Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Who Is Ophelia? An Examination Of The Objectification And Subjectivity Of Shakespeare's Ophelia, Tynelle Ann Olivas

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

William Shakespeare's Ophelia, from his tragedy play Hamlet, has predominately been perceived and depicted as an objectified female with very little purpose other than to support Hamlet's role as protagonist. I explore the ways in which Ophelia was objectified by her brother, father, and Hamlet. I also analyze how Ophelia not only exhibits subjectivity, that is the ability to think, act, and speak for herself, but plays the part of Shakespearean fool. In her interactions with Hamlet specifically, Ophelia addresses Hamlet first, raises questions of the prince, and conducts herself in a way that is not always in keeping with …

Compass Rose, Rosemary Herman Powers

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

This thesis explores the orientational power of language through a collection of poetry grounded in themes of place, landscape, and desire. Language organizes the raw material of existence into the humanizing possibilities of experience and connection. It interrogates, examines, exalts, orders and reorders continually. Much like a physical landscape, it is constantly shifting under various pressures, which operate at variable speeds. By working and reworking themes and images, these poems explore the twin processes of erosion and deposition.

The materials found in these poems are largely drawn from my own memory, perception, loss, and desire. I mean to use language …

Marketing Of Gender Stereotypes Through Animated Films: A Thematic Analysis Of The Disney Princess Franchise, Tiffany Jade Pelton

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

The thesis focuses on animated films of the Disney Princess franchise, a brand with the Disney Corporation that contains 11 fictional female characters both princesses and heroines, and the marketing of gender roles and stereotypes specifically in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Cinderella (1950), The Princess and the Frog (2009), and Tangled (2010). These dated storylines, which often focused on domestic traits that were socially acceptable in the 1930s, 40s and 50s, in current society do not always reflect the interests of contemporary youth. Through a thematic analysis, this thesis examines from its inception to present day what …

Women Wooing Men, Aisha Elizabeth Ratanapool

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Although many early modern English plays portray women courting men, I contend that there are significant resonances between the methods of Rosalind, the female protagonist from a Shakespearean comedy, and those of the Duchess, from a Websterian tragedy. Rosalind and the Duchess woo, propose to, and arrange the marriage ceremony between them and their love interests. The witty dialogue which permeates the wooing scenes helps establish a strong mental connection between Rosalind and Orlando and the Duchess and Antonio. I examine the motives behind wooing and comparatively analyze the strategies of these female characters. Through this analysis, I present Rosalind …

Examining The Role Of Supportive Others In Substance Abuse Treatment And Child Welfare, Jessica Marie Urgelles

UNLV Theses, Dissertations, Professional Papers, and Capstones

Child neglect is a prevalent problem and often co-occurs with parental substance abuse. Mothers are most often the perpetrators of child neglect. The currently available treatment programs appear to be failing to meet the needs of these mothers. Most mothers are not completing treatment, putting them at risk of losing custody of their children. The literature suggests that women may have different risk factors associated with their substance use, as compared to men. Social networks appear to play a particularly important role in the maintenance of women’s substance abuse problems. The role of social networks may be distinct for different …

The De-Feminization Of Femininity : Exploratory Content Analysis Of Gay Male Fashion Magazines., Christopher J. Vincent

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This thesis project is an exploratory content analysis that seeks to measure the ways in which gay male fashion magazine de-feminize their representations of feminine performing gay men. 125 images across five summer editions of Instinct Magazine, from 2010-2014, were randomly selected and were measured along the lines of race/ethnicity, fitness of clothing, build, touch, gaze, and body curvature. The research confirmed that gay male fashion magazines do in fact de-feminize their representations of femininity along these variables. The research also reflects pre-conceived ideas of representation along the boundaries of race. Using Michael Warners theory of Publics and Counterpublics as …

“The Bedroom And The Barnyard: Zoomorphic Lust Through Territory, Procedure, And Shelter In ‘The Miller’S Tale’” & Haunchebones, Danielle N. Byington

Undergraduate Honors Theses

“The Bedroom and the Barnyard: Zoomorphic Lust Through Territory, Procedure, and Shelter in ‘The Miller’s Tale’” is an academic endeavor that takes Chaucer’s zoomorphic metaphors and similes and analyzes them in a sense that reveals the chaos of what is human and what is animal tendency. The academic work is expressed in the adjunct creative project, Haunchebones, a 10-minute drama that echoes the tale and its zoomorphic influences, while presenting the content in a stylized play influenced by Theatre of the Absurd and artwork from the medieval and early renaissance period.

