Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons^™

A Gendered Historical Discourse Of The Naxalbari Movement, Pritha Sarkar

Journal of International Women's Studies

This paper analyzes the Indian English novel The Lowland (2012) by Jhumpa Lahiri and examines its representation of the Naxalbari movement’s (1965-1975) gendered history to locate women, their roles, their marginalized position, and the growth of their individual independent identities. The Naxalbari movement is the first major peasant protest within 20 years of Indian independence. Though the first actions of the movement were in a village of North Bengal, this paper mainly concentrates on the movement’s activities after it was urbanized and joined by the middle class. It, therefore, tries to locate the position of middle-class women within the movement. …

A Contextual Analysis Of The Feminization Of Poverty In Urban Slums Of Pakistan, Humaira Zulfiqar, Ra’Ana Malik

Journal of International Women's Studies

The term “feminization of poverty” was coined by Diana Pearce in 1978 who claimed that women heads of households were the poorest of the poor (Pearce, 1978). This concept became very popular in the 1990s after the fourth United Nations Conference on Women. Yet, after a decade of research on the feminization of poverty, Sylvia Chant and many other researchers criticized the narrowness of the concept and highlighted the need of including the gender dimensions of poverty within the definition of feminization of poverty (Chant 2003; Moghadam 2005; Staveren & Odebode, 2007). The research on the feminization of poverty from …

We Deliver: The Condition Of The Woman Academic In India Today, Ananya Dutta Gupta

Journal of International Women's Studies

This auto-ethnographic essay draws upon Foucault’s Archaeology of Knowledge to discuss the condition of Indian women in the Humanities in academia today. While acknowledging the encouragingly gender-inclusive projections in India’s National Education Policy vision statement from 2020, I argue for more probing engagement with the concrete reality of being a woman teacher and researcher in the increasingly competitive and corporatized milieu of higher education. My methodology has been a close reading of the NEP’s vision statement to analyze recurrences of terms and concepts as pointers to its discursive field. I argue that this policy statement implicitly envisions an empowered new-age …

Travails Of New Mothers Returning To Work In Corporate India: A Phenomenological Study, Anil Jose Thomas, N. T. Sudhesh

Journal of International Women's Studies

A woman’s life is a myriad of experiences and none, perhaps, leaves a more lasting impression on her than motherhood. The child-birth event along with all its highs and lows not only has a deep psychological impact on her as a person but also impacts her career in many ways. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, we have studied the lived experience of women who returned to work in corporate settings after maternity leave. Our study found that not only do they go through an emotional upheaval during this phase, but they also see a marked shift in the way they approach …

“I’M Different From You But Very Much Like You”: Religious Women Activists And Their Father Figures, Ayelet Makaros, Edith Blit-Cohen

Journal of International Women's Studies

This study examined activist women in religious society in Israel in order to gain in-depth insights into their lived experience and coping strategies in advocating for change in their society. The article is based on thematic analysis of semi-structured interviews with fourteen such women. Contrary to the expectation that there would be a dominant mother figure influencing the activists’ lives, the findings show that the influence of mothers was marginal and even an impeding factor, while father figures were the most significant in these women’s childhood and development into activists. All religious activists perceived their fathers as highly influential, in …

Older Women As Active Online Agents: Diversifying Cultural Conceptions Of “Grannies” Through Social Media, Hanna Varjakoski

Journal of International Women's Studies

With the advent of social media, the media environment has become more participatory for its users, making it possible for older adults to produce content for social media and be agential in online spaces. This article observes a group of older women known as Activist Grannies (Aktivistimummot in Finnish) and 60+ Finnish women bloggers who identify as “grannies” to discover what kind of agency social media potentially enables for older women. In addition, this article explores the cultural knowledge produced by older women’s self-representations as activist grannies and “granny bloggers.” I demonstrate that social media offers a space to …

Triumphant Or Trapped Pakistani Women? A Feminist Critique Of Mueenuddin’S “Nawabdin Electrician” And Haq’S Song “Chamkeeli”, Amna Khan

Journal of International Women's Studies

In patriarchal societies, women are traditionally subjugated and suppressed in one way or another. Men are privileged and kept at the center. They speak, express, and dream while benefiting from the autonomy provided to them by the phallogocentric system. By contrast, women are marginalized. Patriarchal writers define women as weak, fragile, helpless, docile, submissive, and emotional. However, this paper reveals that in Daniyal Mueenuddin’s “Nawabdin Electrician” and Abrar-ul-Haq’s song “Chamkeeli,” regardless of a change in times and “gender performativity,” Pakistani male writers continue to stigmatize women. This study shows that although gender roles are changing, women remain subjugated. My paper …

