Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

“Pretty Is As Pretty Does:” Child Beauty Pageants In Deep East Texas, Taryn Lenert

Undergraduate Research Conference

Introduction

Do child beauty pageants affect contestants’ perception of gender norms, gender performance, and confidence? To answer this question, three observations of pageants, three face-to-face interviews, and survey responses from two East Texas pageant Facebook groups will be analyzed through the lens of West and Zimmerman’s theoretical concept of doing gender (1987). Deep East Texas is unique due to the fact that much of its culture originates in old southern views of beauty, the norm of hyper-femininity, and the importance of traditional gender roles in both public and private life.

Reactions To Sexism And Sexual Objectification, Olivia Rivera

Undergraduate Research Conference

Men and women have different attitudes about sexism (Phys.org Staff, 2015). Men are more likely than women to be indifferent about sexist situations.

However, most studies have not examined attitudes that college students have about sexist situations, jokes, and advertisements.

Therefore the aim of the current study is to examine gender differences and perceptions of sexism/sexual objectification in college students.

Women Leadership And Political Power In Lating America: A Focus On Argentina, Jazi Hiriart

Undergraduate Research Conference

As is the trend in the rest of the world, women have historically been seriously under represented in leadership and political positions in Latin America. This situation hinders not only representation but democracy, political equality, and justice. An investigation of the specific historical, social, and political problems women face in order to gain political power aids in fully understanding this issue.

Argentina yields a series of lessons that are worth highlighting, as they have helped to buck this trend.