Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the currently available pe... more Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the currently available peer-reviewed and grey literature exploring Canadian registered dietitians’ (RDs’) perceptions and knowledge of, and experiences with, weight-related evidence in nutrition care. Introduction: Weight, skin fold calipers, body mass index (BMI), and other means of measuring and describing body size, have been associated with risk, progression, and nutrition intervention success with several disease states. Interpretation and application of weight-related evidence can be impacted by several non-medical factors, including practitioner perspective, evidence interpretation and application, lived experience, and bias. Each of these outcomes may differ between RDs and are not easily described or understood. Inclusion Criteria: Original peer-reviewed studies and grey literature published in English that explore Canadian RDs’ perceptions of, knowledge of, and experiences with weight-related evidence ...
Compassion can be seen as a necessary, but often lacking, concept and practice in healthcare. Due... more Compassion can be seen as a necessary, but often lacking, concept and practice in healthcare. Due to the cis-heteronormative nature of societies, people who identify as Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (2SLGBTQ+) often experience health disparities and disparities in accessing compassionate healthcare. We aimed to explore the meanings of compassion in healthcare for Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ people. Using a poststructuralist framework, 20 self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ participants were interviewed. Data was analyzed through discourse analysis. Three main discursive considerations are discussed, including (1) meanings and expectations of compassion in healthcare, (2) compassionate healthcare is not guaranteed, and (3) prescription for care: self-compassion for healing and health. The results provide insights into how compassionate healthcare is framed for 2SLGBTQ+ participants and how compassion is often lacking for them due to discourses of cis-heteronormativity and health...
The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum experiences of new parents during the COVID-1... more The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum experiences of new parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The postpartum period can be a time of significant transition, both positive and negative, for parents as they navigate new relationships with their babies and shifts in family dynamics. Physical distancing requirements mandated by public health orders during the COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to create even more stress for parents with a newborn. Examining personal experiences would provide health care professionals with information to help guide support during significant isolation. Feminist poststructuralism guided the qualitative research process. Sixty-eight new mothers completed an open-ended on-line survey. Responses were analyzed using discourse analysis to examine the beliefs, values, and practices of the participants relating to their family experiences during the pandemic period. It was found that pandemic isolation was a time of complexity with both ‘blessing...
Sex and gender are determinants of health outcomes across an individual’s life course. However, o... more Sex and gender are determinants of health outcomes across an individual’s life course. However, often in health research and practice, sex and gender considerations are either overlooked or confounded. Recent developments in health research and practice ask for the inclusion of sex and gender considerations within health research and practice. This article is a reaction to these calls. It explores the ways in which an international team of health researchers created a comic book that highlighted the impact of gender in many areas of health across an individual’s life course. The creative processes are critically explored, as well as selected images. Through this work, it is proposed that comic art knowledge mobilization projects can be viewed as means to transform health research and practice by critiquing and disrupting dominant cis-heteronormative sex and gender discourses.
The International Journal of Community Diversity, 2019
HIV infections are still are a concern for many gay men in Canada despite prevention efforts. Soc... more HIV infections are still are a concern for many gay men in Canada despite prevention efforts. Social networking applications (SNAs) have predominantly been where gay men meet for sexual encounters. Grindr is the most common app used, which is a GPS-enabled SNA that was released in 2009. In Nova Scotia, there is a culture of silence in the gay community surrounding HIV/AIDS discourses. It is suggested that the perspective of professional stakeholders in sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBI) prevention is needed to enhance prevention efforts. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the perspectives of service providers regarding STBBI risk on one SNA for gay men. Key stakeholders in this current study were sexual health service providers working in Nova Scotia. Four stakeholders were interviewed as part of a larger study. Secondary thematic analysis was employed to examine this data for this research project. The interviewed stakeholders experienced outreach challenges because of the "changed landscape" of online partner finding. Stakeholders have an interest in accessing these spaces for prevention and suggest that online forums such as Grindr can be used for sexual health prevention aimed at gay men. Further, leaders in the gay men's community may be able to help service providers understand the implications and potential contributions of sexual health promotion efforts.
Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities, 2021
The construction of masculinities is an important component of the bodies and lives of gay men. T... more The construction of masculinities is an important component of the bodies and lives of gay men. The role of gay culture on body standards, body dissatisfaction, and the health of gay men was explored using poststructuralism and queer theory within an arts-based framework. Nine gay men were recruited within the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Participants were asked to photograph their beliefs, values, and practices relating to their bodies and food. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, using the photographs as guides. Data were analyzed by critical discourse analysis and resulted in three overarching threads of discourse including: (1) Muscles: The Bigger the Better, (2) The Silence of Hegemonic Masculinity, and (3) Embracing a New Day. Participants believed that challenging hegemonic masculinity was a way to work through body image tension.
Ideal bodies are constituted through various social and cultural discourses. One such discourse t... more Ideal bodies are constituted through various social and cultural discourses. One such discourse that constitutes bodies is the “obesity” discourse. The term obesity is a contested and medicalizing term that constitutes a view of fat people as unhealthy, immoral, and undesirable. Obesity discourses, therefore, also constitute notions of the bodies and body types that are thought to be healthy, acceptable, and attractive. The effects of obesity discourses can be prominently observed in gay men’s culture where muscular, white, thin bodies are glorified. This paper employs a poststructural framework to examine how desired bodies are constituted in gay culture. This paper also explores how some gay men resist dominant obesity discourses. A critical review of the literature on fatness, body dissatisfaction, and the influence of gay culture on eating practices among gay men informs this work. Various studies have shown that gay culture can constitute experiences of body dissatisfaction, re...
The purpose of this article is to explore the scope of available evidence regarding the use of in... more The purpose of this article is to explore the scope of available evidence regarding the use of interactive e-texts and their relationship to student learning experiences in post-secondary education. Following the framework of Arksey and O’Malley, this scoping review identified and reported on 33 articles. Study characteristics are presented alongside four themes that were found across the included articles: (1) the effect of interactive e-texts on student learning experiences; (2) the relationship between interactive e-texts and academic performance; (3) factors influencing student adoption and experience of interactive e-texts; and (4) roles, responsibilities, and recommendations. While the adoption of interactive e-texts is becoming increasingly common in post-secondary education, their effect on student learning experiences remains complex. This review emphasizes the importance of user-friendliness, affordability, accessibility, portability, and the role of educators. Using inter...
ABSTRACTThe consequences of poor eating behaviors can impact, not only the overall health of indi... more ABSTRACTThe consequences of poor eating behaviors can impact, not only the overall health of individuals, but it can negatively impact government and organizational costs. Healthy eating behaviours are influenced by personal, behaviour, and environmental factors, and have been investigated through many theoretical frameworks. In this study, expectancy theory was explored as a tool to understand healthy eating motivations in the context of consumer behaviour. Based on the expectancy theory, six hypotheses were created and tested using a survey conducted at two universities. A total of 188 students completed the survey which included questions on eating behaviors, nutrition knowledge and selfefficacy for healthy eating. An expectancy theory model based on the resulting scores was analyzed through Partial Least Square regression. The six hypotheses were confirmed by the analysis and the null hypotheses were rejected. This indicates that Healthy Eating Behaviour can be positively impact...
The use of social media platforms (such as Facebook) for research recruitment has continued to in... more The use of social media platforms (such as Facebook) for research recruitment has continued to increase, especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Social media enables researchers to reach diverse communities that often do not have their voices heard in research. Social media research recruitment, however, can pose risks to both potential participants and the researchers. This topic paper presents ethical considerations related to social media recruitment, and offers an example of harassment and hate speech risks when social media is used for research recruitment. We explore the implications of hate speech risks for ethical research.
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2021
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, and othe... more Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, and other groups (LGBTQ+) within Canada. This research aimed to explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ Canadians in relation to their nutritional needs, practices, and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The qualitative study was framed within a poststructuralism and queer theory paradigm and consisted of an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited and asked to complete open-ended questions. Responses were coded using thematic analysis. Results: Seventy participants completed the questionnaire. Data analysis resulted in 3 major themes, including (i) (dis)comforts of food and eating, (ii) shifting views of food and food practices, and (iii) what supports? The themes revealed that many LGBTQ+ individuals experienced stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a time in which their views and practices of food, cooking, and eating were changed. Nutritional supports were d...
Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise re... more Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise referred to as "radical sex practices") and is reportedly common among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). With the growth of online technologies, the use of hookup apps has also increased. We refer to men's use of drugs, apps, and sex form as "wired sex" that forms what post-structuralist theorists Deleuze and Guattari described as an assemblage. Perspectives of the health and social service providers who work directly with GBMSM has not been explored. This research project involved a critical discourse analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with service providers in Canada to understand their perspectives and interactions with wired sex assemblages. We identified several themes reflecting the social and political effects of wired sex assemblages and discuss the implications of these effects on services provision with GBMSM.
Abstract The identities and communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GB... more Abstract The identities and communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are undergoing reconfiguration through two technologies: the digital spaces of social networking and hookup apps, and the sexualized use of chemicals such as recreational and illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals, and steroids. These technologies are creating spaces for GBMSM to indulge in excesses and extremes of pleasure, generating what has been described as an online chemculture. We approached this topic from a poststructuralist queer perspective, attending to the ways in which the fluid assemblages between GBMSM bodies and technologies produce sexual relations that resist heteronormative and other oppressive social structures. Using discourse analysis, this mixed method study (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews) of 50 GBMSM explored how they talked about their sexualized uses of digital and chemical technologies. Data collection occurred in three Canadian cities (Halifax, Ottawa, and Vancouver). The results identify the technologies most frequently employed in the sexual encounters of GBMSM, as well as participants’ self-identified purposes for using these technologies and the effects they have on GBMSM identities and communities. This study suggests that there is some potential, though not without some tension, in GBMSM using digital and chemical technologies to realize queer desires.
Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with... more Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with new online and mobile technologies used to seek pleasures and connections. Poststructuralist (including queer) explorations of these new intensities show how bodies exist in the form of (political) surfaces able to connect with other bodies and with other objects where they may find/create a function (e.g., reproduce or disrupt hegemonies). This federally funded netnographic study explored how a variety of chemicals such as recreational drugs, pharmaceuticals and steroids are contributing to the construction of gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men (GBMSM) communities and their interactions with idealized masculinities in the age of increasing technology. Five major thematic categories emerged from our analysis: (1) assembling bodies and technologies, (2) becoming orgiastic, (3) experiencing stigma, (4) becoming machinic and (5) negotiating practices. Our analysis explores how and why GBMSM pursue excesses of pleasure and connection through the assemblages they make with sexualized drug use, online platforms and other men.
Being queer can be filled with moments of isolation: not fitting in to heteronormative rites of p... more Being queer can be filled with moments of isolation: not fitting in to heteronormative rites of passage, not knowing if or when to come out in academia, and now, trying to cope with the difficulties induced by officially-mandated social distancing in a global pandemic. Although isolation is a common human experience, for queer people it is often an intimate part of their stories, leaving lasting scars. Experiences of isolation, loneliness, and being “othered” have serious consequences. Through autoethnographic queer inquiry, we explore isolation and how it shapes teaching and learning. Drawing on concepts of the outsider-within and the uncanny, and distinguishing isolation from loneliness and solitude, we share our personal stories of isolation through the perspective of a performative “I”, examining how our pedagogical philosophies and practices inevitably reflect our queer experiences. Coming from different disciplines of practice, we met because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which pr...
Gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) men are at higher risk of negative body image. As having a negativ... more Gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) men are at higher risk of negative body image. As having a negative body image is related to negative mood, sexual, and health outcomes, identifying and providing community-friendly tools for GBQ men is important. This paper describes the creation and evaluation of Rainbow Reflections, a comic anthology developed to promote awareness of and communication about body image. Rainbow Reflections includes comics from 38 trans- and cis-GBQ artists who drew inspiration from personal narratives based on pre-determined themes in the empirical literature and interactive inserts based on evidence-based practice. To evaluate Rainbow Reflections, 167 trans- and cis-GBQ men completed pre-post measures before/after viewing a selection of comics and responded to an open-ended question about their experience. Overall, participants rated the comic book positively, with a majority (61.1%) indicating that they would recommend the book to a friend. After viewing the comics, participants reported greater comfort with initiating conversations about body image, greater satisfaction with their bodies, and reported higher estimates of how common body image concerns are for queer men. Themes that emerged from open-ended responses included participants reflecting on personal struggles (~ 30%), relating with the stories of others (~ 22%), reflecting on the standards of queer men (~ 18%), recognizing cis-privilege (~ 11%), reflecting on others’ struggles (~ 9%), negative feedback about the comics (~ 7%), and balancing masculine and feminine (~ 3%). Results of the study provide preliminary evidence for Rainbow Reflections as an effective community-friendly tool to promote awareness of and communication about body image for GBQ men.
Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 2020
The attitudes teenagers have towards Math, as well as their knowledge of Science, Technology, Eng... more The attitudes teenagers have towards Math, as well as their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)-based careers will affect their likelihood of pursing these careers in the future. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes that youth (girls and boys) aged 12-14 hold towards Math, their knowledge of Math, and Science requirements for future careers as well as their likelihood of choosing a STEM-based career. This research also examined the responses of girls who attended a week-long intensive Science summer camp compared with those who did not attend this camp. To do this, students' attitudes and knowledge were explored using a gender-based analysis (GBA) in four sample groups: (1) public school boys, (2) public school girls, (3) public school girls who do well in math, and (4) a specialized sample of girls who had attended a female-only Science summer camp. Our results show that more grade 7 girls in Nova Scotian public schools feel tense doing Math problems compared with similarly aged boys, yet the average self-rating of getting good marks, learning Math quickly, and looking forward to Math were similar for girls and boys. Furthermore, girls had a better knowledge of careers that required Math and/or Science than boys. In relation to the Science camp, significantly more girls attending the Science camp indicated that they would be very likely to pursue a STEM career in the future, compared with girls, with equally good Math grades, in the non-camps group. These findings show that enabling girls to interact with female STEM professionals and to attend an all-girls Science dedicated camp significantly impacts their interest in STEM professions and is a concrete way in to break down stereotypes in maledominated fields. Résumé Les attitudes des adolescents envers les mathématiques, ainsi que leurs connaissances des carrières dans les sciences, la technologie, l'ingénierie et les mathématiques (STEM) influeront sur la probabilité qu'ils entreprennent une carrière dans ces domaines dans l'avenir. Le but de cette étude était
Comics are an innovative way to translate health knowledge and research to service providers and ... more Comics are an innovative way to translate health knowledge and research to service providers and communities. A theoretical framework intertwining poststructuralism and queer theory was used to explore the experiences of queer artists in the creation and production of body image comic anthology entitled Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics for Queer Men. The aim was to examine the beliefs of the artists about the potentiality of comics to address body image concerns for queer men. Body image concerns may create negative health experiences, isolation, loneliness, and sexual intimacy concerns. Nineteen self-identifying queer artists participated in the study. Discourse analysis revealed five threads of discourse that bring understanding on how comics can improve body image, and the health and well-being of both the artists through the act of creation and the reader through the act of consumption. Theses threads of discourse include: 1) Creating a unique language, 2) Revealing and healing themselves, 3) Exploring cultural influences, 4) Expanding spaces for queer men and their bodies, and 5) Connecting men. The findings reveal that comics can create knowledge and stimulate discussions about body image and has the potential to positively influence the health of queer men.
Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the currently available pe... more Objective: The objective of this scoping review is to identify and map the currently available peer-reviewed and grey literature exploring Canadian registered dietitians’ (RDs’) perceptions and knowledge of, and experiences with, weight-related evidence in nutrition care. Introduction: Weight, skin fold calipers, body mass index (BMI), and other means of measuring and describing body size, have been associated with risk, progression, and nutrition intervention success with several disease states. Interpretation and application of weight-related evidence can be impacted by several non-medical factors, including practitioner perspective, evidence interpretation and application, lived experience, and bias. Each of these outcomes may differ between RDs and are not easily described or understood. Inclusion Criteria: Original peer-reviewed studies and grey literature published in English that explore Canadian RDs’ perceptions of, knowledge of, and experiences with weight-related evidence ...
