Female Sex Trade Workers,Condoms, and the Public-Private Divide

Abstract

This qualitative study explored the ways in which social relations within the public (work) as opposed to the private (home) contexts shape variable condom use among female sex trade workers. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 68 female sex workers working in various settings in an urban center in Eastern Canada. The findings suggest that work-related social relations, and the meanings associated with condoms at work, create a strong confidence in condom use. Within the private setting, such confidence was also evident but most women reported either not using condoms or only using “sometimes.” Nevertheless, many women do engage in risk management within the private setting, and take active steps to decrease their risks of Human Immunodeficiency Syndrome (HIV)/Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs).     

Strategies of Stigma Resistance Among Canadian Gay-Identified Sex Workers

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to explore how sex workers (specifically, gay-identified Canadian men working primarily, though not exclusively, as independent escorts) combat the pervasive negativity that surrounds their profession. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 men, a majority of whom were targeted through escort review boards. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed for themes of “stigma resistance.” Four themes were identified: (1) escorting is volitional (i.e., one isn't forced to work as an escort, rather it is a choice one makes); (2) escorting is a profession (i.e., the client is a customer and the escort a service provider); (3) the escort is in control during client/escort interchanges; and (4) escorting is distinct from, and better than, street prostitution. Directions for future research and limitations of the current study are outlined.     

Beliefs About Diet and Health:

Low income older women (N = 20) in South Carolina were recruited from congregate meal sites for qualitative interviews to assess beliefs about general health, physical functioning, and preventive health behaviors. A loosely structured interview guide of topics was used to encourage free expression of informants' ideas. The Ethnograph analysis package was used for data analysis. In response to open-ended questions, the women spontaneously shared their beliefs about diet and health. Implications for health promotion in rural areas are discussed.     

Mortality following conjugal bereavement,Belgium 1991-96: The unexpected effect of education

This paper examines excess mortality following spousal bereavement by time since bereavement, sex, age, and education. The main hypothesis challenged is that higher education buffers the harmful effects of spousal loss. Using a log-rate model, death-rate ratios (widowed/married) are estimated for 49,849 and 126,746 Belgian widowers and widows and an equal number of non-bereaved controls matched to the bereaved on their socio-demographic characteristics. The hypothesis that the more educated suffer less excess mortality is not supported. Although higher educational levels are associated with lower mortality in general, they do not alleviate the effects of bereavement. On the contrary, in the period immediately following spousal loss, the more highly educated seem to have more, rather than less, excess mortality. Three possible arguments are suggested to account for this: education-related differences in the partner-relationship, structural differences in the availability of appropriate social support, and cultural differences in potential support networks.     

张艺谋影片女性意识浅议

张艺谋影片的女性意识 ,其真实的意义是“超性别”的。它通过女性创世纪的那种博大之爱的诠释 ,通过“女性神话”的展现 ,力图实现一种人类的自我总结、启蒙、发现 ,最终走向文化人类学的历史目标。张艺谋的影片同所有艺术品一样 ,产生于一定的文化背景 ,其女性意识的活力来自同这一背景的张力关系     

后天学关于性别决定的理论模式

《周易》“乾坤生六子”之说是我国古代关于人类子代性别决定问题的一个理论模式．其核心观点认为，性别决定乃为乾坤合子（太极）在即时环境下的自我选择过程，生男生女取决于这个合子内部阴阳爻的传递方向，而子代个体的遗传特征及变异性则受制于爻位变化．     

性爱与情感的灵魂——劳伦斯和他的散论

劳伦斯在文艺思想和创造方法上提出了介入性爱和情感及主观感受真实性的观点。他从这种艺术的观点出发主张要深入到男女的性、爱和血意识中去。本文介绍劳伦斯的《恋爱中的女人》、《查太莱夫人的情人》、《儿子与情人》等小说和《看我们如何漫游》、《不朽的散文选》、《失落的诗章》、《劳伦斯的爱情》等散文中的有关性、爱、情感等的文艺观点     

从婚姻与家庭功能看性革命

本文从婚姻、家庭功能出发,对西方性革命、性解放做了理论上的探讨,并对西方性革命对目前中国性文化的影响做了深刻探讨,提出在中国弘扬健康文明的性文化的重要性.     

关于波伏娃《第二性》的几点思考

波伏娃在《第二性》中提出了"女人不是天生的,而是后天生成的"这一著名论断,并对女性的处境、女性的价值和女性的出路进行了探讨,点出了女性作为"他者"的原因。文章试从历史维度、生物学角度、社会学角度对其观点进行阐发,以有助于学界的研究。     

祭祀场所性别限制的人类学分析——以哈尼山寨箐口村为例

一般而言，祭祀场所是禁止女性进入的，于是女性地位低下似乎又有了一个有力的佐证。箐口村是个原始宗教盛行的哈尼寨子，村里一年到头祭祀活动不断，而女性是严格禁止踏入祭祀场所的。这些活动祭祀的对象是鬼神，它们威力巨大，既能赐福于人也能降祸于人，因此祭祀的时候必须慎之又慎。为了最大程度上减轻这种威胁，人们不仅选择阳性之物作牺牲，同时还禁止具阴柔之体的女性进入祭祀场所。这实际上是出于对女性的保护，而女性扮演的灵魂守护者的角色说明，祭祀场所对于女性的“拒绝”实际上是男女在祭祀活动中的一次社会分工而已。