Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

Replication And Growth In Cassava Cultivation And Uxorilocal Women’S Relations Among The Waiwai: A Mother's Reckoning With Death And Social Change, Laura H. Mentore

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

Through an ethnographic examination of the shared capacities of cassava and womanhood for what I term growth and replication, I argue that Waiwai sociality seeks to curtail the trajectory of life towards finite death through the intervening act of cutting and replanting or replicating life in a vegetatively inspired form of the “episodic present” (Strathern 2021). An extended vignette demonstrates how these features of Waiwai sociality take shape in mother-daughter and sister relations at the core of uxorilocal residential living, and in a senior woman’s reckonings with illness, death, and social change.

The Little Black Book: When Recipes Tell Stories, Cordula C. Peters

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

In post-war Germany in the 1950s my grandmother used to collect recipes from magazines, newspapers, and the backs of food packaging that she neatly cut out and saved. Other recipes were carefully copied with pen and ink. At some point, when my mother was still a child and my grandmother still alive, she and her sister compiled all these recipes and tidily pasted them into a black notebook for safekeeping. Growing up many of the recipes from this book became much-loved dishes prepared by my mother and expected by my siblings and I almost religiously for important holidays such as …

The Women Eat Last: Traditions, Table Manners, And Gender Narratives At The Romanian Dining Table, Alexandra Constantinescu

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

Rooted in a rich history, with decades of oppressive politics and patriarchal displays of power, Romanian culture is shaped by complex narratives of resistance, endurance, adaptation, and transformation. Gender discourses in traditional Romanian culture portray women as the ideal frontline worker, heroic mother, outstanding housewife and an active member of the community. Expected to sacrifice personal aspirations and lifestyle for the well-being of others, they would almost exclusively be tasked with sourcing, preparing, and serving food for the family. They would be the last to sit at the family dining table - and the last to eat. In contrast, the …

Domestic Violence: Lived Experiences Of Female Counselors, Franchesca Angelique Ortiz

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological research study involved exploring how effective heterosexual female counselors who have survived domestic violence (DV) are at counseling female clients experiencing DV. The goal was to gather rich firsthand data regarding lived experiences of female counselors. This study involved using in-depth semi-structured synchronous interviews with six counselors, listening to lived experiences, reading transcriptions, taking and reading notes in a journal during and after interviews, and analyzing data. Findings revealed female counselors who are survivors of DV are effective in their counseling roles within the profession. Themes that emerged from findings were intergenerational cycles, power and control, …

Forbidden Fruit: Mary Cassatt’S Mural Of “Modern Woman” At The World’S Columbian Exposition, Chicago 1893, Tricia Cusack

Dublin Gastronomy Symposium

This paper considers a large mural of “The Modern Woman” painted in France by the American artist Mary Cassatt for the Woman’s Building at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893. It focuses in particular on the large central panel of the mural titled Young Women Plucking the Fruits of Knowledge or Science that depicts women and girls apple-picking. Cassatt’s mural drew on various traditions and myths. Apple harvesting was a common sight in America. Cassatt’s title though points to the story of Eve and forbidden fruit, in which Eve seeks knowledge, but is severely punished for it. Cassatt …

Utilizing Existing Postfeminist Framework To Explore A Sexualized Media Test Case: “Man Needs A Woman” By Maty Noyes, Nicole Doris

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Postfeminism is simply referred to as the most recent wave of feminism, but feminist scholars have failed to reach a standardized definition that recognizes the nuances of sexuality, media, and culture present within the field. This paper utilizes the postfeminist framework of two prominent feminist scholars: Rosalind Gill and Feona Attwood. Specifically, this paper draws from Gill’s interpretation of postfeminism and Attwood’s interpretation of the sexualization of culture and the overlap between the two theories. Rather than attempt to offer a concrete definition in such a rapidly evolving field, this paper offers a music video from a lesser-known pop artist, …

