Social Sciences

Abstract: Governance of gender bias in artificial intelligence (AI) involves distinct commitments: testing for unequal outcomes, assigning responsibility, explaining safeguards and providing remedies. An overall measure of support can obscure differences among these commitments. This cross-sectional study analysed 385 adult responses to a common questionnaire on AI, gender, equality and law in Bangladesh. We examined individual response distributions, compared endorsements within respondents and estimated exploratory adjusted associations with two separate outcomes: support for effective remedy and anticipated confidence from transparency about bias testing. Effective remedy and organisational responsibility were each endorsed by 302 respondents (78.4%); testing for gender-related discriminatory outcomes was endorsed by 215 (55.8%). The paired remedy-testing difference was 22.6 percentage points (95% CI 16.1 to 29.1; Holm-adjusted p < 0.001). Both were endorsed by 167 respondents (43.4%). Bias concern was associated with anticipated confidence from transparency (b = 0.204, 95% CI 0.096 to 0.312; adjusted p < 0.001), but the corresponding association with remedy endorsement on the original rating scale was imprecise and near zero. These findings distinguish endorsement of redress from endorsement of a preventive organisational practice. They also distinguish anticipated reassurance from observed changes in trust. The sample is concentrated in legal study and practice and does not support population prevalence estimates. The findings motivate separate evaluation of testing, communication and access to remedy.

Abstract: Women play a significant role in rice production in sub-Saharan Africa, yet their contributions to pest and disease management remain underexplored. This study examined gender differences in knowledge, perceptions, and management of rice pests and diseases in Uganda. A qualitative study was conducted in seven rice-growing districts, involving 249 farmers (122 women and 127 men) through 28 sex-disaggregated focus group discussions (FGDs) and 49 key informant interviews (KIIs). Image-based identification exercises assessed experiential knowledge. Data were transcribed, coded in Atlas.ti, and thematically analyzed using a gender-relations framework. Women performed most labor-intensive and preventive tasks, including seed selection, weeding, field monitoring, harvesting, and post-harvest handling, while men dominated pesticide-related decisions. Despite limited access to extension services and agro-input suppliers, women demonstrated broader experiential knowledge of pests, symptoms, and seasonal occurrence. However, disease diagnostic precision was limited across genders. Synthetic pesticides dominated management practices, with minimal awareness of integrated and biological alternatives. Women also faced indirect pesticide exposure through contaminated clothing and re-entry into treated fields. These findings reveal a gendered gap between experiential knowledge and decision-making power. Gender-responsive extension, improved diagnostic training, and integrated pest management are essential to strengthen plant health, leverage women’s knowledge networks, and address barriers to information, resources, and decision-making.

Abstract: Despite decades of progress toward gender equality, women remain substantially underrepresented in executive leadership across the United States. This study examines how gendered perceptions and workplace discrimination shape beliefs about women’s access to top executive roles, drawing on nationally representative survey data from the Pew Research Center’s American Trends Panel (Wave 36; June–July 2018; N = 4,456 U.S. citizens). Chi-square tests, multivariable logistic regression, and three supervised machine-learning classifiers were used to identify predictors of the belief that executive access is easier for men. Women perceived executive access as more unequal than men (79.1% vs. 67.0%; p < .001), yet both groups showed comparable assessments of women’s leadership capability. Perceived workplace gender discrimination was the strongest predictor of the primary outcome (OR = 4.66; 95% CI 3.42–6.33), substantially mediating the direct effect of respondent gender once structural perceptions were held constant. Machine-learning benchmarks corroborated this finding, ranking workplace discrimination as the most important predictor across all three classifiers. It would appear, then, that interventions aimed at addressing structural factors, especially discrimination and pipelines, will prove more effective than attempts to change general attitudes concerning the competence of women.

