Chapter 6: Snakeskin And Corn Markings: The Dotted-Diamond-Grid Pattern In The U.S. Southwest, Laurie D. Webster, Kelley A. Hays-Gilpin

Precious Pattern: The Dotted-Diamond Motif in Indigenous American Textiles, Explorations in Mesoamerica, the American Southwest, and the Andes

Discusses Southwestern tie-dye and its Mesoamerican and Andean connections.

The Only Duck I’Ve Ever Loved Is Daffy In Drag: A Textual Analysis Of Gender Norm Reinforcement In The Looney Tunes Show, Sara Bahaji

Graduate Research Theses & Dissertations

In 2011, Warner Brother’s latest attempt to make Looney Tunes appeal to modern audiences was released, The Looney Tunes Show. This was a departure from classic Looney Tunes, from its slice-of-life sitcom setting to the changes in the characters. But one of the ways it stood out in not just classic Looney Tunes but contemporary cartoons, was its treatment of Daffy Duck. This thesis is a textual analysis of the show’s presentation of Daffy Duck’s gender. Different frameworks were used to build the analytic tools: signifying theory, as presented by Savoy (1995), gender accountability from West & Zimmerman (1987) and …

The Final Boys' Club: Conceptualizing A Final Boy Of 1980s Horror, Ej Newton

Masters Theses

Carol J Clover’s (2015) Final Girl, the female slasher protagonist who survives to the end of the movie, has become a staple of horror scholarship, providing insight into the function of gender within the genre as well as our cultural beliefs surrounding femininity. Given the attention paid to horror’s leading ladies, however, another fascinating figure has gone unexplored: the Final Boy. This project analyzes nine horror films from the 1980s with young male protagonists in order to conceptualize and critique this previously unidentified trope. Utilizing McKerrow’s (1989) critical rhetoric as a guide, this research not only provides a thorough definition …

Lgbtq People's Experiences With Crime, Victimization, And The Criminal Legal System, Vanessa R. Panfil

Sociology & Criminal Justice Faculty Publications

The ebb and flow of social control efforts aimed at LGBTQ people necessitate a thorough investigation into their experiences. This review of the literature is organized around four key themes that characterize LGBTQ people's experiences with crime, criminalization, victimization, and the criminal legal system—including police, courts, and carceral facilities. LGBTQ people experience excessive rates of arrest and incarceration and have higher rates of victimization, which illustrate disproportionality. Their experiences differ from those of their cisgender and heterosexual counterparts and are conditioned by age, race, class, gender, and sexual orientation, illustrating intersectionality. The two primary, interrelated mechanisms driving LGBTQ criminalization and …

Military Women In Sci-Fi Films: Breaking Barriers Since 1902, Introduction, Stacy Fowler, Deborah A. Deacon

Law Librarian Scholarship

From its beginnings, science fiction has been about humanity's battle for dominion over "the other," whether that means aliens, giant monsters, or nature herself. Especially in the male-centric military, that same designation of "other" is often assigned to women. Yet in the realm of science fiction, women in the military can attain what is often elusive in the real world—full participation and equality.

Chapters correspond to broad topics prevalent in science fictions films: Conquest, Evolving, Peril, Prey, Ethereal, and Exploration. The book focuses on portrayals of military women in science fiction films, exploring how they are able to excel in …

Toward Interspecies Reproductive Justice, Asha A. Ramakumar

Animal Law Review

Reproductive justice discourse has largely overlooked non-human animals, despite the parallel forms of biopolitical control exercised over human women and female animals’ reproductive labor. By examining the shared logics underlying the subordina-tion of both human women and dairy cows, this Article argues that any genuine conception of reproductive justice must inter-rogate reproductive exploitation beyond the human experience. Drawing from Michel Foucault’s theory of biopower and Carol J. Adams’ framework of the “absent referent,” this Article elucidates how powerful institutions control those with the capacity for preg-nancy by perpetuating narratives of biological essentialism and obligation.