Are We Safe? An Investigation Of Eve-Teasing (Public Sexual Harassment) In India, Usha Rana

Journal of International Women's Studies

In recent years, many countries have tightened the rules against harassment in the workplace and violence in the home. On the other hand, incidences of sexual harassment against women in public places have not been paid sufficient attention. Developing countries like India have recorded an increase in sexual harassment cases in public places due to the increase in participation of women in activities outside the home such as education and employment. In India, the term “Eve-teasing” is a euphemism for sexual harassment in public places. Eve-teasing is identified as a significant problem in the patriarchal society of India that carries …

The Madness Of Women As An Illusional Power In Charlotte Brontë’S Jane Eyre And Fadia Faqir’S Pillars Of Salt, Luma Balaa

Journal of International Women's Studies

Historically speaking, women have been associated with madness, be it Medea from Ancient Greece, the medieval trials of the witches of Salem, or so called “hysterical” women in the Victorian era. Even in 21st-century literature, arts, and media, the madness of women is widely discussed and often romanticized. Some women authors employed the madwoman trope to show the effects of patriarchal oppression on women. Other studies have associated women’s madness in literature with subversion. This paper, however, claims that the portrayal of madness in both Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre (1847) and Fadia Faqir’s Pillars of Salt (1996) is not subversive, …

Women Supporting Women: A Glass Ceiling For Women Politicians In Ibadan, Nigeria, Chisaa Onyekachi Igbolekwu, Chukwubueze Ogadimma Arisukwu, Judith Ifunanya Ani, Eunice Uwadinma-Idemudia, Omowumi Oluwaseun Agbemuko

Journal of International Women's Studies

Nigerian women account for almost half of the country’s population, yet they represent a minuscule percentage of elected positions. Many scholars have attributed this to the patriarchal system inherent in Nigeria. This study, however, submits that the rate at which women support women politicians during elections is a major contributing factor to unequal gender representation in Nigerian politics. The concept of the glass ceiling and postcolonial theory guided the explanatory framework for this study. The study was conducted among women within voting age in Ibadan, in southwestern Nigeria. The study adopted a mixed-method design to generalize and gain deep insights. …

The Racial Swamps Of Reconstruction: Harriet Beecher Stowe’S Life In Post-Civil War Florida, Elif S. Armbruster

Journal of International Women's Studies

Harriet Beecher Stowe, the internationally known U.S. author and abolitionist, whom President Abraham Lincoln famously called “the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war,” referring to Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852) and the American Civil War (1861-1865),^[1] was also the author of numerous other works, many of them much lesser known today. Stowe’s Palmetto Leaves (1873), the subject of this essay, was, for example, a best-selling travel narrative about life in Florida after the American Civil War and is considered to have been an impetus behind the modern tourist industry in Florida. Today, however, Palmetto Leaves …

A Listening Guide Analysis Of Bisi’S Story Of Living With Female Genital Mutilation, Chinyere Elsie Ajayi, Sunday Ajayi

Journal of International Women's Studies

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is recognized worldwide as a fundamental violation of the human rights of girls and women. It reflects a deep-rooted inequality between men and women and constitutes an extreme form of discrimination against women. Studies have examined the short and long-term impacts of FGM, including the impact on the sexual functioning of women. The aim of this article was to gain an in-depth insight into one woman’s experiences of living with FGM. The analysis presented in this article is grounded in the voice-centered relational or “listening guide” (LG) method of in-depth narrative data analysis developed by Gilligan …

Gender Discrimination In Hong Kong Churches, Caroline C. Yih

Journal of International Women's Studies

Institutional sexism continues to hinder women’s career progression, creating hurdles that women must overcome in the workplace. The context of institutional religion is not exempt from such gender-related injustice, and women in leadership positions within the ecclesiastical system are vulnerable to overt gender inequality. This article examines gender disenfranchisement in Hong Kong churches. It utilizes data gathered and processed through the qualitative research methodology of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) to analyze the lived experience of clergywomen in English-speaking faith communities in Hong Kong. The study reveals the indisputable presence of institutional sexism manifested and perpetuated by a host of gender …

Editors' Introduction, Priyanka Tripathi, Kimberly Davis, Catherine Ndinda

Journal of International Women's Studies

No abstract provided.

“We Need To Figure Out Who We Are”: Reframing Manhood In An Online Discussion Forum, Tomas Sanjuan Jr.

