- University of Adelaide, Psychology, Department Memberadd
- I teach in the areas of child protection, gender and sexuality, and research methods. My research areas encompass ... moreI teach in the areas of child protection, gender and sexuality, and research methods.
My research areas encompass critical race and whiteness studies, gender and sexuality studies, family and parenting studies, and their intersections. Specific projects i have recently/am currently worked on include the experiences of refugee children in Australian schools, the schooling experiences of children of lesbian mothers, the experiences of Australian sperm donors, the formation of foster families, and the healthcare experiences of trans men.edit
The study reported in the present paper investigates psychosocial assessment practices relating to potential animal welfare concerns within child protection cases seen by oneSouth Australian service. Specifically, this paper focuses on... more
The study reported in the present paper investigates psychosocial assessment practices relating to potential animal welfare concerns within child protection cases seen by oneSouth Australian service. Specifically, this paper focuses on instances of potential animal abuse mentioned in the context of child protection referrals. Although the findings presented in this paper are brief and represent a small sample, they nonetheless illustrate two main points. First, child protection referrals which mention animals may prompt the assessing clinician to consider this aspect of the child's
environment, however clinicians rarely enquire about animals in the home unless so prompted. Second, psychosocial assessment practices which include consideration of animals within the home may increase the likelihood that child abuse allegations are substantiated.
environment, however clinicians rarely enquire about animals in the home unless so prompted. Second, psychosocial assessment practices which include consideration of animals within the home may increase the likelihood that child abuse allegations are substantiated.
Research Interests:
Research on attitudes towards asexual people is a relatively new focus within the discipline of psychology, and to date has not been a topic of focus in the Australian context. This study focused on Australian undergraduate psychology... more
Research on attitudes towards asexual people is a relatively new focus within the discipline of psychology, and to date has not been a topic of focus in the Australian context. This study focused on Australian undergraduate psychology students, and their attitudes towards asexual people. The study recruited 231 participants from undergraduate psychology programs to complete an online survey assessing their attitudes towards asexual people, bias against single people, and gender ideologies. In addition, participants rated how comfortable and confident they felt about working with asexual people within mental health settings in the future. Participants who reported greater endorsement of traditional gender role ideology, and negative bias against singles, also reported greater levels of anti-asexual bias. Participants who hoped to pursue a career in psychology reported lower levels of anti-asexual bias and less negative attitudes toward single people, and reported moderate levels of both comfort in working with asexual people in the future, and capacity to provide safe care to asexual people in the future. Drawing on these findings, the paper concludes by discussing areas that require ongoing attention in the study of anti-asexual bias, and makes recommendations for the training of psychology students and clinicians.
Research Interests:
Access to medical care is significant for many transgender young people and their families, which involves interactions with healthcare professionals. While a trans affirming model is used across Australian paediatric gender clinics, this... more
Access to medical care is significant for many transgender young people and their families, which involves interactions with healthcare professionals. While a trans affirming model is used across Australian paediatric gender clinics, this does not automatically mean that all transgender young people and their parents experience the care they receive as affirming. This article considers the experiences and views of transgender young people (aged 11-17) and their
parents in relation to healthcare professionals inside and outside of gender clinics in Australia. Ten qualitative interviews were conducted with parent-child dyads in two Australian states. Key themes relating to healthcare professionals were: differing levels of healthcare professional knowledge and affirmation, quality of service is dependent on individual healthcare professionals, and lack of connected services and referral pathways. The discussion explores specific issues arising from the findings that suggest implications for training for healthcare professionals so as to be better equipped to provide trans affirming clinical care.
parents in relation to healthcare professionals inside and outside of gender clinics in Australia. Ten qualitative interviews were conducted with parent-child dyads in two Australian states. Key themes relating to healthcare professionals were: differing levels of healthcare professional knowledge and affirmation, quality of service is dependent on individual healthcare professionals, and lack of connected services and referral pathways. The discussion explores specific issues arising from the findings that suggest implications for training for healthcare professionals so as to be better equipped to provide trans affirming clinical care.
Research Interests:
Background: Growing numbers of men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people are becoming gestational parents, yet very little is known about experiences of pregnancy loss among this diverse population. Methods: The study employed a cross... more
Background: Growing numbers of men, trans/masculine, and non-binary people are becoming gestational parents, yet very little is known about experiences of pregnancy loss among this diverse population. Methods: The study employed a cross sectional design. Interviews were undertaken with a convenience sample of 51 trans/masculine and non-binary people who had undertaken at least one pregnancy, living in either Australia, the United States, Canada, or the European Union (including the United Kingdom). Participants were recruited by posts on Facebook and Twitter, via researcher networks, and by community members. 16 (31.2%) of the participants had experienced a pregnancy loss and are the focus of this paper. Thematic analysis was used to analyse interview responses given by these 16 participants to a specific question asking about becoming pregnant and a follow up probe question about pregnancy loss. Results: Thematic analysis of interview responses given by the 16 participants led to the development of 10 themes: (1) pregnancy losses count as children, (2) minimizing pregnancy loss, (3) accounting for causes of pregnancy loss, (4) pregnancy loss as devastating, (5) pregnancy loss as having positive meaning, (6) fears arising from a pregnancy loss, (7) experiences of hospitals enacting inclusion, (8) lack of formal support offered, (9) lack of understanding from family, and (10) importance of friends. Conclusions: The paper concludes by outlining specific recommendations for clinical practice. These include the
importance of focusing on the emotions attached to pregnancy loss, the need for targeted support services for men, trans/
masculine, and non-binary people who undertake a pregnancy (including for their partners), and the need for ongoing
training for hospital staff so as to ensure the provision of trans-affirming medical care.
importance of focusing on the emotions attached to pregnancy loss, the need for targeted support services for men, trans/
masculine, and non-binary people who undertake a pregnancy (including for their partners), and the need for ongoing
training for hospital staff so as to ensure the provision of trans-affirming medical care.
Research Interests:
In this commentary we seek to briefly explore how love is represented in the documentary Mothers on the Edge. Specifically, our interest, following Masciantonio, Hemer and Chur-Hansen, is on how women are held to account for what is... more
In this commentary we seek to briefly explore how love is represented in the documentary Mothers on the Edge. Specifically, our interest, following Masciantonio, Hemer and Chur-Hansen, is on how women are held to account for what is depicted as a failure of ‘maternal love’, and what
this says more broadly about how women as mothers and partners are expected to act and feel.
this says more broadly about how women as mothers and partners are expected to act and feel.
Research Interests:
This paper explores the intersections of human and animal lives in the context of violence and marginalisation. It draws on two studies, the first involving a subsample of 23 open-ended survey responses completed by transgender and... more
This paper explores the intersections of human and animal lives in the context of violence and marginalisation. It draws on two studies, the first involving a subsample of 23 open-ended survey responses completed by transgender and non-binary (TNB) people taken from a larger study exploring the intersections of animal and human directed violence, and the second involving eight interviews with TNB people focused on the meaning of animal companionship. Together, the findings suggest that animal companionship can be a protective factor for TNB people experiencing marginalisation and/or distress, whether in the context of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) or in the context of other forms of intra-or inter-personal points or adversity. The findings suggests that animal companions can provide TNB people with comfort and non-judgmental emotional interactions in the face of DVA and other life stressors. However, the risk of violence directed towards animals must also be considered. The paper concludes with discussion of the implications for DVA service provision and research.
Research Interests:
This paper draws on three Australian studies focused on views about fertility preservation among 1) parents of transgender and non-binary children, 2) transgender and non-binary adults, and 3) healthcare professionals working with... more
This paper draws on three Australian studies focused on views about fertility preservation among 1) parents of transgender and non-binary children, 2) transgender and non-binary adults, and 3) healthcare professionals working with transgender and non-binary people. The first two studies were undertaken concurrently given the dearth of research on the topic in the Australian context, and the third study was then undertaken given a primary focus on healthcare professionals in responses to the first two studies. For the present paper, a deductive thematic analysis framed by a reproductive justice lens was undertaken on qualitative data from each study. Findings from the first study suggest that whilst some parents may be supportive of their child’s reproductive wishes, other parents may insist upon their child undertaking fertility preservation. In the second study, transgender and non-binary adults emphasized that gamete retrieval may be framed in cisgenderist ways by healthcare professionals, and that professionals may endorse pronatalism. Finally, healthcare professionals reported normative views about gamete retrieval, and framed fertility preservation as an ‘insurance policy’. The paper concludes by considering what the findings have to suggest for the continued development of trans reproductive justice.
