title: Lived experiences of childfree lesbians in the United Kingdom: A qualitative exploration

authors: Clarke, Victoria

subjects: Social Sciences

abstract: Evidence suggests that most lesbians remain childless, but little is known about the childfree lesbian experience. The current study qualitatively explores the experiences of five childfree lesbians. The results show that even for a group for which childlessness is arguably still presumed, it remains socially difficult to articulate a desire to remain childfree. The women presented their childfreedom as both essential and politically and biographically motivated. Being lesbian and childfree was framed as different from being heterosexual and childfree—discourses and practices of “families of choice” and “co-independence” in intimate partnerships provided a way of “doing” family outside of dominant, heteronormative expectations. Concurrently, the greater visibility of lesbian parenting had resulted in the unwelcome imposition of heteronormative expectations. The results raise questions about the normalizing effects of the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and queer parenthood on the lives of lesbian women, and other queers, who choose to remain childfree.

text: Lived experiences of childfree lesbians in the United Kingdom: A qualitative exploration Evidence suggests that most lesbians remain childless, but little is known about the childfree lesbian experience. The current study qualitatively explores the experiences of five childfree lesbians. The results show that even for a group for which childlessness is arguably still presumed, it remains socially difficult to articulate a desire to remain childfree. The women presented their childfreedom as both essential and politically and biographically motivated. Being lesbian and childfree was framed as different from being heterosexual and childfree—discourses and practices of “families of choice” and “co-independence” in intimate partnerships provided a way of “doing” family outside of dominant, heteronormative expectations. Concurrently, the greater visibility of lesbian parenting had resulted in the unwelcome imposition of heteronormative expectations. The results raise questions about the normalizing effects of the legal recognition of same-sex marriage and queer parenthood on the lives of lesbian women, and other queers, who choose to remain childfree.

year: 2018

title: The Piako County tramway at Waiorongomai

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: This tramway, the main engineering feature of the goldfield, as difficult and expensive both to construct and to maintain, but without it mining was impossible. Involving three inclines and three levels, with a short trestle joining it to the battery, it served most of the mines, most of which were above it and linked by chutes or short tramways. It was neither cheap nor easy to operate, partly because of the topography and the weather.
To construct it required much more financial assistance from the county council and the government than originally envisaged. Surveying the route took five months, and construction was prolonged as the cost escalated. Once in use it was found to need modifications and over the years many repairs were required. Miners claimed its charges were exorbitant, and because of the high cost of running it some wanted it leased, which did happen for a time. Whatever form of ownership and whoever was the tramway manager, it was never cheap to run and complaints about costs continued; and government financial assistance was obtained periodically, and reluctantly.
After the First World War, the county was convinced to retain the rails and even to make more repairs, but the latter ceased after 1924 and the line was abandoned and became unusable. Not even the minor revival of mining during the Depression convinced local or central government to repair it, and in the early 1940s many rails were stolen.
There were many accidents during its operation, but only one fatality.

text: The Piako County tramway at Waiorongomai This tramway, the main engineering feature of the goldfield, as difficult and expensive both to construct and to maintain, but without it mining was impossible. Involving three inclines and three levels, with a short trestle joining it to the battery, it served most of the mines, most of which were above it and linked by chutes or short tramways. It was neither cheap nor easy to operate, partly because of the topography and the weather.
To construct it required much more financial assistance from the county council and the government than originally envisaged. Surveying the route took five months, and construction was prolonged as the cost escalated. Once in use it was found to need modifications and over the years many repairs were required. Miners claimed its charges were exorbitant, and because of the high cost of running it some wanted it leased, which did happen for a time. Whatever form of ownership and whoever was the tramway manager, it was never cheap to run and complaints about costs continued; and government financial assistance was obtained periodically, and reluctantly.
After the First World War, the county was convinced to retain the rails and even to make more repairs, but the latter ceased after 1924 and the line was abandoned and became unusable. Not even the minor revival of mining during the Depression convinced local or central government to repair it, and in the early 1940s many rails were stolen.
There were many accidents during its operation, but only one fatality.

