Artificial intelligence (AI) systems increasingly mediate online speech, shaping visibility, participation, and recognition in digital public spaces. For LGBTQI+ communities, AI-based content moderation operates within contexts marked by persistent homophobia and transphobia, raising concerns about bias, exclusion, and uneven protection from harm. This article examines the emerging scientific literature on AI-based moderation of LGBTQI+phobic discourse through the lens of sociotechnical governance. The study employs a bibliometric and sociotechnical mapping approach guided by the PRISMA 2021 framework. A systematic search of the Scopus database identified 23 peer-reviewed publications published between 2020 and 2025. Bibliometric indicators, co-authorship and keyword network analyses were combined with a critical sociotechnical perspective to examine the intellectual structure, epistemic authority, methodological trends, and themes characterising sociotechnical governance in this emerging research field. Findings indicate a highly concentrated research field dominated by a small number of countries, institutions, and computational disciplines, reinforcing geopolitical and linguistic asymmetries in scientific production. The literature indicates an increasing research focus on large language models, explainable AI, and counter-narrative generation, reflecting a shift in scholarly attention from hate speech detection to broader approaches to AI-enabled content governance. However, links between AI moderation, mental health, stigma, and well-being remain weakly integrated, and participatory approaches are scarce. The bibliometric evidence indicates that the emerging scientific literature increasingly conceptualises AI-based moderation as a form of digital governance with potential implications for LGBTQI+ communities. The mapped literature also highlights persistent concerns regarding accountability, inclusiveness, and interdisciplinary integration, suggesting important directions for future research and policy development. The mapped literature suggests that future policies should promote transparent, auditable, and participatory AI governance, support multilingual and culturally inclusive datasets, and integrate content moderation into broader digital public health and anti-discrimination strategies.
This empirical research article analyzes narratives of incarcerated trans women students at the Santa Izabel VI Custody and Reintegration Unit in Pará, Brazil, regarding their school trajectories before and during incarceration. We examine how Physical Education (PE) classes are implicated in experiences of exclusion, violence, and resistance within cisheteronormative schooling and prison education. This qualitative study employed (auto)biographical narratives and thematic oral history, combined with the Critical Incident Technique and thematic analysis. Ten trans women enrolled in Youth and Adult Education participated in semi-structured interviews conducted in a women’s prison unit in 2023, following institutional ethical approval. Interviews explored critical school experiences, with particular attention to PE in regular schools and in the prison context. Two main themes emerged: (1) “Resisting bodies: exclusion, violence, and silencing in the school trajectory” – which documented transphobia, gender binarism, and institutional neglect in PE prior to incarceration, including explicit exclusion from activities and verbal abuse; and (2) “Physical education in incarceration: structural limits and horizons of recognition” – showing how PE is often reduced to distributing worksheets, with no practical activities, while some teachers’ gestures of respect open limited spaces for recognition and dignity. Cisheteronormative approaches to PE, both in regular schools and in prison education, marginalize trans students and reinforce educational and social inequalities. Prison education remains structurally under-resourced, denying incarcerated trans women meaningful opportunities for embodied learning, health promotion, and social reintegration. The findings highlight the need for education and prison policies that: (a) guarantee the right to inclusive PE in prison settings; (b) mandate teacher education on gender identity and trans rights; (c) incorporate explicit protections for trans students in anti-discrimination and prison education policies; and (d) frame PE as a key space for promoting dignity, bodily autonomy, and social justice for incarcerated trans populations.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and viral suppression to an undetectable level (“Undetectable=Untransmittable” or “U = U”) are highly effective at preventing sexual HIV transmission between serodifferent partners (partners with different HIV statuses). These advances may reshape patterns of serodifferent partnering. We assessed openness to sexual and romantic serodifferent partnering among gay, bisexual and queer men and non-binary people (GBQ+ people). Data were from a national, online cross-sectional survey of GBQ+ people in Australia. Logistic regression examined characteristics associated with openness to serodifferent sexual partners among HIV-negative or untested/unknown status participants who were sexually active (Analysis 1); and openness to serodifferent romantic partners among the same group, excluding those already in a relationship (Analysis 2). Among 1,759 sexually active participants, 51
The lead-up to the 2024 election was marked by Donald J. Trump’s pledge to advance legislative attacks on the rights of transgender (trans) people. Given the stressful implications of the 2024 election results for trans people, the current mixed-methods study sought to understand how trans adults in the U.S. were preparing for Trump’s presidency, with attention to (a) their concerns about victimization and well-being, (b) how they were seeking to prepare and protect themselves, and (c) what was giving them hope. 302 trans adults were surveyed via an online mixed-methods survey in December 2024, immediately after Trump’s re-election. Findings: 93
