This is a qualitative data collection.<br> <br> This research comprised a study of le... more This is a qualitative data collection.<br> <br> This research comprised a study of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equalities work amongst local authorities which was conducted between March 2008 and September 2009. The field of LGBT equalities work at that time was undergoing a period of rapid change, following the abolishment of Section 28 and fuelled by the introduction of a range of new legislation as well as on-going local government modernisation. This project builds on existing research by exploring the impact of the changing policy environment on LGBT equalities initiatives amongst local authorities and their partner agencies. The research used and developed innovative qualitative Action Learning Set methodologies and interviews with local and national stakeholders. <br> <br> The aims of the project were: to examine the impact of recent policy changes on the field of LGBT equalities work in local government; to address key conceptual iss...
Aims of this talk: To look at homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the context of UK local go... more Aims of this talk: To look at homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the context of UK local government work To focus on the processes and practices taking place regarding the implementation of public policies To identify obstacles as well as areas of progress
Bisexuality has been largely ignored by sociologists in recent years. The sociological elision of... more Bisexuality has been largely ignored by sociologists in recent years. The sociological elision of bisexuality is problematic, as it contributes to the social erasure of bisexuals. A sociological reclamation of bisexual ontologies supports a broader movement within the discipline towards critical and nuanced analysis of multifaceted, fragmented, hybridised, and changing sexed and gendered identities. This reclamation is aligned with broader movements aiming to shift sociological thought beyond a Eurocentric and USA-centric sexuality/gender studies that relies on unitary and binary notions of 'male/female', and 'lesbian, gay, heterosexual' (LGH). This paper showcases innovative analysis of bisexuality along the key trajectories of identities, commodification, inequalities, activism, and citizenship. It provides a snapshot of some of the arguments developed in Monros' monograph Bisexuality: Identities, Politics, and Theories (Palgrave MacMillan 2015). The book takes...
Since the 1990s, the dominant political discourse of social movements concerned with 'sexual ... more Since the 1990s, the dominant political discourse of social movements concerned with 'sexual politics' has been that of seeking access into mainstream culture through demanding equal rights of citizenship. These citizenship demands have been, at least to a degree, answered via a tranche of recent legislation including the Civil Partnership Act (2004) and the Equality Regulations (Sexual Orientation) 2007, and by associated changes in policy making and practice. However, the shift towards the normalcy of lesbian and gay citizenship has taken place in tandem with the fragmentation of sexual politics and identities. It is possible to argue that the normative citizen is no longer necessarily heterosexual, whilst the non-normative subject is now non-partnered or multiply-partnered, ambiguous in gender identity, or inhabiting social spaces where they are likely to face multiple disadvantage. The sites of 'othering', in which certain groups or individuals are excluded from ...
... all the time&amp;#x27;and the expert says,&amp;#x27;well treat her like a girl, reall... more ... all the time&amp;#x27;and the expert says,&amp;#x27;well treat her like a girl, really reinforce her being like a girl&amp;#x27;so that psychiatry becomes a means of social control,&amp;#x27;we must force the people even harder to build gender walls&amp;#x27; and in actual fact what we should do is to change the walls.(Kate N Ha ...
UK policy makers and practitioners have to address identity categories in a number of ways. Polic... more UK policy makers and practitioners have to address identity categories in a number of ways. Policy documents relating to the statutory sector, for example health and social care, have routinely included performance measurement indicators which address the extent to which the needs of different populations are met by service providers. The raft of equalities-related legislation which has been introduced over the past few years in the UK has driven this agenda, and statutory sector agencies have responded by developing complex mechanisms for assessing the impact of their activities on different social groups. This paper addresses a key debate within intersectionality studies, and scholarship in the field of sexuality and gender; the debate around categorisation and anti-categorisation. It does so via the prism of LGBT equalities initiatives in local government. Local government work forms a useful means of addressing this debate, because policy makers are forced to amalgamate individu...