Part II examines several examples of …

Critical Feminist Editorial Praxis: My Tenure As The First Journal Editor Of Color Of Communication Monographs, Srivi Ramasubramanian

Media Studies - All Scholarship

In this essay I theorize about Critical Feminist Editorial Praxis, which envisions journal editing as a site for scholar-activism. I use the term activism because to counter the hegemonic whiteness and coloniality of Communication knowledge requires active efforts to go against the taken-for-granted processes and practices. Journal editing is a significant location for interventions because this is often where we learn what is considered cutting-edge scholarship within our discipline. This significance is especially clear when the journal in question is a flagship publication of a leading professional organization. As I end my tenure as the first editor of color of …

“I Don’T Always See A Future For Me Here”: Oppressive Political Pressures On Lgbtq+ College Students’ Well-Being, Jodi Linley, Olivia M. Copeland, Kathleen J. Buell, Cindy Ann Kilgo, Megan Pendleton, Alex C. Lange, N F. Tennessen

Journal of Queer and Trans Studies in Education

In recent decades, colleges have broadly supported LGBTQ+ students. Now, institutions have shuttered LGBTQ+ initiatives in response to political pressures, with little consideration for the effects on students. This study answers the question, what current policy factors do LGBTQ+ college students describe as affecting their well-being, and in what ways? We analyzed 426 responses from a multi-institution study of LGBTQ+ students. By and large, students feel anxious and fearful as they navigate the current climate. Our analysis illustrated numerous factors, from the President and his administration to states and general emboldened violence, and the real and potential consequences of those …

Editorial For Issue 20(3): Special Issue: Developmental Trajectories In Lgbtqiqa+ Lifeways, Jeff Moe, Aaron Albright

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Hello and welcome to the community of counselors, advocates, and scholars who read the Journal of LGBTQ Issues in Counseling. Over the course of the past 20 years, affirmative counseling with and on behalf of LGBTQIQA+ people has developed into a profession-wide expectation as opposed to a specialty area. The synergy of consistent and prolonged social and professional activism with research and practice led the leaders of organizations like the American School Counselors’ Association (ASCA) and the American Counseling Association (ACA) to adopt LGBTQ+ affirmation as the ethical and professional perspective of the counseling field. The leaders of the …

The Efficacy Of International Conflict Feminism In Postconflict Peacebuilding: Learning From The Lived Experiences Of Liberian Women Through A Decolonial Lens, Kristen N. Mcnutt

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Focusing on Liberia, this study investigates the efficacy of governance feminism (GF) and international conflict feminism (ICF) in postconflict liberal peacebuilding, specifically analyzing United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 and the Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) agenda to reveal critical gaps between policy narratives and the lived realities of Liberian women. Grounded in decolonial feminism and the coloniality of gender and peace frameworks, the research integrates ideographic narrative analysis of UN Women and Liberian government policy reports, a day-in-the-life study with 13 Liberian women, and surveys and interviews with multilevel actors across international organizations, government, and grassroots organizations, guided by …

Beyond The Brotherhood: Exploring Communal Leadership In Masculinity Contest Cultures, Scott A. Metzler

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This phenomenological study explores the lived experiences of formal and informal leaders who exercise communal leadership, characterized by collaboration, inclusion, and relational focus, within the masculinity contest cultures of law enforcement and the fire service, where strength, competition, and hierarchical leadership often rule the day. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with 19 participants across the United States, this research investigates how and why leaders choose to challenge organizational norms, how they perceive the effects of their decisions on themselves and others, and how they navigate the tensions and contradictions between communal leadership and hypermasculine cultural expectations. The findings reveal that leaders …

Feeling Seen By Being Heard: A Constructivist Critical Incident Study Of The Listening Experiences Of Ciswomen Of Color For The Development Of An Inclusive Listening Praxis For Leaders, Christina Zhong-Wen Chang

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This study examines how listening shapes inclusive workplaces by exploring the listening experiences of 23 professional cisgender women of color working in predominantly white institutional spaces. Although listening is a fundamental part of communication, it is frequently undervalued and overlooked in leadership literature. Using the constructivist critical incident technique (CCIT) methodology, the research analyzed 88 significant moments when participants felt distinctly heard or unheard by leaders. Findings reveal that listening operated as a relational practice signaling respect, affirmation of voice, and anchoring leadership in accountability, while enabling leaders to engage perspectives beyond their own. Four listening types emerged: Listening Withheld, …

We’Re The Aunties Now: Intersections Of Mourning Practices, Intergenerational Trauma, And Matrilineal Responsibility In Oneida Life, Marena Bridges

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines how Oneida and broader Haudenosaunee mourning practices, as I have lived and understood them, shape grief, healing, and matrilineal responsibility in my family. Using Indigenous autoethnography and storywork, I first present a crafted narrative, then return to that narrative through reflexive thematic analysis. The analysis identifies patterned meanings in how grief is structured, shared, and carried across closely stacked deaths in the maternal line. Mourning practices function as community infrastructure that organizes time, redistributes labor, transmits knowledge, and sustains continuing bonds with the dead. At the same time, repeated loss produces a form of matriarchal ascension, concentrating …