Du Undergraduate Showcase Abstracts: Research, Scholarship, And Creative Works, August Alexander, Kevin Summers, E. Paige Lloyd, Alyssa Aragon, Lauren Wols, Erica Larson, Colton Arciniaga, Lily Baeza, Ellie Barnett-Cashman, Sidney Barbier, Maverick Bartholomew, Ryan Bell, Trevor Briggs, Amanda Brown, Cory Marchi, Maddy Pontius, Jennifer Gallagher, Claire Kwok, Channing Bullock, Alex Mccollister, Kim Gorgens, Daniela Chavez, Yamilet Espinoza Nuñez, Giovanni Valladares Giron, William Christensen, Olivia Kachulis, Daniel Cierasynski, Brandon Cohen, Spenser Dobbs, Lindsay Goolsby, Noah Craver, Nyah Cubbison, Liam Doherty, Nicole Doris, Yan Qin, Alexander Nguyen, Lily Harmon, Shubh Todi, Naichen Zhao, Noah Fagello, Stacia Fritz, Paola Gascot-Chinea, Alex Volkova, Janelyn Geronimo, Elsie Harrington, Shane Simmons, Clarice Hise, Laura Moreno Palmer, Henry Xu, Yesu Leela Pasupula, Emily Fisher, Zachary Hogan, Colin Kleckner, Alyssa Knaus, Erin Kubat, Sam Werkema, Katie Lamberton, Lilliya Larson, Allie Leary, Vanessa Leon-Gamez, James H. Gallagher, E. Dale Broder, Robin M. Tinghitella, Emma Loeber, Alina Mali, Ixchel Marquez, Lauren Mcgrath, Ella Matthews, Grace Naegelen, Audrey Ng, Megan Lucyshyn, Rachel Brough, Alexandra Norman, Joe Ontiveros Rodriguez, Ben Dossett, Ori Miller, Janamejay Sharma, Christopher Reardon, Vincent Pandey, Regan Parish, Ren Pratt, Alisha Pravasi, Sanchari Das, Cari Reichel, Emma Robson, Victoria Rockwell, Jayce Rumsey, Steven Said, Norah Schroder, Alaina Smith, Shannon Murphy, Shujan A. Sharafeldeen, Stanley M. Kanai, James T. Nichols, David E. Clouthier, Macalia R. Augustus, Daniel Silva Rios, Scott Simpson, Anna Sparling, Chase Spurbeck, Kimberly Chiew, Christine Stadnik-Poteroba, Jacqueline Stephenson, Evelyn Stovin, Mia Supan, Lauren Tapper, Will Thrush, Anna Vogt, Michaela Walheim, Jon Weber, Hunter Whitehouse, Kansas Wood, Hayley Sayre, Lydia Mccann, Maread Mclaughlin, Kelly Krumrie, Olivia Wuttke

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Abstracts from the DU Undergraduate Research Showcase.

Shaming Women To Shame Men: A Case Study Of The Houthis And The Relationship Between Honor Culture In Yemen And Sexual Violence Against Women In The Yemeni Civil War, Emma Loeber, Hilary Matfess

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

The factors that influence an armed group’s use of sexual violence against women during times of conflict is a much studied area due to the prevalence of the phenomenon, and the significant implications it has for human rights. Studies on the subject have generally contended that cultural attributes and practices present during peacetime play a significant role in determining whether or not an armed group will incorporate sexual violence as a part of their strategy. A relatively under-researched cultural practice that could influence the use of conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) is the presence and importance of honor culture in a …

Gender Diversity In The Workplace: Pronouns, Gender-Stereotyped Job Listings, And Perceptions Of Hireability, Elise B. Charette, Sarah E. Nemanick, Paige C. Keim, Sarah M. Ledoux, Lindsay A. Goolsby, E. Paige Lloyd

DU Undergraduate Research Journal Archive

Past research has investigated the impact of gender and gender biases on hiring decisions for cisgender individuals. However, there is a lack of research on how perceptions of gender diverse individuals impact hiring decisions. The current work explores how a job applicant’s gender pronouns may impact the likelihood of the applicant getting hired. We also investigated whether this likelihood varied depending on the job description—specifically whether it included content related to gender stereotypes (e.g., “nurturing” versus “leadership capabilities” as a desired trait in job applicants). Ninety-six participants were randomly assigned to view an application package including she/her, he/him, or they/them …

Queering Futures With Data-Driven Speculation: The Design Of An Expanded Mixed Methods Research Framework Integrating Quantitative, Qualitative, And Practice-Based Modes, Jess Parris Westbrook

College of Education Theses and Dissertations

Queering’ questions, unlearns, disrupts, and transforms approaches, expectations, and realities. Futures are time and change. The approach I have designed to operationalize Queering and futures, or Queering futures, is the Queering Futures Framework (QFF). The Queering Futures Framework (QFF) is a brand-new transdisciplinary research framework intersecting values, positionality, complexity, Queerness themes, and futures praxis. This framework expands traditional mixed methods research conventions by integrating quantitative, qualitative, and practice-based research modes and mindsets. The Queering Futures Framework (QFF) prototype presented in this dissertation functions as a test case and proof of concept. The prototype quantitative mode measures attitudes towards AI, and …