Research Interests:
Despite growing numbers of people engaging in embryo donation for the purposes of family building, public access to information about the process may be limited. As such, support and counselling – both formal (i.e., through clinics) and... more
Despite growing numbers of people engaging in embryo donation for the purposes of family building, public access to information about the process may be limited. As such, support and counselling – both formal (i.e., through clinics) and informal (i.e., through online communities) – can play an important role in information provision. This article draws on a subsample of nine people from a qualitative study of embryo donation and receipt in Australia. Themes developed suggest that formal support and counselling provided by clinics can be useful, though can require persistence in order to access and may not sufficiently address needs. In terms of informal support, themes developed suggest that sharing lived experiences in online communities can be important, however there may also be challenges associated with differing viewpoints and threats to anonymity. The article concludes with a discussion of the ongoing importance of formal support and counselling, whilst also suggesting that informal support is an avenue requiring further investigation.
Research Interests:
Background: It is increasingly recognized that transgender young people require affirming medical care, however the provision of such care may be mitigated by the availability of services and the views of parents. Aims: This study aimed... more
Background: It is increasingly recognized that transgender young people require affirming medical care, however the provision of such care may be mitigated by the availability of services and the views of parents.
Aims: This study aimed to explore the views of Australian transgender young people (aged 11–17) and their parents with regards to medical treatment.
Methods: Ten qualitative interviews were conducted with parent-child dyads in two Australian states. Thematic analysis was undertaken on responses to interview questions related to family relationships, views about medical treatment (specifically hormone blockers and hormones), and the relationship between medical treatment and sense of self.
Results: Themes developed focused on the importance of strong supportive parent-child relationships, the meaning of and access to hormone blockers, and the meaning of and access to hormones.
Discussion: The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for clinical services, particularly in relation to supporting parents to be affirming of a transgender child, the need to prepare transgender young people and their parents for the passage of time in regards to medical treatment, and the need to focus on expectations in regards to sense of self in relation to medical treatment.
Aims: This study aimed to explore the views of Australian transgender young people (aged 11–17) and their parents with regards to medical treatment.
Methods: Ten qualitative interviews were conducted with parent-child dyads in two Australian states. Thematic analysis was undertaken on responses to interview questions related to family relationships, views about medical treatment (specifically hormone blockers and hormones), and the relationship between medical treatment and sense of self.
Results: Themes developed focused on the importance of strong supportive parent-child relationships, the meaning of and access to hormone blockers, and the meaning of and access to hormones.
Discussion: The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for clinical services, particularly in relation to supporting parents to be affirming of a transgender child, the need to prepare transgender young people and their parents for the passage of time in regards to medical treatment, and the need to focus on expectations in regards to sense of self in relation to medical treatment.
Research Interests:
The psy disciplines (i.e., psychiatry, psychology, psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy) have played a significant role in shaping understandings of transgender people’s lives in ways that are transnormative (i.e., by emphasizing one... more
The psy disciplines (i.e., psychiatry, psychology, psychoanalysis, and psychotherapy) have played a significant role in shaping understandings of transgender people’s lives in ways that are transnormative (i.e., by emphasizing one particular account of what it means to be transgender). This paper documents 1) how the rise of the psy disciplines created opportunities for transgender people to access treatment (but that such access often required tacit acceptance of transnormativity), and 2) how transgender people have resisted transnormative accounts within the psy disciplines. More specifically, this paper explores how both the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, and what is now the World Professional Association for Transgender Health’s Standards of Care, have often enshrined highly regulatory accounts of transgender people’s lives, while also changing over time, in part due to the contributions of transgender people. The paper concludes by considering recent contributions by transgender people in terms of the use of informed consent models of care and clinical research, and highlights the ongoing marginalization of transgender people in terms of access to ethical, trans-competent care.
Research Interests:
Background The perinatal period precipitates significant intra- and inter- personal changes. How heterosexual couples understand and account for such changes, however, has received relatively little attention. Methods Semi-structured... more
Background
The perinatal period precipitates significant intra- and inter- personal changes. How heterosexual couples understand and account for such changes, however, has received relatively little attention.
Methods
Semi-structured individual interviews were undertaken as part of a longitudinal study on planned first-time parenthood. This article reports on an inductive thematic analysis of a data corpus focused on six interview questions (three from interviews conducted during pregnancy, and three from interviews conducted six months after the birth of the child), derived from interviews with eight individuals (4 women and 4 men) comprising four couples.
Results
In antenatal interviews, the theme of intrapersonal changes differentiated participants by two sub-themes that were then linked to postpartum experiences. Those who ‘prepared for the worst’ reported positive experiences after the arrival of a child, whilst participants who during pregnancy viewed life after the arrival of a child as ‘an unknown’ experienced challenges. Similarly in terms of the theme of interpersonal change, antenatal interviews were linked to postpartum experiences by two sub-themes, such that participants who approached the impending arrival of a child as a team effort reported that the arrival of a child cemented their relationship, whilst participants who expected that the couple relationship would buffer child-related stressors experienced challenges.
Conclusions
Findings highlight the importance of a focus in antenatal education on the psychological effects of new parenthood, and support for the couple relationship during the perinatal period.
The perinatal period precipitates significant intra- and inter- personal changes. How heterosexual couples understand and account for such changes, however, has received relatively little attention.
Methods
Semi-structured individual interviews were undertaken as part of a longitudinal study on planned first-time parenthood. This article reports on an inductive thematic analysis of a data corpus focused on six interview questions (three from interviews conducted during pregnancy, and three from interviews conducted six months after the birth of the child), derived from interviews with eight individuals (4 women and 4 men) comprising four couples.
Results
In antenatal interviews, the theme of intrapersonal changes differentiated participants by two sub-themes that were then linked to postpartum experiences. Those who ‘prepared for the worst’ reported positive experiences after the arrival of a child, whilst participants who during pregnancy viewed life after the arrival of a child as ‘an unknown’ experienced challenges. Similarly in terms of the theme of interpersonal change, antenatal interviews were linked to postpartum experiences by two sub-themes, such that participants who approached the impending arrival of a child as a team effort reported that the arrival of a child cemented their relationship, whilst participants who expected that the couple relationship would buffer child-related stressors experienced challenges.
Conclusions
Findings highlight the importance of a focus in antenatal education on the psychological effects of new parenthood, and support for the couple relationship during the perinatal period.
Many transgender people enjoy positive intimate relationships, however such relationships exist within a context of broader discrimination, specifically cisgenderism. The present study sought to investigate the relationships between... more
Many transgender people enjoy positive intimate relationships, however such relationships exist within a context of broader discrimination, specifically cisgenderism. The present study sought to investigate the relationships between demographic variables, significant other support, relationship satisfaction, resiliency, past relationship experiences and future relationship expectations, and gender-related discrimination amongst a convenience sample of transgender people living in the United States. 345 participants completed an online questionnaire designed by the authors assessing psychological distress, relationships with partners, and partner support. Findings suggest that participants had some difficulties in negotiating past relationships, though remained hopeful about future relationships. This was especially true for those who lived with animal companions and who reported higher levels of resiliency. Participants currently in relationships reported relatively high levels of significant other support (and this was especially true for participants in relationships with other transgender people), and such support was related to lower levels of psychological distress, though this was less true for older and/or agender participants. Participants were on average satisfied with their current relationships, though this was particularly true for participants with higher incomes. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for clinicians who work with transgender people and their partners.
Research Interests:
While transitioning gender historically precluded many transgender people from conceiving (more) children, there is now the option to undertake fertility preservation. However, the uptake of this option to date has been low. In order to... more
While transitioning gender historically precluded many transgender people from conceiving (more) children, there is now the option to undertake fertility preservation. However, the uptake of this option to date has been low. In order to extend existing limited research on the topic, this article draws on responses to a questionnaire survey provided by 409 transgender and non-binary adults in Australia, which explored their experiences related to fertility preservation. The article specifically focuses on the experiences of 295 participants who responded to open-ended questions about their experiences with, and views of, healthcare professionals in regard to fertility preservation. A thematic analysis indicated that healthcare professionals undertake a range of roles with regard to fertility preservation, some viewed positively (e.g., as providers of information), and some viewed negatively (e.g., as potential gatekeepers). The article concludes by arguing that professionals need to ensure that transgender and non-binary people are provided with enough information, support, and opportunity to make an informed decision about fertility preservation. The discussion includes a consideration of interweaving factors, particularly costs, and recommendations for further research that may inform clinical guidelines and training.