Fighting For Inclusion: The Origin Of Gay Liberation At The University Of Michigan, Eric Denby

Masters Theses

The 1960s and 1970s were decades of turbulence, militancy, and unrest in America. The post-World War II boom in consumerism and consumption made way for a new post-materialist societal ethos, one that looked past the American dream of home ownership and material wealth. Many citizens were now concerned with social and economic equality, justice for all people of the world, and a restructuring of the capitalist system itself. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan was a hotbed of student activism. As an early headquarters for the Students for a Democratic Society, a …

Engineer As Writer And Woman: Gender, Identity, And Professional Discourse, Jennfer C. Mallette

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

As students, academics, and professionals, women entering engineering disciplines still encounter barriers that may impede their success. In this environment, what is the role of writing in the development of a professional identity, and how does it function as an avenue or a barrier to professional success? Using an ethnographically-informed case study approach, this dissertation focuses on the experiences of three women--a biological engineering student, an industrial engineering academic researcher, and a civil engineering professional--to examine how these women use writing to construct an engineering identity, take action within their discourse communities, and to demonstrate their technical expertise and ability. …

Intersectionality In Jane Eyre And Its Adaptations, Laurel Loh

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

During the almost 170 years since Jane Eyre was published, there have been numerous adaptations in many different mediums and genres, such as plays, films, musicals, graphic novels, spin-off novels, and parodies. The novel has been read in many different critical traditions: liberal humanist, historicist, feminist, and postcolonial approaches dealing with topics such as the problem of female authorship and consciousness. In addition, it has been read in terms of an ideological struggle based on race, class, and gender; xenophobia and imperialism; female labor politics; and genre issues, to just name a few. As literary critics have explored numerous themes …

Evaluating A Brief Sexual Violence Therapy Group For Incarcerated Women, Marie Elisabeth Karlsson

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Incarcerated women report higher rates of sexual victimization and mental illness than the average woman and incarcerated men. Researchers have argued that sexual victimization is a pathway to prison for women, and that there is a lack of trauma-focused treatments in prisons. Some researchers have evaluated trauma-focused group treatments for incarcerated women (Bradley & Follingstad, 2003; Cole et al., 2007; Ford, Chang, Levine, & Zhang, 2013; Kubiak, Kim, Fedock, & Bybee, 2012; Paquin, Kivlighan, & Drogosz, 2013; Roe-Sepowitz, Bedard, Pate, & Hedberg, 2014; Zlotnick, Johnson, & Najavits, 2009), with mixed results and several limitations. Most of these treatments are lengthy …

“Forget The Old . . . The New Wonder Woman Is Here”: The New Wonder Woman And The Feminist Movement, 1968-1972, Kristi N. Fleetwood

Honors Theses

In 1968, Wonder Woman gives up her powers and embraces her human identity as Diana Prince. Powerless, she learns martial arts and continues to fight. The majority of discussion surrounding the Diana Prince era—Wonder Woman #178-204—argues for the period as embracing anti-feminist sentiment. This analysis of the Diana Prince era argues that the portrayal of Diana Prince without her superhero persona aligns with the ideals of the 1970s feminist movement. By incorporating general themes and ideas of feminism, the comic portrays Diana Prince in a feminist light throughout the comic. Even though her powers are striped, she is able …

O Brother, Where Art Thou? Understanding Culturally-Produced Limitations On Gay Male Community Formation In South Central Appalachia, Michael Brandon Brewer

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

This research examines limitations presented to gay men living in south central Appalachia that are produced by Appalachian culture itself, in regard to community formation. This qualitative study intersects existing scholarship on rural sexualities, gay communities and Appalachian culture in order to gain insight into the complexities that effect men in the region. The data is synthesized through a contextual dialectics framework in order to position both the Appalachian culture in its entirety, and gay men residing in the region, as agentic actors that are simultaneously informed by and produce tensions between the two. This study explores ways in which …

7 Things Churches Can Do To Make Queer People Feel Welcome, Erin E. Duran, Christin N. Taylor

Center for Public Service Research

For as long as I can remember, the church, for me, has been a place characterized by shame and hurt. I remember Christian high school friends telling me that I would go to hell for being Queer. I remember hearing sermons from televangelists about the evils of homosexuality, and church leaders pressuring youth leaders to cast out their Queer members. I've heard more talk of "love the sinner, hate the sin," and "God didn't make gay," than anyone should, and I've even received personalized hate mail declaring that "God hates dykes." [excerpt]