Abstract: An invitation to speak openly about sex can coexist with the expectation that an unwelcome answer will reduce the speaker's standing as a worthy partner. This conceptual essay examines that tension through research on self-silencing, sexual double standards, polarized beliefs about women, sexual emotional labor, and couples' communication. It distinguishes refusal of a proposed activity from judgments that degrade the person who voiced a preference or boundary. The proposed contribution is to specify anticipated loss of respect as a possible cost of disclosure within existing accounts of self-silencing. The analysis develops three ethical conditions for sexual openness: freedom to withhold disclosure, freedom to refuse participation, and continued recognition of the speaker's dignity when partners disagree. These conditions protect chosen privacy and disinterest as well as the expression of desire. They do not require approval of a practice or continuation of a relationship. The essay identifies the limits of the available evidence and proposes two empirical comparisons that could test the explanatory value of the distinction. The framework is offered as a normative argument, not a validated clinical instrument or a demonstrated causal model.

Abstract: Background: Parents of children with differences of sex development (DSD) face diagnostic uncertainty, complex decision-making, and concerns regarding long-term psychosocial outcomes. While research has examined parental experiences surrounding diagnosis, less is known about parenting across developmental stages. This study explored parents’ experiences of raising adolescents and young adults (AYAs) with DSD over time. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with 11 parents of eight AYAs (16–26 years) with a range of DSD conditions, recruited through specialized services in Norway. The study was informed by phenomenological and hermeneutic perspectives, while reflexive thematic analysis was the analytic method. Results: Three themes captured parents’ long-term experiences. First, parents described variable healthcare experiences, including distress at the time of diagnosis, mixed communication, and inconsistent support during transition to adult care. Second, parents balanced openness with concerns about stigma, privacy, and their child’s autonomy. Third, parents developed coping strategies to support their child’s well-being and independence, foster a sense of normalcy and manage emotional and relational challenges over time. Conclusions: Parenting a child with DSD was an ongoing process shaped by uncertainty, stigma, and shifting relational demands. Parents’ coping was influenced by healthcare communication, continuity of care, social support, and the balance between protection and empowerment. These findings highlight the need for trauma-informed, developmentally sensitive, family-centered care that supports shared decision-making, provides guidance on disclosure, and ensures continuity into adult services.

Abstract: This study aims to conduct a bibliometric analysis of the literature related to ecofeminism, one of the most significant topics of debate in the 21st century. A Web of Science (WoS) screening of the period 2000-2025 identified 971 articles. Ecofeminism was clearly centered on the social and humanities fields. The most frequently appearing categories were “women’s studies, literature, environmental studies, religion, humanities, interdisciplinary studies, and philosophy”. The United States holds a dominant position in the literature of ecofeminism. After 2023, it appeared that ecofeminism began to attract greater attention at the global level. Six thematic clusters were the “Feminist Environmental Theories and Environmental Ethics”, “Ecology and Ethics”, “Social Justice, Climate Justice, Gender Equality, and Activism”, “Cultural and Spiritual Approaches, Religious Ecology”, “Critiques of Modernization, Development, and Technology”, and finally “Regional and Global Focuses, Local Justice Themes”. The map showed that ecofeminism was situated within three main academic axes: Ethical-philosophical (Ethics and the Environment, Environmental Ethics, Feminist Theory, etc.), education and sustainability (Journal of Environmental Education, Sustainability), and cultural-theological (Feminist Theology, Environmental Communication, Humanities-Basel. In conclusion, the literature of ecofeminism has gone beyond being merely an environmental ethics approach and it has evolved into a multidimensional field of research encompassing sustainability, climate justice, and eco-political solidarity.

Abstract: Misattributed paternity unsettles fatherhood because biological exclusion does not erase the relational history of care, provision, naming, kin recognition and attachment formed through the prior belief that a man was the child's biological father. This article argues that the central injury is the distortion of relational agency: a man fathers, provides and locates himself in kinship through information that later proves materially false. Drawing on South African fatherhood scholarship, kinship anthropology, bioethical writing on misattributed paternity, and legal-text analysis of the Constitution, the Children's Act 38 of 2005 and selected South African cases, the article develops deceived fatherhood as an injured paternal position and relational justice as the response required after disclosure. The analysis rejects biological absolutism and compulsory social-fatherhood continuity. It argues instead for child-sensitive truth, evidentiary discipline, documentary repair, differentiated redress pathways and voluntary care arrangements that receive paternal injury without converting the child into an instrument of adult retaliation.

