Digital Commons Network^™

Where Are All The Women?: Using Role Congruity Theory To Explore The Experiences Of Female Interscholastic Athletic Directors., Nicholas Swim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Leadership in sport organizations continues to be male dominated, even as multiple scholars have argued and proven the importance of women holding sport leadership positions (Burton & Leberman, 2017; Darvin & Lubke, 2021; Schull, 2017). The lack of women attaining these positions leads to fewer opportunities for role modeling and mentoring experiences for female athletes. As Burden et al. (2010) argue, interscholastic athletic directors are important as they usually represent the first interactions for young athletes with people in sport leadership positions. Researchers have investigated this phenomenon at the intercollegiate level (Bower & Hums, 2013; Darvin & Lubke, 2021; Taylor …

From Androgyny To Binary And Back: A Qualitative Analysis Of Nonbinary Tiktoks., Savannah Hatton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study explores how nonbinary individuals represent and express their gender on TikTok. Given the limited amount of research that has been done on nonbinary gender expression in online spaces, this study uses TikTok to observe the ways that nonbinary individuals perform gender. Additionally, given the relative newness of TikTok, this study serves to inform growing research on identity formation through social media. It used a sample of fifty TikToks by nonbinary creators to perform a content analysis. The findings reveal significant variation in how nonbinary individuals "do gender" on the platform, with some individuals identifying closely with binary labels, …

“I Don' Want To Upset Anyone - I Just Want To Exist": Nonbinary College Student Experiences At A Public Mid-Southern University., Cat Renee Alexander

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study analyzed the experiences of twenty-four nonbinary students at Sunnydale University, using a grounded theoretical approach with a standpoint perspective. Snowball sampling, e-mail advertising, and poster advertising were utilized. Themes and findings came from two areas, those of contrasting experiences and those of consensus opinions. Participants had contrasting experiences based on gender, pronouns, race/ethnicity, student classification, and major. Consensus opinions include suggested changes for campus inclusiveness that many participants discussed. A pre-interview survey was used to filter participants and collect demographic information and then interviews were collected from August 2021 – December 2021. This study found that although Sunnydale …

The Yellow Figment Of East Asian American Women: A Case Study Of The 2021 Atlanta Spa Shootings., Lily Zhen-Ling Stewart

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

This paper explores how mainstream media frames the racial gendering of Asian women through a case study of the 2021 Atlanta Spa Shootings. Fifteen articles sourced from the top ten national newspaper entities published between March 16th, 2021 and October 2021 analyze how Asian American women are subjected to at least a double feminized social location on account of their race and gender within a U.S. contemporary context. I explore how themes of race, gender, and hyper-sexualization intersect to produce the archetype of Asian women as exotic, docile temptresses. This analysis centers around the dynamic between Asian women and White …

Divided We Fall: Gender-Based Occupational Segregation In Kentucky’S Executive Branch 2012-2020., Hillary Mcgoodwin Abbott

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Fifty-eight years have passed since the Title VII of the Civil Rights Bill of 1964 was signed into law, yet discrimination in employment still occurs; the Kentucky Executive Branch is no exception. This paper will use Theodore Lowi’s agency typology and EEOC categorical data from the 2012 and 2020 Kentucky Office of Diversity and Employment Training Semi-Annual Report on Female and Minority Employment (SAR) to identify gendered occupational segregation in three distinct Executive Branch agencies, address potential contributing factors and areas of change (Alkadry & Tower, 2006; Lowi, 1985; Newman, 1994; Escriche, 2007). Addressing any underlying discriminatory practices that may …

In The Balance: Perceptions Of Work-Family Balance For Women In Higher Education., Aubrey Radford Woolley

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Striking a balance between paid work and family work is hard for many individuals. Previous research has focused on the availability and effectiveness of family friendly policies and demonstrated a need for continued research. I examine work-family balance among women working in higher education. My study asks what are the determinants for work-family balance? I draw on institutional data from the fall 2017 Campus Climate and Diversity Survey which in part focuses on work-family balance. My regression analysis shows that faculty have a lower perception of work-family balance than non-faculty. For both non-faculty and faculty, support from supervisor/chairperson and to …

The Impact Of Religion On Gender, Sexuality, And Abortion Politics: A Comparative Study Of Northern Ireland And The Republic Of Ireland., Sabrina L. Collins

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Over time, organized religion has impacted many aspects of societies across the globe. In this study, I focus on the island of Ireland – a clear case study with a history of sectarian religious divides that play out in a democratic society. Through my analysis I find that religion has operated quite differently on both sides of the Irish border as it relates to public opinion on abortion, sexuality, and gender roles. Specifically, there are striking cross-national differences regarding the importance of religious group identity compared to levels of personal religiosity in shaping public opinion on the issues studied.

