy, which became India’s first book in the Kannada language to focus on gay life. Vasudhendra talks about the need for social progress in understanding LGBTQIA+ sexualities and the implicit requirement of LGBTQIA+ literature in vernacular languages in India. He elucidates on his experience in counselling gay youths, how he has navigated the difference in gay life between rural and urban areas, and the appropriate way to deal with the variance in their experiences. Though Vasudhendra’s attention is on gay narratives, he also discusses the presence of patriarchy in Indian society, the impact of law on LGBTQIA+ sexualities, the lack of queer vocabulary in Indian vernacular languages, and the need for a more inclusive gendered terminology. The interview ends with the writer’s hope to see a change in society’s perception of non-normative sexualities in India.

Bilan des études sur le sens du mot ἀρσενοκοῑται, de 1980 à aujourd’hui

The focus on the Greek term ἀρσενοκοῑται, mentioned in the Pauline writings (1 Cor 6:9; 1 Tim 1:10), increased significantly throughout the twentieth century, extending into contemporary times. This increased attention can be attributed, in part, to ongoing societal and ecclesiastical debates concerning homosexuality and various aspects of sexuality. The interpretations and translations of this term are diverse, with some suggesting a reference to homosexual relationships, while others lean towards themes such as prostitution or sexual abuse. The present study offers a chronological analysis of research into the interpretation of ἀρσενοκοῑται in the Pauline epistles, beginning in the 1980s. This literature review aims to trace the evolution of exegetical debate through time, allowing a deeper understanding of how perspectives and arguments have changed.

Minority Stress and Dyadic Stress in Same-Sex Couples: The Role of Dyadic Coping and Relationship Duration

Objectives: We investigated how internalized homonegativity and dyadic stress predicted relationship satisfaction in same-sex romantic relationships and explored the moderating roles of dyadic coping and relationship duration in the aforementioned associations. Methods: The actor-partner interdependence moderation model (APIMoM) was introduced to deal with mutual influences between both partners in 241 same-sex romantic relationships. Results: (1) individual internalized homonegativity, dyadic stress, and dyadic coping predict their own relationship satisfaction (i.e., actor effect); (2) individual dyadic stress predicts their partner’s relationship satisfaction (i.e., partner effect), but only for those with a shorter relationship duration (i.e., ≤ 36 months); and (3) dyadic coping buffers the effect of individual dyadic stress on their own relationship satisfaction, but only for those in the group with a longer relationship durations (i.e., > 36 months). Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of a dyadic approach to further understand the impact of stress on relationship satisfaction. We reflect that interventions on couple-oriented coping could improve relationship well-being and sexual health among same-sex couples.

Introducing 'Brother-Love': If 'No-Homo' Were Invented in the Victorian Era

Working off of information surrounding nineteenth century intimate male friendships provided by E. Anthony Rotundo’s 1989 article “Romantic Friendship: Male Intimacy and Middle-Class Youth in the Norther United States, 1800-1900,” as well as ideas of female intimacy of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in Julian Carter’s 2005 article “On Mother-Love: History, Queer Theory, and Nonlesbian Identity,” the concept of “brother-love” encompasses important components of intimate male friendships during the Victorian period. Hidden physical and emotional intimacy were vital to these intimate friendships, in ways differing from Carter’s “mother-love” as explored in this project. Anna Clark’s concept of “Twilight Moments” (2005) will help explain “brotherlove” as it is compared to Carter’s “mother-love.” “Brother-love” is a response to contemporary terms and concepts queer scholars use when focusing on historical moments, and it provides an alternative frame of reference for intimate and romantic male friendships while extracting contemporary influence of same-sex relations.

Postpartum Depression in Nonbiological Fathers in Same-Sex Partnerships

Postpartum Depression in Nonbiological Fathers in Same-Sex Partnerships

Education and Religion in Shaping Support for Same-Sex Relations: Considering Differences Over Time and Across Geographical Areas

Abstract Across the world, attitudes about same-sex relationships have become rapidly more supportive. While education is typically viewed as a liberalizing force, religious beliefs are often seen as restricting more tolerant perspectives and contributing to more conservative attitudes in general. Focusing on the United States, this study examines the roles of religion and education, as individual and group properties, for understanding disapproval of same-sex relationships. Drawing on restricted information that makes it possible to identify where General Social Survey respondents lived, we find that graduating from college is associated with more support, but has less of an effect on Evangelicals and more religiously engaged people. Moreover, we find that residents in areas with higher overall levels of education became liberal faster, irrespective of whether or not they had a college degree. Our findings speak to the power of education and religion, as micro and macro forces, for understanding public opinion about same-sex relations over time.

Mona Maclean, Adaptably Amorous

This article investigates how Margaret Georgina Todd’s Mona Maclean, Medical Student [1892], is largely unapologetic in its presentation of queer female characters. In a quasi-autobiographical product of a Sapphic woman, Todd’s eponymous heroine functions as a fictionalised version of Todd herself. Mona Maclean’s remarkable queerness reveals itself when we subject the text and the relationships therein to what Sharon Marcus refers to as ‘just reading’ in her monograph Between Women. Female amity in Todd’s novel exists within a broad spectrum of desire, from friendly flirtation to what I term ‘New Coupledom’, a queer, coupled complement to New Womanhood for women who use heterosexual marriages to facilitate their same-sex partnerships. This article aims to make the logical next step from examining the force of the New Woman novel to the purchase of a principally queer New Woman novel in the late nineteenth century.

Historical Analysis of Criminalizing Homosexual Relationships in Nigeria: A Historical Approach

This paper aims basically at examining the menace and the criminalization of homo-sexual relationships in Nigerian society. Gay and lesbian couples are categorized as same-sex relationships. Though they are not easy to identify, they possess peculiar traits which set them apart from ordinary persons. Their activities are generally condemned by most countries on religious and moral grounds. This work has succinctly examined the various causes of homosexuality and its effects on our society. The study adopted a multi-disciplinary approach in its analysis. It employs a historical, expository, interpretative, and analytical method. A secondary source was extensively used in the course of this study. It also evaluates the role or views of different sections in society as regards the activities of homosexuality in our society. Besides, the concepts and analytical tools of economists, sociologists, and theologists were employed throughout the analysis. This ensured that the paradigmatic tool that was used melded perfectly into the overall body of the paper. This was adopted because of the historical nature of the study. It was discovered that homosexuality is largely due to the environment in which one is raised. In other words, homosexuality is induced by a disordered environment. People equally engaged in homosexuality as a result of freedom of association. They feel it is one of their fundamental human rights. To some of the practitioners, it is more economical. There is no fear of pregnancy and some other related expenses involved in a normal relationship.