Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Feminine Felons: Violent Offenders' Intersectional Experiences In Twentieth-Century Montana, Cassidy Ann Vander Voort

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

This paper explores the treatment of violent female offenders in Montana in both the media and prison system from 1900-1960. Women of all races faced gender discrimination from both the carceral system and popular media. Local newspapers sensationalized crimes committed by female offenders, portraying them as women who lived outside of the expectations of womanhood in the twentieth century. Newspapers and courts placed women into two categories: “mad/sad” female offenders, who received forgiveness for their crimes; or unforgivable, “bad” offenders. Crime did not determine these categorizations; instead, gender expectations of the white middle class shaped female criminals’ treatment. If these …

The Filament, Elena Skibicki

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

The Filament weaves together the results of a neurodivergent person exploring their universe, in all its harrowing beauty and familiar tragedy. The speaker traverses oceans and thunderstorms, wades through the swampy shallows of their high school, participates in a pharmaceutical supply chain and its subsequent ransacking, floats through altered mental states, and retells legends, spanning many styles while still using the lyric “I”. Scrying into a nebulous future, the speaker returns with stories of the planet and its people, and the kind of world they want to build.

The speaker exposes their ghosts throughout the collection, hoping that the adage, …

Modern Feminist Social Movements In Rural America: A Three- Part Study, Susan Kroger

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Modern feminist social movement can be characterized by several distinctive features. The use of social media, the incorporation of intersectionality, and the injection of policy into modern social movements requires a broad approach to these movements that allows for examination from multiple angles. The proposed project allows for a nuanced and thorough look into an existing social movement in rural America as it unfolds and examines that movement through several lenses. Additionally, the project incorporates current social movement and feminist theory and notes the importance of examining these theoretical perspectives through an applied lens: in order for change to occur, …

19.3 Ceus, Albright Aaron, Peighton Corley, Yusuf Barburoglu, Jeff Moe

Counseling & Human Services Faculty Publications

[Introduction] Navigating the Complexities in Gender-Diverse Counseling: Understanding the Interplay of Gender Identity, Racial Inequities, Economic Marginalization, and Aging

1. Which counseling approach discussed in the article explicitly weaves systemic oppression into cognitive restructuring for transgender clients?

A. Narrative Therapy

B. Gestalt Therapy

C. Intersectional Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

D. Dialectical Behavior Therapy

2. According to the article, identity-integrated support networks are valuable because they:

A. Provide financial assistance for medical transition only

B. Affirm multiple intersecting identities, offering validation and belonging

C. Limit social interaction to reduce microaggressions

D. Operate exclusively in online spaces

"A Changed Understanding Of Our Present": Moby-Dick As Prophetic Ecological Activism, Katie Ann Schini

Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers

Moby-Dick: Or, The Whale is a classic of American literature, spanning multiple genres and remaining culturally relevant nearly 175 years after its original publication. Though on the surface Moby-Dick reads as an adventure story of a man who experiences the whaling industry firsthand, Herman Melville’s text continues to invite new generations of readership through the framework of the twenty-first century climate crisis.

In this thesis, I position Moby-Dick as a text that can be used to understand our modern society’s current dispositions of ecological grief. My thesis operates at the intersection of three main literary critical theories: ecocriticism, affect, and …

Metalepsis And Mental Castration: Doki Doki Literature Club As The Cerebral Monstrous-Feminine, Hannah Graham

College of Graduate Studies: Theses & Dissertations

Doki Doki Literature Club! is a horror visual novel masquerading as a dating simulation game. Behind the thin veneer of pretty girls in tiny skirts and tight uniforms lurk horrors, glitches, and metaleptic events that take the player’s battle for agency beyond mere point-and-click interactions. This fight breaches containment to the level of the physical, as the player must literally wrestle for control with an in-game character who has commandeered their entire computer system. Players are led to believe that they are making the decisions that further the plot, but come to learn that in this world, there is no …