Research Interests:
The present study explores experiences of pregnancy loss via a questionnaire completed by a convenience sample of 48 Australian cisgender heterosexual men. The questionnaire included measures of: support following pregnancy loss,... more
The present study explores experiences of pregnancy loss via a questionnaire completed by a convenience sample of 48 Australian cisgender heterosexual men. The questionnaire included measures of: support following pregnancy loss, recognition of loss, perceived utility of help-seeking, perceived stigma attached to help-seeking, perinatal grief, and depression and anxiety. The questionnaire also included open-ended questions focused on help-seeking and support. Higher levels of grief were related to higher levels of both depression and anxiety. Perceptions about stigma were related to the perceived utility of help-seeking. Whilst a majority of participants had accessed formal support services, feeling supported was unrelated to either grief or depression. Participants emphasized the utility of men’s groups where members have experienced pregnancy loss, though barriers to support were also identified in terms of the unavailability of support or the perceived need to focus on a partner’s loss.
Research Interests:
Background: Historically, transitioning gender was seen as precluding transgender people from having children in the future. However, there are now increased reproductive options available to transgender people, with such options also... more
Background: Historically, transitioning gender was seen as precluding transgender people from having children in the future. However, there are now increased reproductive options available to transgender people, with such options also available to non-binary people (i.e., people whose gender is not exclusively male or female). These options include undertaking fertility preservation if genetic children may be desired in the future. Despite these increased options, there is still only a limited amount of international research exploring the views of transgender and non-binary people on fertility preservation. Methods: This mixed-methods study draws on a convenience sample of Australian transgender and non-binary adults, focused on their decision making about fertility preservation. The questionnaire was constructed by the authors, drawing on previous research. Participants were recruited via Australian organisations and groups made up of and/or working with people who are transgender or non-binary. The questionnaire was open from January– February 2018. The final sample included 409 participants. Statistical analyses were conducted on the closed-ended responses. Open-ended responses were analysed via a conventional content analysis.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research on embryo donation and receipt continues to grow, highlighting how specific national contexts shape views and experiences. The present paper reports on a qualitative study on embryo donation and receipt in Australia. Interviews... more
Research on embryo donation and receipt continues to grow, highlighting how specific national contexts shape views and experiences. The present paper reports on a qualitative study on embryo donation and receipt in Australia. Interviews were conducted with 15 participants: embryo donors and those seeking to donate (6), embryo recipients and those seeking donors (3), people with embryos in storage or previously in storage (5), and egg donors where resulting embryos were donated to a third party (1). A deductive thematic analysis identified four key themes: understandings of embryos as cells, potential children, and/or children; a focus on relationships between " siblings " ; importance of language and " family words " in discussing relationships; and extended family members having difficulty understanding the concept of embryo donation. The article concludes with a consideration of the implications of the findings in terms of the practice of embryo donation and the policies that surround it.
Research Interests:
Background: Given the broader social contexts in which transgender people and their families live, the latter can be either an important source of support, or bring with them yet another source of discrimination. Whilst historically... more
Background: Given the broader social contexts in which transgender people and their families live, the latter can be either an important source of support, or bring with them yet another source of discrimination. Whilst historically transgender people almost uniformly experienced discrimination from families of origin, recent research suggests that growing numbers of transgender people are supported by their families.
Aims: The study reported in this paper sought to examine the relationships between family support and discrimination, and psychological distress and resilience.
Methods: A convenience sample of 345 transgender people living in North America completed an online questionnaire constructed by the authors. The questionnaire included demographic questions and single items questions about emotional closeness to family, gender-related support from family, and discrimination from family. The questionnaire also included standardized measures of gender-related discrimination, resiliency, social support, and psychological distress.
Results: Participants reported moderate levels of gender-related family support, with non- binary participants reporting the lowest levels of gender-related family support. Participants whose families provided greater gender-related support reported greater resilience and lower levels of psychological distress, however participants who reported higher levels of gender- related discrimination from their families reported greater psychological distress. The findings suggest that emotional closeness to family may help mitigate the effects of general discrimination on psychological distress.
Discussion: Drawing on the findings reported, the paper concludes by discussing the importance of focusing on family members in the context of affirming clinical approaches to working with transgender adults.
Aims: The study reported in this paper sought to examine the relationships between family support and discrimination, and psychological distress and resilience.
Methods: A convenience sample of 345 transgender people living in North America completed an online questionnaire constructed by the authors. The questionnaire included demographic questions and single items questions about emotional closeness to family, gender-related support from family, and discrimination from family. The questionnaire also included standardized measures of gender-related discrimination, resiliency, social support, and psychological distress.
Results: Participants reported moderate levels of gender-related family support, with non- binary participants reporting the lowest levels of gender-related family support. Participants whose families provided greater gender-related support reported greater resilience and lower levels of psychological distress, however participants who reported higher levels of gender- related discrimination from their families reported greater psychological distress. The findings suggest that emotional closeness to family may help mitigate the effects of general discrimination on psychological distress.
Discussion: Drawing on the findings reported, the paper concludes by discussing the importance of focusing on family members in the context of affirming clinical approaches to working with transgender adults.
Research Interests:
As growing numbers of gay men enter into the reproductive realm, so comes with this opportunities for the rewriting or revisioning of kinship ties. Given the hegemonic status of genetic matter in the context of kinship, however, it is... more
As growing numbers of gay men enter into the reproductive realm, so comes with this opportunities for the rewriting or revisioning of kinship ties. Given the hegemonic status of genetic matter in the context of kinship, however, it is perhaps unsurprising that amongst gay men there exist complex negotiations over how, and in what instances, genetic matter will be made to matter. This paper explores the question of genetic matter in the context of gay men's reproductive journeys by examining data from three studies: an interview study with men who had donated sperm, an interview study with people who had entered into surrogacy arrangements, and a study of news media and blogs that document the experiences of people who have entered into surrogacy arrangements. Focusing solely on the gay men in these three studies, four thematic contexts were identified in which genetic matter was made salient with regard to kinship: (i) claiming kinship in the context of sperm donation, (ii) couples negotiating genetic matter in the context of surrogacy arrangements, (iii) minimising the genetic contribution of women who act as egg donors, and (iv) controlling the flow of information about genetic matter to children. The paper concludes by suggesting the need for both the decentring of genetic matter in reproduction amongst gay men (e.g., exploring alternate routes to parenthood), and the recentring of genetic matter in instances where genetic relatedness is the basis of kinship (e.g., acknowledging the roles, needs, and lifeworlds of all parties).
Research Interests:
Over the past three decades a growing body of research has focused on experiences of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) amongst people of diverse genders and/or sexualities. Missing, however, has been a focus on what is known as ‘the link’... more
Over the past three decades a growing body of research has focused on experiences of domestic violence and abuse (DVA) amongst people of diverse genders and/or sexualities. Missing, however, has been a focus on what is known as ‘the link’ between DVA and animal cruelty with regard to people of diverse genders and/or sexualities. The present paper reports on a study of 503 people living in either Australia or the United Kingdom, who reported on both their intimate human relationships and their relationships with animals, including relationships that were abusive. In terms of ‘the link’, a fifth of respondents who had experienced violence or abuse also reported that animal cruelty had been perpetuated by the violent or abusive partner. Statistical interactions were found between having witnessed animal cruelty perpetrated by a partner, gender and sexuality, and both psychological distress and social connectedness. Female participants who had witnessed animal cruelty reported greater psychological distress and lower levels of social support, and both lesbian and bisexual participants who had witnessed animal cruelty reported lower levels of social support. The paper concludes by considering the implications of these findings for future research and service provision.
Research Interests:
For heterosexual couples who enter into parenthood, having a first child often has a significant impact on the ways in which their lives are organised. Importantly, women typically take on the greatest share of household and care work,... more
For heterosexual couples who enter into parenthood, having a first child often has a significant impact on the ways in which their lives are organised. Importantly, women typically take on the greatest share of household and care work, reflecting broader cultural norms in relation to gender. Drawing on case studies of four Australian heterosexual couples, this article examines the ways in which the couples discussed the distribution of household and care work. By tracking the same couples from prior to pregnancy to after the birth of their child, we are able to focus on expectations and ideals in relation to unpaid and paid work, and how these relate to what happens in practice. The cases suggest four key issues, namely 1) the positioning of household and care work as not being work, 2) the positioning of women as ‘lucky’ if their male partner is ‘helpful’, 3) the primary orientation of men towards earning a paid income as a way of providing for their family, and 4) the unequal distribution of caring responsibility. The paper concludes by considering the implications of these issues with regard to how the division of labour is understood in the context of heterosexual first time parents.