Transgender youth experience persistent health inequities shaped by legal constraints, fragmented service delivery, and uneven access to regulated gender-affirming care (GAC), including GAHT, psychosocial support, clinical monitoring, and affirming service environments. In Thailand, widespread self-administered gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) highlights systemic gaps in coverage, provider preparedness, and youth-responsive services despite near-universal health insurance. This review synthesizes evidence published between 2014 and 2025 from peer-reviewed studies, national legislation, and health policies on transgender adolescents and young adults. Evidence was analyzed across five domains—legal governance, healthcare infrastructure, mental health access, stakeholder perspectives, and international policy models—using a thematic approach to generate implementation-relevant insights with attention to feasibility and system integration. Recent reforms, including marriage equality and recently approved public financing of GAHT, signal an emerging policy window but remain insufficient without legal gender recognition, standardized care pathways, and a trained workforce. Services remain concentrated in urban tertiary centers, while limited primary care guidance contributes to unsupervised hormone use and delayed psychosocial support. International examples suggest that legal recognition, public financing, and multidisciplinary service models may support safer and more continuous care, but require adaptation to Thailand’s health system and social context. Achieving equity will likely require embedding GAC within broader social policy architecture. Durable progress will likely depend on regulatory coherence, cross-sector coordination, and sustained institutional capacity. Policies should prioritize regulated, youth-appropriate care pathways while recognizing that some adolescents will access hormones outside formal systems. Expanding provider training, strengthening primary care guidance, improving pharmacovigilance, and integrating harm-reduction strategies may mitigate safety risks and support more accountable systems.
Given the sustained attacks on LGB+ rights, it is essential to identify how and for whom support for same-sex relationships changes over time. The present study examines distinct growth trajectories of support for the Civil Union Act (2009–2016) and same-sex marriage (2013–2023) across 11 waves of longitudinal panel data (N = 65,407) spanning 14 years. Multi-trajectory latent class growth curve analysis identified three distinct growth trajectories. The high supporter class (68.32
Sexual and gender-minority (SGM) individuals constitute a growing childbearing population who experience significant health disparities driven by structural stigma and discrimination. While evidence links structural stigma to adverse reproductive outcomes, its specific influence on the perinatal period for these communities remains underexplored. This study examined multidimensional structural facilitators and barriers that shaped SGM individuals’ access to support across community, organizational, and policy levels during the childbearing journey. Guided by the social-ecological model, a qualitative descriptive methodology, and community-placed methods, this prospective cohort study followed participants across approximately six months. Each completed three interviews, three assessments, two surveys, and twelve photovoice prompts. Data were collected between July 2020 and November 2021 and analyzed using a hybrid inductive-deductive content analysis. Twenty-four SGM childbearing individuals from across the U.S. participated in the study. Three primary themes emerged: (1) When Protections Fail to Protect, (2) The Burden Is on Our Shoulders, and (3) When Privilege Is Protection. Results highlight pervasive structural barriers that tax participants’ financial and mental resources, often necessitating significant individual advocacy to secure reproductive rights. Findings demonstrate pervasive structural stigma during a vulnerable period of gestation, suggesting that existing legal protections are often insufficient without equitable implementation. Legislation and policies attentive to compounding disadvantage are essential to safeguard SGM people’s reproductive rights and address the race and class-based barriers that currently determine who can access support.
Femtech apps have expanded rapidly, generating mixed reactions regarding their implications for reproductive rights, data protection, and privacy. While researchers and the media criticise Femtech's business models and its weak regulatory framework, many users report benefits such as greater bodily knowledge and empowerment. This study aims to gain a deeper understanding of diverse user experiences concerning privacy and reproductive rights across a range of popular Femtech apps. We analysed 89,738 user reviews from 20 Femtech apps retrieved from the Google Play Store in 2025. Downloaded reviews were analysed using three complementary methods: a domain-specific keyword list, structural topic modelling and qualitative analysis of critical issues concerning data privacy and reproductive rights. While the empowering aspects of Femtech centre on period tracking and pregnancy features, negative user experiences frequently stem from the commercialisation of intimate health data. Medical inaccuracies, misinformation, and a lack of inclusive tracking options (e.g., for miscarriage or pregnancy loss) undermine reproductive rights, though only a minority of users explicitly draw this connection. Furthermore, Femtech platforms adopt divergent stances when navigating major reproductive rights controversies. Protecting data privacy and reproductive rights in Femtech requires both industry accountability and appropriate regulatory oversight. Aligning these technologies with user needs, equity, and gender justice is essential for consumer safety. Ultimately, these insights underscore the need for coordinated, multi-stakeholder interventions to foster a safer digital health ecosystem.
