Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality

This article highlights sexual health education findings from a larger qualitative research study that examines the lived experiences of transgender and non-binary (TNB) youth (aged 14–25) in Alberta. This study contributes to a growing field focusing on the unique experiences of TNB students in Canada by exploring the gaps and successes in sexual health education. Given that there is no federally mandated sexual health curriculum, and that each Canadian province and territory updates curriculum and teaches sexual health differently, this study aims to provide insights into the experiences of TNB youth and the sexual health education they have received in their formal educational environments. The research findings highlight two major themes and two sub-themes: (1) All participants found sexual health education in schools to be inadequate in some way. (2) If you want something done right, do it yourself. Sub-themes included; (2a) the community or internet media are key sources of relevant sexual health information, and (2b) youth have limited access to the sexual orientation and gender identity–specific sexual health information they want.

Emilie Maine

Teresa Hardy

Kristopher Wells

The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality

“This Is Killing Me. Please Let Me Leave”: Trans and Non-Binary Youth and Sexual Health Education in Alberta

“这会要了我的命。请让我离开”：阿尔伯塔省跨性别和非二元性别青年的性健康教育

Sexual arousal, or feeling “turned on,” is experienced by many, yet an endless variety of factors influence how this response is manifested. Literature on the topic of sexually arousing partner characteristics is limited and focuses on primarily majority samples. The present mixed-methods study sought to answer the overarching question of what partner characteristics are considered sexually arousing by a diverse sample. Participants ( N = 344) were recruited through social media to complete open-ended questions inquiring about partner-related aspects of what turns them on sexually in the following domains: physical characteristics, personality traits, and nature of connection. Thematic analysis revealed nine themes and 28 subthemes overall, with few differences in frequency of endorsement between cisgender men and women or between gender diverse and cisgender participants. Quantitative analyses indicated differences in preferences for physical, though not for personality or connection characteristics among cisgender men and women and gender-diverse individuals. Results suggest broad conceptualizations of turn-ons, paving the way for future comprehensive perspectives inclusive of diverse samples.

Rebecca Star

Maeve Mulroy

Kate Hunker

Lizeth Martínez

Caroline Pukall

Looks, personality, and everything in between: Understanding sexually attractive characteristics among cisgender and gender diverse individuals

外貌、个性及其中间的一切：理解顺性别和性别多样性个体的性吸引力特征

Feminist scholars have long asserted that the label assigned to someone after an experience of sexual violence (e.g., victim or survivor) can shape personal outcomes due to the internalization of societal perceptions of these labels. While there is a growing body of literature on the effects of self-labelling, the societal perceptions of victims and survivors are less explored, with little understanding as to how dominant discourses such as rape culture and rape myths are embedded into these perceptions. Adopting from critical discourse analysis and feminist poststructuralism, we offer critical feminist poststructuralism (CFPS) as a useful framework for understanding discursively shaped societal perceptions of victims and survivors. Considering the presence of rape culture and rape myths on university campuses, we set out to explore the potentially mediated nature of rape myths and rape culture discourse and perceptions of victims and survivors among undergraduate students. Electronically submitted responses to an online prompt were analyzed using CFPS to explore how victim and survivor discourses were activated through language and institutional and social discourses of rape culture and rape myth. We describe four dominant threads of discourse from our analysis that suggest sexual violence labels function as regulatory mechanisms for rape myth and rape culture discourse. The findings highlight the need for continued applied work on the multiplicity of victim and survivor identities produced through rape culture and rape myth discourse.

Brittany O’Shea

Becky Feicht

Marion Brown

Matthew Numer

What’s in a label? Exploring rape myth and rape culture discourses embedded in perceptions of victims and survivors

标签中蕴含了什么？探讨强奸迷思与强奸文化话语在受害者及幸存者认知中的嵌入

Although 20% of couples who seek medically assisted reproduction (MAR) identify as 2S/LGBTQIA+, MAR services are primarily based on a medical/cisgender definition of infertility, failing to account for 2S/LGBTQIA+ individuals’ experience of social infertility—that is, their inability to conceive due to their relationship status. Whereas the consequences of the MAR process on various aspects of mixed-gender/sex couples have been demonstrated (e.g., emotional, relationship, sexuality, social life), the generalization of this knowledge to the 2S/LGBTQIA+ community remains unexplored. This qualitative study aimed to explore the specific impacts of MAR on different aspects of 58 Canadian 2S/LGBTQIA+ couples’ lives. While participants were asked about the impact of their MAR journey on the various spheres of their lives, the thematic analysis revealed that what proved most central to their experience were the barriers they encountered to access sensitive and inclusive care, echoing themes from existing literature such as heteronormativity and cisnormativity, a lack of tailored services, psychological distress triggered by the MAR process, and experiences of stigma and discrimination. Other themes outside the healthcare context were also identified: financial burden, a lack of social models and support systems, the emotional toll of repeatedly coming out, and microaggressions from family members. These findings underscore the urgent need for targeted research and reforms in reproductive healthcare to better serve 2S/LGBTQIA+ couples and address the systemic barriers they face.