The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, avail... more The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. Users may access full items free of charge; copies of full text items generally can be reproduced, displayed or performed and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational or notforprofit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided:
The last 20 years has seen an explosion of interest in sexualities studies. The field is rich and... more The last 20 years has seen an explosion of interest in sexualities studies. The field is rich and diverse, including micro-studies situated in specific social contexts (Heath and Goggin, 2009), accounts of practice in particular settings (Saunamaki et al., 2010), organizational sexualities (Hearn and Parkin, 2001), transnational analysis (Binnie, 2004), cultural approaches (Braziel, 2004) and theoretical analysis (Ahmed, 2011; Brickell, 2006). Each academic discipline has developed its own body of sexualities scholarship, for example sociology (Weeks, 2009) and political science (Smith, 2008). Western sexualities scholarship in the 1990s built on social constructionist accounts (Gagnon and Simon, 1973; McIntosh, 1968; Plummer, 1981). Theory continued to develop through the 1990s, including the work of early queer theory scholars such as Sedgwick (1991), and Foucault’s (1976) work was highly influential. The work of second wave feminists (Richardson, 2008) has also been important in the development of the field. Since the 1990s, sexualities studies has been characterized by increasing interdisciplinarity and by the emergence of subdisciplines. As Plummer comments, ‘the generic field of sexualities is now a mass of diversities, with their own scholars and journals’ (personal communication 10 January 2016, cited in Monro et al., 2017a). The broader social context is important in understanding the development of sexualities studies over the last 20 years. There was a normalization of varied sexual identities, specifically lesbian and gay identities, in many parts of the world over the 1990s and early 2000s (see Richardson and Monro, 2012). A related globalized human rights movement to support the rights of those with same-sex desires has emerged, but conflicts concerning sexual identities are also increasingly globalized Sexualities 2018, Vol. 21(8) 1229–1233 ! The Author(s) 2018 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1363460718771348 journals.sagepub.com/home/sex
This article provides a review of sexualities scholarship within the social sciences between 1970... more This article provides a review of sexualities scholarship within the social sciences between 1970 and 2015. It takes an innovative approach by focusing on the way in which bisexuality is addressed in this body of literature. The article reveals the marginalisation, under-representation and invisibility of bisexuality within and across the social sciences in relation to both bisexual experience and identity. Reasons for this varied across the different eras, including the heterosexist nature of the literature, the impact of gay and lesbian-focused identity politics, and queer deconstructionism. In addition, patterns of bisexual erasure and invisibility were uneven, with some scholarship taking inclusive approaches or criticising prejudice against bisexuality. The initial findings of the review were enriched by critical commentary from key relevant sociologists and political scientists. The article concludes that future sexualities scholarship could be enhanced by greater consideratio...
From individual experiences of prejudice to international political debate around equal rights, s... more From individual experiences of prejudice to international political debate around equal rights, social attitudes towards sexuality and transgender equalities are evolving. This timely text traces shifts at personal, national and international levels to fully assess the landscape of policy and theory today. Bringing together critical perspectives and original research, Sexuality, Equality and Diversity clearly outlines contested terms and key debates in the field. It explains how equality policy is developed and put into practice, examining what has been achieved by legislation so far and highlighting the challenges to overcome. Exploring the multiple identities and different agendas of various LGBT communities, this thought-provoking book draws on a range of rich examples to shed new light on sexual citizenship today. This is an invaluable guide through the complex terrain of equality and diversity, and is invaluable reading for students of sociology, social policy, gender studies and politics.
This is a qualitative data collection.<br> <br> This research comprised a study of le... more This is a qualitative data collection.<br> <br> This research comprised a study of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equalities work amongst local authorities which was conducted between March 2008 and September 2009. The field of LGBT equalities work at that time was undergoing a period of rapid change, following the abolishment of Section 28 and fuelled by the introduction of a range of new legislation as well as on-going local government modernisation. This project builds on existing research by exploring the impact of the changing policy environment on LGBT equalities initiatives amongst local authorities and their partner agencies. The research used and developed innovative qualitative Action Learning Set methodologies and interviews with local and national stakeholders. <br> <br> The aims of the project were: to examine the impact of recent policy changes on the field of LGBT equalities work in local government; to address key conceptual iss...
Aims of this talk: To look at homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the context of UK local go... more Aims of this talk: To look at homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia in the context of UK local government work To focus on the processes and practices taking place regarding the implementation of public policies To identify obstacles as well as areas of progress
Bisexuality has been largely ignored by sociologists in recent years. The sociological elision of... more Bisexuality has been largely ignored by sociologists in recent years. The sociological elision of bisexuality is problematic, as it contributes to the social erasure of bisexuals. A sociological reclamation of bisexual ontologies supports a broader movement within the discipline towards critical and nuanced analysis of multifaceted, fragmented, hybridised, and changing sexed and gendered identities. This reclamation is aligned with broader movements aiming to shift sociological thought beyond a Eurocentric and USA-centric sexuality/gender studies that relies on unitary and binary notions of 'male/female', and 'lesbian, gay, heterosexual' (LGH). This paper showcases innovative analysis of bisexuality along the key trajectories of identities, commodification, inequalities, activism, and citizenship. It provides a snapshot of some of the arguments developed in Monros' monograph Bisexuality: Identities, Politics, and Theories (Palgrave MacMillan 2015). The book takes...
Since the 1990s, the dominant political discourse of social movements concerned with 'sexual ... more Since the 1990s, the dominant political discourse of social movements concerned with 'sexual politics' has been that of seeking access into mainstream culture through demanding equal rights of citizenship. These citizenship demands have been, at least to a degree, answered via a tranche of recent legislation including the Civil Partnership Act (2004) and the Equality Regulations (Sexual Orientation) 2007, and by associated changes in policy making and practice. However, the shift towards the normalcy of lesbian and gay citizenship has taken place in tandem with the fragmentation of sexual politics and identities. It is possible to argue that the normative citizen is no longer necessarily heterosexual, whilst the non-normative subject is now non-partnered or multiply-partnered, ambiguous in gender identity, or inhabiting social spaces where they are likely to face multiple disadvantage. The sites of 'othering', in which certain groups or individuals are excluded from ...
