Sexuality & Culture-An Interdisciplinary Journal最新文献

Sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) are no longer uniformly viewed as stable and permanent individual attributes in academic and public discourse. Iran, and Iranian scholarship, has been an important site for this destabilisation. Postcolonial, feminist and queer theorists have mapped changes since the nineteenth century in how Iranian individuals and society perceive sexual and gender identities and behaviours, often attributing shifts in discourse to Iran's engagement with Europe. Without overlooking the marginalisation and abuse of queer Iranians, this scholarship undermines simplistic Western narratives to create a more nuanced analysis of their experiences and related discourses. Meanwhile, and in contrast, in the broader field of refugee law and scholarship, homophobia and transphobia are now recognised as grounds for claiming asylum in Western refugee-receiving states, however the criteria for recognition assumes the stable conceptualisations of sexuality and gender identity that have been disrupted in other fields. This article juxtaposes these two bodies of work. Using data from interviews with queer Iranians in exile, I ask whether the contradiction between law's reliance on categories and the mutability of sexuality and gender as lived is detrimental for queer Iranians seeking international protection, and for asylum claimants in general.

Sexual consent is an ongoing agreement to engage in sexual behavior, requiring individuals to provide consent when sexual behavior is desired and seek consent from partners. While many initiate sexual activity during adolescence, adolescents remain mostly absent from the sexual consent literature. No work has explored consent cognitions and behaviors across adolescents of diverse gender and sexual identities. The current study explores differences in consent-seeking behaviors and consent cognitions across diverse youth and investigates links between consent cognitions and behaviors. We recruited U.S. adolescents (n = 833, age 14-16, M age = 15; 43% White, 17% Black, 17% Asian, 13% Latine) using social media. Participants represent diverse gender and sexual identities (52% cisgender girl, 27% cisgender boy, 21% gender minority; 45% heterosexual, 28% bisexual, 11% gay/lesbian, 16% another sexual minority identity). On average, participants reported high consent self-efficacy, positive consent attitudes, and frequent ongoing consent behaviors. Cisgender boys and heterosexual youth were less likely to report consistent consent-seeking behaviors and reported less positive attitudes towards consent compared to their peers. Positive attitudes towards consent and consent-seeking self-efficacy were both associated with a greater likelihood of consistent consent-seeking behavior. Results highlight the importance of promoting healthy consent practices among adolescents.

Sexual violence (SV) victimization is a growing concern for men who have sex with men (MSM), given their high risk for SV relative to heterosexual peers. MSM frequently utilize dating and sexual networking (DSN) apps to meet potential partners, which also puts them at a higher risk of victimization. Understanding the connection between DSN apps and SV victimization for MSM can inform the development of prevention interventions. The aim of this study was to examine partner characteristics MSM perceive as associated with SV risk on DSN apps. We conducted two virtual semi-structured focus groups with 14 MSM between the ages of 18 and 30. Group facilitators queried participants about their experiences with DSN apps and attributes of potentially risky partners. Three levels of perceived SV risk cues emerged as primary themes: yellow flags (attributes used to determine continued engagement), orange flags (caution or warning signs), and red flags (clear indications of danger). MSM described how they use these "flags" to evaluate SV risk when considering whether to interact with potential partners on DSN apps. Future research should assess whether these attributes are indeed associated with SV perpetration and whether strengthening skills for safely navigating DSN app interactions can reduce victimization for MSM.

One in five women experience sexual victimization in her lifetime, making sexual victimization a significant public health crisis. This public health crisis also has detrimental health consequences. Understanding the scope of sexual violence and the effects of prevention programming requires accuracy in measuring sexual violence. Yet, a wealth of research suggests lack of precision in sexual violence measurement and potential confusion among respondents in how to interpret items on sexual victimization and perpetration questionnaires. Specifically, alcohol-involved sexual violence questions are among the hardest to operationalize in such questionnaires, due, in part to cultural ideas about alcohol and idiosyncratic effects of alcohol on behavior. The current study addressed this gap by assessing the construct validity of alcohol-involved sexual violence questionnaire items. We used a cognitive-interviewing qualitative approach to analyze interviews with forty participants to better understand the cognitive and interpretive language nuances between "took advantage of while drunk" and being "too drunk to consent." Qualitative thematic analysis was conducted to identify and summarize differences in how stimuli were perceived and interpreted. Our thematic analysis identified three themes: (a) respondents used behavioral indicators as an indicator of impaired decision-making, (b) respondents perceived and expressed complexity in understanding alcohol-related consent, and (c) some respondents attributed the differences between the phrases to reflect experiences of either perpetration and victimization. The results underscore the importance of refining questionnaires using behavioral indicators of alcohol intoxication to differentiate between incapacitated and impaired alcohol-involved incidents, clarifying non-consent language, and being purposeful in describing a state or an action related to the consumption of alcohol, to better measure alcohol-involved sexual violence.

Sexual deception involves dishonesty in interpersonal sexual relationships. Among heterosexual Black students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), gender norms may contribute to these behaviors. Furthermore, gender ratio imbalances on HBCU campuses may influence these dynamics. While the literature on sexual deception at HBCUs is minimal, gender imbalances and media portrayals may impact interpersonal communication with sexual or romantic partners. This study examined the role of gender norms, condom attitudes, and perceived mate availability in sexual deception among Black HBCU students. A sample of 286 Black college students (ages 18-24, M = 20.37, SD = 1.70) from an HBCU in the southeastern United States completed surveys measuring sociodemographic information, conformity towards gender norms, sexual deception, perceived mate availability, and condom attitudes. Results indicated men believed the campus had an increased availability of mates, while women had more positive condom attitudes. In addition, self-serving deception was greater in casual or multiple casual relationships. Multiple regression revealed playboy and power over women norms in men predicted increased sexual deception, whereas fidelity and romantic relational norms predicted less sexual deception in women. Furthermore, the relationship between feminine norms and sexual deception varied based on relationship status. Findings highlight gender differences in sexual deception efforts. By examining how socially prescribed norms shape interpersonal behaviors, this study expands the literature on sexual deception and media influence, contributing to broader discussions on fostering healthier interpersonal dynamics in HBCU environments.