40 Years Passing By In (A) “Heartbeat”, Christopher Janney

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This article outlines the forty-year history go Christopher Janney’s iconic performance work “HeartBeat.” Trained as an architect and jazz musician, Janney combines these two disciplines to create large interactive light/sound installations and performances. On the one hand, he attempts to make architecture more like music, more “alive” using real-time sensing devices as on his “Harmonic Convergence” installation on the Miami International Airport. On the other hand, he attempts to make music more like architecture, more physical more visual. In his “HeartBeat” performance, a dancer wears a heartbeat device that amplifies his/her heartbeat in “real time.” Over this pulse, live musicians …

Yoga Sūtra Book Four And The Yogabindu, Christopher Key Chapple

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

Four themes from the fourth pāda of Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtra are examined here: karma (IV:2-13), individuality (IV:16), humility (IV:20-22), and freedom (IV:29-34). Affirmations and variant interpretations of these four are provided from Haribhadra Virahāṅka’s Yogabindu, most likely composed a century or two later.

Collective Karma: From The Yogasūtra To Taylor Swift, Zoë Slatoff

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

The Indian knowledge traditions speak at length about karma, which is divided into three categories—accumulated (saṃcita), ripe (prārabdha), and future (kriyamāṇa). While much is said about our individual karma and how it affects our repeated reincarnation in cyclic existence, how does this affect others and how do others affect us? In other words, as this paper explores, what is our reciprocal and collective karma?

Painting Liberation: A Visual Ontology Of The Interplay Of Mind And Consciousness In Book Four Of The Yoga Sūtras, Melissa Townsend

Monsoon: South Asian Studies Association Journal

This presentation explores how artistic practice can illuminate philosophical questions about the nature of mind, consciousness, and liberation as articulated in Book Four of the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali. Through a series of paintings that visually translate these sūtras, I propose that art offers a unique, experiential means of engaging with the complex relationship between citta (mind) and puruṣa (consciousness).

The paintings function as a form of “visual ontology,” inviting viewers to engage with abstract philosophical concepts in a sensory, tangible way. By depicting the interplay between the mutable processes of the mind and the unchanging awareness of consciousness, these …

Intersectionality And The Canon Of Romanticism, Serenah Minasian

Theses and Dissertations

This dissertation discusses the origins of the canon and the place it has in British Romanticism studies both past and present. This research begins unpacking what has already been done in this sector of study and takes it steps further by the use of Crenshaw’s “intersectionality” theory. The “Introduction” unpacks past scholarly work and its role in the present studies and how we must move beyond the past. “Chapter I” serves as a historical breakdown of the canon’s role and impact in both literary studies and Romanticism studies in specific. “Chapter II” provides an in depth analysis of two major …

Frances E. W. Harper, “We Are All Bound Up Together” (10 May 1866), Garth Pauley

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Frances Harper’s address at the 1866 National Woman’s Rights Convention was a visionary speech on civil rights, citizenship, and civic identity. In it, Harper skillfully negotiated the context of nineteenth-century reform politics while remaining true to her vision. The message of her speech was grounded in both her experience as a Black woman and her theological convictions. A close reading of the speech shows that key elements—including its signature line—have been misunderstood and unappreciated.

The Perceived Internalized Sexual Stigma Measure (Prissm): A New Sexual Stigma Measure For Lesbian, Gay, And Bisexual Individuals, Miguel A. Padilla, Lacey M. Schlappi, Evelyn S. Chiang

Psychology Faculty Publications

Society has long held negative beliefs and attitudes, in the form of sexual stigma, towards sexual minorities (e.g., lesbian, gay, and bisexual; LGB). Sexual stigma can be adopted and internalized by LGB individuals as their own beliefs and attitudes. In LGB individuals, internalized sexual stigma can result in psychological distress such as low self-esteem, depression, shame, and feelings of rejection. However, an instrument to assess internalized sexual stigma specifically developed for LGB individuals is lacking. The present study focuses on the development of a new instrument, the Perceived Internalized Sexual Stigma Measure (PrISSM), that is inclusive of LGB individuals who …

Remedios Varo: Peregrinaciones, Julia Condes

Honors Undergraduate Theses

At the time of her death, the artist Remedios Varo (1908–1963) left behind over 500 works of art, the majority of which were created in her adopted country of Mexico. Known for her meticulously crafted fantastical paintings, Varo underwent exile and displacement due to first the Spanish Civil War, and later World War II, which led her to relocate to Mexico, where she would create prolifically for the remainder of her life. This paper will examine the effect of those experiences on the artist and the work she produced, attesting to Varo’s ability to translate complex emotions regarding the human …