Book Review: Organizing Women: Home, Work, And The Institutional Infrastructure Of Print In Twentieth-Century America, Christine Pawley, Madelaine Russell

School of Information Student Research Journal

In carefully selected case studies of white and Black middle-class American women, Pawley, a professor emerita at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Information School, provides a detailed exploration of the “largely untold history” of women who used their involvement in print-centered organizations to reshape their lives beyond the unpaid domestic sphere (1). The first three chapters of the book trace the histories of primarily domestic women who held active roles in institutions of print culture such as journalism and radio broadcasting while the last three focus on the lives of women whose full-time employment helped to shape the developing public library …

Medieval German Christian Women’S Religious Experience, Elliot Knell

Departmental Honors & Graduate Capstone Projects

In the medieval period, both professed women and laywomen were deeply involved in manuscript production, and the use of books was often a vital part of their religious practices. In order to fully understand the value that manuscripts held for medieval women it is important to understand the medical and philosophical understandings of sex that permeated medieval society in order to better understand gendered experiences within Christian spaces. Additionally, examining how vision was understood as both a physical and spiritual process allows for a deeper understanding of how visual art is used in religious contexts. In the medieval period, understandings …

Feminism In Practice: Learning From The Barefoot “Solar Mamas”, Neda Parvin Shaikh

Journal of International Women's Studies

The Barefoot College (India) is an NGO working in the fields of education, skills development, health, drinking water, and solar power mainly to train older, rural women who are determined to challenge restrictive gender roles in their respective communities. Since its inception, the NGO has trained over 2,000 rural women as solar engineers across 93 countries worldwide and has brought electricity to over 18,000 homes. Barefoot trainers employ non- normative methods of sharing knowledge such as color coding, sign language, and practical experience. This paper conducts a critical assessment of the Barefoot College Solar Electrification Programme to explore how it …

Trends In Family Planning Methods: An Intergenerational Study Of The Lived Experiences Of Tribal Women In Attappady, India, Asha Sankar V., Moly Kuruvilla

Journal of International Women's Studies

Family planning methods have the potential to improve maternal and child health outcomes; thus, ensuring the right to family planning methods is critical in safeguarding the sexual and reproductive health rights of women. Despite the high standards of maternal and child healthcare in Kerala, a southern state in India, tribal pockets within the state such as Attappady have a high prevalence of maternal health issues and infant death rates. The present study conducted in Attappady, which focuses on an intergenerational comparison from an intersectional approach, is intended to explore the trends, practices, and experiences of tribal women regarding their awareness …

Rights Of Women Laborers In The Indian Legal System: A Critical Analysis, Kirandeep Kaur

Journal of International Women's Studies

Women laborers form an important part of the labor workforce in India; however, not all are recognized, not many are protected, and very few are treated equally to men. The Equal Remuneration Act of 1976 clearly states that persons doing “same work or work of a similar nature” are not to be discriminated against on the ground of gender. The Factories Act of 1948 has special provisions for women workers pertaining to washrooms, changing rooms, creches, and work hours. The Maternity Benefit Act of 1961 entitles a woman, inter alia, to twenty-six weeks of paid maternity relief. The protection given …

Professional Black South African Women Speak Out In Resistance To Patriarchy: Overcoming Barriers To Self Development, Padhma Moodley, Corné Meintjes

Journal of International Women's Studies

The professional and social spaces occupied by educated Black South African women are arenas marked by multifaceted challenges and struggles. This study looks into the resistance strategies employed by Professional Black Women (PBW) against patriarchal norms and the ways they navigate cultural, gender, and self-development barriers. Utilizing a qualitative research design grounded in the Interpretative Phenomenological Approach, the study aims to elucidate the lived experiences of PBW as they confront various barriers. The purposive sample comprises three professional Black women pursuing doctoral degrees and serving as lecturers within higher education institutions. This paper illuminates the familial and cultural patriarchal structures …

Assessment Of The Economic Empowerment Of Women Before And After Establishment Of The Economic Community Of West African States (Ecowas), Agatha Itohan Oseghale, Abigail John Jirgi, Faith Dabaniyu Ibrahim, Abu Ogaji, Alaba Olanike Ojo, Ramatu Usman Bako, Halima Sallawu