Interpersonal Reckoning: The Liminal Space Between Rupture And Repair In Counselor Education, Phoenix E. Rosewood

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The purpose of this study is to understand and explore the phenomenon of the rupture, reckoning, and when possible, the repair process with racial, ethnic, and cultural (REC) microaggressions in counselor education. Participants (n = 14) included counselor educators who had either enacted a REC microaggression and attempted repair, or had been the recipient of an REC rupture and a meaningful attempt at repair. This study utilized a thematic analysis as a methodological framework in interpreting the data with the perspective of borderlands theory, critical embodied phenomenology, relational cultural theory and relational neuroscience analytical frameworks to account for and explain …

The Phenomenon Of Church Growth Through Authenticity: How African American Gen Z Christians Are Sharing The Gospel Of Jesus Christ Without The Program Structure Of The Black Baptist Church, Devin E. West

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This dissertation examines the perspectives of Black Generation Z Christians regarding factors within the Black Baptist church that may limit their full engagement. In this study, the Black Baptist church refers to congregations with predominantly Black membership led by Black pastors. Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, is forming its religious identity within a rapidly changing cultural and institutional environment. Historically, the Black Church has served as a central institution in African American communities, functioning as a place of worship as well as a source of social support, leadership development, identity formation, and justice advocacy (Lincoln & Mamiya, 1990). …

Weaving Leadership: A Participatory Narrative Inquiry Into Alaska Native Women’S' Relational And Intersectional Leadership, Aleesha Ikayuk Towns-Bain

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Alaska Native women have long supported their families, Tribes, and communities through leadership that is relational, adaptive, and rooted in Indigenous cultural values. In recent years, Alaska Native women have assumed significant leadership roles within a diverse range of Western sectors—including government, business, higher education, and nonprofits—while maintaining roles as critical culture holders and community builders. Despite their contributions, the leadership experiences of these women are poorly understood in both leadership practice and scholarship. The purpose of this research project was to explore how Alaska Native women make meaning of their leadership experiences through Indigenous relational values and at the …

She Leads: A Phenomenological Study Of Women's Leadership Experiences In Nonprofit Organizations, Trisha W. Lee

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

Women comprise a significant portion of the nonprofit sector workforce but are underrepresented in leadership, particularly among executives in larger revenue nonprofit organizations (NPOs). This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of women who led large, local NPOs (those with annual revenues between $1 million and $5 million) in Ohio. Addressing a gap in understanding the intersection of gender and leadership in large revenue NPOs, this research compared women who were founders of their NPOs with women who ascended to leadership in established organizations. Did founding one’s own NPO provide an advantage in leading it once it grew? How did …

Inclusive Psychology Pedagogy Is Linked To Increased Belonging And Reduced Prejudice Toward Consensually Non-Monogamous Relationships, Rose Bern, Rachel Dinero, Kate Linenbach, Amy Moors

Psychology Faculty Articles and Research

Students enrolled in an elective psychology course entitled Relationship Science, which emphasized inclusive curricula focused on relationship diversity, completed pre- and postcourse assessments of attitudes toward consensually nonmonogamous (CNM) relationships, relationship skills (e.g., constructive communication), and classroom belonging. Given the established literature on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+-inclusive pedagogy, attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+ individuals were also measured. Comparisons of pre- and postcourse assessments revealed significant reductions in stigma toward individuals engaged in CNM, alongside increased acceptance of CNM relationships more broadly. Students also reported increases in relationship skills and classroom belonging over the course of the …

Repairing Estranged Death: Care, Politics And Ecology In The Us Funeral Industry, Cecilia Catherine Rodriguez

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The industrialization of death practices in the US has separated humanity from natural cycles while centering white settler colonial norms that marginalize other cultural ways of caring for the dead. Through necropolitics, the contemporary death industry embodies capitalist values of commodification and a monopolization of care, separating death from community and its ecological cycles. Black and Indigenous feminist knowledges understand death as not a discrete event but instead as an ongoing process that shapes our relationships with both the human and more-than-human worlds. Engaging with feminist political ecologies, I extend a conversation about care and repair to contemporary death practices …

Examining Marginalized Sexual Identity Development Through Perry’S Scheme Of Cognitive Development, Miranda Bejda

