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Mixed Race Masculinity In 2020 And Beyond, Christina M. Wan

Sociology Dissertations

Studies that center mixed-race identity and the experiences of mixed-race people do not often focus exclusively on mixed-race men. Simply put, more scholarship examines mixed race femininity than mixed race masculinity (strmic-pawl 2023). This project highlights the experiences of 17 mixed-race men, focusing on answers to the research question: “How are mixed-race men navigating multiple racial identities?” This qualitative dissertation is a journey into the lived experiences of mixed-race men at the intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, culture, and more. Drawing on Gloria Anzaldúa’s ([1987]2012) conceptualization of the borderlands, this project tells the stories of those who are situated at …

Femcels: Where Are The Women In The Incelosphere? An Exploratory Content Analysis Of Femcel Forums, Madeline Bobo

Sociology Dissertations

Previous research on the online community known as involuntary celibates (henceforth, incels) has primarily focused on the men that belong to this group. However, past research indicates the women do have a history of involuntary celibacy. Where did these women go? This research draws on previous incel research, as well as theoretical perspectives such as hegemonic masculinity and identity construction. In this grounded theory informed exploratory qualitative content analysis of online femcel forums, the data reveals that these women have found their own corner of the Internet to foster their community. Femcels share many experiences, but they remain a diverse …

Doing Pregnancy Without Doing "Womanly" : Non-Conventionally-Feminine Gender Expression And The Provision Of Pregnancy-Related Medical & Midwifery Services, Zoe Rf Freggens

Sociology Dissertations

There is a long and pervasive history of conflating “womanhood” and “motherhood” in the United States (U.S.). Expectations (and privileging) of particular gender identities and expressions and “what it means to be a woman” leads to a narrow depiction of how pregnancy (and those who do and don’t go through it) should look. What happens when those identities and expressions diverge from the generally expected standards? Anecdotal evidence and prior research on pregnant lesbians suggest the potential for backlash and poor medical experiences. There has been little attention to pregnant sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) and their medical and/or midwifery …

Is Power Enough? Understanding The Impact Of Gender Identity, Gender Make-Up, And The Role Of Sexual Power In The Performance Of Sexual Pleasure, Penny Harvey

Sociology Dissertations

Though scholars have determined that there are apparent gender differences in who is more likely to experience sexual pleasure and thus who is likely to perform it, we have not determined why. Previous research has entirely focused on cis individuals and the category of gender identity alone. Therefore, I seek to understand how the performed pleasure experiences of trans and gender non-conforming folx compares to that of cis men and cis women. I also examine occurrences of sexual pleasure performance for folx gender-make up, addressing the influence of masculinities and femininities in the performance of sexual pleasure. In doing this, …

Black On Both Sides: An Examination Of Race And Class In The Ghetto Mecca, Jonathan P. Grant

Sociology Dissertations

ABSTRACT

From Spike Lee’s School Daze to The Real Housewives of Atlanta, mainstream entertainment has portrayed Atlanta as a “black mecca,” largely due to its consortium of black colleges, expansion of minority-owned businesses and growing black middle class. This title is called into question with research showing that Atlanta maintains high levels of poverty and income inequality. While a disproportionate number of blacks in Atlanta and the United States live below the poverty line, 75 percent of blacks in the U.S. report income above the poverty line. However, most research on African Americans emphasizes disadvantaged communities and many stories …

Mixed Messages: The Effect Of Social Location, Parental Communication About Sex, And Formal Sexual Education On Protective Sexual Behaviors, Eryn G. Viscarra

Sociology Dissertations

This dissertation tests if a young adult’s social location determines what type of information he or she will receive about sexual health from parents and formal sexual education programs. I also test whether sexual education mediates direct associations between social location and 4 protective sexual health behaviors: condom communication, consistent condom use, delaying sexual debut, and reducing the number of lifetime sexual partners. Using the 2011-2013 wave of the National Survey of Family Growth, I look for differences in sexual education and engaging in protective sexual health behaviors among white, Hispanic, and African American men and women ages 15-24. I …

Operation Help: Counteracting Sex Trafficking Of Women From Russia And Ukraine, Nadezda Shapkina

Sociology Dissertations

Human trafficking is one of the fastest growing criminal activities in today’s world and a violation of human rights. Sex trafficking of women from Russia and Ukraine was enabled by the collapse of the former Soviet Union and the incorporation of the new countries into the global economy. At the same time, this social problem generated a series of anti-trafficking campaigns in Russia, Ukraine, and internationally. This research analyzes social responses to the risks of sex trafficking of women from Russia and Ukraine. The analysis is based on sixteen-month multi-sited field research in Russia and Ukraine. I collected data through …

Making Education Work: The Effects Of Welfare Reform On The Educational Goals And Experiences Of Tanf Participants, A. Fiona Pearson

Sociology Dissertations

After U.S. welfare was reformed in 1996, many states eliminated their educational programs and replaced them with "work-first" options. This study uses in-depth interviews and content analysis of current and proposed welfare legislation to examine how these policy changes have shaped the experiences of postsecondary students participating in the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program and to determine whether or not proposed policy changes in TANF reauthorization legislation meet the needs of students. To fulfill the first objective of this study, I conducted interviews with 20 TANF participants who were using enrollment in a postsecondary institution as a means …