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

In this thesis, I explore the potential of online communities in negotiating alternative forms of “doing” masculinity. I focus on the /r/bropill which is hosted on Reddit – home to thousands of active discussion forums called subreddits. I argue that the members of /r/bropill subreddit are attempting to redefine what it means to live your life not only as a man but as a “good man.” Using a purposive sample, I analyzed 24 discussions which totaled 1325 posts (n = 1325). I conducted a qualitative textual analysis of the original posts and comments inspired by grounded theory. My findings reveal …

The Sun Shines On Us, Too: Bobby Smith And Tampa's Early Lgbtq Community, Connor G. Lasseter

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Bobby Smith (1923-2008) was a Tampa Bay butch lesbian, photographer, and earlyLGBTQ Florida figure, together with his partner of nearly fifty years, Katherine “Kay” Thompson (1923-2009). Coming of age as the Second World War provided women and girls with a certain level of independence, Smith easily found comfort presenting in a masculine, butch fashion outside of certain spheres such as school, and quickly dropped any remaining femininity once he left it. Throughout his life, in the workplace, at social gatherings, and at home, he maintained a masculine presentation for his entire life. As a photographer, Smith documented numerous photographs of …

Differences In Mental Wellbeing Factors Amongst College Students By Intersections Of Race/Ethnicity And Sexual Orientation/Gender, Hannah N. Schlichte

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

The aim of this study was to examine our understanding regarding the intersection of both racial/ethnic and sexual/gender minority identities and its impact on the mental health of college students. A secondary data analysis of the Wake Forest University Wellbeing Assessment was utilized. The total number of participants was comprised of 528 students from a large research university in the Southeastern United States. For this study, new categories representing the intersection of race/ethnicity (White, Black, Hispanic etc.) and sexual orientation/gender (LGBTQ, heterosexual, cisgender etc.) were created: double majority, single minority race/ethnicity, single minority sexual orientation/gender, and double minority. One-way ANOVA …

Same-Sex Marriage Judgment Asks Queer Citizens To Wait For True Equality At A Future Time That May Never Arrive, Kunal Ambasta

Popular Media

Excerpt:

"For about the last 15 years, the queer rights movement has enriched the constitutional law of this country. Some of the most cherished constitutional values and rights have been fleshed out with the movement as its springboards at the Supreme Court.... The Court fully acknowledges, in abstract, the rights of queer couples to equal treatment before the law, dignity, and of the numerous tangible and intangible benefits of the institution of marriage, but refuses to ensure any of these rights to a clear case of legal discrimination or to craft a suitable remedy."

A Queered Exhibition: Lgbtqia+ Artists Expressing Identity And Visibility Through Art-Based Research, Christy D. Paris

USF Tampa Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Too often museums, galleries, and art curriculum ignore or erase the lives and art of LGBTQIA+ individuals. This exhibition aimed to make the diverse lives and art from the queer community visible. Integrating queer perspectives and visibility is empowering and creates a sense of belonging. Queering the art world can present alternative perspectives, promote diversity, and provide exposure to a more inclusive experience for all. The aim of this inquiry is to inform institutional practices within museums on queer inclusivity and further scholarship on this topic by engaging with the queer art community and public during an exhibition held in …

Transpositive Learning: Creating A Positive Environment For Trans/Gnc Learners, Jeannie Ludlow, Shelley Berry

Together We RISE (Making Excellence Inclusive)

The first few days of a new semester are anxiety-producing for all students. Our trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming students come to our classes carrying all the standard student worries plus fears that they will be outed, misgendered, misnamed, excluded from examples, and/or unable to find convenient restrooms. So many of our normalized teaching practices, especially during introductory sessions, inadvertently exclude or objectify trans, nonbinary, and gender-nonconforming individuals or reinforce essentialized and binary gender norms. Sometimes, even those practices that we intend to be welcoming are not. In this workshop, we provide tips and strategies for making our courses, from the …

Belonging In Unashamed Authenticity, Nathan R. Kitchen

Together We RISE (Making Excellence Inclusive)

In 2020, the UCLA School of Law’s Williams Institute reported that 47% of LGBTQ adults were moderately or highly religious. This equates to 5.3 million religious LGBTQ adults in America. We cannot ignore this population.