To …

The Influence Of Gender On Interruptions In The U.S. Courts Of Appeals., Molly Grace Baldock

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Law has historically been a male-dominated profession. The number of women earning law degrees is now close to parity with men (Moyer and Haire 2015). So, does this mean that women no longer face disadvantages in the legal profession? Unfortunately, systemic disadvantage persists. For instance, previous work on the United States Supreme Court shows that female judges and attorneys are more likely to be interrupted than men—a finding consistent with research on interruption in other contexts, like legislative bodies. This frequency of interruption can have lasting consequences on the ways in which women speak and present questions, as well as …

Involuntary Memories After Stressor Exposure: Contribution Of Hormonal Status And Rumination In Women., Samantha C. Patton

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Women experience fewer traumatic stressors over their lifespan than men, but demonstrate a higher prevalence of major depression and stressor-related disorders as a result of trauma exposure (Breslau & Anthony, 2007; Kessler et al., 2005). Differences in prevalence of stressor-related disorders may partially be due to sex-linked vulnerabilities related to emotional memory. Emotion assists in modulation of memory through neurological processes. This modulation enhances memory for emotional stimuli and can lead to a greater frequency of involuntary recall after stressor exposure. This involuntary memory is also a hallmark symptom of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Sex-linked vulnerabilities, specifically hormonal status and …

Marriage Among U.S. International Students : Meanings And Aspirations., Assel Kuzembayeva

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Although there exists a breadth of literature on Americans’ marital aspirations and experiences, there is a significant lack of research available on U.S. international students’ marital aspirations, specifically. In this study, transnational and gender theories are employed to analyze in-depth semi-structured interviews with 21 international students studying at a university located in a mid-size, midwestern city in the United States. The study reveals that the majority of international students maintain that marriage is important to them while they are living and studying in the United States. However, the study also finds that the cultural pressures of their home countries, including …

On The Politics And Conceptualization Of Gender Non-Conformity : Exploring Thailand’S Kathoey Population., Macey E. Mayes

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the politics and conceptualization of gender in Thailand, drawing specifically on the Thai understanding of sex and gender with regard to the kathoey population. This work considers the solidification of a third-gender category and looks to the ways this solidification can inhibit the fluidity of gender and sexuality. It also analyzes the dangers of transnational advocacy and the superimposition of Western queer advocacy and theory on Thai gender identities. I approach this issue from an interdisciplinary framework that seeks to include historical, cultural, and theoretical perspectives. In examining anthropological research, critiques of …

Jumping Over The Hurdle : Examining And Overcoming The Barriers For Women In Intercollegiate Athletics Through Mentorship., Emma Mary Cohen

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Given the evident underrepresentation of females working intercollegiate athletics at all levels, there is a growing need to understand the types of barriers that limit women and cause these disproportionate representation(Acosta & Carpenter, 2014; Staurowsky & Smith, 2016). There is also a need to explore the impact of meaningful mentorship to combat these apparent obstacles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the barriers women currently face as they enter the intercollegiate athletics workplace in entry-level positions and explore the role of mentors in their career success. Entry-level sport administrators are a demographic of the industry that has not …

Southern Veils : The Sisters Of Loretto In Early National Kentucky., Hannah O'Daniel

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis analyzes the experiences of Roman Catholic women who joined the Sisters of Loretto, a community of women religious in rural Washington and Nelson Counties, Kentucky, between the 1790s and 1826. It argues that the Sisters of Loretto used faith to interpret and respond to unfolding events in the early nation. The women sought to combat moral slippage and restore providential favor in the face of local Catholic institutional instability, global Protestant evangelical movements, war and economic crisis, and a tuberculosis outbreak. The Lorettines faced financial, social, and cultural pressures—including an economic depression, a culture that celebrated family formation …