Research Interests:
Understood as a type of identity-related abuse, gaslighting is a form of manipulation where the perpetrator attempts to convince someone that their thoughts, perceptions, or beliefs are mistaken. In the clinical context, gaslighting is... more
Understood as a type of identity-related abuse, gaslighting is a form of manipulation where the perpetrator attempts to convince someone that their thoughts, perceptions, or beliefs are mistaken. In the clinical context, gaslighting is often seen as part of a broader constellation of abuse and violence between adults. However it can also happen in more subtle ways, and can present in ways that are difficult to detect. This paper explores instances where gaslighting may potentially occur in clinical interactions involving parents of transgender children. Three fictionalised case studies are presented drawing on the first author’s clinical work, and demonstrate three overarching forms of gaslighting: 1) deferred action, 2) intentional forgetting, and 3) placing an emotional burden on the child. Having presented the three cases, the paper concludes by discussing how clinicians might identify and respond to gaslighting, emphasising 1) speaking with children on their own, 2) speaking on behalf of children to parents, 3) modelling advocacy to parents, 4) correcting misgendering in the clinical context, and 5) using peer supervision to discuss cases. In sum, the paper argues that whilst clinicians should not rush to “diagnose” gaslighting, clinicians should also not overlook its powerful effects upon transgender young people.
Research Interests:
Objective: To understand levels of support for differences between families in terms of sexuality and mode of family formation across three countries. Background: Previous research has found that attitudes towards family diversity... more
Objective: To understand levels of support for differences between families in terms of sexuality and mode of family formation across three countries.
Background: Previous research has found that attitudes towards family diversity continue to improve over time, though differences remain.
Methods: 1605 people living in Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States completed a questionnaire which sought to explore levels of support for a diverse range of family forms and modes of family formation.
Results: Religiosity, political leanings, and beliefs about the importance of genetic relatedness were all correlated with level of support. Gender of participant was a
2
predictor of level of support. Cluster analysis indicated three clusters (unsupportive, neutral, and supportive) for level of support, for which both sexuality and parent status were predictors.
Conclusion: Findings highlight the normative status of reproductive heterosex, and demonstrate the considerable value accorded to genetic relatedness.
Background: Previous research has found that attitudes towards family diversity continue to improve over time, though differences remain.
Methods: 1605 people living in Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States completed a questionnaire which sought to explore levels of support for a diverse range of family forms and modes of family formation.
Results: Religiosity, political leanings, and beliefs about the importance of genetic relatedness were all correlated with level of support. Gender of participant was a
2
predictor of level of support. Cluster analysis indicated three clusters (unsupportive, neutral, and supportive) for level of support, for which both sexuality and parent status were predictors.
Conclusion: Findings highlight the normative status of reproductive heterosex, and demonstrate the considerable value accorded to genetic relatedness.
Research Interests:
A significant body of research in the field of human-animal studies has focused on animals who live alongside humans within the home, with such animals often considered family members. To date, however, this research has focused almost... more
A significant body of research in the field of human-animal studies has focused on animals who live alongside humans within the home, with such animals often considered family members. To date, however, this research has focused almost exclusively on the experiences of heterosexual cisgender people, overlooking other diverse genders and/or sexualities. This paper seeks to address this gap by reporting on findings from a study of 503 people living in Australia or the United Kingdom. Specifically, the research sought to explore links between psychological distress, social support, family violence, and views about animal companions. Notable amongst the findings was an interaction between having experienced familial violence and living with an animal companion, and the impact of both on psychological distress and social support. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the findings for better understanding the lives of people of diverse genders and/or sexualities.
Research Interests:
Books published on fathering and raising boys are becoming increasingly popular. These books claim simply to describe boys and fathers. However we suggest that they make only specific identities available. We make this suggestion on the... more
Books published on fathering and raising boys are becoming increasingly popular. These books claim simply to describe boys and fathers. However we suggest that they make only specific identities available. We make this suggestion on the basis of a critical analysis of six books published since an initial study by Riggs (2008). In this article we extend Riggs's analysis by identifying how the books analyzed draw upon hegemonic masculine ideals in constructing boys' and fathers' identities. The analysis also suggests that biological essentialism is used to justify the identities constructed. Five specific implications are drawn from the findings, focusing on understandings of males as well as females, the uptake of dominant modes of talking about males, and the ramifications of biological essentialism. The findings emphasize the need to pay ongoing attention to popular parenting books since, rather than offering improved strategies for raising boys, these books present assertions of what boys and fathers should be.
Research Interests:
Norms and expectations regarding fathers are changing, with fathers now expected to be more involved in caregiving. One consequence of this is an increase in fathers who assume the primary caregiving role. The study reported in this paper... more
Norms and expectations regarding fathers are changing, with fathers now expected to be more involved in caregiving. One consequence of this is an increase in fathers who assume the primary caregiving role. The study reported in this paper involved a discourse analysis of 176 Australian newspaper articles that focused on primary caregiving fathers. Three recurring interpretative repertoires pertaining to primary caregiving fathers were identified, suggesting contradictory and dilemmatic accounts of this role. These were: 1) advocating for primary caregiving fathers, 2) comparing the past and present, and 3) barriers to father involvement. Overall, when describing the " typical " father who provides primary care, the articles promoted the evolving cultural ideal of fathers as involved and nurturing caregivers, however they nonetheless justified continued gendered inequalities in parenting. Therefore, despite claims that new models of fathering are
Research Interests:
This paper reports the findings of a qualitative Australian study where 13 transgender or gender diverse adults were interviewed about family relationships. The findings indicate the degree to which participants were concerned with... more
This paper reports the findings of a qualitative Australian study where 13 transgender or gender diverse adults were interviewed about family relationships. The findings indicate the degree to which participants were concerned with protecting family members from the perceived disruption to family life that transitioning can bring about. Protecting family relationships, however, often occurred at the expense of the transgender or gender diverse person as they slowed or halted their transition out of concern for family members' well-being or the need to preserve relationships. Participants reported low levels of support from health services for family members at the time of transitioning, particularly around supporting families to have conversations about the impact of transitioning on the family unit. We argue that the health and well-being of transgender and gender diverse people rely on positive relational support from, and for, families experiencing the gender transition of a family member.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In accounting for their experiences of having a transgender child, cisgender parents often make recourse to a trope of loss to account for their journeys. A focus on loss is also evident in guides for parents and academic writing. In this... more
In accounting for their experiences of having a transgender child, cisgender parents often make recourse to a trope of loss to account for their journeys. A focus on loss is also evident in guides for parents and academic writing. In this article we seek to produce an alternate account of loss, one that shifts the focus away from transgender children themselves, and onto the broader context in which parents and their transgender children live, with a particular focus on schools. Specifically, we consider how cisgenderism produces a loss of certitude for parents, in that parents lose the invisible privileges that accrue to those who occupy an unmarked place within the cisgender norm. To do this we draw on survey data from 60 Australian cisgender parents of transgender children, exploring specifically how they spoke about experiences with schools, both negative and positive.
Research Interests:
Sexuality education as pedagogy is often fraught by the perceived need to balance the informational needs of young people with an investment in notions of childhood innocence. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than in sexuality... more
Sexuality education as pedagogy is often fraught by the perceived need to balance the informational needs of young people with an investment in notions of childhood innocence. Nowhere is this perhaps more evident than in sexuality education that seeks to be inclusive of transgender young people, often resulting in the failure of such education to address the needs of such students. In an attempt at addressing the relative dearth of information about what transgender young people would like to see covered in sexuality education, in this article we explore transgender young people's accounts of intimacy and sexual health and consider what this means for school-based sexuality education. To do this we analyse discussions of intimacy from the perspectives of transgender young people as narrated in a sample of YouTube videos. We conclude by advocating for an approach to sexuality education that largely eschews the gendering of body parts and gametes, and which instead focuses on function, so as to not only address the needs of transgender young people (who may find normative discussions of genitals distressing), but to also provide cisgender young people with a more inclusive understanding of their own and other people's bodies and desires.
Research Interests:
Having a child is often treated as a taken for granted part of heterosexual relationships, a norm so entrenched that there is often little discussion amongst couples as to why they want children. In terms of research, while women's... more
Having a child is often treated as a taken for granted part of heterosexual relationships, a norm so entrenched that there is often little discussion amongst couples as to why they want children. In terms of research, while women's reasons for having children have been explored in detail, little attention has been paid to heterosexual men's reasons for having children. This article presents a thematic analysis of interview data with 10 Australian heterosexual men in couples who were planning to have a first child in the near future. The men's responses involved both self-focused motivations, where the child is essentially positioned as an object (e.g. continuing the bloodline), and other-focused motivations, where reasons focused on a future relationship with the child (e.g. teaching and watching a child grow). Our findings show that participants reported self-focused and other-focused motivations for wanting a child, reflecting both traditional and newer approaches to fatherhood.