Abstract: Introduction:Opposition to gender ideology has become a socially and politically salient phenomenon, yet there is still a lack of validated instruments capable of capturing its multidimensional structure in a systematic way. The present research aimed to develop the Gender Ideology Belief Scale (GIBS), a new measure designed to assess negative attitudes toward gender ideology as a coherent ideological construct.Methods:Across two studies involving Italian participants (total N = 595), the GIBS was developed through a multi-phase process including literature review, analysis of public anti-gender discourse, item generation, expert evaluation, and psychometric testing. In Study 1 (N = 332), exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the most suitable items and examine the latent structure of the scale, whereas in Study 2 (N = 263), confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to test the factorial structure and assess reliability, construct validity, and criterion validity.Results:The exploratory factor analysis supported a three-factor solution reflecting conspiratorial beliefs, resistance to gender-inclusive education, and adherence to traditional family values. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a second-order structure in which these three dimensions loaded onto a broader gender ideology factor, and the final version of the scale demonstrated acceptable reliability and associations with right-wing authoritarianism, sexual prejudice, and conspiracist beliefs.Discussion:The GIBS provides researchers with a new instrument for examining opposition to gender ideology as an organized belief system rather than as an isolated attitude. By offering a multidimensional measure of anti-gender beliefs, this scale may support future research on cultural backlash, ideological resistance to social change, and the psychological dynamics underlying contemporary conflicts over gender and diversity.

Abstract: The research paper explores the intersections of colonialism, apartheid, gender, sexuality, and nationalism through the narratives of women from Mpumalanga, in South Africa. I critically examine how these factors shape the identities and experiences of Black women in South Africa, especially in the wake of the country’s transition to democracy. I employ qualitative methods, engaging with women’s narratives alongside existing literature, to frame my analysis. This approach allows for an understanding of women’s embodied experiences and how these relate to broader socio-political contexts. By utilising personal narratives, this research highlights the lived realities of Black women, illuminating the ongoing effects of socio-political and cultural legacies on their sexualities and identities. The theoretical frameworks guiding my analysis are rooted in decolonial and African feminist scholarship. These frameworks challenge conventional narratives on gender and sexuality, emphasising the need to contextualise African experiences within their unique historical and socio-cultural landscapes. I draw on diverse scholarly contributions that examine the effects of the colonial gaze, gender roles imposed by colonial ideologies, and the historical narrative of Black women under surveillance. To conclude, through women’s personal narratives and Focus Group Discussions, my research aims to critically interrogate the historical constructions of gender and sexuality, foregrounding women's voices to deepen understanding of power dynamics in post-apartheid South Africa. Through this, I assert that the legacies of racial and sexual disparity continue to influence contemporary discourses and women’s lived experiences today.

Abstract: Intimate partner violence is a serious public health issue with detrimental consequences on the victim's health. This study explores the perspectives of mental health professionals on their role in supporting women following their experience of intimate partner violence in the rural areas of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The findings highlight the association between the experience of violence, poverty, lack of access to health services, and rural women's limited ability to escape abuse and recover. These structural factors contribute significantly to poor health outcomes, as this study found barriers preventing rural women from receiving counselling following the traumatic experience of abuse. Most notably, our findings uncover the impact of the shortage of shelters in rural areas, which often forces mothers to separate from their young children as they try to rebuild their lives after escaping the abuse. This unique insight distinguishes this study from previous work on this topic. The findings reveal a major gap in the public health response to intimate partner violence in rural areas of the Eastern Cape, particularly regarding the lack of accessible shelters for rural women. The study concludes that addressing the major shortcomings in the public health response to abuse of women in rural areas is critical to address poor health outcomes for women. We recommend increasing the quantity of shelters across the Eastern Cape and making them accessible to rural women and their children.

Abstract: The rapid proliferation of digital technologies has transformed the landscape of gen-der-based violence globally. This quantitative study used an online survey to explore the experiences of women with disabilities in relation to technology facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) in South Africa. Findings from 204 participants highlight patterns across age, province, education, employment, income, disability type, and forms of TFGBV experienced. They show that cyberbullying, hacking, and hate speech were the most prevalent forms of TFGBV, disproportionately affecting women with various disa-bilities. The study further reveals how socioeconomic disadvantage manifested in limited access to secure technologies, digital literacy, and support systems intensifies exposure to harm and constrains access to justice. The study calls for inclusive, power-conscious ap-proaches to research, policy and interventions that centre lived experiences of women with disabilities. Addressing TFGBV in LMICs therefore requires not only legal reform and digital safety initiatives but also broader strategies for socioeconomic empowerment and systemic transformation to end gendered-disability violence in both the material and virtual world.

