Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Recognition Of The Transgender Self: An Examination Of The Apologia Of The 'Pregnant Man', Erika Marie Thomas

Wayne State University Dissertations

In 2008, Thomas Beatie, a legally recognized male, transgender man, became pregnant with his first child and approached the American mass media to tell his story and defend his decisions. Shortly thereafter, the public fought against his image, attempting to normalize his body and gender. Beatie's unique gender blurring, his choice for exposure and social recognition, and the resulting public controversy surrounding the incident makes for an important test case to understand Beatie's discursive and visual strategies directed toward the American public.

This study, a rhetorical examination of the discourse and iconic visual image used by Beatie while his pregnant …

A Qualitative Study On African American Males' Perceptions Of Reading, Phyllis Marie Stallings

Wayne State University Dissertations

African American male students begin experiencing failure when they enter fourth grade. At this grade, the curriculum becomes more focused, students are expected to complete high-stakes standardized tests, teachers become more distant, and students are expected to become independent learners. Many African American male students are not ready for this transformation. They may not have developed the reading skills needed to understand text books for social studies and science, and are deficient in regard to the math skills needed for problem solving. Understanding which factors are contributing to African American male student failure is important, especially in determining if these …

Sons, Daughters, And Arab-American Family Dynamics: Does A Child's Gender Matter?, Sanaa Al Harahsheh

Wayne State University Dissertations

SONS, DAUGHTERS, AND ARAB-AMERICAN FAMILY DYNAMICS: DOES A CHILD'S GENDER MATTER?

by

SANAA ALHARAHSHEH

December 2011

Advisor: Dr. Mary Sengstock

Major: Sociology

Degree:Doctor of Philosophy

Gender differences exist in families in all societies and cultures, but expectations are often different from one society/culture to another. Children's gender and its implications for family behavior have recently received a great deal of scholarly attention, especially in western societies; however, the influence of a child's gender on Arab-American family dynamics has not been investigated. Therefore, this study is the first to examine the impact of the gender of the child in selected Arab-American …

Gender And Race, Online Communities, And Composition Classrooms, Jill Anne Morris

Wayne State University Dissertations

As the culmination of a two-year long Internet ethnographic study of three separate sites, I use examples of women and minorities fighting against discrimination online to explore the power structures inherent to networks and how these might affect classroom practice. I will show how our ordinary assumptions in rhetoric and composition as well as computers and writing about the necessity of safe spaces in fostering communication about gender and race and safety for people of color and women online might actually be harming the rhetorical effectiveness of these writings. To focus this discussion, I will develop three case studies and …