Race and Ethnicity Commons^™

The Case Of M.C. – An Argument For Legal, Medical, And Social Recognition Of Ambiguity, Debra Beight

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This paper is an examination of the interconnectedness of juridical, medical, and social constructs surrounding intersex/DSD (Difference/Disorder of Sex Development) sex assignment surgeries. Looking at a pending court case involving a child that was in state custody at the time of their sex assignment surgery, we can observe the influences of the medical industry’s tendency to treat intersex conditions like disabilities, as sites of therapeutic interventions. These pathologized intrusions become government-sanctioned interventions that are supported by, and in turn bolster, societal expectations of conformity and normalcy.

Liberation Is Not Wearing A Bra To The Gym, Maggie Deagon

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

No abstract provided.

Grotesque Bodies: Transsexuals’ Struggle For Truth In Iran, Marie Lecuyer

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

Many western commentators have been shocked by the legislation addressing transsexual’s’ right to transitioning and sex reassignment surgery in a strictly-gendered regulated county like Iran. As if all of a sudden Iran rose among countries of the Middle East as a paradise for transsexuals. Other recurrent narratives depicted the Iranian members of the LGBT community as victims of a purely theocratic and authoritarian regime, forcing non-gender normative individuals to change sex to fit in society. Rather, the space given to transsexuals now allowed to function more freely and be at peace with themselves reshapes the LGBT community’s relation to the …

Between Autonomy And Alienation: Creating The Self Via Sex-Reassignment Surgery, Annthony M. Duffey

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

Upon a consideration of self-creation and the introduction of the gender binary a potential limiter of autonomy, sexQreassignment surgery (SRS) beckons significant reconsideration by the biomedical/ethical field, ranging from the transpersons who undergo it to the preoperative processes that oversee it. Autonomy does not underlie a majority of SRS on prevailing biomedical hypotheses; SRS is granted to those candidates who report symptoms of dysfunction and denied to candidates who do not confirm such suspicions. This research proposes that, upon his or her failure or refusal to demonstrate some understanding of the potentially limiting influence of the gender binary, a candidate …

Effects Of School Curriculum On Sexual Health, Emma Sturm

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

Surveys indicate that, when asked directly, women have positive perceptions of their vaginas and perceive vaginal, sexual, and reproductive health as important. However, when asked about their actual habits relating to vaginal health, women’s answers seemed to suggest the opposite. This disconnect between perceptions and practice suggest there may be some societal influence keeping the women from carrying out their health maintenance as well as they would like to. This paper examines the role schools play in controlling women’s sexuality, which may be contributing to the lack of accessibility to vaginal, sexual, and reproductive health.

Sexual Assault: Whose Fault Is It Anyway In A Rape Culture?, Grace Pappas

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

Sexual assault has recently gained attention as a prevalent issue in American culture, particularly on college campuses. While in some places much is being done to raise awareness and end this form of gendered violence, too often fingers are pointed at possible causes rather than intertwined as hands held together in the fight against this injustice. Through an examination of empirical research, it is clear that the issue of sexual assault stems from and is perpetuated by a rape culture, a culture in which we are all a part. This paper argues that if we are to fight sexual assault, …

Bending The Binary: Lgbtq Sex Workers’ Gender Presentations, Nicole White

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

The lived experiences of LGBTQ sex workers are largely unknown. Of the few representations of LGBTQ sex workers in media and academia, most are shrouded in inaccurate and dehumanizing stereotypes. Through qualitative interviews with eight LGBTQ sex workers in Denver and Boulder, Colorado, this thesis attempts to portray an accurate view of the way LGBTQ sex workers negotiate their gender and sexual identities. LGBTQ sex workers were found to balance their queer and trans identities and presentations with clients’ perceived desires for hegemonic gender presentations, maintaining a unique blend of authentic presentation and marketability.

Gender Work: Survival, Subversion, And Subjectivity For Queer And Trans Youth, Josie Wenig

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

Gender play as a mode of exposing hegemonic gender norms has become over determined and circumscribed within queer discourse. Subversion becomes only possible through hyperbole, drag, and performance. We play with gender, we fuck with it, and that’s that. What would a different framework, one that accounts for the very real labor of gender, look like and how would this redefine resistance? Discussions of “gender play” leave some things to be desired: an intersectional understanding of how people negotiate gender presentation, and a way to talk about how gender can be intentional, strategic, and still subversive. These considerations become even …

Marriage Equality And “It Gets Better”: Neoliberalism And The Absence Of Political Feeling, Kristi Carey

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

The fight for marriage equality and the “It Gets Better” campaign exist as two activist movements within contemporary gay liberation politics. This paper will understand these iterations of activism as both emanating from and perpetuating our neoliberal and capitalist present. Through striving for the politics of inclusion, both marriage equality and the IGB campaign merely rearrange the societal and rhetorical plane rather than undertake structural change—that which critically questions the very structures that individuals want to be included into. Using Foucault’s (1976) exploration of the repression of sex within marriage, as well as Cvetkovich’s (2012) theories of depression, I ask …

Psychosomatic Disorders In The Queer Community, Tanner Gill

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This paper analyzes and evaluates why psychosomatic disorders are present in such higher rates in the queer community than in other communities. To assess this issue, this report supplies research on the intersection amongst various sexual and gender minorities within the community, three psychosomatic disorders (eating, anxiety, and mood disorders), and the heteronormative and homophobic society in which the aforementioned items are positioned. These disorders are linked to the feeling of societal marginalization in communities where heteronormativity and homophobia are prevalent and predominant, and also the bullying, hate, and stigmatization that coincide with such social institutions. To combat the rapid …

Nonconsensual Pornography, Hannah Mcneil

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This paper addresses the issue of nonconsensual pornography and its effects on victims; a case study involving an in-depth interview of a participant who offers a personal perspective on the struggle of coping with the damaging aftermath of revenge porn. This research aims to examine how this type of exposure and online sexual harassment is harmful to its victims and seeks to raise awareness for this form of harassment in the digital age.