year: 2016

title: A case study of using the He Pikinga Waiora Implementation Framework: Challenges and successes in implementing a twelve-week lifestyle intervention to reduce weight in Māori men at risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity

authors: Oetzel, John G.

subjects: Science & Technology

abstract: BACKGROUND: Māori men have stark health inequities around non-communicable diseases. This study describes the case of a partnership attempting to develop and implement a culturally centred intervention through a collaborative partnership to potentially address the inequities. In particular, the partnership followed a participatory, co-design approach using the He Pikinga Waiora (HPW) Implementation Framework; the study presents lessons learnt in addressing health inequities following this framework. METHODS: The partnership involved a university research team and a Māori community health provider. They engaged with other stakeholders and several cohorts of Māori men through a co-design process to adapt a 12-week lifestyle intervention. The co-design process was documented through meeting notes and interviews with partners. Two cohorts participated in separate single group pre-intervention/post-intervention designs with multi-method data collection. Key outcome measures included weight loss, self-reported health, physical activity, and nutrition. Post-intervention data collection included qualitative data. RESULTS: The co-design process resulted in a strong and engaged partnership between the university team and the provider. There were significant challenges in implementing the intervention including having two additional partner organisations dropping out of the partnership just after the initial implementation phase. However, a flexible and adaptable partnership resulted in developing two distinct lifestyle interventions run with 32 Māori men (in two different cohorts of 8 and 24). All but one in the first cohort completed the programme. The first cohort had a modest although statistically insignificant improvement in weight loss (d = 1.04) and body mass index (BMI; d = 1.08). The second cohort had a significant reduction in weight loss (d = 1.16) and BMI (d = 1.15). They also had a significant increase in health-related quality of life (d = 1.7) and self-rated health (d = 2.0). CONCLUSION: The HPW Framework appears to be well suited to advance implementation science for Indigenous communities in general and Māori in particular. The framework has promise as a policy and planning tool to evaluate and design interventions for chronic disease prevention in Indigenous communities. Despite this promise, there are structural challenges in developing and implementing interventions to address health inequities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered, Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619001783112.

text: A case study of using the He Pikinga Waiora Implementation Framework: Challenges and successes in implementing a twelve-week lifestyle intervention to reduce weight in Māori men at risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity BACKGROUND: Māori men have stark health inequities around non-communicable diseases. This study describes the case of a partnership attempting to develop and implement a culturally centred intervention through a collaborative partnership to potentially address the inequities. In particular, the partnership followed a participatory, co-design approach using the He Pikinga Waiora (HPW) Implementation Framework; the study presents lessons learnt in addressing health inequities following this framework. METHODS: The partnership involved a university research team and a Māori community health provider. They engaged with other stakeholders and several cohorts of Māori men through a co-design process to adapt a 12-week lifestyle intervention. The co-design process was documented through meeting notes and interviews with partners. Two cohorts participated in separate single group pre-intervention/post-intervention designs with multi-method data collection. Key outcome measures included weight loss, self-reported health, physical activity, and nutrition. Post-intervention data collection included qualitative data. RESULTS: The co-design process resulted in a strong and engaged partnership between the university team and the provider. There were significant challenges in implementing the intervention including having two additional partner organisations dropping out of the partnership just after the initial implementation phase. However, a flexible and adaptable partnership resulted in developing two distinct lifestyle interventions run with 32 Māori men (in two different cohorts of 8 and 24). All but one in the first cohort completed the programme. The first cohort had a modest although statistically insignificant improvement in weight loss (d = 1.04) and body mass index (BMI; d = 1.08). The second cohort had a significant reduction in weight loss (d = 1.16) and BMI (d = 1.15). They also had a significant increase in health-related quality of life (d = 1.7) and self-rated health (d = 2.0). CONCLUSION: The HPW Framework appears to be well suited to advance implementation science for Indigenous communities in general and Māori in particular. The framework has promise as a policy and planning tool to evaluate and design interventions for chronic disease prevention in Indigenous communities. Despite this promise, there are structural challenges in developing and implementing interventions to address health inequities. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Retrospectively registered, Australia New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, ACTRN12619001783112.

year: 2020