Compassion can be seen as a necessary, but often lacking, concept and practice in healthcare. Due... more Compassion can be seen as a necessary, but often lacking, concept and practice in healthcare. Due to the cis-heteronormative nature of societies, people who identify as Two-Spirit, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer (2SLGBTQ+) often experience health disparities and disparities in accessing compassionate healthcare. We aimed to explore the meanings of compassion in healthcare for Canadian 2SLGBTQ+ people. Using a poststructuralist framework, 20 self-identifying 2SLGBTQ+ participants were interviewed. Data was analyzed through discourse analysis. Three main discursive considerations are discussed, including (1) meanings and expectations of compassion in healthcare, (2) compassionate healthcare is not guaranteed, and (3) prescription for care: self-compassion for healing and health. The results provide insights into how compassionate healthcare is framed for 2SLGBTQ+ participants and how compassion is often lacking for them due to discourses of cis-heteronormativity and health...
The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum experiences of new parents during the COVID-1... more The aim of this study was to explore the postpartum experiences of new parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. The postpartum period can be a time of significant transition, both positive and negative, for parents as they navigate new relationships with their babies and shifts in family dynamics. Physical distancing requirements mandated by public health orders during the COVID-19 pandemic had the potential to create even more stress for parents with a newborn. Examining personal experiences would provide health care professionals with information to help guide support during significant isolation. Feminist poststructuralism guided the qualitative research process. Sixty-eight new mothers completed an open-ended on-line survey. Responses were analyzed using discourse analysis to examine the beliefs, values, and practices of the participants relating to their family experiences during the pandemic period. It was found that pandemic isolation was a time of complexity with both ‘blessing...
Sex and gender are determinants of health outcomes across an individual’s life course. However, o... more Sex and gender are determinants of health outcomes across an individual’s life course. However, often in health research and practice, sex and gender considerations are either overlooked or confounded. Recent developments in health research and practice ask for the inclusion of sex and gender considerations within health research and practice. This article is a reaction to these calls. It explores the ways in which an international team of health researchers created a comic book that highlighted the impact of gender in many areas of health across an individual’s life course. The creative processes are critically explored, as well as selected images. Through this work, it is proposed that comic art knowledge mobilization projects can be viewed as means to transform health research and practice by critiquing and disrupting dominant cis-heteronormative sex and gender discourses.
The International Journal of Community Diversity, 2019
HIV infections are still are a concern for many gay men in Canada despite prevention efforts. Soc... more HIV infections are still are a concern for many gay men in Canada despite prevention efforts. Social networking applications (SNAs) have predominantly been where gay men meet for sexual encounters. Grindr is the most common app used, which is a GPS-enabled SNA that was released in 2009. In Nova Scotia, there is a culture of silence in the gay community surrounding HIV/AIDS discourses. It is suggested that the perspective of professional stakeholders in sexually transmitted and blood borne infections (STBBI) prevention is needed to enhance prevention efforts. The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore the perspectives of service providers regarding STBBI risk on one SNA for gay men. Key stakeholders in this current study were sexual health service providers working in Nova Scotia. Four stakeholders were interviewed as part of a larger study. Secondary thematic analysis was employed to examine this data for this research project. The interviewed stakeholders experienced outreach challenges because of the "changed landscape" of online partner finding. Stakeholders have an interest in accessing these spaces for prevention and suggest that online forums such as Grindr can be used for sexual health prevention aimed at gay men. Further, leaders in the gay men's community may be able to help service providers understand the implications and potential contributions of sexual health promotion efforts.