Women’s health care often focuses on reproductive issues, and heteronormative assumptions add challenges for sexual minority women. This study compared heterosexual and sexual minority women regarding sexual function and pelvic floor knowledge, alongside sociodemographic and health care characteristics. This cross-sectional survey was administered March to December 2025 to Brazilian women aged 18 to 40 identifying as heterosexual or sexual minority. Chi-square tests examined group differences; binary logistic regression identified predictors of both outcomes. A total of 703 women participated (317 sexual minority, 386 heterosexual). Age differed significantly between groups; BMI, education, and income were similar. Sexual minority women had higher chronic disease prevalence (30.6
There has been a recent surge of anti-transgender legislation with growing support from U.S. voters. While there is a growing body of research examining anti-LGBT attitudes, support for anti-transgender legislation is still understudied despite the far-reaching ramifications of legislation on transgender individuals. The current paper uses Intergroup Threat Theory (ITT) as well as research on the underpinnings of anti-transgender prejudice to explore the potential role of symbolic threat, realistic threat, and specific false beliefs about transgender individuals, such as the belief that they are deceptive, as possible predictors of support for restrictive legislation. Two studies evaluated the roles of symbolic and realistic threats, as well as beliefs surrounding deceptiveness and confusion, as predictors of support for restrictive legislation and prejudice. Study 1 (N = 246, collected in June 2024) used a correlational design to investigate the relationship between realistic threat, symbolic threat, perceived deception, and perceived confusion with anti-transgender prejudice and support for anti-transgender legislation. Study 2 (N = 674, collected in October 2024) used a between-participants two-cell design (“gay people”, “transgender people”) to evaluate symbolic and realistic threats as mediators of prejudice and legislation support. Study 1 demonstrated that both symbolic and realistic threats were associated with anti-transgender prejudice and legislation support and were better predictors than perceived deceptiveness or confusion. Study 2 found that, while symbolic threat was a better mediator of prejudice, both symbolic and realistic threats independently mediated support for anti-transgender legislation. Our studies demonstrate that support for restrictive legislation is more complex than prejudice and is driven by both symbolic and realistic threats. This work highlights the need for pro-transgender advocacy to take a multifaceted approach to bias reduction.
Decision-making and experiences of accessing abortion are complex, shaped by myriad intersecting personal, relational, social and structural factors. While abortion is decriminalised in Australia, there is limited information on the experiences of immigrant groups. Migrant youth have lower sexual health knowledge and service uptake than mainstream Australian youth and may have higher rates of unplanned pregnancy and contend with prevalent abortion stigma within their communities. This study investigated abortion experiences and decision-making of Australian migrant youth, following a qualitative approach using in-depth semi-structured interviews. Interviews were conducted online between May and September 2023. Interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim, and anonymised. Reflexive thematic analysis, with a combination of inductive and deductive methods, was used. Inductive coding was used for initial analysis; following inductive analysis, themes were separated into ‘decision-making’ and ‘experiences’ and organised according to socioecological factors. Participants (n = 8) identified as female and ranged from 19 to 26 years. Young women were South Asian, East Asian, European, and Latin American. Results were presented under two high-level themes – decision-making and experiences – and presented broadly under socioecological factors. Primary decision-making factors included age and unpreparedness; financial concerns; personal values; and relationships. Participants were, largely, satisfied with care. They were deeply grateful for abortion care, and found access relatively easy. However, they experienced significant financial barriers, struggled with stigma and secrecy, and often lacked adequate support systems. Participants navigated intersecting privileges and oppressions including age, gender, migrant identity, and economic status in accessing stigmatised healthcare. This study highlights the importance of accessible, affordable abortion care. Future care and policy should recognise the agency in migrant youth decision-making, the complex experiences of accessing abortion and the need for greater support for this group.