University of Kentucky Doctoral Dissertations

Existing models of LGBTQ+ sexual identity development are critiqued for their linearity and lack of inclusion for diverse experiences and sexual identities. There is a call for a more robust understanding of the cognitive aspect of sexual identity development. The purpose of this dissertation is to further the understanding of how people think about their sexual identity through the developmental process using Perry’s scheme of cognitive development as a framework. Through semi-structured interviews, I analyze the LGBTQ+ sexual identity development process (Stage 1), how Perry’s scheme applies to LGBTQ+ sexual identity development (Stage 2), and propose a Perry-informed model of …

Children’S And Adult Perspectives On Mental Health In Children’S Youth Literature And Media, Edcel J. Cintron-Gonzalez

Theses and Dissertations

My dissertation extends existing work on mental health in children’s literature to examine the different narratives strategies that text, film, and media for young audiences use to connect childhood, caregiving, and emotional wellbeing. Three areas of scholarship—children’s literature scholarship, health humanities work, and feminist care ethics—inform my project. Overall, I am interested in how a variety of genres for young readers represent mental health not only as an individual experience, but also as something shaped by family, culture, community, and adult-child relationships. It is therefore important to delineate the different concepts and frameworks that help make sense of how mental …

The Un-Bridged Pipeline: Leading And Preparing Women Of Color To Senior-Level Higher Education Administration, Jacqueline D. Slater

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Despite increased educational attainment among Black women, representation in senior‑level leadership positions within higher education remains limited. This qualitative study examines the experiences of Black women who serve or have served in senior‑level academic administrative roles and explores how those experiences inform guidance, preparation, and decision‑making for future Black women leaders. The study focuses on practical barriers, workplace realities, and strategies that shape leadership entry, advancement, and retention.

Using a descriptive case study design, five Black women with professional experience as presidents, provosts, vice provosts, and academic deans participated in semi‑structured interviews lasting 45 to 75 minutes. Purposeful sampling ensured …

Taking A Seat In The Circle: Decolonizing Gender Roles That Argue Against The Participation Of Feminine Bodies At The Big Drum, Juli Suzukawa

Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects

The origins of the Big Drum can be traced back to the 1860s when Tail Feather Woman, a Dakota woman, had a vision of its creation as a tool of resistance. The Big Drum has since expanded and can now be seen at various Indigenous ceremonies and social events. However, there has been controversy regarding the participation of feminine and queer bodies. While reasons for this vary, it has also contributed to harm amongst Indigenous youths that have a more fluid stand on gender identity and may not conform to colonial “gender norms”. In this paper, I will explore how …

Injury To Insight: Exploring The Influence Of Media On Acl Rehabilitation Experiences Of Female Soccer Players, Chynna Ho-Young Cadogan, Jill Tracey

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

Participation in soccer inherently carries a risk of injury, with female athletes facing a significantly higher susceptibility to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries (Campbell et al., 2014; Le et al., 2025; Silvers-Granelli, 2021). The increasing participation in women’s soccer, coupled with the growing demand for its consumption through spectatorship, has contributed to a rise in ACL injuries, and increase in media coverage on this phenomenon (Parsons et al., 2021). Understanding how media narratives surrounding ACL injuries and recovery may influence rehabilitation experiences can educate coaches, mental performance consultants, athletic therapists, and female soccer players to better understand and navigate ACL …

“My Voice Is Trauma, My Voice Is Healing:” A Feminist, Trauma-Informed Embodied Study On The Impact Of Gender-Based Violence In Classical Music Communities, Sarah Pearson

Theses and Dissertations (Comprehensive)

This Social Work doctoral dissertation explores the impact of gender-based violence (GBV) in classical music communities on survivor-artists. This is an intersectional feminist, trauma-informed, embodied study that draws on these three theoretical concepts to conceive of classical music as an institution of both colonial patriarchal power and a site of spirituality and meaning-making. The issue of systemic GBV in the performing arts has been a focus of headline news and sensational celebrity stories in the last decade following the MeToo hashtag and is slowly gaining some attention in academic research.