Journal of Bodies, Sexualities, and Masculinities, 2021
The construction of masculinities is an important component of the bodies and lives of gay men. T... more The construction of masculinities is an important component of the bodies and lives of gay men. The role of gay culture on body standards, body dissatisfaction, and the health of gay men was explored using poststructuralism and queer theory within an arts-based framework. Nine gay men were recruited within the city of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. Participants were asked to photograph their beliefs, values, and practices relating to their bodies and food. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, using the photographs as guides. Data were analyzed by critical discourse analysis and resulted in three overarching threads of discourse including: (1) Muscles: The Bigger the Better, (2) The Silence of Hegemonic Masculinity, and (3) Embracing a New Day. Participants believed that challenging hegemonic masculinity was a way to work through body image tension.
Ideal bodies are constituted through various social and cultural discourses. One such discourse t... more Ideal bodies are constituted through various social and cultural discourses. One such discourse that constitutes bodies is the “obesity” discourse. The term obesity is a contested and medicalizing term that constitutes a view of fat people as unhealthy, immoral, and undesirable. Obesity discourses, therefore, also constitute notions of the bodies and body types that are thought to be healthy, acceptable, and attractive. The effects of obesity discourses can be prominently observed in gay men’s culture where muscular, white, thin bodies are glorified. This paper employs a poststructural framework to examine how desired bodies are constituted in gay culture. This paper also explores how some gay men resist dominant obesity discourses. A critical review of the literature on fatness, body dissatisfaction, and the influence of gay culture on eating practices among gay men informs this work. Various studies have shown that gay culture can constitute experiences of body dissatisfaction, re...
The purpose of this article is to explore the scope of available evidence regarding the use of in... more The purpose of this article is to explore the scope of available evidence regarding the use of interactive e-texts and their relationship to student learning experiences in post-secondary education. Following the framework of Arksey and O’Malley, this scoping review identified and reported on 33 articles. Study characteristics are presented alongside four themes that were found across the included articles: (1) the effect of interactive e-texts on student learning experiences; (2) the relationship between interactive e-texts and academic performance; (3) factors influencing student adoption and experience of interactive e-texts; and (4) roles, responsibilities, and recommendations. While the adoption of interactive e-texts is becoming increasingly common in post-secondary education, their effect on student learning experiences remains complex. This review emphasizes the importance of user-friendliness, affordability, accessibility, portability, and the role of educators. Using inter...
ABSTRACTThe consequences of poor eating behaviors can impact, not only the overall health of indi... more ABSTRACTThe consequences of poor eating behaviors can impact, not only the overall health of individuals, but it can negatively impact government and organizational costs. Healthy eating behaviours are influenced by personal, behaviour, and environmental factors, and have been investigated through many theoretical frameworks. In this study, expectancy theory was explored as a tool to understand healthy eating motivations in the context of consumer behaviour. Based on the expectancy theory, six hypotheses were created and tested using a survey conducted at two universities. A total of 188 students completed the survey which included questions on eating behaviors, nutrition knowledge and selfefficacy for healthy eating. An expectancy theory model based on the resulting scores was analyzed through Partial Least Square regression. The six hypotheses were confirmed by the analysis and the null hypotheses were rejected. This indicates that Healthy Eating Behaviour can be positively impact...
The use of social media platforms (such as Facebook) for research recruitment has continued to in... more The use of social media platforms (such as Facebook) for research recruitment has continued to increase, especially during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Social media enables researchers to reach diverse communities that often do not have their voices heard in research. Social media research recruitment, however, can pose risks to both potential participants and the researchers. This topic paper presents ethical considerations related to social media recruitment, and offers an example of harassment and hate speech risks when social media is used for research recruitment. We explore the implications of hate speech risks for ethical research.
Canadian Journal of Dietetic Practice and Research, 2021
Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, and othe... more Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives of lesbian, gay, bi, trans, queer, and other groups (LGBTQ+) within Canada. This research aimed to explore the experiences of LGBTQ+ Canadians in relation to their nutritional needs, practices, and supports during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The qualitative study was framed within a poststructuralism and queer theory paradigm and consisted of an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited and asked to complete open-ended questions. Responses were coded using thematic analysis. Results: Seventy participants completed the questionnaire. Data analysis resulted in 3 major themes, including (i) (dis)comforts of food and eating, (ii) shifting views of food and food practices, and (iii) what supports? The themes revealed that many LGBTQ+ individuals experienced stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a time in which their views and practices of food, cooking, and eating were changed. Nutritional supports were d...
Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise re... more Sexualized drug use is a form of sexual practice that resists risk-based discourses (otherwise referred to as "radical sex practices") and is reportedly common among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). With the growth of online technologies, the use of hookup apps has also increased. We refer to men's use of drugs, apps, and sex form as "wired sex" that forms what post-structuralist theorists Deleuze and Guattari described as an assemblage. Perspectives of the health and social service providers who work directly with GBMSM has not been explored. This research project involved a critical discourse analysis of 13 semi-structured interviews with service providers in Canada to understand their perspectives and interactions with wired sex assemblages. We identified several themes reflecting the social and political effects of wired sex assemblages and discuss the implications of these effects on services provision with GBMSM.
Abstract The identities and communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GB... more Abstract The identities and communities of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are undergoing reconfiguration through two technologies: the digital spaces of social networking and hookup apps, and the sexualized use of chemicals such as recreational and illicit drugs, pharmaceuticals, and steroids. These technologies are creating spaces for GBMSM to indulge in excesses and extremes of pleasure, generating what has been described as an online chemculture. We approached this topic from a poststructuralist queer perspective, attending to the ways in which the fluid assemblages between GBMSM bodies and technologies produce sexual relations that resist heteronormative and other oppressive social structures. Using discourse analysis, this mixed method study (questionnaires and semi-structured interviews) of 50 GBMSM explored how they talked about their sexualized uses of digital and chemical technologies. Data collection occurred in three Canadian cities (Halifax, Ottawa, and Vancouver). The results identify the technologies most frequently employed in the sexual encounters of GBMSM, as well as participants’ self-identified purposes for using these technologies and the effects they have on GBMSM identities and communities. This study suggests that there is some potential, though not without some tension, in GBMSM using digital and chemical technologies to realize queer desires.
Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with... more Chemicals have penetrated everyday lives of men who have sex with men as never before, along with new online and mobile technologies used to seek pleasures and connections. Poststructuralist (including queer) explorations of these new intensities show how bodies exist in the form of (political) surfaces able to connect with other bodies and with other objects where they may find/create a function (e.g., reproduce or disrupt hegemonies). This federally funded netnographic study explored how a variety of chemicals such as recreational drugs, pharmaceuticals and steroids are contributing to the construction of gay, bisexual and other men having sex with men (GBMSM) communities and their interactions with idealized masculinities in the age of increasing technology. Five major thematic categories emerged from our analysis: (1) assembling bodies and technologies, (2) becoming orgiastic, (3) experiencing stigma, (4) becoming machinic and (5) negotiating practices. Our analysis explores how and why GBMSM pursue excesses of pleasure and connection through the assemblages they make with sexualized drug use, online platforms and other men.
Being queer can be filled with moments of isolation: not fitting in to heteronormative rites of p... more Being queer can be filled with moments of isolation: not fitting in to heteronormative rites of passage, not knowing if or when to come out in academia, and now, trying to cope with the difficulties induced by officially-mandated social distancing in a global pandemic. Although isolation is a common human experience, for queer people it is often an intimate part of their stories, leaving lasting scars. Experiences of isolation, loneliness, and being “othered” have serious consequences. Through autoethnographic queer inquiry, we explore isolation and how it shapes teaching and learning. Drawing on concepts of the outsider-within and the uncanny, and distinguishing isolation from loneliness and solitude, we share our personal stories of isolation through the perspective of a performative “I”, examining how our pedagogical philosophies and practices inevitably reflect our queer experiences. Coming from different disciplines of practice, we met because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which pr...
Gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) men are at higher risk of negative body image. As having a negativ... more Gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) men are at higher risk of negative body image. As having a negative body image is related to negative mood, sexual, and health outcomes, identifying and providing community-friendly tools for GBQ men is important. This paper describes the creation and evaluation of Rainbow Reflections, a comic anthology developed to promote awareness of and communication about body image. Rainbow Reflections includes comics from 38 trans- and cis-GBQ artists who drew inspiration from personal narratives based on pre-determined themes in the empirical literature and interactive inserts based on evidence-based practice. To evaluate Rainbow Reflections, 167 trans- and cis-GBQ men completed pre-post measures before/after viewing a selection of comics and responded to an open-ended question about their experience. Overall, participants rated the comic book positively, with a majority (61.1%) indicating that they would recommend the book to a friend. After viewing the comics, participants reported greater comfort with initiating conversations about body image, greater satisfaction with their bodies, and reported higher estimates of how common body image concerns are for queer men. Themes that emerged from open-ended responses included participants reflecting on personal struggles (~ 30%), relating with the stories of others (~ 22%), reflecting on the standards of queer men (~ 18%), recognizing cis-privilege (~ 11%), reflecting on others’ struggles (~ 9%), negative feedback about the comics (~ 7%), and balancing masculine and feminine (~ 3%). Results of the study provide preliminary evidence for Rainbow Reflections as an effective community-friendly tool to promote awareness of and communication about body image for GBQ men.
Canadian Journal of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education, 2020
The attitudes teenagers have towards Math, as well as their knowledge of Science, Technology, Eng... more The attitudes teenagers have towards Math, as well as their knowledge of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM)-based careers will affect their likelihood of pursing these careers in the future. The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes that youth (girls and boys) aged 12-14 hold towards Math, their knowledge of Math, and Science requirements for future careers as well as their likelihood of choosing a STEM-based career. This research also examined the responses of girls who attended a week-long intensive Science summer camp compared with those who did not attend this camp. To do this, students' attitudes and knowledge were explored using a gender-based analysis (GBA) in four sample groups: (1) public school boys, (2) public school girls, (3) public school girls who do well in math, and (4) a specialized sample of girls who had attended a female-only Science summer camp. Our results show that more grade 7 girls in Nova Scotian public schools feel tense doing Math problems compared with similarly aged boys, yet the average self-rating of getting good marks, learning Math quickly, and looking forward to Math were similar for girls and boys. Furthermore, girls had a better knowledge of careers that required Math and/or Science than boys. In relation to the Science camp, significantly more girls attending the Science camp indicated that they would be very likely to pursue a STEM career in the future, compared with girls, with equally good Math grades, in the non-camps group. These findings show that enabling girls to interact with female STEM professionals and to attend an all-girls Science dedicated camp significantly impacts their interest in STEM professions and is a concrete way in to break down stereotypes in maledominated fields. Résumé Les attitudes des adolescents envers les mathématiques, ainsi que leurs connaissances des carrières dans les sciences, la technologie, l'ingénierie et les mathématiques (STEM) influeront sur la probabilité qu'ils entreprennent une carrière dans ces domaines dans l'avenir. Le but de cette étude était
Comics are an innovative way to translate health knowledge and research to service providers and ... more Comics are an innovative way to translate health knowledge and research to service providers and communities. A theoretical framework intertwining poststructuralism and queer theory was used to explore the experiences of queer artists in the creation and production of body image comic anthology entitled Rainbow Reflections: Body Image Comics for Queer Men. The aim was to examine the beliefs of the artists about the potentiality of comics to address body image concerns for queer men. Body image concerns may create negative health experiences, isolation, loneliness, and sexual intimacy concerns. Nineteen self-identifying queer artists participated in the study. Discourse analysis revealed five threads of discourse that bring understanding on how comics can improve body image, and the health and well-being of both the artists through the act of creation and the reader through the act of consumption. Theses threads of discourse include: 1) Creating a unique language, 2) Revealing and healing themselves, 3) Exploring cultural influences, 4) Expanding spaces for queer men and their bodies, and 5) Connecting men. The findings reveal that comics can create knowledge and stimulate discussions about body image and has the potential to positively influence the health of queer men.
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Papers by Phillip Joy