Research Interests:
Separation and divorce are realities facing many families. Yet in the case of foster or adoptive families, only a small number of studies have focused on experiences of separation or divorce. This paper seeks to make an initial... more
Separation and divorce are realities facing many families. Yet in the case of foster or adoptive families, only a small number of studies have focused on experiences of separation or divorce. This paper seeks to make an initial contribution to filling this gap by exploring the experiences of foster and adoptive families in both Australia and the United States. A thematic analysis of both primary and secondary data collected by the authors identified three themes: 1) that foster families experience variable responses from service providers, 2) that some adoptive parents may perceive that separation or divorce compounds adoption-related losses, and 3) that some adoptees may challenge the assumption that adoptive families have unique experiences of separation or divorce. The paper concludes by advocating for the provision of clear guidelines to foster families who may experience separation or divorce, and highlights the need for supportive community responses to foster or adoptive families who experience separation or divorce.
Research Interests:
Growing numbers of young people are disclosing that they are trans or gender diverse, requiring affirming and informed responses from schools. This article reports on a survey examining attitudes towards inclusion, comfort, and confidence... more
Growing numbers of young people are disclosing that they are trans or gender diverse, requiring affirming and informed responses from schools. This article reports on a survey examining attitudes towards inclusion, comfort, and confidence amongst 180 South Australian primary school teachers and pre-service teachers. The findings suggest that women held more positive attitudes and greater comfort in working with trans and gender diverse students, and that awareness of programs designed to increase understanding was related to more positive attitudes, greater comfort and confidence. The article discusses the need for further training alongside additional resourcing of initiatives aimed at facilitating inclusion.
Research Interests:
The expectation that all women will become mothers, and that they will mother in particular ways, has been a focus of feminist attention for many decades. What has been less considered is how pronatalist discourses are reproduced across... more
The expectation that all women will become mothers, and that they will mother in particular ways, has been a focus of feminist attention for many decades. What has been less considered is how pronatalist discourses are reproduced across generations within the same family. This article draws on interviews with five pairs of white middle class daughters currently planning to have children and their mothers living in South Australia, in order to examine the ways in which mother-daughter relationships are a key site for the reproduction of pronatalist discourses. Three recurring themes are examined: 1) expectations mothers have of their daughters to have children, 2) (grand)mothers as advice-givers, and 3) generational differences relating to paid work combined with the continued privileging of mothering. The article concludes with a discussion of the ways in which pronatalist discourses are mobilised in mother-daughter relationships, and how these position women in relation to motherhood.
Research Interests:
Recently there has been growing interest in what is positioned as a new form of masculinity arising from the increase in fathers as primary caregivers. This new form is referred to as a 'caring masculinity', and is theorised as a radical... more
Recently there has been growing interest in what is positioned as a new form of masculinity arising from the increase in fathers as primary caregivers. This new form is referred to as a 'caring masculinity', and is theorised as a radical shift away from traditional or hegemonic forms of masculinity. This paper critically examines the fathering literature, focusing specifically on how primary caregiving fathers navigate social norms with regard to masculinity. The paper concludes that there is a complex interplay between expectations of a traditional, provider father and a new and involved father. It is argued that ideas surrounding a caring masculinity are better understood as a broadening of hegemonic masculinity, rather than an entirely new form.
Research Interests:
Purpose: Psychiatric Mother-Baby Units (MBUs) are currently viewed as best practice, particularly in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, for improving outcomes for mothers and babies when the former are experiencing severe forms of... more
Purpose: Psychiatric Mother-Baby Units (MBUs) are currently viewed as best practice, particularly in the United Kingdom, Australia, and France, for improving outcomes for mothers and babies when the former are experiencing severe forms of mental illness. A growing number of publications have examined MBUs, but to date there has not been a comprehensive review of these studies. As such, the systematic review reported in this paper sought to address this gap. Methods: A systematic search was conducted for peer-reviewed research and grey literature published in English between 2000 and 2015. A final sample of 44 publications were identified that reported on empirical findings with regard to MBUs. Three quarters of the studies focused on individual MBUs and most studies were quantitative. Results: A thematic analysis of the studies identified three major themes: (1) admissions data, (2) outcomes for mothers, and (3) programs and interventions. The analysis also identified four secondary themes: (i) follow up after discharge; (ii) separation of mothers and babies after discharge; (iii) client satisfaction with MBUs; and (iv) partners of women admitted to MBUs. Conclusions: The findings of the review highlight gaps in knowledge about MBUs and provide suggestions for future research.
Research Interests:
Gender diverse and transgender people report elevated alcohol use compared with the general population yet no studies have examined motives to abstain or limit alcohol consumption within this vulnerable population. A thematic analysis of... more
Gender diverse and transgender people report elevated alcohol use compared with the general population yet no studies have examined motives to abstain or limit alcohol consumption within this vulnerable population. A thematic analysis of interviews with seven gender diverse people identified two overarching themes: Awareness of the safety implications of alcohol and Access to non-drinking spaces. Participants acknowledged that drinking alcohol was a social norm yet were hesitant to drink, especially in public places, due to safety concerns and highlighted a need for non-drinking, LGBTI-friendly spaces. These findings have implications for promoting non-drinking strategies of benefit to gender diverse communities.
Research Interests:
The link between domestic violence and animal abuse has now been well established, indicating that where there is one form of abuse, there is often the other. Research on this link, however, has almost exclusively focused on heterosexual... more
The link between domestic violence and animal abuse has now been well established, indicating that where there is one form of abuse, there is often the other. Research on this link, however, has almost exclusively focused on heterosexual cisgender people's relationships. Lacking, then, is an exploration of the possibly unique links between domestic violence and animal abuse in the context of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people's relationships. In this paper we adopt a feminist intersectional approach informed by Critical Animal Studies to advocate for a non-pathologising approach to understanding LGBT people's relationships with regard to the link between domestic violence and animal abuse.
Research Interests:
‘I want to bring him from the aeroplane to here’: The meaning of animals to children of refugee or migrant backgrounds resettled in Australia
Research Interests:
A distinction is often made between the 'choice' of not having children, and the claim that having children is 'natural'. What disappears in this distinction is the fact that having children is most often a choice. This choice, however,... more
A distinction is often made between the 'choice' of not having children, and the claim that having children is 'natural'. What disappears in this distinction is the fact that having children is most often a choice. This choice, however, is rendered invisible through the naturalisation of parenthood as a normatively expected aspect of adulthood. Whilst this argument is not new, the topic of how heterosexual couples come to decide to have children has received relatively little attention within the academic literature. This paper reports on findings from the first stage of a longitudinal interview study focused on Australian middle class heterosexual couples planning for a first child. A thematic analysis of interviews conducted with ten couples found that a paired contrast was often made between what were constructed as 'childless others', and a 'natural' or 'innate' desire to have children. The naturalisation of a desire to have children, however, was problematized when participants spoke about expectations from family members that participants should have children. The paper concludes by considering how the relationship between parenthood and adulthood may be a specifically class-based narrative.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Previous research has consistently found that transgender women experience high levels of domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Yet to date no studies have explored the efficacy of training workshops aimed at increasing the capacity of... more
Previous research has consistently found that transgender women experience high levels of domestic violence and abuse (DVA). Yet to date no studies have explored the efficacy of training workshops aimed at increasing the capacity of service providers to meet the needs of transgender women. This paper reports on findings from one such workshop developed and run in South Australia. Workshop participants (n=25) from three domestic violence services completed both pre- and post-workshop measures of attitudes towards working with transgender women, comfort in working with transgender women, and confidence in providing services to transgender women. In addition, participants responded to open-ended questions regarding terminology, and awareness of referrals related to the link between DVA and animal abuse. Statistically significant changes were identified on all measures, with workshop attendees reporting more positive attitudes, greater comfort, and greater confidence after completing the workshop. Analysis of open-ended responses found that attendees developed a better understanding of both appropriate terminology, and referrals for women who present to services with animal companions. We conclude with suggestions for how programs and services may become more welcoming and inclusive of transgender women experiencing DVA.
Research Interests:
Objective: To understand the desire for children amongst heterosexual couples planning for a first child. Background: In Australia, almost two thirds of all pregnancies are planned, and over 40% of all children born each year are to... more
Objective: To understand the desire for children amongst heterosexual couples planning for a first child.
