Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Masculinity In American Movie-Musical Films, Christopher Sparks

Spring Showcase for Research and Creative Inquiry

My presentation explores the relation between American masculinity and film musicals. I demonstrate how the dominance of the musical at the box office in the middle of the 20^th century reflects historical events and technological change. Drawing on both scholarly and popular criticism, I show how the images of masculinity that Americans once encountered on the silver screen have transformed as musicals became marginal to popular culture in the United States. My research considers both classic 20^th century musicals, such as Wizard of Oz (1939) and 42^nd Street (1933), and more recent experiments with the genre, including …

Two Sides To Every Coin: Analyzing The Historical Perspectives Of Gender Nonconforming Individuals In America, Sydney Meier

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

For some, the idea of any gender other than male/man or female/woman is incomprehensible. For others, gender is seen as a spectrum where individuals flow between man, woman, or somewhere in between. Most live in the gray area where it is recognized that two sexes and two genders exist with a little leeway for variances. The gender binary is a pervasive social construct that limits society due to the refusal of some to accept nonconforming individuals into the feminist umbrella of inclusivity. In this paper, I argue that rather than a binary, gender should be accepted as a spectrum due …

Oppression Or Occupation: Conflicting Views On The Nature Of Sex Work In France And Under International Law, Carver Wolfe

Politics and International Relations Presentations

Although there is some debate over the exact number of victims of sex trafficking, it is agreed upon that it is an issue that affect primarily women and girls around the world. This paper will examine modern day slavery and the unresolved, century-old debate surrounding sex trafficking and sex work. While abolitionists advocate for total eradication of all sex work, whether it is consensual or not, libertarians support the right to voluntary sex work while condemning the coercion and exploitation that surrounds all forms of trafficking. I will use an analysis of international conventions and will begin a comparative analysis …

An Examination Of Non-Traditional Bridal Wear And Its Primary Consumer, Erica Thalmann, Kristina Dimaria

Senior Honors Projects

Bridal wear has traditionally been viewed as big white dresses. But as times change, so do brides’ preferences for bridal wear. Jumpsuits, rompers, short dresses, and other “non-traditional” choices are experiencing an increased demand in the market. Unfortunately, brides who seek these options are often not met with a promising assortment. This study examined primary consumers of non-traditional bridal wear. Specifically, we sought to find out whether women who belong to the LGBTQ community choose to consume more non-traditional bridal wear compared to heterosexual brides. The study also examined through which channels (e.g., online, in store, etc.) consumers predominantly purchase …

Diane Di Prima: A Beat Poet?, Shelby K. Miller

Student Scholar Showcase

The Beat Poets were a group of men who wrote counterculture poetry that committed on society. They embraced themes of open sexuality, Buddhism and Eastern religions, and activism. Diane di Prima, called by most literary scholars but not by her contemporaries, was one of those Beat Poets who embraced those themes. Her focus on motherhood and female empowerment is what caused her contemporaries to reject her as an equal. A second focus will the continued rejection of di Prima from the literary canon.

Adding Fuel To The Fire: Sexual Harassment And Male Chauvinism On Tinder, Sarah E. Irby

Student Scholar Showcase

Abstract

Since its inception in 2012, the dating app Tinder has become notorious for its hookup culture. It has also garnered much attention for instances of sexual harassment and inappropriate male behavior toward women, with the rise of Instagram pages that exploit this behavior. With an increasing number of people using this platform to meet potential partners, it is important to understand why people communicate in the ways they do. This paper explores patterns among male interactions with women on Tinder in regard to sexual harassment and male chauvinism. To conduct this study, I examined screenshots of Tinder conversations that …

Not All Art Belongs In The Living Room: The Tale Of Robert Mapplethorpe, Shelby K. Miller

Student Scholar Showcase

Following the death of Robert Mapplethorpe in 1989, a group of scholars put together a retrospective exhibition of his life’s work with the help of a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The subject matter, namely those in Mapplethorpe’s X and Z portfolios that included male nudes and depictions of sadomasochism, caused major controversy across the country. The presentation will cover Helms Amendment of 1990 and the obscenity trial that took place in Cincinnati in 1990 with a specific focus on the lasting impacts that these events have had on the NEA and the art world.

Gender Inequality In Sport Illustrated Advertisements, Elizabeth Kelly

Student Scholar Showcase

As sports have increased over the years, so has the media coverage and representation of teams and athletes. Women’s athletics drastically grew after the establishment of Title IX in 1972. As the participation of females in sport grew, so did the coverage of them. This study analyzes athletes modeled in advertisements of Sports Illustrated from 2010 – 2016. With a total of 497 advertisements analyzed, the improvement of female representation was evident. The number of female athletes featured in media outlets has increased, yet is still not equal to male athletes. While female athletes are featured more than previous years, …

Queering The Library Of Congress, Carlos R. Fernandez

Works of the FIU Libraries

This poster will attempt to apply the techniques used in Queer Theory to explore library and information science’s use and misuse of library classification systems; and to examine how “queering” these philosophical categories can not only improve libraries, but also help change social constructs.

For millennia, philosophers, such as Plato and Aristotle, have used and expounded upon categories and systems of classification. Their purpose is to make research and the retrieval of information easier. Unfortunately, the rules used to categorize and catalog make information retrieval more challenging for some, due to social constructs such as heteronormality.

The importance of this …