Abstract: This study examines structural patterns in the governance of non-normative gendered bodies in China across distinct historical and contemporary contexts. Rather than asserting a direct causal lineage, we analyze recurring regulatory mechanisms that characterized the governance of imperial eunuchs and are discernibly present in the contemporary governance of transgender individuals, two populations separated by time and circumstance but subject to comparable logics of moral classification, familial surveillance, and institutional scripting. We introduce Confucian biopolitics as an analytical lens to describe governance that operates through li (ritual propriety) and xiao (filial piety) rather than solely through juridical or biomedical systems. This lens does not propose a new totalizing theory; rather, it reorients existing biopolitical frameworks toward the kinship-based, morally-inflected power structures that have historically characterized Chinese governance of bodies. Drawing on three complementary methods (archival analysis of Qing legal and administrative sources, exploratory GIS spatial analysis of institutional distributions, and computational text analysis of Ming Shilu chronicles and Chinese Wikipedia articles on transgender and LGBT topics), we identify structural regularities rather than claim continuity of intent or transmission. Comparative cases from the Ottoman Empire and Tokugawa Japan help distinguish China-specific features from more general patterns. Findings indicate that both eunuchs and transgender individuals were governed through mechanisms centered on familial legitimacy, bodily classification, and moral-ritual normalization. Spatial analysis of contemporary LGBTQ+ NGOs reveals significant geographic clustering (I = 0.735, p < .001) in coastal metropolitan areas, mirroring the spatial isolation mechanism identified in imperial eunuch governance, with Beijing functioning as the dominant institutional hub. Computational text analysis identifies discursive resonance: the term 妖 (demon/monster, χ²(1) = 0.07, p = .788, n.s.) and 欺骗 (deception, p = .863, n.s.) appear at statistically indistinguishable rates across six centuries of text, while terms for psychiatric pathology (精神病, p < .001) and discrimination (歧视, p < .001) are exclusively contemporary—evidence of diagnostic translation within a persistent moral register. The study contributes to gender history, comparative sociology, and digital humanities by offering a multi-method framework for identifying structural recurrences in governance logics across historical ruptures. We conclude with policy implications focused on familial and linguistic mechanisms of stigma, which historical analysis identifies as the most durable sites of governance.

Abstract: (1) Background: The non-consensual dissemination of intimate images constitutes a severe form of online gender-based violence (OGBV) that inflicts profound harm on victims' sexual privacy, psychological well-being, and social functioning. Taiwan enacted comprehensive legislative reforms in 2023—commonly referred to as the "Four Acts on Sexual Violence Prevention"—to strengthen criminal responses and expand victim protection mechanisms. However, the extent to which these reforms have translated into effective frontline practice remains insufficiently examined. (2) Methods: This qualitative study employed reflexive thematic analysis to investigate frontline professionals' experiences with enforcing intimate image offence legislation and delivering victim support services. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 practitioners—including social workers, police officers, prosecutors, and lawyers—between August and November 2024. (3) Results: Three superordinate themes emerged across macro, meso, and micro structural levels. At the macro level, limited public awareness and persistent victim-blaming attitudes undermine prevention and reporting. At the meso level, legislative fragmentation, digital evidence challenges, and inter-agency coordination gaps constrain enforcement capacity. At the micro level, procedural delays, risks of secondary victimization, and perceived inadequacies in compensation mechanisms weaken victims' trust in institutional responses. (4) Conclusions: While Taiwan's legislative reforms represent a significant institutional advancement, legal reform alone is insufficient to address digital sexual violence effectively. Comprehensive responses require integrated public education initiatives, enhanced inter-agency coordination, strengthened digital investigation capacity, and trauma-informed victim protection practices across all structural levels.

