WGSS 300Exploring Queer Lives

Catalog

Lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender people and others marginalized because of their sexuality and gender expression will be explored through the reading and discussion of theory, research, activist projects, and practice scenarios. Central to this course will be the principle that an adequate understanding of our own and others' experience of sexuality and gender expression can only be obtained at their intersection with other identities such as race, social class, ethnicity, and disability. This course takes a multi-level approach, exploring these issues within their individual, social and structural contexts. Reading and discussions will extend across disciplinary boundaries and include psychology, anthropology, sociology, history, political science, literary and cultural studies literatures. Goals are to recognize and describe (a) the way in which we come to understand about how sexuality and gender expression affect or should affect our practice in social sciences and (b) the way that minoritizing as well as more universalizing views of sexual injustice differently shape the goals of researchers, activists and practitioners.