Research on positive body image has infrequently considered sexual minority orientations beyond lesbians, gay men, and bisexual persons. Indeed, there is no existing research on the relationships between body image and asexuality, which refers to a lack of sexual attraction to anyone or anything. In two studies, we rectified this by examining associations between asexuality - operationalised as a continuous construct - and indices of positive body image. In Study 1, 188 Britons from the community completed measures of asexuality and body appreciation. Once the effects of self-identified sexual orientation, relationship status, and body mass index (BMI) had been considered, asexuality was found to be significantly and negatively associated with body appreciation in women and men. In Study 2, an online sample of 377 Britons completed measures of asexuality, body appreciation, functionality appreciation, body acceptance from others, and body image flexibility. Beyond the effects of sexual orientation, relationship status, and BMI, asexuality was significantly and negatively associated with all four body image constructs in men, and with body appreciation and functionality appreciation in women. Although asexuality only explained a small proportion of the variance in positive body image (3-11%) and further studies are needed, the relationship appears to be stable.
Drawing on the lived experiences of the Pengkids and their girlfriends in the deprived district of the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, this article examines transgender practices and women's same-sex desires within the local contexts of urbanization and political Islam. This article questions the assumed marginal positions of transgender practices and same-sex desires in society, and provides a nuanced understanding of the politics of identity, gender, sexuality and religion involved in a Muslim country. While the Muslim-Malay sexual minorities are increasingly subjected to the threats of moral policing in Malaysia, Pengkid has become a new identity marker for the marginalized sexual subject framed by the Islamic discourse of this country.
An ethnographic study of female psychiatric patients was undertaken in East Malaysia. Findings indicate that these service users were subject to a number of sexist and oppressive practices that militate against their freedom of movement on the wards as well as their social interaction in the wider context of the hospital. Stereotypic notions of female sexuality and morality act as forms of moral containment and are interpreted in the hospital context as requiring heavy custodial care by the hospital authorities.
INTRODUCTION: This study aims to examine the validity and reliability of the Malay version of Attitudes toward Lesbians and Gay Men (MVATL/MVATG) among a group of medical students in Malaysia.
METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study of 173 medical students in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The participants were given the MVATL/MVATG, Index of Attitudes toward Homosexuals (IATH), Homosexuality Attitude Scale (HAS) and the English version of Attitude toward Lesbians and Gay Men. Two weeks later, these students were given the MVATLG again.
RESULTS: Significant correlation was found between the individual scores of MVATL and MVATG with IATH and HAS in the results. The scale was able to differentiate Muslim and Non-Muslim subjects. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) of both the MVATL and MVATG were good, at 0.76 and 0.82, respectively. The parallel form reliability (Pearson's correlation) of MVATL was 0.0.73 and 0.74 for MVATG. The test-retest reliability of MVATL/MVATG was good (Intraclass correlation coefficient, ICC = 0.67 for MVATL and 0.60 for MVATG).
DISCUSSION: The MVATLG demonstrated good psychometric properties in measuring attitudes toward homosexuality among a group of medical students in Malaysia and it could be used as a simple instrument on young educated Malaysian adults.
KEYWORDS: Malaysia; attitude; gay men; homosexuality; lesbians; validation
Matched MeSH terms: Homosexuality, Female/psychology*; Homosexuality, Female/statistics & numerical data
Methamphetamine production and abuse increased significantly in Malaysia. Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) populations have higher prevalence of substance abuse compared to general population. Their unmet needs pose greater challenges in managing their substance related disorders. This paper described the agony of a Malaysian lesbian with gender identity disorder who abused substances and developed amphetamine-induced psychosis. Her sexual identity issue was explored in managing her substance related disorders to improve her outcome.
This research, commissioned by the Malaysian AIDS Council in 2007, is qualitative and descriptive in nature. In depth face-to-face interviews were carried out with 15 mak nyah respondents from five major towns. The interviews were guided by an interview schedule that had seven main topics: brief background; hormone-taking behaviour; safe sex; health care; substance abuse; harassment from authorities; and HIV prevention. The HIV problem among the mak nyah, mak nyah sex workers and their clients is critical. Many do not have in-depth HIV/AIDS knowledge and do not practise safe sex. The problem gets worse when most mak nyah do not consider HIV/AIDS as a primary concern because of other pressing problems like employment and discrimination. There are also no HIV prevention activities in many parts of Malaysia. Mak nyah also face constant harassment from enforcement authorities for prostitution. This hampers HIV prevention work.
Matched MeSH terms: Homosexuality, Female/statistics & numerical data