Background: In Australia, almost two thirds of all pregnancies are planned, and over 40% of all children born each year are to first-time mothers.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken as part of a longitudinal study on planned first-time parenthood amongst Australian heterosexual couples. Ten couples who were planning for a pregnancy were interviewed, men and women separately.
Findings and Interpretations: An inductive thematic analysis identified four modes of decision-making: 1) female partner directed, 2) male partner directed, 3) joint directed due to circumstance, and 4) joint directed, and three themes related to the desire to have a child: 1) having children is a natural progression, 2) there is an innate drive to want to have children, and 3) a desire to see oneself reflected in another human being.
Implications: The paper concludes by exploring the implications of the findings for service provision. Specifically, intending parents may be better supported by services that provide gender-specific information during the planning stage, including about infertility.
Background: In Australia, almost two thirds of all pregnancies are planned, and over 40% of all children born each year are to first-time mothers.
Methods: Semi-structured interviews were undertaken as part of a longitudinal study on planned first-time parenthood amongst Australian heterosexual couples. Ten couples who were planning for a pregnancy were interviewed, men and women separately.
Findings and Interpretations: An inductive thematic analysis identified four modes of decision-making: 1) female partner directed, 2) male partner directed, 3) joint directed due to circumstance, and 4) joint directed, and three themes related to the desire to have a child: 1) having children is a natural progression, 2) there is an innate drive to want to have children, and 3) a desire to see oneself reflected in another human being.
Implications: The paper concludes by exploring the implications of the findings for service provision. Specifically, intending parents may be better supported by services that provide gender-specific information during the planning stage, including about infertility.
Research Interests:
To date, research that has drawn upon Meyer’s (2003) minority stress model has largely taken for granted the premises underpinning it. In this paper we provide a close reading of how ‘stress’ is conceptualised in the model, and suggest... more
To date, research that has drawn upon Meyer’s (2003) minority stress model has largely taken for granted the premises underpinning it. In this paper we provide a close reading of how ‘stress’ is conceptualised in the model, and suggest that aspects of the model do not attend to the institutionalised nature of stressors experienced by people with marginalised identities, particularly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals. As a counter to this, we highlight the importance of a focus on the effects of ideology and social norms in terms of stress, and we argue why an intersectional approach is necessary in order to ensure recognition of multiple axes of marginalisation and privilege. The paper then outlines the concept of decompensation and suggests that it may offer one way to reconsider the effects of ideology and social norms. The decompensation approach centres on the need for social change, rather than solely relying upon individuals to be resilient.
Research Interests:
As increasing numbers of transgender people access mental health services, so with this comes the requirement that mental health professionals are capable of providing inclusive and informed care. In Australia, mental health nurses play a... more
As increasing numbers of transgender people access mental health services, so with this comes the requirement that mental health professionals are capable of providing inclusive and informed care. In Australia, mental health nurses play a key role in the mental health workforce, and are increasingly likely to engage with transgender people across a range of practice contexts. The research reported in this paper sought to explore the experience, knowledge and attitudes of a sample of Australian mental health nurses with regards to working with transgender people. A total of 96 mental health nurses completed a survey that included an attitudinal measure and a measure of clinical knowledge. Our findings indicated that a majority of the sample had worked with a transgender client before, but only a minority had undertaken training in working with transgender clients. Training was related to more positive attitudes; and both training and experience were related to greater clinical knowledge. Female and/or older participants had greater clinical knowledge, whilst more religious participants had less positive attitudes. The paper concludes by commenting on the dearth of competency and practice documents specific to mental health nurses working with transgender people, and it outlines the Australian standards that would mandate their development.
Research Interests:
Despite the increased diversification of Australian families, the nuclear family formed through reproductive heterosex continues to be treated as the norm. This paper argues that this norm impacts negatively upon families formed in other... more
Despite the increased diversification of Australian families, the nuclear family formed through reproductive heterosex continues to be treated as the norm. This paper argues that this norm impacts negatively upon families formed in other ways, by exposing them to increased scrutiny. Drawing on interviews with 60 participants from four cohorts (families formed through reproductive heterosex, intercountry adoption, long-term foster care, or surrogacy), a comparative thematic analysis is presented in which two key themes are elaborated: (1) the impact of government policies and practices, and (2) the degree to which families are treated as public property. Findings suggest that families formed through reproductive heterosex were the least regulated and scrutinised; families formed through either adoption or surrogacy received a considerable degree of regulation and scrutiny; and foster families were the most scrutinised and negatively impacted by government policies. The paper concludes by considering what is required to engender more inclusive and supportive responses to all families.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
... 536319 Damien W. Riggs a * pages 87-98. ... New York, NY: Haworth Press. View all references) suggests that a central focus of any project aimed at queering psychology must involve examining the power held by practitioners (see also... more
... 536319 Damien W. Riggs a * pages 87-98. ... New York, NY: Haworth Press. View all references) suggests that a central focus of any project aimed at queering psychology must involve examining the power held by practitioners (see also Hodges, 20088. Hodges, I. 2008. ...
Research Interests:
In countries such as Australia, the UK, and the USA, growing numbers of LGBTQ people are becoming foster parents. This chapter summarizes what is known from the research evidence, primarily focusing on lesbian and gay foster parents given... more
In countries such as Australia, the UK, and the USA, growing numbers of LGBTQ people are becoming foster parents. This chapter summarizes what is known from the research evidence, primarily focusing on lesbian and gay foster parents given the dearth of research on bisexual, transgender, and queer foster parents. Key themes identified from the literature were (a) the silencing of sexuality, (b) the pathologizing of sexuality, (c) the expectation that LGBTQ foster parents demonstrate “appropriate” gender role models, (d) the resistance to placement matching of LGBTQ children in foster care, and (e) the expectation that LGBTQ foster parents educate child protection staff. The chapter concludes by considering gaps in the literature that require concerted attention and explores recommendations for best practice derived from the research.
Research Interests:
In this chapter I provide a consideration of the literature on transgender people and reproduction, specifically focused on fertility preservation. From this literature I suggest that some of the ambiguities that would seem apparent with... more
In this chapter I provide a consideration of the literature on transgender people and reproduction, specifically focused on fertility preservation. From this literature I suggest that some of the ambiguities that would seem apparent with regard to transgender people’s decisions about parenthood are minimized through an over emphasis on fertility as the presumed corollary of future parenthood. I then examine two narratives of fertility preservation – one from a media report focused on the experiences of a Canadian transgender man, and one from an interview with an Australian transgender man – both of which suggest to me the importance of an approach to clinical practice that emphasises a focus on ambiguities in terms of decision making about reproduction, rather than a singular directive towards fertility preservation at all costs. I conclude the chapter by considering additional factors related to reproductive rights for transgender people that also require attention.
Research Interests:
Given the fact that previous analyses have not focused specifically on picture books featuring trans characters, and given the recent increase in the number of books published featuring such characters, the present chapter reports on a... more
Given the fact that previous analyses have not focused specifically on picture books featuring trans characters, and given the recent increase in the number of books published featuring such characters, the present chapter reports on a comprehensive audit of picture books portraying trans characters. In this chapter we argue that while the presence of picture books with trans characters is likely to be useful in some ways, currently many perpetuate normative discourses and display only narrow forms of acceptance.
Research Interests:
The Psychic Life of Racism in Gay Men’s Communities engages in the necessarily complex task of mapping out the operations of racialized desire as it circulates among gay men. In exploring such desire, the contributors to this collection... more
The Psychic Life of Racism in Gay Men’s Communities engages in the necessarily complex task of mapping out the operations of racialized desire as it circulates among gay men. In exploring such desire, the contributors to this collection consider the intersections of privi- lege and marginalization in the context of gay men’s lives and, in doing so, argue that as much as experiences of discrimination on the basis of sexuality are shared among many gay men, experiences of discrimination within gay communities are equally as common. As such, The Psychic Life of Racism in Gay Men’s Communities is an important intervention that disputes the claim that gay communities are primarily organized around acceptance and homogeneity and instead demonstrates the considerable diversity and ongoing ten- sions that mark gay men’s relationships with one another.
Research Interests:
This chapter draws on the concepts of cultural capital and intersectionality to elaborate an approach to mental health practice that is mindful of the relationships between race, gender, sexuality and class in the clinical setting.... more
This chapter draws on the concepts of cultural capital and intersectionality to elaborate an approach to mental health practice that is mindful of the relationships between race, gender, sexuality and class in the clinical setting. Drawing on the author’s own experiences as a psychotherapist, three case examples are provided, which are considered through the lenses of cultural capital and intersectionality. The chapter concludes by connecting the cases to practice guidelines for inclusion, and highlights the importance of clinicians reflecting on the operations of power in their relationships with clients.
