Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Body Politics And 21st Century Taboo, Zachary Herrmann

Summer Research

Acknowledgement of the male anus’s simultaneous political and erotic possibilities, remain cast off from the idealized masculine body in heteronormative spaces due to the paranoid fear of its potential. While a taboo against anal eroticism has stood for centuries of civilization, evidence supports that passive-sodomy (understood as the act of being penetrated) was not prohibited merely for its output of fecal matter, but rather, its capability to produce an excess of pleasure without fruitful reproductive qualities (in short, satisfaction without labor). As enlightenment era thinkers disputed the repressed nature of anal eroticism which they believed to be fueled by infantile …

Womxn Of Color In Print Subculture: 1970-2018, Lenora Yee

Summer Research

My research is rooted in the archival analysis of primary alternative print mediums produced by womxn of color collectives. Through the exploration of numerous databases and archives, I analyzed and explored the different ways in which the written word was, and continues to be, utilized by womxn of color as a site for activism. Focusing on the work of five different womxn of color collectives spanning from 1970-2018, I evaluated works by the collectives Asian Lesbians of the East Coast (ALOEC), Las Buenas Amigas (LBA), The Groit Press (African Ancestral Lesbians), the book #NotYourPrincess Voices of Native American Women and …

(Trans)Cribing History: The Oral Histories Of Transgender Clergy In America, Jae Bates

Summer Research

Popular American rhetoric around religion and LGBTQ issues puts the two at odds. The Bible has been the center of many debates over sexuality, gender identity, and faith. However, very few conversations have included or revolved around the authentic experiences of LGBTQ people of faith. Nine participants from various Protestant backgrounds shared their narratives with me and spoke on issues of gender and faith. This report is an in-depth summary of a short oral history project of transgender clergy (as well as candidates for ordination or exemplary church members).

Towards A Truer Representation: Transphobic Casting Politics And The Cis­-Gaze In Film, Aryeh Conrad

Summer Research

I looked at how trans characters are rarely portrayed as dynamic within film. False representations of trans lives is both a result of transphobia within our society and serves as a force that maintains and perpetuates transphobia. Transphobia manifests in two distinct ways, first as erasure of non­binary identities, and secondly as delegitimizing trans identities through a combination of problematic plot elements, transphobic character development, and casting decisions that are not privileging of trans actors.

I examined multiple films, as well as one television series. The first film being Boys Don’t Cry,which centered around narratives of violence against trans people. …

And The (Fourth) Wall Came Tumbling Down: The Impact Of Renegotiating Fan-Creator Relationships On Supernatural, Alena Karkanias

Summer Research

This paper explores the unique relationship that has developed between the fans and creators (encompassing writers, producers, directors, crew, and particularly actors) of the television show Supernatural. Since early in its run, fans of the show have interacted avidly with each other and the show’s creators on social media platforms, and at conventions, working together to create charities, support each other in fights against mental illness and other personal struggles, and celebrate the show and their relationship with humor and compassion. However, these interactions have also raised questions about ownership, influence, and input on the show, particularly concerning the fate …

Education, Community, Narrative Voices: The Internet As A Queer Storytelling Platform, Melody Yourd

Gender & Queer Studies Research Papers

The Internet provides a space where artists may produce queer narratives without censorship, so these representations often offer more diversity and complexity than the negative, stereotype-based queer representations that are more common in more mass-consumed fiction. This paper examines how the online fiction podcast Welcome to Night Vale and the webcomic The Less Than Epic Adventures of TJ and Amal represent their queer main characters, and how those storytelling forms and the Internet as a storytelling platform influence both queer and non-queer audiences alike. These interactive storytelling forms allow queer audiences to participate in creating their own narratives, and also …

Manifesting Stories: The Progression Of Comics From Print To Web To Print, Hannah Fattor

Summer Research

Publishing comics via the Internet is a growing practice among creative individuals who desire artistic and personal autonomy, and also wish to share a diverse range of stories. These webcomics have expanded the creative boundaries of storytelling with the digital medium. Additionally, publishing on the Internet offers the possibility to engage with markets that print comic books have ignored (particularly stories about minorities, stories which contain explicit or crude content, and stories with character designs deemed 'unattractive' and therefore unmarketable). Despite these opportunities the Internet presents, webcomics have returned to print culture as webcomic creators seek to print their webcomics. …

Jeff Solomon's Speech On Hide/Seek: Difference And Desire In American Portraiture, Jeff Solomon

HIDE, But Not SEEK: Censorship in Art and the Queer Community

No abstract provided.