Gay And Lesbian Culture And Politics, John C. Hawley

English

As laws change and we move several generations away from the times of greatest struggle, the atmosphere that created the contemporary scene for gay and lesbian citizens, their culture and politics, becomes increasingly remote and potentially forgotten. As recent historians have recalled, though, “This was a population too shy and fearful to even raise its hand, a group of people who had to start at zero in order to create their place in the nation’s culture,” –an “invisible people” (Clendinen, 11). The movement for gay and lesbian rights in the United States, considered by many to have originated with the …

Globalization And The Sex Trafficking Industry: Examination Of Effects On Regional Value Chain Operations, Mary R. Gilbertson

Honors Theses, 1963-2015

The purpose of this paper is to examine sex trafficking as a profitable, international, and illegal industry. One goal of this paper is to explain what sex trafficking is and how it differs from other industries. Sex trafficking is an underground activity and its growth worldwide since the 1980s has had a destructive impact on global societies and economies. Beyond this, the study wants to show that, aside from moral and socio-cultural implications, that sex trafficking is indeed an industry, with a structure not so different from other industries. Understanding sex trafficking as an industry is critical to understanding how …

'My Story Ain’T Got Nothin To Do With You' Or Does It?: Black Female Faculty’S Critical Considerations Of Mentoring White Female Students, Kathleen E. Gillon, Lissa D. Stapleton

Journal of Critical Scholarship on Higher Education and Student Affairs

Previous literature on mentoring, specifically that of cross-cultural mentoring, has provided some insight into the intricacy of race in mentoring. However, much of this literature has focused on the mentoring relationship of a White individual mentoring a person of color. This qualitative inquiry critically explores the experiences of six Black female faculty who have mentored White female students in higher education graduate programs, focusing specifically on how they enter into these cross-cultural mentoring relationships. Using Black feminist thought, our findings suggest that while individual Black faculty may have unique experiences entering into mentoring relationships with White female students, a Black …

The Portrayal Of Lgbt In The Media, Julia J. Salem

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

My senior project examines the portrayal of LGBT people in the media. The purpose of this research is to show how the media’s portrayal of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered people (LGBT) affects individuals and society as a whole. The research will explore the history of the LGBT community’s relationship with the media from the 1920s to the present, with emphasis on the Stonewall Riots as the beginning of an organized LGBT movement. The research will focus on films, television programs, and press articles for their depiction of LGBT’s and the issues impacting their lives. I will explore the evolution …

Love, A Dream, Brittany A. Cordaro

Symposium of Student Scholars

No abstract provided.

Constructing Helen Frankenthaler: Redefining A 'Woman' Artist Since 1960, Alexandra P. Alberda

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

This thesis addresses how academics, curators, and art writers in the popular press reviewed Helen Frankenthaler during her major retrospectives of 1960 (The Jewish Museum), 1969 (The Whitney Museum of American Art), and 1989 (The Museum of Modern Art). Included is an examination of how she has been written about after her death in 2012, with analysis of the changes in the language used to critique the artist and her work as influenced by the advent of feminist theory, social history, and gender theory. I examine recent exhibitions on Frankenthaler at the Gagosian Gallery, New York City, and the Albright-Knox …

A Conversation With Anonymous (3)

LGBTQ Alumni Oral History Project

This conversation represents an oral history interview with a Holy Cross alum who attended in the early 2000s and came out during her senior year. She provided insights on her experiences as a queer woman on the Holy Cross campus and shared how her life has changed since leaving "the Holy Cross bubble."

Interview keywords: alum, ally, Catholic shame, college, identity, Iraq War, Jesuit, microaggressions, multicultural, oppression, post-college, social justice, queer/dyke

‘I Am Not Your Justification For Existence:’ Mourning, Fascism, Feminism And The Amputation Of Mothers And Daughters In Atwood, Ziervogel, And Ozick, Mitchell C. Hobza

Department of English: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This thesis examines the complexities of mother-daughter relationships in twentieth-century women’s literature that includes themes about fascism and totalitarianism. Of central concern is how mothers and daughters are separated, both physically and psychically, in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, Meike Ziervogel’s Magda and Cynthia Ozick’s The Shawl. Adrienne Rich’s Of Woman Born provides the theoretical framework for considering maternity and the institution of motherhood. These separations occur through two modes: physical separation by political force; and psychical separation through ideological difference and what Rich terms as “Matrophobia.” The physical separation is analyzed through a synthesis of Rich’s theory …

The Girl With The Peanut Necklace: Experiences Of Infertility And In Vitro Fertilization In China, Ruoxi Yu

Student Work

A 2014-2015 William Prize for best essay in East Asian Studies was awarded to Ruoxi Yu (Berkeley College '15) for her essay submitted to the Department of Anthropology, “The Girl with the Peanut Necklace: Experiences of Infertility and in vitro Fertilization in China.” (Marcia Inhorn, William K. Lanman Jr. Professor of Anthropology, advisor; Susan Brownell, Professor of Anthropology at USML, secondary reader.)