Research Interests:
This chapter begins by first providing an overview of previous literature on the topic of transgender people and intimacy, before reporting on findings from an Australian qualitative study. Importantly, the findings suggest both that... more
This chapter begins by first providing an overview of previous literature on the topic of transgender people and intimacy, before reporting on findings from an Australian qualitative study. Importantly, the findings suggest both that understanding transgender people’s experiences of intimacy cannot occur absent of an understanding of the effects of discrimination, but that recognizing the impact of discrimination does not explain all there is to know about transgender people’s experiences of intimacy. Beyond the impact of both discrimination and cisgenderism, for many transgender people experiences of intimacy are fulfilling and meaningful. The chapter concludes with recommendations derived from these findings for clinicians who work with transgender clients.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In this chapter we seek to examine the nexus of disability and diagnosis in the context of transgender men’s experiences of mental health. In referring to a nexus between disability and diagnosis, our intent is to highlight the ways in... more
In this chapter we seek to examine the nexus of disability and diagnosis in the context of transgender men’s experiences of mental health. In referring to a nexus between disability and diagnosis, our intent is to highlight the ways in which transgender men may often experience a competing set of demands when accessing mental health care services, demands that may render invisible chronic mental health concerns. In order to illustrate this claim we present a small set of findings from two projects that focused on Australian transgender men and mental health. From these we conclude with a discussion of what a disability model of transgender mental health has to offer in terms of ensuring supportive and inclusive mental health services to transgender men.
Research Interests:
... Damien W. Riggs University of Adelaide, Australia ... between races', and incarcerating, medi-cating or silencing those people who do not conform to the white, heterosexual, male, middle-class subject of psychological knowledge... more
... Damien W. Riggs University of Adelaide, Australia ... between races', and incarcerating, medi-cating or silencing those people who do not conform to the white, heterosexual, male, middle-class subject of psychological knowledge (Dudgeon, Garvey & Pickett 2000; Smith, 1999). ...
The present study offers a critique of white psychologists' writings on race relations in Australia. Particular attention is given to writings that focus on constructions of Indigenous peoples, and the interpretations given to such... more
The present study offers a critique of white psychologists' writings on race relations in Australia. Particular attention is given to writings that focus on constructions of Indigenous peoples, and the interpretations given to such constructions by white individuals. Four dominant discursive repertoires may be identified within these writings: the construction of the binary categories of evil racists vs. good antiracists;
Research Interests:
White Australians’ acknowledgments of race privilege or complicity with colonialism continue to come under scrutiny for their ‘confessional’ role in speaking of racism only to yet again ‘move on’ from it. In a similar way, discourse... more
White Australians’ acknowledgments of race privilege or complicity with colonialism continue to come under scrutiny for their ‘confessional’ role in speaking of racism only to yet again ‘move on’ from it. In a similar way, discourse analytic studies of racism continue to be criticised for their failure to produce ‘real world’ outcomes, and for their inability to ‘shift’ rather than merely ‘describe’ the existence of racism. Nonetheless, we suggest, there is considerable utility to be gained from an approach to combating racism that takes as its starting place an examination of white race privilege. In this paper we discuss how an application of discourse analysis to the examination of race privilege in the everyday talk of white Australians holds great potential for identifying the commonplace, indeed banal, ways in which race privilege is played out. The identification of such speech patterns, we suggest, has considerable utility for developing interventions into the function of race privilege, and for maintaining an explicitly political psychological focus on the actions of white Australians (towards Indigenous people in particular). This stands in opposition to the aforementioned simplistic voicing of the existence of privilege that often does very little to examine the attendant implications of privilege in very real life and practical ways.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
In Australia, foster carers play a considerable role in providing for the long-term needs of children who cannot live with their birth parents, yet they do so with little legal protection. For lesbian and gay foster carers, this lack of... more
In Australia, foster carers play a considerable role in providing for the long-term needs of children who cannot live with their birth parents, yet they do so with little legal protection. For lesbian and gay foster carers, this lack of legal protection of their relationship to children in their care is exacerbated by ongoing homophobia and heteronormativity which, it is suggested, can impact upon the assessments they receive prior to registration and the support they receive once approved. This chapter explores the current Australian legal and policy context in detail, and the ways in which it is negotiated by a sample of Australian lesbian or gay foster carers. Specifically, it is noted that many participants reported negotiating what are termed here ‘pragmatic imbalances’: that they were willing to prioritise the rights or possible needs of children in their care over and above their own. Examples of this are discussed and the chapter concludes with recommendations for legislative and policy changes that address the shortcomings in current laws and policies without making this a ‘gay rights’ issue. Rather, the point is made that these are systemic issues that must be addressed in order to best meet the needs of all children.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Analyses of the rhetorical effects of public statements and everyday conversation have long demonstrated the potentially deleterious ends to which purportedly positive statements can be put. Specifically in the context of foster care,... more
Analyses of the rhetorical effects of public statements and everyday conversation have long demonstrated the potentially deleterious ends to which purportedly positive statements can be put. Specifically in the context of foster care, this can occur when lay people refer to foster carers as ‘angels’ or ‘saints’. Drawing in this chapter on research conducted with Australian foster carers, I suggest that referring to foster carers in this way functions rhetorically to: 1) construct foster children in particular (negative) ways, 2) deny societal responsibility for child protection agendas, 3) construct carework as outside of economic exchange, 4) implicitly question the motives of foster carers, and 5) undermine or discount the considerable challenges that foster carers face. In response to these problems associated with the construction of foster carers as ‘saints’ or ‘angels, I conclude the chapter by making suggestions for an understanding of foster care that moves away from a benevolent or ‘rosy’ image of care provision, and instead recognises the important role that foster carers play in child protection services and the need for Australian society to better support child protection agendas.
Research Interests: Rhetoric and Foster Care
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This report was developed in order to facilitate a robust, empirically-based discussion of the topic of family diversification in Australia. The report highlights two key points that address both the fact of diversification, and concerns... more
This report was developed in order to facilitate a robust, empirically-based discussion of the topic of family diversification in Australia. The report highlights two key points that address both the fact of diversification, and concerns that have arisen in response to it:
• First, changes to the face of Australian families have been slow yet consistent over the past five decades. Such changes have been brought about by developments in the realm of reproductive science, legislative change, and shifts in public attitudes. In this sense, diversification reflects the reality of Australian society, rather than being the agenda of any one group.
• Second, despite changes to the face of Australian families, much remains the same. In other words, the information presented in this report highlights both continuity and change.
In drawing upon data collected by, amongst others, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare, available both publically and through request by the authors, this report presents an overview of key family-related areas. As such, it builds upon the significant work undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies by adding a historical component. Mapping changes and continuity across time provides researchers, policy makers, and members of the public with an informed understanding of Australian family diversification.
• First, changes to the face of Australian families have been slow yet consistent over the past five decades. Such changes have been brought about by developments in the realm of reproductive science, legislative change, and shifts in public attitudes. In this sense, diversification reflects the reality of Australian society, rather than being the agenda of any one group.
• Second, despite changes to the face of Australian families, much remains the same. In other words, the information presented in this report highlights both continuity and change.
In drawing upon data collected by, amongst others, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and the Australian Institute for Health and Welfare, available both publically and through request by the authors, this report presents an overview of key family-related areas. As such, it builds upon the significant work undertaken by the Australian Institute of Family Studies by adding a historical component. Mapping changes and continuity across time provides researchers, policy makers, and members of the public with an informed understanding of Australian family diversification.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
The second edition of this award-winning textbook provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer psychology. Comprehensive in scope and international in outlook,... more
The second edition of this award-winning textbook provides an accessible and engaging introduction to the field of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer psychology. Comprehensive in scope and international in outlook, it offers an integrated overview of key topical areas, from history and context, identities and fluidity, families and relationships, to health and wellbeing. The second edition has been extensively revised to address substantial developments and emerging areas, such as people born with intersex variations, transgender and non-binary genders, intersectionality, and gender-diverse children. It also includes new pedagogical features to support learning and to facilitate discussion and reflection, with feature boxes throughout that explain important concepts, provide concise overviews of cutting-edge research, and offer first-person narratives that bring topics to life. This pioneering textbook is an essential resource for undergraduate courses on sex, gender, and sexuality in psychology and related disciplines, such as sociology, health studies, social work, education, and counselling.
