In Afro-Brazilian possession cults in Belém do Pará, male sex roles are divided into two categories: bicha and man, with no term equivalent to the Western category of "homosexual." The paper describes the cults' beliefs, rites, and social organization, then analyzes folk explanations for the presence of many bichas in these groups. It argues that bichas gain social rewards within the cults, and that the structural relationship between homosexuality and the cults arises from their congruent marginality relative to mainstream society.
A high school teacher found that even self-identified queer students sometimes reinforced harmful gender and sexuality norms in class discussions. She developed a Queer Contemplative Pedagogy that used meditation and reflective writing to help students examine their own assumptions. Based on classroom observations and interviews, the paper describes how the teacher and students used these practices to challenge personal and societal constructions of gender and sexuality. The approach combines contemplative methods with queer theory, offering a way for educators and youth to keep questioning norms.
LGBTQA+ individuals who have used classic psychedelics emphasize that healthcare providers must examine their own biases and learn relevant language to build trust and ensure safety during preparation sessions. Providers should adopt a flexible, client-led approach when supporting identity exploration, particularly around returning from a 'universal consciousness' experience. They also need to thoughtfully modulate their presence during clients' psychedelic experiences. These findings highlight the need for psychedelic-assisted therapy protocols that acknowledge the varied experiences and needs of LGBTQA+ communities.
Homosexual and heterosexual men share a similar dream pattern, though some differences reflect waking-life experiences. Among 119 German-speaking men, homosexual men reported more sexual partners in waking life, lower satisfaction with their sexual orientation, and more sexual dreams than heterosexual men. Dream reports showed no group differences in dream recall frequency, emotional tone, nightmare frequency, distress, or number of sexual interactions or partners. However, homosexual men's dreams contained a higher ratio of male to female characters and more romantic relationships with men. These findings partially support the continuity hypothesis, indicating that dream content mirrors social interactions and romantic preferences, and underscore the importance of considering sexual orientation in dream research.