Zoé Benoit

Natalie O. Rosen

Mathilde Renaud

Sophie Bergeron

Audrey Brassard

Katherine Péloquin

“Doctors asked if we are sisters or friends”: Experiences of 2S/LGBTQIA+ couples in the context of medically assisted reproduction

“医生问我们是姐妹还是朋友”：2S/LGBTQIA+ 伴侣在医疗辅助生殖背景下的经历

The incel population comprises men experiencing involuntary celibacy who mingle based on their challenges in establishing romantic connections. Despite the current issues plaguing incel forums (e.g., violent content), they were originally conceived as platforms for social support to alleviate loneliness among sexually inexperienced individuals. However, documentation of support types within these forums is limited. The aim of this study was to document the exchange of social support within incel forums, utilizing Braithwaite et al.’s (1999) adaptation of Cutrona and Suhr’s (1992) social support typology (informational, emotional, esteem, network, tangible support) to analyze the forms of support exchanged within incels forums. Thematic analyses of 37 threads from r/IncelExit (i.e., users seeking to leave inceldom) and Incels.is (i.e., users deeply entrenched in inceldom) reveal a prevalence of informational support, followed by emotional support. These findings align with existing literature positing that informational support is the prevailing type in online interactions on forums between strangers, where anonymity also facilitates the intimate exchanges characteristic of emotional support. Notable distinctions emerge between the two forums: r/IncelExit favoured informational support (prioritized when the problem is perceived as controllable) to suggest concrete actions to resolve the problem, while Incels.is emphasized emotional support (prioritized when the problem is perceived as uncontrollable) to show empathy and understanding of the situation. Our findings also reveal that antisocial support (i.e., encouraging self-destructive behaviours instead of providing genuine support) was sometimes present, especially on Incels.is. This study provides an initial exploration of support dynamics in incels forums, with implications for interventions.

Sabrina Leite-Mendonca

Marie-Aude Boislard

“Help me please, I need practical advice”: A qualitative exploration of social support dynamics among incels on online forums

“请帮帮我，我需要实用建议”：在线论坛上“非自愿独身者”社交支持动态的定性探究

Research shows that humour is related to relationship satisfaction, but little is known about couples’ use of sexual humour. The current study examined sexual humour use and its associations with relational humour, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction. Participants (adults in a romantic relationship of at least 4 months; N = 196) completed online measures of the frequency, nature, and perceptions of sexual humour use, relational humour use, relationship satisfaction, and sexual satisfaction, and they described an example of sexual humour their partner had used. Participants indicated that sexual humour was used at least occasionally with their partner. Examples of sexual humour suggest several common forms (e.g., inside jokes/rituals, physical humour, smoothing over awkward moments). Most participants perceived positive consequences of sexual humour, including increased comfort, fun, and closeness. More frequent use of positive relational humour (by self and partner) was associated with more frequent and more positively valenced sexual humour, whereas more frequent negative relational humour use by partner predicted lower relationship and sexual satisfaction. Finally, more positively valenced sexual humour predicted sexual satisfaction over and above relationship satisfaction and relational humour. Relationship and sexual humour are related to both relationship and sexual satisfaction. Sexual humour may help mitigate discomfort with potentially awkward situations and facilitate individual comfort as well as connection with a partner. The unique contribution of sexual humour to sexual satisfaction suggests it may play a modest but distinctive role in sexual well-being. Implications and future directions are discussed.

Christine D. Lomore

Angela D. Weaver

Claire E. Lavoie

The use of sexual humor in romantic relationships: Description, valence and association with sexual satisfaction

浪漫关系中性幽默的使用：描述、效价及其与性满意度的关联

Abbreviation	Can. J. Hum. Sex.
Journal Impact	1.23
Quartiles(Global)	PUBLIC, ENVIRONMENTAL & OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH(Q3)

ISSN	1188-4517, 2291-7063
h-index	41

Publication Information	Publisher: SIECCAN，Publishing cycle: ，Journal Type: journal，Open Access Journals: No
Basic data	Year of publication: 1996，Proportion of original research papers: 88.24%，Self Citation Rate:14.30%， Gold OA Rate: 0.00%

Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality

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Share Submission Experience

“This Is Killing Me. Please Let Me Leave”: Trans and Non-Binary Youth and Sexual Health Education in Alberta

Looks, personality, and everything in between: Understanding sexually attractive characteristics among cisgender and gender diverse individuals

What’s in a label? Exploring rape myth and rape culture discourses embedded in perceptions of victims and survivors

“Doctors asked if we are sisters or friends”: Experiences of 2S/LGBTQIA+ couples in the context of medically assisted reproduction

“Help me please, I need practical advice”: A qualitative exploration of social support dynamics among incels on online forums

Looks, personality, and everything in between: Understanding sexually attractive characteristics among cisgender and gender diverse individuals

What’s in a label? Exploring rape myth and rape culture discourses embedded in perceptions of victims and survivors

“Doctors asked if we are sisters or friends”: Experiences of 2S/LGBTQIA+ couples in the context of medically assisted reproduction

“Help me please, I need practical advice”: A qualitative exploration of social support dynamics among incels on online forums

The use of sexual humor in romantic relationships: Description, valence and association with sexual satisfaction