Ruoxi Yu’s essay, “The Girl with the Peanut Necklace: Experiences of Infertility and in vitro Fertilization in China,” situates original research within the history of the one-child birth control policy and the tension between the …

“I Love Lucy” Gender Analysis And Its Influence On Popularity And Longevity, Brianna Knoll

Scholarly and Creative Works Conference (2015 - 2021)

This thesis takes an analytical approach to examine the television show I Love Lucy. The contributing factors to the show’s continued success are considered, including Lucille Ball’s comedic style, domesticity and the role of housewives, marital relations, pregnancy on television, and the larger gender representations with a subtopic of social norms. Upon studying the above aspects of I Love Lucy, it is clear that each topic played an essential role in the success of the show. Ball’s comedic style combined with her portrayal of a 1950s housewife, and the social norms that she and her co-stars broke through …

Feminist Identification, Actions, Beliefs And Commitments At Csb/Sju, Allison A. Fischbach, Anna M. Hueg, Allison M. (Allie) Rudnickas, Atarah V. Pinder, Hannah A. Salto, Ha H. Pham, Hanna M. Pioske, Hannah O. Kangas, Hope P. Mueller, Kenea M. Andrews, Laura L. Rhude, Madeline A. (Maddie) Rainey, Marina I. Campbell-Vargas, Megan J. Myers, Molly K. Heller, Sarah J. Berry

Celebrating Scholarship & Creativity Day (2011-2017)

Does self-identification as a feminist, non-feminist, or non-labeler, affect actions, beliefs, and commitments regarding feminist ideals? Is there any dissonance between identifying with feminist beliefs and identifying with the feminist label? Will our data give us insight into education about feminist ideas at CSB/SJU (College of Saint Benedict and Saint John’s University)? Is the “feminist” label stigmatized on our campuses?

A Conversation With Joe Sasso

LGBTQ Alumni Oral History Project

This conversation represents an oral history interview with a Holy Cross alum who graduated in 1975. He discusses his experience of Holy Cross during the 70's and the lack of awareness the student body had for any type of gay identity. Additionally, he describes his experience coming out at age 45. In the interview, he reflects on how it would be or would not be different if he had been out on campus at this time and his recommendations on how Holy Cross can continue to support LGBTQ students.

Interview keywords: adulthood, alum, Catholic Church, college, cycling, family, friendship, gay …

From Private Issue To Public Policy: Second Wave Feminism And Violence Against Women, Amanda Garcia

Whittier Scholars Program

This project focuses on violence against women such as wife-beating and its origin and affect on women and the actions that inspired a movement to create consequences for those actions.

"That Flesh-Locked Sea Of Silence”: Language, Gender, And Sexuality In Beckett’S Short Fiction, Emily F. Oliver

Honors College Theses

This paper asserts the interconnectedness of language, gender, and sexuality in the short prose of Samuel Beckett. “Assumption,” “First Love,” and “Enough,” are used as specific examples of Beckett’s fiction, selected because they assist in understanding Beckett’s participation in, and inversion of, the hegemonic privileging of the masculine. This interpretation focuses on the use of gendered language, verbalization as a sexual expression, and the manipulation of the “male” and “female” voice. The analysis is both informed by, and seeks to nuance, the linguistic criticism established by second-wave French feminists Kristeva, Irigaray, and Cixous.

Between Historical Truth And Story-Telling: The Twentieth-Century Fabrication Of “Artemisia”, Britiany Daugherty

School of Art, Art History, and Design: Theses and Student Creative Work

This research focuses on the twentieth century rediscovery of the seventeenth-century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi by scholars, novelists, playwrights, filmmakers, and artists. I argue that the various authors who told her story constructed two distinct “Artemisias,” what I identify as the “Academic Artemisia” and the “Celebrity Artemisia.” The “Academic Artemisia” results from writings by scholars focused on her 1610 Susanna and the Elders, who used approaches from formalism and connoisseurship, to feminism and iconography. The “Celebrity Artemisia” stems from popular fictions that refashioned the life and art of Artemisia according to pop culture tastes. Studying what has been said about …

A Conversation With Alisha Thompson

LGBTQ Alumni Oral History Project

This conversation represents an oral history interview with a Holy Cross alum who graduated in 2014. Highlights of this interview include the interviewee's reflections of campus life as a closeted and out GLBTQ student as well as the sources of support she turned to throughout her four years.

Interview keywords: closet, college, coming out, family, Jesuit, professional life, study abroad, support