Rational Emotion, Feminine Professionalism, And Cooperative Success: Women Scientists In Star Trek: Voyager As Challenges To The Dominant Ideology, Kiran Mccloskey

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This article considers Star Trek: Voyager’s portrayal of women in the sciences through the lens of Eva Flicker’s 2003 review of scientific women throughout film and television from 1927 to 1999. Two core divergences in Star Trek: Voyager are identified: the absence of constraining dualities such as the rational/emotional and professional/feminine divisions, and the lack of isolation experienced by the female scientists. Such a representation would have positive effects on female viewers according to the sociological interpellation process model, which is supported by testimony and correspondences with multiple fans.

For Those On Glass Cliffs: The Nature Of Women In Power As Explored Through Frozen, The Abramson Effect, And "Let It Go, Raelissa Glennon-Zukoff

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

This paper seeks to explore the link made by Deborah Spar in her recently published piece The Ambramson Effect: Tales of Women Who Topple From Power between the effects of the glass ceiling and glass cliff effects on women in the topmost positions in American businesses, organizations, and corporations and the ascension to power of Queen Elsa in the Disney motion picture Frozen. By incorporating media reports on merchandising and animation, as well as scholarly research, this paper places Spar's theory into a more accessible space. Furthermore, by referencing the lyrics to the feature power ballad from the animated film, …

(Please Don’T) Take Me To Church, Allie Begin

sprinkle: an undergraduate journal of feminist and queer studies

Sexual inequality has been an issue of debate for centuries. Recently, the push back against this inequality has been at an all time high. Social norms are changing and groups that have previously been marginalized are beginning to find liberation and empowerment. This drastic shift in mindset would not have been possible without the strong backing of influential people. This essay analyzes the work of Irish musician Hozier in his recent song Take Me to Church. Specifically, this piece will examine his disapproval for the way religious institutions control sexuality, polarize sexual binaries, and attack homosexuality with a negative hyperfocus. …

Cultural Exposure For Cal Poly Orientation Programs: Training Orientation Leaders To Promote An Inclusive Environment And Creating Respect And Diversity Programming For Incoming Students, Sofia Rodriguez Mata

Liberal Arts and Engineering Studies

California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo is home to the largest student run orientation program in the nation. The success of the program is due to a combination of student volunteer involvement, comprehensive topic coverage, campus and community involvement, and dedicated leadership. Topics to ensure student success are carefully researched, conceptualized, and implemented to construct programming for Soar and Week of Welcome. As an Executive Board Member, supervising a committee focused on student and student supporter transition and awareness topics, one has the option to specialize on projects. Improvement of respect and diversity training and programming needed to …

The Institutionalization Of Minority Students In Education, Andrea P. Garibay

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

The Racist Application Of The Death Penalty In The United States, Mayra T. Felix

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Racism In The Criminal Justice System, Nichole Griffith

Social Sciences

This paper examines racism in the criminal justice system. The criminal justice system creates and perpetuates racial hierarchy in the United States. African Americans are criminalized and targeted because of their skin color. I analyze the Reagan administration, the War on Drugs, corrupt police practices, media, inner city enforcement, police discretion, racial profiling, and sentencing to reveal this racism and unfair treatment of African Americans. These victims of racism face lifelong marginalization and exclusion because they were criminalized. I also draw a link between the criminal justice system and slavery and Jim Crow. This racism explains why there are so …

El Papel De La Raza En Latinoamérica, Grant Louis Olaf Siracusa

World Languages and Cultures

My project aims to address the ideas, perceptions, and roles of race in Latin America.  Latin America is a vast and diverse region that is often misunderstood by those unfamiliar with the culture.  By researching the notions of race in this particular region, I aim to provide a clearer understanding on the various topics that stem from race, including racism, discrimination, racial whitening, and racial transformation.

First, I intend on examining the origins and implications of race, relating these topics to the Spanish Conquests.  I will then identify and discuss the predominant races found within the region, giving a brief …

A Study On The Diversity Of Cal Poly's Faculty, Suzanne Tack

Social Sciences

No abstract provided.

Ethnic Identity And Sense Of School Belongingness: Behaviors And Beliefs Of Immigrant Hispanic Students And Parents, Francisco B. Ortiz

Master's Theses

For many decades, the number of minority students, particularly Hispanics, dropping out from school has been noticeable to say the least (Rumberger, 1995). These students have in the past and continue in the present to struggle with the educational system, and it is certain, but not clear, that various factors contribute to Hispanics’ poor academic performance and not being able to graduate from High School (Rumbaut & Cornelius, 1995). Some of these factors are organized in three groups: School-Related; Parental-Related; and Student-Related. Thus, this study is an attempt to understand how immigrant students and parents are currently responding to the …