Abstract: Sexual objectification is the treatment of a person as a body or a collection of body parts that are valued primarily for their sexual appeal. The main purpose of this study was to determine the relevance of sexual objectification to women's health and well-being across the life cycle, from middle adolescence to old age. Additionally, the relevance of age and education to sexual objectification and its association with traditional gender role attitudes was examined. The study was cross-sectional and the sample consisted of 6,112 Spanish women between the ages of 16 and 85, who were assessed using seven questionnaires and scales. The results showed that lower age and lower number of children were associated with greater importance of sexual and physical attractiveness and with a more sexualized image, although there were no differences between adolescent and emerging adult women. Greater importance placed on sexual and physical attractiveness, as well as total sexual objectification, was associated with greater mental distress, lower psychological well-being, lower life satisfaction, and lower self-esteem at every life stage. Greater importance placed on sexual and physical attractiveness was associated with more traditional gender role attitudes among all age groups, except for older women. We conclude that sexual objectification is a threat to women's mental health and well-being.

Abstract: Heavy drinking is prevalent in young adulthood, yet its relationship with psychosocial well-being remains com-plex. This study examines the association between heavy drinking and social isolation among young adults and tests whether this relationship varies by sexual orientation. Using pooled, nationally representative data from the 2022 and 2024 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), we analyzed adults aged 18–29 (N = 723). Perceived social isolation was measured using the PROMIS Social Isolation Short Form. Weighted multivariable linear regression models assessed interactions between sexual orientation and heavy drinking occasions (0 vs. 1+), adjusting for sociodemographics and psychological distress. 45.5% reported heavy drinking. Lesbian/gay (B = 5.39, p < .001) and bisexual (B = 1.49, p < .001) young adults reported higher isolation than straight peers; heavy drinking was inversely associated with isolation (B = −1.34, p < .001). A significant interaction indicated that among lesbian/gay young adults, heavy drinking was associated with lower perceived isolation (B = −5.90, p < .001). These findings suggest that alcohol-centered social spaces may play a distinct role in fostering community belonging for lesbian/gay young adults. Interventions should account for the social meanings of alcohol use to avoid unintentionally increasing isolation among sexual minoritized populations.

Abstract: The role of women in conflict and peacebuilding has been insufficiently explored, despite their substantial contributions. Women’s experiences during conflict frequently strengthen communities in post-conflict settings, where they play a crucial role in mediation, reconciliation, and transitional justice, drawing on their social capital and knowledge of international law. This paper examines the intersection of religion, gender, and development through a case study of Guinea-Bissau, a paradigmatic example within the Lusophone world. It analyses women’s participation in political power from the struggle for independence to the present, highlighting their evolving social and political roles. The family institution, which is central to Guinean society, assigns women significant responsibility and commitment, reinforcing their leadership through long-standing traditional alliances. Using a historical approach complemented by a gender perspective, the study identifies both progress and regression in the country’s development, closely linked to women’s participation in public spaces as an indicator of democratic quality and social advancement. The analysis focuses on four key outcomes: food security; improved access to basic services such as health, education, and nutrition; enhanced resilience of rural communities—particularly women and youth—to climate and socio-economic challenges; and the strengthening of social protection systems. These priorities align with Guinea-Bissau’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda, particularly Sustainable Development Goals 1, 2, 3, and 4, and inform emerging approaches to international cooperation centered on resilience and vulnerability.

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As high rates of sexual violence worldwide have increasingly been met with educational initiatives promoting sexual consent as a core preventive strategy, it becomes crucial to understand how consent is actually conceptualized in specific sociocultural contexts. This study examines how adult women in Chile conceptualize sexual consent and how their understandings align with, expand or diverge from the definition promoted by the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS), one of the more wide-spread accounts. Using a therapeutic writing methodology designed to support emotional safety and reflective depth, 34 women completed a collective writing workshop. For this paper, the main writing exercise was analyzed through thematic analysis. Results show three overarching themes: sexual consent as a self-directed and desire-aligned experience; the intricacies of giving in to sexual encounters as shaped by social expectations, emotional pressures, and relational considerations; and the tensions when differentiating consent from giving in, a distinction experienced as meaningful yet fluid and learned over time. Together, these findings reveal that Chilean women’s conceptualizations of sexual consent extend beyond normative international models, highlighting the need for attuned consent frameworks and educational approaches designed to prevent sexual violence.