... all the time&amp;#x27;and the expert says,&amp;#x27;well treat her like a girl, reall... more ... all the time&amp;#x27;and the expert says,&amp;#x27;well treat her like a girl, really reinforce her being like a girl&amp;#x27;so that psychiatry becomes a means of social control,&amp;#x27;we must force the people even harder to build gender walls&amp;#x27; and in actual fact what we should do is to change the walls.(Kate N Ha ...
UK policy makers and practitioners have to address identity categories in a number of ways. Polic... more UK policy makers and practitioners have to address identity categories in a number of ways. Policy documents relating to the statutory sector, for example health and social care, have routinely included performance measurement indicators which address the extent to which the needs of different populations are met by service providers. The raft of equalities-related legislation which has been introduced over the past few years in the UK has driven this agenda, and statutory sector agencies have responded by developing complex mechanisms for assessing the impact of their activities on different social groups. This paper addresses a key debate within intersectionality studies, and scholarship in the field of sexuality and gender; the debate around categorisation and anti-categorisation. It does so via the prism of LGBT equalities initiatives in local government. Local government work forms a useful means of addressing this debate, because policy makers are forced to amalgamate individu...
The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, avail... more The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. Users may access full items free of charge; copies of full text items generally can be reproduced, displayed or performed and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational or notforprofit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided:
The last 20 years has seen an explosion of interest in sexualities studies. The field is rich and... more The last 20 years has seen an explosion of interest in sexualities studies. The field is rich and diverse, including micro-studies situated in specific social contexts (Heath and Goggin, 2009), accounts of practice in particular settings (Saunamaki et al., 2010), organizational sexualities (Hearn and Parkin, 2001), transnational analysis (Binnie, 2004), cultural approaches (Braziel, 2004) and theoretical analysis (Ahmed, 2011; Brickell, 2006). Each academic discipline has developed its own body of sexualities scholarship, for example sociology (Weeks, 2009) and political science (Smith, 2008). Western sexualities scholarship in the 1990s built on social constructionist accounts (Gagnon and Simon, 1973; McIntosh, 1968; Plummer, 1981). Theory continued to develop through the 1990s, including the work of early queer theory scholars such as Sedgwick (1991), and Foucault’s (1976) work was highly influential. The work of second wave feminists (Richardson, 2008) has also been important in the development of the field. Since the 1990s, sexualities studies has been characterized by increasing interdisciplinarity and by the emergence of subdisciplines. As Plummer comments, ‘the generic field of sexualities is now a mass of diversities, with their own scholars and journals’ (personal communication 10 January 2016, cited in Monro et al., 2017a). The broader social context is important in understanding the development of sexualities studies over the last 20 years. There was a normalization of varied sexual identities, specifically lesbian and gay identities, in many parts of the world over the 1990s and early 2000s (see Richardson and Monro, 2012). A related globalized human rights movement to support the rights of those with same-sex desires has emerged, but conflicts concerning sexual identities are also increasingly globalized Sexualities 2018, Vol. 21(8) 1229–1233 ! The Author(s) 2018 Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions DOI: 10.1177/1363460718771348 journals.sagepub.com/home/sex
This article provides a review of sexualities scholarship within the social sciences between 1970... more This article provides a review of sexualities scholarship within the social sciences between 1970 and 2015. It takes an innovative approach by focusing on the way in which bisexuality is addressed in this body of literature. The article reveals the marginalisation, under-representation and invisibility of bisexuality within and across the social sciences in relation to both bisexual experience and identity. Reasons for this varied across the different eras, including the heterosexist nature of the literature, the impact of gay and lesbian-focused identity politics, and queer deconstructionism. In addition, patterns of bisexual erasure and invisibility were uneven, with some scholarship taking inclusive approaches or criticising prejudice against bisexuality. The initial findings of the review were enriched by critical commentary from key relevant sociologists and political scientists. The article concludes that future sexualities scholarship could be enhanced by greater consideratio...
From individual experiences of prejudice to international political debate around equal rights, s... more From individual experiences of prejudice to international political debate around equal rights, social attitudes towards sexuality and transgender equalities are evolving. This timely text traces shifts at personal, national and international levels to fully assess the landscape of policy and theory today. Bringing together critical perspectives and original research, Sexuality, Equality and Diversity clearly outlines contested terms and key debates in the field. It explains how equality policy is developed and put into practice, examining what has been achieved by legislation so far and highlighting the challenges to overcome. Exploring the multiple identities and different agendas of various LGBT communities, this thought-provoking book draws on a range of rich examples to shed new light on sexual citizenship today. This is an invaluable guide through the complex terrain of equality and diversity, and is invaluable reading for students of sociology, social policy, gender studies and politics.
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