Research Interests:
Studies of kinship have increasingly sought to critique the normative assumptions that often underpin how caring relationships between humans are understood. Critical Kinship Studies adds a further dimension by bringing together... more
Studies of kinship have increasingly sought to critique the normative assumptions that often underpin how caring relationships between humans are understood. Critical Kinship Studies adds a further dimension by bringing together posthumanism and studies of kinship to elaborate an account of western human kinship practices that encourages the reader to consider who is included in the categories of ‘human’ and ‘kinship’, who is excluded from these categories, and how a critical lens may broaden our understand of caring relationships. Bringing together a diverse array of analytic foci and theoretical lenses, Critical Kinship Studies opens up new avenues for understanding what it means to be in relationships with others, and in so doing challenges the human exceptionalism that has often limited how we think about family, loss, love and subjectivity. CONTENTS: Chapter 1, Introduction. Chapter 2, Objects of Critiques. Chapter 3, Tools of Critique. Chapter 4 ,Reflecting (on) Nature: Cross Species Kinship. Chapter 5, Donor Connections. Chapter 6, Kinship and Loss. Chapter 7, Motherhood and Recognition. Chapter 8, Kinship in Institutional Contexts. Chapter 9, Conclusions.
Research Interests:
Multiple formations of family have always been a part of Australia's social and historical landscape, yet social norms typically function to marginalise some family forms while according others a privileged status. Marginalisation on... more
Multiple formations of family have always been a part of Australia's social and historical landscape, yet social norms typically function to marginalise some family forms while according others a privileged status. Marginalisation on the basis of sexuality, for example, whilst arguably somewhat less prevalent than in previous decades, nonetheless continues for those families positioned outside the heteronorm. Institutions such as schools can play an important role in transforming marginalising practices, yet research such as that presented in this article suggests that schools often also perpetuate marginalisation, even if unintentionally. Drawing on interviews conducted with twenty-three lesbian mothers, this article highlights the often subtle ways in which such mothers with children in South Australian primary schools experience marginalisation by educators. Specifically, we argue that marginalisation occurs in the form of injunctions made upon lesbian mothers to inform educ...
Research Interests:
Trans and non-binary youth (TNBY) face high levels of interpersonal and social adversity as well as disproportionate rates of mental health issues such as depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Among protective factors, context... more
Trans and non-binary youth (TNBY) face high levels of interpersonal and social adversity as well as disproportionate rates
of mental health issues such as depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Among protective factors, context plays a key
role. In addition to parental support, access to gender-affirming medical care begins to emerge as crucial for young people
needed them. This paper compares, through thematic analysis,
the experiences of TNBY with regard to access and experiences to care in Canada, Switzerland, England, and Australia. It
identifies similarities and differences in barriers to access to
care, as well as impacts of gender affirming care on young
people and their well-being. The article concludes with a discussion on the importance of prompt and easier access to
gender-affirming medical care, of training of professionals, and
a hypothesis about the role of context in TNBY well-being.
of mental health issues such as depression, self-harm and suicidal ideation. Among protective factors, context plays a key
role. In addition to parental support, access to gender-affirming medical care begins to emerge as crucial for young people
needed them. This paper compares, through thematic analysis,
the experiences of TNBY with regard to access and experiences to care in Canada, Switzerland, England, and Australia. It
identifies similarities and differences in barriers to access to
care, as well as impacts of gender affirming care on young
people and their well-being. The article concludes with a discussion on the importance of prompt and easier access to
gender-affirming medical care, of training of professionals, and
a hypothesis about the role of context in TNBY well-being.
Research Interests:
Psychiatric mother-baby units (MBUs) are currently viewed as best practice, particularly in the UK, Australia and France, for improving outcomes for mothers and babies when the former are experiencing severe forms of mental illness. A... more
Psychiatric mother-baby units (MBUs) are currently viewed as best practice, particularly in the UK, Australia and France, for improving outcomes for mothers and babies when the former are experiencing severe forms of mental illness. A growing number of publications have examined MBUs, but to date, there has not been a comprehensive review of these studies. As such, the systematic review reported in this paper sought to address this gap. A systematic search was conducted for peer-reviewed research and grey literature published in English between 2000 and 2015. A final sample of 44 publications were identified that reported on empirical findings with regard to MBUs. Three quarters of the studies focused on individual MBUs and most studies were quantitative. A thematic analysis of the studies identified three major themes: (1) admissions data, (2) outcomes for mothers, and (3) programmes and interventions. The analysis also identified four secondary themes: (i) follow-up after discharge, (ii) separation of mothers and babies after discharge, (iii) client satisfaction with MBUs, and (iv) partners of women admitted to MBUs. The findings of the review highlight gaps in knowledge about MBUs and provide suggestions for future research.
Research Interests:
A significant body of research in the field of human-animal studies has focused on animals who live alongside humans within the home, with such animals often considered family members. To date, however, this research has focused almost... more
A significant body of research in the field of human-animal studies has focused on animals who live alongside humans within the home, with such animals often considered family members. To date, however, this research has focused almost exclusively on the experiences of heterosexual cisgender people, overlooking other diverse genders and/or sexualities. This paper seeks to address this gap by reporting on findings from a study of 503 people living in Australia or the United Kingdom. Specifically, the research sought to explore links between
psychological distress, social support, family violence, and views about animal companions. Notable amongst the findings was an interaction between having experienced familial violence and living with an animal companion, and the impact of both on psychological distress and social support. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the
findings for better understanding the lives of people of diverse genders and/or sexualities.
Please refer to the usage guidelines at http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/policies.html or alternatively contact sure@sunderland.ac.uk.
psychological distress, social support, family violence, and views about animal companions. Notable amongst the findings was an interaction between having experienced familial violence and living with an animal companion, and the impact of both on psychological distress and social support. The paper concludes by considering the implications of the
findings for better understanding the lives of people of diverse genders and/or sexualities.
Please refer to the usage guidelines at http://sure.sunderland.ac.uk/policies.html or alternatively contact sure@sunderland.ac.uk.
Research Interests:
This exciting and engaging textbook introduces students to the psychology of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer lives and experiences. It covers a broad range of topics including diversity, prejudice, health, relationships, parenting... more
This exciting and engaging textbook introduces students to the psychology of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer lives and experiences. It covers a broad range of topics including diversity, prejudice, health, relationships, parenting and lifespan experiences from youth to old age. The book includes' key researcher'boxes, which outline the contributions of significant individuals and their motivations for conducting their research in their own words. Key issues and debates are discussed throughout the book, and questions for discussion ...
The book is divided into three sections plus a concluding chapter. Section 1 (Histories, Contexts and Debates in LGBTQ Psychology) provides an overview of the theoretical, methodological, political and practical issues and debates that... more
The book is divided into three sections plus a concluding chapter. Section 1 (Histories, Contexts and Debates in LGBTQ Psychology) provides an overview of the theoretical, methodological, political and practical issues and debates that inform LGBTQ psychological research. Chapter 1 explores the history and development of the field of LGBTQ psychology. This chapter discusses the work of early sexologists, the ‘founding fathers’ of sexuality and gender research, the emergence of ‘gay affirmative’ psychology in the 1970s and the subsequent development of LGBTQ psychology as a recognised sub-field of psychology. Chapter 2 summarises some of the key theoretical and political perspectives that inform research in the area, and examines the relationship between LGBTQ psychology and related areas of research such as queer theory and feminist psychology. It also examines the relationship between LGBTQ psychology and positive social change for LGBTQ communities and individuals. Chapter 3 provi...
Separation from animals with whom children have caring relationships can lead to considerable loss and grief, perhaps especially in the case of migration. This paper reports on a thematic analysis of interviews undertaken with children... more
Separation from animals with whom children have caring relationships can lead to considerable loss and grief, perhaps especially in the case of migration. This paper reports on a thematic analysis of interviews undertaken with children of migrant or refugee backgrounds who had resettled in Australia. Findings suggest that children who spoke about animals framed their experiences in ways that either evoked a sense of loss with regard to animals, or referred to animals as engendering a safe haven following resettlement. The paper concludes by exploring potential service responses, and encourages a focus on animals’ needs
in the context of migration.
in the context of migration.
Research Interests:
The link between domestic violence and animal abuse has now been well established, indicating that where there is one form of abuse, there is often the other. Research on this link, however, has almost exclusively focused on heterosexual... more
The link between domestic violence and animal abuse has now been well established, indicating that where there is one form of abuse, there is often the other. Research on this link, however, has almost exclusively focused on heterosexual cisgender people's relationships. Lacking, then, is an exploration of the possibly unique links between domestic violence and animal abuse in the context of lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) people's relationships. In this paper we adopt a feminist intersectional approach informed by Critical Animal Studies to advocate for a non-pathologising approach to understanding LGBT people's relationships with regard to the link between domestic violence and animal abuse.