Abstract: Although Palestine ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) in 2014 without reservations, women’s participation in the labor force has stagnated over the past fifteen years, fluctu-ating between 16% and 20%. In light of the explicit commitments under Article 11 of the CEDAW regarding employment, it is essential to assess the extent to which these commitments are aligned with the national legal frameworks and institutional practices to recognize their role in achieving SDGs 5 (gender equality) and 8 (decent work). This study employs a mixed-method design, where quantitative findings reveal a widespread, albeit superficial, awareness of Article 11, with one-third of respondents reporting they did not attempt to review reliable sources to learn about it. In contrast, self-learned respondents showed significantly higher levels of knowledge. Qualitative results highlight the symbolic nature of reform, fragmented advocacy efforts, limited enforcement capacity, wage inequality, and the fragility of the private sector. Overall, the findings reveal a persistent gap between international commitments and domestic implementation. Strengthening legal rights, enforcement mechanisms, inter-institutional coordination, and civil society partnerships at the national level are essential to translating the normative commitments of CEDAW into tangible improvements in women’s employment outcomes and to promoting gender-responsive and sustainable reforms.

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Stunting continues to be a significant public health issue in Indonesia, with a countrywide frequency of 21.6% reported in 2022. Rural regions like Madura encounter exacerbated hazards stemming from cultural dietary prohibitions, gendered domestic dynamics, and restricted access to reliable health information. Mothers, young brides, and children are crucial to nutritional practices but frequently hindered by patriarchal standards and digital disparities. This study examines the efficacy of gender-sensitive serious games as novel communication instruments for nutrition education and stunting prevention in rural areas.The research used a qualitative exploratory design, incorporating over thirty respondents, including mothers of children under five, brides-to-be, cadres, midwives, community leaders, and social media influencers from various villages in Bangkalan, Madura. The data were evaluated topically, emphasizing gender roles, perceptions of artificial intelligence (AI), and prospects for digital health innovation. Research indicates that although mothers pursue advice and youth exhibit eagerness for digital tools, implementation necessitates endorsement from credible sources and cultural adjustment. Serious games, augmented with gamification and nudging techniques, were recognized as especially beneficial in promoting intergenerational learning, enhancing mother–child co-play, and empowering brides-to-be in pre-parenting scenarios.The research presents a framework that amalgamates feminist communication theory, health-oriented serious games, and technological acceptance paradigms. Essential design components are localized narratives, visual gamification indicators, offline functionality, and the incorporation of religious and cultural principles. Instead than supplanting conventional networks, serious games ought to augment the roles of cadres, midwives, and religious leaders within a hybrid communication framework.The results indicate that gender-sensitive serious games can connect traditional trust-based communication with digital innovation, providing a culturally relevant approach to expedite stunting reduction and promote equitable public health outcomes in rural Indonesia.

Abstract: Gender discrimination is a pervasive and multifaceted phenomenon rooted in cognitive, emotional, and social mechanisms that operate across individual, interpersonal, and structural levels. This umbrella review synthesizes systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between 2013 and 2024 examining the relationship between gender, stereotypes, and discrimination. Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searches were conducted across PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and Web of Science, yielding 22 eligible reviews after screening 684 records. Thematic synthesis identified two overarching domains: manifestations of discrimination and health and professional outcomes. Discrimination emerged as structural, interpersonal, and implicit, operating through institutional barriers, microaggressions, and stereotyping mechanisms. These dynamics were found to significantly affect mental health, and particularly anxiety, depression, and psychological distress, as well as physical health, including cardiovascular outcomes and maternal morbidity. Professional and social functioning were also impaired, with gender-based inequalities documented in pay, promotion, and role allocation across multiple occupational contexts. Despite consistent evidence of harm, the literature revealed limited consensus in conceptualization and a lack of longitudinal and intervention research. Collectively, findings underscore that gender discrimination constitutes both a public health concern and a systemic social mechanism that shapes individual cognition, emotion, and behaviour, demanding multi-level psychological and policy responses.