Sri Lanka’s highly restrictive abortion law may shape abortion legitimacy and stigma. Female sex workers (FSWs) warrant specific attention because reproductive decision-making may be shaped by occupational stigma, criminalisation, violence, and barriers to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) care. General-population evidence may therefore not adequately represent the perspectives of this marginalised group. This study examined abortion-law attitudes among Colombo FSWs, with contextual comparisons to women from the general population and female factory workers (FFWs). A cross-sectional respondent-driven sampling survey was conducted among Colombo FSWs from March to June 2025 (n = 551). Attitudes were measured using a validated eight-item scale assessing support for abortion legalisation under specific indications; scores of 31–40 were classified as liberal. Associations were examined using logistic regression. Item-level endorsement was compared with women from the general population and FFWs. Among Colombo FSWs, the RDS-weighted prevalence of liberal abortion-law attitudes was 37.5
Sexting practices are no longer limited to adults, with adolescents increasingly engaging in these behaviors. Guided by the sexual media practice model (MPM), this study aimed to address key gaps in the literature by examining the socio-demographic determinants as well as the body image and sexuality correlates of (non-consensual) visual sexting practices among European adolescents. Cross-sectional survey data from 2022 among 1,184 Belgian (28.3
Black and Latino gay, bisexual, and men who have sex with men (GBM) continue to face higher rates of HIV compared to White GBM. Intersectional discrimination is an important barrier to oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake, but its association with long-acting injectable (LAI) PrEP preferences remains understudied. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 433 cisgender GBM in Philadelphia between June 2021 to March 2022. Using logistic regression with marginal standardization, we examined associations between intersectional discrimination and LAI PrEP preferences, testing effect modification by ethnoracial group. Preference for LAI PrEP over daily oral (76
Although substantial progress has been made in understanding sexual communication between autistic adolescents and parents or teachers separately, relatively little research has examined these influences together across the two main developmental contexts in which adolescents grow: family and school. The present study therefore examined whether teacher related characteristics, including communication about sexuality, knowledge about sex, and awareness of privacy, contribute unique variance beyond parental factors in adolescents’ healthy sexual behavior, problematic pornography use, and pornography consumption frequency among autistic and neurotypical adolescents. A sample of 501 participants across 167 parent-teacher-adolescent triads was analyzed. Hierarchical robust regression analyses indicated that teachers’ factors explained significant incremental variance in autistic adolescents’ healthy sexual behavior and problematic pornography use beyond parental influences, with teacher-inclusive models showing better fit and markedly improved predictive accuracy, particularly for problematic pornography use. Teachers’ knowledge about sex consistently predicted behavior, whereas teachers’ awareness of privacy showed a protective effect, and these associations were largely similar for autistic and neurotypical adolescents, supporting the view that teachers function as important socialization agents. Overall, teachers’ factors emerged as a meaningful resource for supporting sexual communication and development within a multisystem framework. Educational policy should prioritize comprehensive sexual training for teachers. It should also promote coordinated school–family approaches to support healthy adolescent sexual development.
Prejudice against lesbians and gay men (PALG) remains a persistent social problem shaped by both cognitive and motivational processes. Yet relatively few studies have experimentally tested scalable interventions for reducing PALG or examined whether their effects vary as a function of internalized motivation to respond without prejudice. A total of 140 Chinese university students participated in a randomized intervention study with pre-screened internalization strata. Participants were assigned to either a brief domain-specific critical thinking training condition or a content-neutral control condition. Internalized motivation to respond without prejudice was analyzed as a continuous moderator using PROCESS Model 1, with gender, traditional gender role beliefs, and pre-test intergroup closeness included as covariates. Critical thinking training significantly reduced post-test PALG, and this effect was moderated by internalized motivation to respond without prejudice. Conditional-effect analyses showed that the intervention was especially effective at lower internalization. At higher internalization, the additional benefit of the intervention was not statistically significant. These findings suggest that brief domain-specific critical thinking training can reduce PALG, particularly among individuals with lower internalization of motivation to respond without prejudice. The results highlight the value of considering motivational internalization when designing and evaluating prejudice-reduction interventions. Given its low cost, digital scalability, and ease of integration into higher education curricula, this intervention has potential policy relevance for improving campus climate, guiding more efficient allocation of diversity resources, and informing tailored prejudice-reduction strategies within institutional programming.
Despite the clinical relevance of solitary masturbation for sexual well-being, research has overlooked the subjective quality of the orgasm experience during this activity. This study adapted and validated the Orgasm Rating Scale (ORS) for solitary masturbation in a Portuguese sample, evaluating its internal structure, reliability, and its relationship with other variables. A sample of 1178 Portuguese participants (72.5
Chemsex, the use of psychoactive substances to enhance sexual activity, may vary by occupational context. This study compared its prevalence, substance-specific patterns, and acquisition behaviors among two groups: male sex workers who have sex with men (MSM) and MSM who create sexually explicit digital content. Cross-sectional web-based survey of HIV-negative U.S. MSM (N = 769) with verified platform profiles. Group differences were assessed using chi-square tests with Benjamini–Hochberg correction, and independent associations were examined using multivariable logistic regression. Sex workers reported higher prevalence of criminalized or controlled psychoactive substance use in occupational contexts than digital content creators (47.7