Different Voices : Measuring Female Judges' Influence On Women's Rights Issues In The U.S. Courts Of Appeal., Alyson E Hendricks

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

Beginning with President Carter and continuing with each successive president, the federal bench has become more diverse. This has caused scholars to turn their attention to how personal characteristics such as race and sex affect judging. Understanding the effects of gender and race on judging is crucial because white female and minority female judges may bring a different perspective to the bench than their male counterparts due to their shared experiences with discrimination. To fill a gap in the literature, this study examines the impact of women in terms of legal influence and voting behavior. The results demonstrate that women …

Breaking The Cycle Of Silence : The Significance Of Anya Seton's Historical Fiction., Lindsey Marie Okoroafo (Jesnek)

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation examines the feminist significance of Anya Seton’s historical novels, My Theodosia (1941), Katherine (1954), and The Winthrop Woman (1958). The two main goals of this project are to 1.) identify and explain the reasons why Seton’s historical novels have not received the scholarly attention they are due, and 2.) to call attention to the ways in which My Theodosia, Katherine, and The Winthrop Woman offer important feminist interventions to patriarchal social order. Ultimately, I argue that My Theodosia, Katherine, and The Winthrop Woman deserve more scholarly attention because they are significant contributions to women’s …

The Lose-Lose Situation : Identity Prioritization And Gendered Communication In Co-Recreational Intramural Basketball., Megan Robinson

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Co-recreational sports deserve to be studied due to their relationship between the environment, identity prioritization, and gendered communication for individuals. In spite of the environment’s importance in collegiate student development, few have asked the questions of: how do co-recreational intramural basketball players manage their multiple identities and statuses when playing with or against members of the same or opposite sex; and how do players of both sexes use gendered communication strategies to negotiate predominantly masculine leisure environments, like intramural basketball leagues? Using in-depth interviews from co-recreational intramural basketball players at the University of Louisville triangulated with observations of co-recreational intramural …

Care, Constraint, And Collaboration : Situating Gender And Power Among Multidisciplinary Human Service Organizations., Christa Jane Moore

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This study incorporated a feminist approach to the use of multiple qualitative methods by conducting participant observation, focus group interviewing, and in-depth interviewing of women and men affiliated with a diverse representation of human service organizations. An applied research partnership with a multi-county human service organization provided entrée to the study population. Through analytic induction using a grounded theoretical approach the study explored perceptions of power, authority, gender, inequality, and bureaucratic constraints that emerged during organizational processes of interagency collaboration among multidisciplinary human service organizations (Charmaz 2014; Corbin and Strauss 2014). Findings indicate that establishing relationships is critical for interagency …

The Priorities And Accomplishments Of Kentucky Legislators : Is There A Gender Difference?, Amanda Allen

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

This thesis uses Kentucky as a case study of gender differences in the policy priorities and perceptions of accomplishments of state legislators. The research question is, “are there gender differences in the legislative priorities and perceptions of accomplishments of Kentucky legislators?” The legislative priorities of the legislators seemed to be similar, along with their own classification of women’s issues. The perceptions of success demonstrated that male legislators were not necessarily more likely to attribute success to themselves, whereas women would attribute success to collaboration efforts. The research was completed through confidential interviews with Kentucky legislators and analysis of the 2015 …

Lung Cancer-Related Emotional Growth : The Role Of Coping Styles And Prior Trauma., Moriah Horn

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

The objective of this study was to explore the relationship of prior traumatic history, coping styles, and post-traumatic emotional growth in participants diagnosed with lung cancer. Participants (n = 40) completed baseline questionnaire packets as part of their initial entry into the ongoing study “Understanding the Prognostic Significance of Circadian Disruption in Lung Cancer.” Linear hierarchal regressions adjusted age at diagnosis, stage, and household income. Analyses revealed no relationship between traumatic history and post-traumatic emotional growth. However, lung cancer patients who endorsed active coping styles were significantly more likely to report post-traumatic emotional growth. Secondary analyses revealed this relationship appeared …

Whiteness In Contemporary Feminist Campaigns : Free The Nipple., Laura Patterson

College of Arts & Sciences Senior Honors Theses

No abstract provided.