Bisexual Issues in Same-Sex Couple Therapy

SUMMARY

The bisexual identity of a partner in a same-sex couple may not be an issue in the relationship, or it may introduce fear, mistrust, and divisiveness. Mixed-orientation couples face problems stemming from the dichotomizing of sexuality, negative myths and stereotypes, and lack of awareness of models and resources. It can be particularly problematic when a partner's bisexuality is first addressed within a committed relationship. Case examples illuminate some of the issues. Therapeutic tasks include addressing the context of oppression, assessing developmental stages of sexual identity and the relationship, clarifying personal meanings of bisexuality, providing education and resources, and, possibly, facilitating negotiations regarding safer sex and polyamory. Optimal couple therapy provides affirmation of bisexuality, validation of same-sex relationships, and reflection of the partner's and relationship's strengths.     

Thai Transgenders in Focus: Demographics,Transitions and Identities

ABSTRACT

Data was analysed for a sample of 195 Thai transgendered females (i.e., male-to-female (MtF) transgenders) who had completed a questionnaire covering, inter alia, demographics, transition histories and sexual/gender identities. Mean age was 25.4 years.

For demographic data, we found that our participants were often among the youngest in their family, that females played a prominent role in their lives (often rearing them without any male help), and that around one in five brothers (natural or step) were also transgendered.

With regard to transition histories, we found that many participants had transitioned very early in life, beginning to feel different to other males, and identifying as non-male by middle childhood. By adolescence many were living a transgendered life. Many took hormones, beginning to do so by a mean age of 16.3 years, and several from as early as 10 years. Many underwent surgeries of various kinds, on average in the twenties, with one undergoing SRS as early as 15 years.

As to identity, most of our participants thought of themselves simply as phuying (women), with a smaller number thinking of themselves as phuying praphet song (a ‘second kind of woman’). A small number thought of themselves as kathoey (a more general Thai term embracing a variety of gender non-conformities). While most participants would prefer to be a woman, there were a few who seemed comfortable being transgendered. A few foresaw that they would not be living a transgendered life into old age. The vast majority expressed a sexual attraction to men.     

Commentary on “Atypical Gender Development–A Review”

ABSTRACT

This commentary considers some of the limitations of the review paper spearheaded by the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) that appears in this issue. Its most notable limitation is selectivity, i.e., the failure to cite papers that might challenge the general thrust of the argumentation that gender identity disorder (transsexualism) is caused primarily, if not exclusively, by biological factors. The covert idea that a biological etiology should somehow afford more human rights for trans people is likely a flawed one.     

群际信任的增进:社会认同与群际接触的方法

群际信任是衡量群际关系的一个重要尺度.群际信任指人们在群际互动中对其他群体成员的行为或意向做积极预期而且愿意承受相应的风险,这种信任主要是由群体成员所属的社会身份所决定的,表现为内群体成员对外群体成员的信任.影响群际信任的因素包括社会群体身份及其表征和群体之间的接触经验,增进群际信任的方法主要包括社会认同与群际接触两大类方法.未来的研究需结合已有进展和社会现实问题对中国的群际信任问题及增进方法进行深入和系统的探讨.     

消费者自我-品牌联结的内涵、形成机制及影响效应

自我-品牌联结(self-brand connections,简称SBC)是指消费者使用品牌构建、强化以及表达个体性或社会性自我的程度.自我-品牌联结形成机制包括两种,消费者认同的视角阐述了消费者会根据自我认同的不同纬度,构建出一系列从个体性到群体性再到更加普遍的民族层面上的品牌联结;品牌意义传播的视角流动性地阐述了自我-品牌联结形成的三个阶段.自我-品牌联结的影响效应是指品牌联结会对品牌关系形成积极、正性的影响,但该效应的发挥会受到诸多因素的调节.未来研究应关注自我-品牌联结的文化心理、自我心理以及我国消费者民族品牌联结的培育机制等问题.     

MARGARET THATCHER'S CHRISTIAN FAITH: A Case Study in Political Theology

Throughout the 1980s Margaret Thatcher dominated British and global politics. At the same time she maintained an active Christian faith, which she understood as shaping and informing her political choices and policies. In this article I argue that we can construct from Thatcher's key speeches, her memoirs, and her book on public policy a cultural “theo‐political” identity which guided her political decisions. Thatcher's identity was as an Anglo‐Saxon Nonconformist. This consisted of her belief in values such as thrift and hard work, care for the family and local neighbor, and charitable generosity; her belief in the renewal of the national British Christian spirit; and her notion of morality as the opportunity for free choice. Without a recognition of the centrality of her theo‐political identity, it is difficult to understand the values and beliefs which were central to her political life. The methodological issues raised by the construction of this theo‐political identity are examined in this article. The aim of the proposed methodology is to develop theological insights into a political phenomenon like Thatcher rather than make policy judgments or recommendations.     

Some Considerations on the Limitations Confronting the Cross-cultural Field of Sex Research

Through the use of intentional sampling this non-probabilistic study reports the incidence of self-reported occasional same-sex behavior among supposed “straight” males and the methodological issues involved in the fieldwork of three different cities from Brazil, Turkey and Thailand. The social criteria used as the control for the males interviewed between 20 and 30 years of age in this study are the levels of education and the items consumed. These variables are here considered to be socially influenced and determinable by class. There is a notable difference due to the greater number of casual same-sex experiences found among heterosexual males in the working classes of Turkey and Thailand. This could mean that the professional middle class sexual ideology is more disseminated among Brazilian participants than among Turk and Thai participants. Another difference was that the highest number of same-sex experiences was found amongst the Turkish middle class where women are much more socially unavailable. Although it is not a representative research from these three countries, each particular fieldwork situation illustrates how different social factors can easily influence the occurrence of casual same-sex experiences among young urban males.