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Categories: gender

“It’s important to be aware and to ask yourself: what emotions are these opinion pieces trying to evoke?", says Carin Leibring Svedjedal, PhD in Scandinavian languages. Photo: Getty Images

How the media write about transgender people

Transgender people are the subject of polarised debate in Sweden and there is a tendency to use alarmist examples to stir up emotions. This is shown in a new thesis that examines the language used in opinion pieces on trans-related issues.

Sofia Orrbén, PhD, Department of Scandinavian Languages, Uppsala University.

Language in sexual offence judgments makes victims responsible

Professional and lay judges are not supposed to be influenced by personal values or political opinions. Despite this, the language of judgments reflects stereotypical ideas about gender and sexuality. This language means that women who have experienced sexual violence are often blamed for the assault. This is shown in a new thesis in Scandinavian languages from Uppsala University.

Professor Karen Brounéus, Department of Peace and Conflict Research. Photo: Chris Chau

Women vulnerable in peace processes

New research: Post-war peace processes are a dangerous period for women, who are forced to live close to men who committed serious abuse during the war, which can be stigmatising. Women safety is not a political priority after war. There is great potential for improvement, if the UN were to start making more space for women’s perspectives, writes peace- and conflict researchers in PLOS One.

Camilla Sköld, Specialist Physician in Gynaecological Cancer at the Oncology Clinic, Uppsala University Hospital, researcher at Uppsala University. Photo: Anthoula Koliadi

Lower survival rates for women than men with germ cell tumours

Women with a type of ovarian cancer known as germ cell tumours have a worse prognosis than men with similar tumours, i.e. testicular cancer. After five years with the disease, 98 percent of men were alive while the survival rate for women was only 85 percent. This has been revealed by a new study from Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital published in the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Important to involve both parents in breastfeeding

The most important support person for women to succeed in their ambition to breastfeed is the new mother’s partner. The partner also needs to be included through more support from healthcare professionals. For single mothers, alternative solutions must be found. “Single people are a vulnerable group and need other types of support," explains researcher Ingrid Blixt.

"Violence against female politicians disturbs the functioning of democracy", says Sandra Håkansson, Department of Government, Uppsala University, Photo: Mikael Wallerstedt

Violence against female politicians disrupts democracy

Leading female politicians are more exposed to violence every year, than their male colleagues. The gender gap in targeting increases with the level of power: the higher up in the political hierarchy a person is, the greater the difference between women and men. Violence against politicians disturbs the functioning of democracy, is the conclusion in a new doctoral thesis in political science.

The vulnerability of surrogate mothers in a global market

A new dissertation on surrogacy highlights Thai women's experiences of having acted as surrogate mothers. The dissertation shows the women's vulnerability in a global surrogacy industry, but also provides a more nuanced picture of what makes women seek surrogacy and how they relate to the process.

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