Journal of International Women's Studies

Gender forms an integral element of every aspect of the economic, social, and private lives of individuals and societies. Growth and development can only be achieved if all resources and talents are harnessed; however, all over the globe, there are laws and regulations which can restrict or encourage women’s economic opportunities. This study analyzed the before and after trends in women’s economic empowerment among the members of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) union. The study utilized the Women, Business, and the Law Index Score from 1970 to 2021 for the 15 member countries of ECOWAS which was …

Hashtag Counterpublics: #Lifeinleggings As Feminist Disruption To Mainstream Public Media Discourses, Alicia Haynes

Journal of International Women's Studies

This essay explores the disruptive impact that the hashtag #LifeinLeggings, founded by the Caribbean Alliance against Gender-Based Violence, had upon mainstream media, highlighting its role in reshaping public discourse from feminist counterpublics. It examines how women, through the sharing and documentation of their stories, unsettle mass media spaces to initiate crucial conversations about their mundane experiences with sexism and misogyny. Through a critical technocultural discourse analysis, I interrogate the disparities in discourse and representation of the movement in online newspapers at the start of the movement. The article contrasts the silence of local media in Barbados, with more detailed reporting …

“Everyone Here Is Smarter Than Me”: Imposter Phenomenon Among Indian Women Returning To Technology Careers After A Career Break, Swati Singh, Sita Vanka

Journal of International Women's Studies

Research on the imposter phenomenon (IP) is burgeoning. Most research, however, has studied the role of personality factors, attitudinal disposition, and individual beliefs as a determinant of IP. Surprisingly, the role of context has not been explored enough. Recent research indicates that context can trigger the experience of the imposter phenomenon. This study confirms these results and calls for contextualizing IP from a systemic or organizational perspective rather than as a personal challenge. In this study, we argue that women returning to careers in the technology fields after a career break may experience IP due to contextual and situational factors. …

Epistemic Injustice Against Khoi-Coloured Women From The Cape: Connected Encounters With The Matriarchal Lineages Of Krotoa, Darlene Miller

Journal of International Women's Studies

Epistemic injustice towards Indigenous women is a global reality. In South Africa (SA) and beyond, Black pain is a recognized experience. “Coloured” pain is less familiar terrain since “Coloured” identity is accepted by some South Africans but rejected by others. Racial identities, however, often manifest as a material reality in society, shaping the life possibilities and potentialities of people. “Coloured” women have experienced limited upward mobility in post-Apartheid SA, and experiences of non-belonging accompany “Coloured” consciousness, collectively and individually. Claims attached to Khoi-Coloured heritage are growing more assertive in the current body politic and concentrated in provinces like the Western …

Moralistic Science: Socio-Cultural Norms About Sexuality In Indian Biology Education, Panchami Jose, Sugra Chunawala, Deepa Chari

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper takes the position that the discourses of science and morality are not distinct within biology education; rather, they inform each other to produce, discipline, and regulate human sexuality. Our analysis of the medical and moral discussion on sexuality in a secondary school science textbook (the 12th standard National Council for Educational Research and Training textbook), along with insights from interviews with teachers, reveals that the texts portray a romanticized notion of sex that is limited to a monogamous heterosexual relationship. In the first part of the paper, we analyze how the biology textbook discusses “safer sex” in the …

Re-Envisioning Community-Engaged Healing For Black Women, Reanae Mcneal, Marqua Harris, Vanessa Oliphant

Journal of International Women's Studies

Black women in the United States continue to face multilayered forms of anti-Black gendered oppression leading to severe health disparities and inequities that have a dire impact on their well-being. This paper recognizes the urgency to attend to Black women’s health and healing in the pursuit of creating health equity. The authors call for the creation of sacred spaces for Black women to participate in embodied and community-engaged healing, grounded in a gender justice that is inextricably tied to racial justice. This research is inspired by the long, rich line of Black American women activist-healers that have called for the …

Forced Migration As A “State Of Exception”: The Precarious Lives Of Migrant Women Of Jammu And Kashmir In Kulvir Gupta’S Embers The Beginning And Embers The End Of Mirpur, Rishav Bali, Isha Malhotra

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper explores the lost stories of the precarious lives of thousands of migrant women from the community that the Indian government officially calls Displaced Persons of Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (DPs of PoJK). We examine the stories of those who survived the painful migration that followed tribal raids in the western parts of the kingdom of Jammu and Kashmir, which ceased to exist after its accession with the Union of India on October 26, 1947. Drawing on the concept of precarity as propounded by Judith Butler, this paper critically examines the torturous experiences of women in Kulvir Gupta’s autobiography, …

Dalit Feminist Literature From South India: New Models And Perspectives, Sujatha Moni, Miruna George