The Stigmatization Of Autism – Why It’S Still Present And How It Affects Women And Individuals Assigned Female At Birth (Afab), Emma Drauer

Honors Undergraduate Theses

The intent of this thesis is to explain some key factors (the theory of mind notion and the narrow perception of autism) that contribute to the stigmatization of autism and the impact this has on autistic women. Autistic women are heavily underrepresented, especially in the scholarly discourse, so this thesis collected first person accounts of autistic experiences through a survey and interviews. This data revealed important information such as the benefits of a diagnosis, how stigma can prevent this and have consequences, and the struggles autistic women face. Unmasking these struggles can help make the general public aware of their …

Living With Flying Colors: Associations Among Lgbtq+ Identity, Religiosity, Spirituality, Community, And Overall Well-Being Among Lgbtq+ Older Adults, Madison T. Diomede

Theses and Dissertations--Psychology

Experiences of discrimination and prejudice place LGBTQ+ individuals in older adulthood (i.e., 55 years old and older) at risk for poor overall well-being. This risk can be especially salient in the Southern and Midwestern U.S., where LGBTQ+ individuals enjoy fewer legal protections than in the Northeast and Western regions of the U.S. In defiance of these odds, LGBTQ+ individuals in older adulthood cultivate overall well-being through psychological-level constructs, like LGBTQ+ identity affirmation, and community-level constructs, LGBTQ+ community connection. Yet, little research has examined these avenues of strength among LGBTQ+ individuals in older adulthood. Guided by Iridescent Life Course Theory and …

The Once And Future Sex: Going Medieval On Women’S Roles In Society, By Eleanor Janega, Emily C. Francomano

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Feminist Medievalisms: Embodiment And Vulnerability In Literature And Film, By Usha Vishnuvajjala, Lucy Barnhouse

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Nascere. Il Parto Dalla Tarda Antichità All’Età Moderna Edited By Alessandra Foscati, Costanza Gislon Dopfel, And Antonella Parmeggiani, Marjolaine Raguin

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Marian Maternity In Late-Medieval England By Mary Beth Long, Sarah Friedman

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Remember The Hand: Manuscription In Early Medieval Iberia By Catherine Brown, Lara Farina

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

Navigating The Complexities In Gender-Diverse Counseling: Understanding The Interplay Of Gender Identity, Racial Inequities, Economic Marginalization, And Aging, C. Gerwe

Department of Medicine Faculty Publications

Gender-diverse individuals continue to face unique challenges in daily life, with intersecting identities related to race, socioeconomic status (SES), and age further compounding these barriers. These overlapping factors profoundly impact mental health and wellbeing, especially within environments that may lack inclusive or responsive frameworks. Despite increasing awareness, limited guidance exists for counselors on implementing practices that validate intersecting identities while addressing the cumulative effects of marginalization (Canvin et al., 2022). This article synthesizes current research and case examples to illuminate these challenges and offers insights for fostering more inclusive and supportive counseling approaches.

Gender And The ‘Natural’ Environment In The Middle Ages, Edited By Theresa L. Tyers And Patricia Skinner, Danielle Allor

Medieval Feminist Forum: A Journal of Gender and Sexuality

No abstract provided.

An Examination Of Harm During The Real-Life Experience, Michelle E. Balch

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

The Real-Life Experience (RLE) has been described as a coercive and arbitrary requirement without evidence of validity or reliability. This can cause more harm than it prevents for a significant subset of transition-seeking transgender clients. For these reasons the RLE was dropped from the WPATH Standards of Care after version six. However, the RLE has been adopted by a number of health insurance companies as a measure of readiness to receive transition services. An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and semi-structured interviews of five individuals were conducted to evaluate their perceptions of RLE and the meaning they attach to their broader …

Reclaiming Myth: Feminist Reinterpretations And The Creation Of A More Inclusive Narrative, Isabella Iurillo

