Gender,Racial, and Ethnic Disclosure in NIH K-Award Funded Diabetes and Obesity Clinical Trials∗

In 1993, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) passed The Revitalization Act (Subtitle B) which mandated that all NIH funded clinical trials have “appropriate representation” of minority and women subjects. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of the mandate by examining the reporting and inclusion of minority and female subjects into NIH K-Award funded clinical trials, addressing the minority predominant diagnoses of diabetes and clinical obesity. Using the CRISP search engine and PUBMED, we selected publications published by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) K-grant recipients during 1989–2004, associated with all the diabetes and obesity clinical trials. Studies were stratified into three timeline categories (1989–1993, pre-mandate; 1993–1996, post-mandate, and 1997–present, well past mandate) to evaluate trends in the recruiting of minorities and women before, during, and after the passing of the Revitalization Act. Of the 165 papers, only 37% disclosed race, a number that did not improve over time (p = .15), whereas 92% disclosed gender. Clinical trials that focused on females increased across the 3 timeframes (p < .001) for diabetes studies but not obesity studies. Overall, disclosure of race declined over the 3 timeframes whereas individually, the disclosure of African Americans improved.     

“You Don't Get to Sing a Song When You Have Nothing to Say”: Oliver Mtukudzi's Music as a Vehicle for Socio-Political Commentary

Abstract

Oliver Mtukudzi's music is known for both its musicality and because it addresses social and political issues. Mtukudzi uses his music to tackle the political realities of Zimbabwe and issues related to AIDS, gender and street children. The use of riddles and innuendo is common within Shona music and it is these tools that Mtukudzi uses to deal with these issues that are not commonly addressed by many other musicians. This article analyses his lyrics and music to examine these particular issues. Particular attention is paid to music because the embedded subtexts of music help to illuminate the subtexts of the lyrics.     

Traversing the Margins: Intersectionalities in the Bullying of Lesbian,Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Youth

SUMMARY

This study explores the perspectives of service providers and youth advocates on bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth and intersectionalities in LGBT peer victimization. In depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine key informants (4 male, 4 female, 1 transgender male; 4 gay, 3 lesbian, 2 non-identified; 6 white, 1 South Asian, 2 Middle Eastern) recruited using purposive sampling from diverse education and social service settings. Narrative thematic analysis and a constant comparative method were used to identify themes. Five themes emerged from the data: (1) “transgressing gender norm boundaries”; (2) homophobic sexism vs. sexist homophobia; (3) “you choose sexuality or you choose race”; (4) newcomer youth and citizenship; and (5) “multiple wires together … create the cage.” Findings suggest the importance of an intersectional approach to conceptualizing and addressing LGBT bullying and to uncovering the differential experiences of bullying among LGBT youth. Bullying related to sexual orientation should not be assumed to be the only or primary form of violence shaping the lives of LGBT youth.     

Homophobic Bullying and Same-Sex Desire in Anglo-American Schools: An Historical Perspective

SUMMARY

Homophobic bullying has come into new prominence given its alleged connection to several recent acts of school violence. This article traces the historiography of homophobic bullying, both in recent years and with reference to the original era of concern over this problem, Victorian England. As can be seen through novels and autobiographies of school life, Victorians linked bullying and sexuality in several important ways. Their traditional understanding actually supported many acts of bullying as a way to teach boys accepted codes of masculine behavior. In the late- and post-Victorian era, growing scientific investigation into human sexual behavior and increasing openness about homosexuality changed this picture to some extent, leading writers to understand bullying as a product of the bully's repressed same-sex desires. Both these views persist today and provide a stimulating context for present-day investigations of homophobic bullying.