Journal of International Women's Studies

Twenty-first century Indian literature has been enriched overall by Dalit feminist literature written originally in regional languages and available in English translation. What are the contributions of South Indian Dalit women’s writings to literature and to feminism? How is the representation of women in South Indian Dalit literature redefining the images of women in contemporary literature? These questions are answered through an analysis of Bama’s Karukku, select short stories by Gogu Shyamala and Joopaka Subhadra, and select poems by Swaroopa Rani, Sukirtharani, and Vijila Chirappad. Using Dalit feminist theory, we examine how the texts analyzed here represent the standpoints of …

The Impact Of Childhood Sexual Abuse On Interpersonal Relationships: A Cross-Sectional Study In Trinidad, Bernadette Marson

Journal of International Women's Studies

Child sexual abuse (CSA) is a pervasive social problem that can have long-term effects on women’s relationships because it makes them vulnerable to revictimization. Girls are more vulnerable than boys to be victims of CSA, and those abused by someone they trust are at higher risk of experiencing increased trauma and interpersonal problems. This quantitative research study investigated the association between CSA and interpersonal relationships. Participants completed anonymous surveys exploring these two variables. Results showed that among other vulnerabilities, women who reported sexual abuse within the family reported overall greater interpersonal problems compared with non-abused participants. Given the prevalence of …

Introduction: Selected Papers From The 9th World Conference On Women’S Studies, Bangkok, Thailand, 2023, Alicia Haynes, Asma Noureen, Marlene Johnson

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

Feeling Otherwise: A Hermeneutic Phenomenological Study Of Queer And Trans Youth Of Color Who Create And Embody Fursonas, Hazel Ali Zaman

Dissertations and Theses

Queer and trans youth of color are often the target of surveillance, bullying, discrimination, and abuse. However, in an attempt to navigate such violent and discriminatory circumstances, the queer and trans youth of color in this dissertation found refuge in furry art and performances, both online and offline, where they were able to express themselves freely and thus acquire a sense of belonging among others with similar experiences. In this dissertation, "a furry" is used to refer to an individual who self-identifies as one who has an affinity for anthropomorphic animal characters. A common practice among furries is creating a …

Our Body-Minds Are Not Apologies: How Systemic Oppression, Beauty Standards & Desirability Politics Impact The Body-Image & Sex Lives Of Trans & Non-Binary People With Physical (Dis)Abilities, Elm Mack

University Honors Theses

Due to the ableism, whiteness, and cisgender-heteropatriarchy in the US, people who are marked by racial, physical, neuro, and gendered differences are stereotypically considered to be less desirable. By applying a perspective informed by Disability Studies, Trans Studies, and Queer of Color Theory (including scholars like Eli Clare, Robert McRuer, Sonya Renee Taylor, Audre Lorde, Sami Schalk, Chris Finley, and Alicia Cox), I investigate how societal norms, beauty standards, and systemic oppression have disproportionately impacted the body-images and sex lives of trans and non-binary people with physical (dis)abilities. This thesis aims to shed light on the variety of ways in …

The Mariner (And His Wife): Queering Aldarion's (A)Sexuality, Rory M. Queripel

Journal of Tolkien Research

“Aldarion and Erendis” (Unfinished Tales) is a rare example in Tolkien’s work of a marriage gone severely awry. Many readings of the tale apportion blame to Aldarion, who is seen as “unwilling” to make the marriage work (Fitzsimmons, 2015), cruel and unfeeling towards Erendis, who herself is characterised as resentful and unaccepting (Rosenthal, 2004). However, these readings rely on an assumption of a cisheteronormative and, more importantly, allosexual relationship between the couple.

This paper proposes an alternate view of Aldarion and his role in the story, suggesting the possibility that he is asexual and/or aromantic (i.e., he does …

Drowned Maidens And Mother Earth: The Roots Of Sexism In Russian Folklore Studies, Juniper Guthrie

The Corinthian

During the mid-nineteenth century, the Russian intelligentsia began to lean towards Slavophilic studies in their pursuit of Russian nationalism. The driving thesis of the Slavophilic movement sought to embrace Slavic (and for Russian nationalists, specifically Russian) culture and roots, pushing back against the Petrine and Catherine movements towards Westernization. A crucial element of this mythic Slavic culture that often went unquestioned was the strict code of its gender norms. Significant folklore collectors brought their class and gender biases along with them. They held very specific beliefs regarding “real” folklore and “proper” performances of tales, imposing their intellectual structure onto a …