Sexuality is something that children experience from an early age. It may be a cause of individual concern and anxiety, but is seldom, if ever, deconstructed at any stage of a child's education. Institutionalized fear and misunderstandings of Section 28 (1988) have effectively removed discussion of sexuality, homosexual or otherwise, from the…

This article draws from poststructuralist, feminist and identity-based political foundations of queer theory to construct a conceptual lens which complements other critical, anti-oppression frameworks. It reveals some of the internal struggles in the field of queer studies, describes the social context for issues related to sexuality in North…

This article discusses racial-social-sexual categories as related to HIV prevention and traditional public health strategies, specifically, the Young Men's Study conducted during the 1990s. We critique the use of pan-ethnic categories such as Asian and Latino, and the often invisible position of Whiteness in race discussions. We also engage with…

This article discusses homosexuality in the college years based on clinical observation, developmental theory, and findings from major studies. The changing sexual orientation in men and women and development of sexual preferences are described. Male and female concerns and patterns are seen as psychodynamically and socioculturally different…

This study focuses on interviews with six lesbian, gay or bisexual trainee teachers, and explores their experiences in relation to sexual orientation. Initial analysis reveals interesting perspectives on the lives of trainees in Higher Education, during school-based work and socially; it also provides a window onto the attitudes to sexuality…

Urban 6th graders (n = 294) participate in a survey assessing early heterosexual risk behaviors as part of the Reach for Health Middle Childhood Study. About half the boys (47%) and 20% of girls report having a girlfriend or boyfriend; 42% of boys and 10% of girls report kissing and hugging for a long time. Stepwise regressions model the…

A preliminary search of the Internet reveals the multiplicity of issues addressed under the topic of sexuality and education. Terms such as gender identity, sexual orientation, women's health, abuse, abstinence, education of children, teens, and parents, HIV/AIDS, morality and sexual ethics indicate the many different dimensions of contemporary…

In a 5-day campus visit, a consultant explored the leadership role the College of Education can play in helping the Pennsylvania State University embrace sexual diversity, enhance curricular offerings, promote research and scholarship, and provide outreach services to various constituencies through various media. The visit included interviews with…

Five educators describe research that explores elementary school teachers' attitudes about sexual orientation in relation to children's sexuality and parents' sexual orientation. They compare children's and adults' conceptions of family and discuss the process of including gay and lesbian perspectives in early childhood and graduate school…

Researchers disagree on how to assess adolescent sexual orientation. The relative importance of various dimensions (e.g. attraction, relationships, behavior, self-labeling) is unknown, which calls into question the validity of studies assessing adolescent sexual orientation. To address this issue, 50 male and female adolescents of varied sexual…

This study explored associations between ever having been arrested and other variables among 490 male drug users. Participants were classified into three groups based on recent sexual history: men who had not had sex (NOSEX), men who had had sex with women (HETERO), and men who had had sex with men (MSM). We found that MSM who had been arrested…

This chapter challenges forthcoming research on adolescent female sexuality to take more seriously the role of dominant cultural ideologies regarding heterosexuality and to consider its theoretical and methodological implications.

Describes dynamics and interventions in relation to adolescents who express concern about gay and lesbian issues. Advocates therapeutic intervention based on psychological and emotional aspects of sexual preference, and cultural and social expectations of those who identify themselves as gay or lesbian. Describes three case studies. (Author/BB)

Bernstein's theory was tested in the homosexual's "closed" community to determine code-switching ability and its relationship to jargon. Subjects told a story based on homoerotic photographs where knowledge of sexual orientation was varied. Results suggest that homosexual homophyly encouraged elaboration. (Author)

Study of women-only training centers established by the European Social Fund shows how they can be closed communities in which differences of race, class, or sexual preference can be identified as relationships of power, privilege, and inequality. (SK)