When making the transition into young adulthood, many religious LGBTQ youth feel they must make a choice between their spiritual well-being or their queerness. As a university community interested in the success of the rising generation, we can provide support for religious queer young adults through understanding:

1. What is happening in this transition and why,

2. The well-being needs of religious queer young adults …

A Study Of Video Game Genre Preference Of Male And Non-Male Students At Harrisburg University, Sarah Stover, Kelsey Wardell, Ella Grimes

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

We plan to survey at least 100 students at Harrisburg university, where there is a very large gaming community, about their tendencies towards certain video game genres to collect the necessary categorical data. Separating the data into different genres serves to help our audience better visualize the disparity in representation between men and non-men in these genres and the studies based on them. By demonstrating the disproportion in the number of non-men versus men who play the popularly studied genres, we hope to shed light on how underrepresented non-men are in the video-game research community. We also hope to encourage …

Fingernails, Khalidah Ali

Journal of Religion & Film

This is a film review of Fingernails (2023), directed by Christos Nikou.

Smarginatura: The Art And Politics Of Elena Ferrante, Ryan A. Lillestrand

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

In the Neapolitan Quartet, a sprawling epic following the lives of two women in post-war Italy, the author, Elena Ferrante, explores the intimate relationship between politics and art, pushing at the borders we often construct between the two. At a particularly critical moment in the novels, the central character, Elena Greco, a poor girl from Naples who rises to the position of a successful novelist, is told by her more politically radical friends that she is not doing enough, that “this, objectively, is not the moment for writing novels.” But then, when is? The current political climate in Italy is …

International Relations From Below: Teaching Absences In International Relations, Tamara Soukotta

Feminist Pedagogy

For four years (2017-2022) I was part of a teaching team to teach the subject of International Relations (IR) to second-year Bachelor International Studies students. The course was structured to have twelve lectures; these lectures were to be delivered by the course leaders to an audience of 500-800 students. In addition to the lectures, students had four tutorial classes, where the rest of the teaching team worked with smaller groups of students (12-15 students in each group). These classes were designed to help the students link theories and practices. As a woman of colour teaching IR in a Dutch university, …

Undoing The Absence Of Asexuality In The Classroom, Canton Winer

Feminist Pedagogy

Asexuality exists at the margins of sexuality, often invisible to and misunderstood outside—and even within—the LGBTQIA+ community. As an identity that generally refers to those who experience low/no sexual attraction, asexuality challenges the broadly held notion that everyone experiences sexual attraction. Given the centrality of sexuality to a great deal of feminist scholarship, the absence of asexuality in many feminist classrooms is striking. Moreover, decades of feminist and queer research and pedagogy have demonstrated the vast, liberatory potential of centering the margins as we seek to understand the social world. With that lineage in mind, asexuality presents a rich, relatively …

Facing Gender Absence: Questioning The International Relations Curriculum From A Peripheral Feminist Perspective And Practice, Alessandra Jungs De Almeida, Jocieli Decol

Feminist Pedagogy

The International Relations field is historically tied to masculine, European, and white hegemonic ideologies. As a result, gender and feminist debates rarely appear on the construction of the International Relations university curriculum and its teaching practices. Considering this scenario, the main goal of this critical commentary is to present ways to face gender and feminist absence in the International Relations classroom. We demonstrate how inside-outside classroom interaction and debates can be a powerful tool to transform International Relations teaching and curriculum, opening space to feminist pedagogical perspectives and practices.

Interrogating Silences In The Postcolonial Classroom, Sheema Khawar

Feminist Pedagogy

In this paper I explore my experiences as visiting faculty teaching English language and Feminist Studies courses at a private university in Karachi, Pakistan. While balancing these different fields I aimed to integrate feminist pedagogies (Keating, 2007; Hooks,1994; Swarr and Nagar, 2010) and strategize with other politically aligned faculty to draw out important issues in our courses. I was faced with the challenging task of constructing syllabi attendant to the training of students in the ‘canons’ of the field and finding course content that allowed us collectively to engage with critical conversations on regional issues. Formal academic publication processes have …

Teaching Queer Trauma: Applying Meditation As A Pedagogy Of Compassion, Kody Muncaster

Feminist Pedagogy

Mindfulness practices can help greatly when teaching potentially triggering courses on queerness and trauma. Meditation allows students to learn how to manage triggers, enhancing their distress tolerance and their ability to fully engage with course material. It also has practical benefits for applied courses, as students will learn how mindfulness practices can help when working with queer and traumatized clients in, for example, a social services setting. This original teaching activity describes a course I taught called 'Queer Trauma and Resilience: Canadian Perspectives,' and outlines several meditations that were taught progressively throughout the course. Debriefing methods are included as well …

“It Was Never Enough”: Queer Collectives And Zine-Making In The Classroom, Katherine Von Wald

Feminist Pedagogy

This original teaching activity outlines the use of zine-making in fostering student collectivity, creativity, and intellectual activism in and through absence and silence in feminist classrooms.