All Student Theses and Dissertations

This thesis examines the role of mythological reinterpretation and its expansion of the literary canon to inclusively reflect human experiences. According to scholars of myth such as Kalloli, Tyagi, and Armstrong, myths are meant to reflect enduring human experiences, making them relatable classics even after thousands of years. However, as the majority of mythological women are largely silenced, misrepresented, or villainized in ancient myth, this reflection is both incomplete and distorted. This thesis examines three contemporary feminist reinterpretations-- Stone Blind by Natalie Haynes, Silence of the Girls by Pat Barker, and Circe by Madeline Miller—each of which gives a voice …

From Affirmation To Equity: The Spiral Of Congregational Empowerment For Women In Baptist Congregations, Heather E. Deal, Will Ward, Gaynor I. Yancey

Funded Scholarship

Patriarchy has long structured Christian life and practice. In many Baptist settings, even formal affirmations of women in leadership leave a gap between stated commitments and women’s lived experience. This study investigates how Baptist congregations cultivate empowering environments for women by tracing the interplay of beliefs, practices, and processes through which theology is enacted in congregational life. Drawing on feminist theology and lived-religion perspectives, and using constructivist grounded theory, we conducted nine semi-structured interviews with 15 women clergy across seven U.S. Baptist congregations. Analysis proceeded through iterative initial, focused, and theoretical coding with attention to reflexivity and trustworthiness. Findings highlight …

Clinical Implications For Helping Professionals Learned From The Pastoral Care Of Lgbtq+ Youth, John Willis Ward, Heather Deal, Gaynor Yancey

Funded Scholarship

This qualitative article is informed by queer theory, and more specifically queer theology, and explores how youth ministers in various denominations care for LGBTQ+ teenagers in their congregations. Seven youth pastors from three major denominational groups were interviewed from the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF), Alliance of Baptists, and Presbyterian Church, USA (PC-USA). Participants had to identify as LGBTQ+ affirming, though their congregations could be in various states of affirmation. Thematic analysis found the following significant categories: confidentiality, implications of whole church engagement, student-led engagement, theology/image of God, and degree of support for identity development.

Violence And Taoist Ethics In Ursula K. Le Guin’S The Word For World Is Forest, Aleena Achamma Paul, Swathi Krishna S

UKL: The Journal of Ursula K. Le Guin Studies

This note critically investigates the ethico-moral intricacies of violence/peace in Ursula K. Le Guin’s The Word for World is Forest (1976) while arguing that her radical political sensibilities are informed by her ardent Taoist worldview. Amidst the urgent tussle for domination by the colonizing Terrans and the struggle for survival by the native Athsheans in the fictional planet Athshe, Le Guin incorporates her incisive critique of imperialist exploitation and militarism while upholding the non-dualistic ethics of Taoism. Moving beyond the moral imperatives and either/or debates, Le Guin illustrates how from time-to-time violence turns to be the singular means of self-preservation …

Restorative Leadership: A Generative Exploration With Women School Leaders, Camille Rénée Pauline Tyson Jacobs

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

As schools increasingly adopt restorative practices, a parallel shift in leadership is occurring, challenging traditional leadership models like servant and transformational leadership. While research has largely focused on student outcomes, there is a critical gap in understanding how restorative practices influence school principals’ leadership. Given their central role in sustaining and expanding restorative initiatives, this study aimed to address that gap by developing a definitional framework for restorative leadership, grounded in the experiences of women school leaders in grades 5 to 12. Using sensemaking theory, the research examined how leaders conceptualize and apply restorative values in practice. Key questions included …

Black Birth Work As Radical Praxis: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Inquiry Of Leadership Among Black Birth Workers, Lesa C. Clark

Antioch University Dissertations & Theses

This hermeneutic phenomenological study explores the leadership experiences of Black birth workers (BBWs), revealing critical insights into leadership dynamics within maternal healthcare. Through a theoretical framework integrating African feminism, Black feminism, and anti-racist feminism, the research examines how BBWs conceptualize and enact leadership through embodied, relational, and liberatory approaches. This study addresses a significant gap in leadership literature, particularly regarding generational knowledge and practices of BBWs, which remain understudied despite their vital role in Black maternal healthcare. This study reveals distinct leadership perspectives and methodologies through in-depth interviews with eight BBWs and a detailed interpretive analysis. The findings contribute to …