For this qualitative study, the sample consisted of 14 participants …

Banyuhay Ng Makabayang Bakla: Ang Naratibo At Pagkakakilanlan Ng Mga Aktibistang Lgbtq+ Sa Metro Manila, Areeya Christine P. Bueno, Kaela Marie G. De Gorio, Precious Aerielle V. Ebardo, Raven Lukas L. Vergara, Belle Beatriex' M. Alemania

Dalumat: Multikultural at Multidisiplinaryong E-Journal sa Araling Filipino

Ang salitang banyuhay o “bagong anyo ng buhay” ay isang metapora na sumasalamin sa pag-usbong ng pagkakakilanlan ng mga aktibistang LGBTQ+. Ginamit ang disenyong narrative case study upang masiyasat ang (1) pagbabago sa pagkakakilanlan bago at pagkatapos sumali sa mga pagkilos, (2) mga salik na nag-udyok na kilalanin ang sarili bilang ganap na aktibista, at (3) pagkakakilanlan batay sa mga kategorya ng Social Identity Theory–Self-Categorization Theory (SIT-SCT). Bilang unang hakbang, pinasagutan ng mga mananaliksik ang pre-interview questionnaire upang makakalap ng inisyal na impormasyon sa mga kalahok. Sumunod dito, isinagawa ang semi-structured interview sa anim na kalahok mula sa iba't ibang …

“She’S Not A Regular Mom, She’S A Cool Mom”: A Phenomenological Study Of Permissive Maternal Parenting On An Adolescent Daughter’S Interpersonal And Intrapersonal Relationships, Chloe Anne D. Gallardo, Williana Erich R. Balane, Ailesgreis Rinoah C. Lim, Juriel Elpiz B. Lumabi, Anna Margarita E. San Juan

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Within the context of Filipino gender and cultural norms, mothers often navigate both conservative and liberal approaches in raising their daughters. Among these, permissive parenting, which emphasizes freedom and minimal control, shapes adolescent development in unique ways. Therefore, this study explores how adolescent daughters perceive their permissive mothers’ influence on intrapersonal and interpersonal relationships. Grounded in the Self-Determination Theory, the study examines how autonomy, relatedness, and competence emerge in their daughters’ lived experiences and mother-daughter relationships. This research addresses the lack of local literature by shedding light on mother-daughter dynamics through an interpretative phenomenological approach. This study explores the lived …

Living Through Adversity: Understanding Discrimination, Resilience, And Psychological Well-Being Among Filipino Transgender Youth, Allaiza Liz M. Sarino, Athena Christine P. Garcia, Kirsten Jada P. Hinto, Stella P. Go

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

Transgender youth continue to face systemic discrimination and social marginalization. These barriers can hinder their development and negatively affect their psychological well-being. However, little is known about the specific ways Filipino transgender youth experience discrimination and develop resilience. To address this gap, this study sought to understand the lived experiences of Filipino transgender youth, focusing on the discrimination they face and the resilience factors that contribute to their psychological well-being. This study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach, utilizing online in-depth interviews with nine transgender youth aged 17 to 23 from Metro Manila, comprising five female-to-male and four male-to-female individuals, who …

Exploring The Concept Of Love-Bombing In Young Adult Filipino Lesbian Relationships, Marcus M. Paredes, Eyre Angelique L. Pasion, Chrisanne Margareth P. Dela Peña, Francois Louis T. Acosta, Chrizelle Villanueva

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

The study explores how young adult Filipino lesbians define, experience, and interpret the phenomenon of love-bombing in their romantic relationships. Addressing the scarcity of local scholarly work, the study employed a phenomenological design with ten purposively selected self-identified lesbian key informants, aged 18 to 27, from the Philippines. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and data were analyzed using Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological approach, which yielded nine themes organized into three overarching domains. The first domain focused on the experience of love-bombing, highlighting patterns of romantic intensification, emotional dependence, and blurred relational boundaries. The second domain surfaced responses to the experience, including emotional …

Decoding The Girl Code: Exploring The Unwritten Norms In Female Adolescent Friendships, Lindsay Angela F. Azura, Annica Mariz G. Ilagan, Krystine Jean O. Obia, Natalie Allyana P. Talplacido, Stella P. Go

Sinaya: A Philippine Journal for Senior High School Teachers and Students

The girl code refers to a set of unspoken social rules that shape how adolescent girls form, maintain, and navigate close female friendships. These unwritten norms influence how they provide support, handle emotional challenges, and navigate moral decisions. Despite its significant impact on female adolescent relationships, research on the girl code, especially within the Philippine context, remains limited. This qualitative exploratory study examines how the girl code operates among cisgender Filipino adolescent girls, focusing on its key aspects, underlying values, development, enforcement, and consequences. Five focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted among close-knit female friendship groups of senior high school …