Category: Women and gender studies

Queer representation in movies, television, and theater:
In what ways can accurate and positive queer representation in media contribute to the reduction of stereotypes and prejudices against LGBTQ+ individuals? How has the portrayal of queer characters in popular media evolved over the years, and what impact has this evolution had on the LGBTQ+ community and society as a whole? Can you provide examples of specific movies, TV shows, or theatrical productions that have made significant contributions to queer representation? What made these works stand out?
What challenges or obstacles do LGBTQ+ actors, writers, and directors face in the entertainment industry, and how can these be addressed to ensure more diverse and authentic representation?
Discuss the concept of “queer coding” in media. How does it affect representation, and what are the potential implications for the LGBTQ+ community?
Do you think there’s a responsibility for mainstream media to represent the diversity within the LGBTQ+ community, including intersectionality with race, gender, and other factors?
What are the potential benefits of introducing queer narratives and characters in educational settings, and how might this influence the perceptions and attitudes of younger generations?

Develop a slide presentation about a particular feminist campaign or women’s movement that relates to one of the topics that we cover in class. You can prepare it as a social media campaign, or print material like a ‘zine, or a pitch to college students to get involved. Make it informative, educational, attractive, and convincing, as though you are presenting to people who do not know about the topic, but should. Aim for 8-10 slides.( only need 2)
Introduction/Establishment- reproductive justice
Intersectionality
Choose any of the topics that we cover in class to develop further for your group project.
Examples:  overseas domestic workers, reproductive justice, women’s movements in Cuidad Juarez maquiladoras, intersectional feminists for racial justice, women’s disability rights, economic justice, wages for housework, feminist ecological movements, farmers and food producers, climate justice, futurist authors or filmmakers, anti-violence, peace movements, feminist economists —
Reference at least four of the assigned readings in your assignment. 
Include a least three more references in your assignment. 
References-1 or 2

Hello I uploaded a PDF with the instructions on the assignment. Be sure to quote everything! If you have questions please message me. Thanks!

Most people in 21st-century Canada assume that there are two sexes, male and female. Explain how this assumption has been challenged through historical, scientific, and political considerations by authors we have seen in this course. Your answer should be 300 – 400 words and should draw on at least two authors we have seen so far in the course.
Explain the difference between sex, gender, and sexuality and how each of these has been argued by feminist and sexuality studies scholars to be social constructs. How has the objectivity of scientific claims about sex, gender, and sexuality been challenged? Your answer should be 300 – 400 words and should draw on at least two authors we have seen so far in the course.

For this assignment you are asked to draw connections between some of the concepts and ideas that we have been discussing in the course (up to and including Week 4, September 26th ) and a current (within the past 5 years) social/political/economic issue of your choosing. In other words, the objective of the assignment is to have you reflect and apply your knowledge of course concepts, discussions and readings to a current issue in the news, which you should be able to link to course concepts and teachings. You may include more concepts, but be sure to refer to the following 3 concepts:
Implicit /unconscious bias and the impact it has on our lives
How values in research have been manifested—androcentric bias/racial bias in research
Knowledge production and power

Please look at the attached file to view the midterm prompt for my women and media class. This needs to be done very specific and detailed. Also, I would like to point out you can pick any film to write about just scroll all the way to the bottom to see the list of films to choose from. Thank you and I look forward to reading it. 🙂

Make sure to write in complete sentences – spelling and grammar count. Do not look up answers or information on the internet – the only materials required for this assignment are the provided reading and viewing. Do not cut and paste your answer from any other source, including your own previous work. Answer the question in your own words and do your own work. Avoid quotes, you show your learning when you explain it in your own voice. Your answer will be uploaded to Turnitin.com for plagiarism review.
1. What was the connection between sex and morality before the 1800s and then during the Victorian era (1800s)? Answer with 3-4 sentences (minimum). 2 pts.
2. Describe the key contributions of early researchers of sexuality. In what ways are their perspectives shaped by 19th-century cultural ideologies? Mention at least three different researchers with detail. 5 points.

Give three examples of something you learned about that was new, or surprising, or important.
Offer an example from the Unit 6 Video Lecture.
Offer an example from the Unit 6 readings.
Offer an example from the Unit 6 required video on Hirschfield.

Find five (5) media examples where women are discredited, feminine issues only being shared, and/or subtle sexism is presented. Define the purpose of your articles.

Background:
Cultural expectations regarding gender shape our lives in myriad ways. As you learned in Weeks 3 & 4, although gender might appear “normal” and “natural,” social and cultural ideas about gender are constructedLinks to an external site., passed down, and policed by families, educational systems, media, and other cultural institutions. From who performs household labor, to how one sits, walks, and dresses, to career aspirations, individuals receive overt and covert messages about how gender should impact their behavior.
Many contemporary western cultures view gender as binaryLinks to an external site., in which masculinity and femininity are distinct and opposing categories. People are socially rewarded by behaving according to gender norms and can be punished if they do not adhere to cultural beliefs about gender. The WGSS concept of “Doing genderLinks to an external site.Open this document with ReadSpeaker docReader Links to an external site.” (Week 3), posits that gender is a series of behaviors that people consciously and subconsciously perform every day. Individuals act out their gender through their words and communication, physical actions, clothing choices, etc. People also have the opportunity to “undo” gender in their daily lives by performing against traditional gender roles. Undoing gender could look like a woman working in a traditionally masculine-coded profession, like construction, or a man wearing makeup or expressing feelings of sadness. Our environment and background is rife with evidence of how we “undo gender” and sex and disrupt ideal femininity and/or masculinity.
This assignment asks you to document the social construction of gender and sex by analyzing photographs. You may use childhood or past photos or take photos of artifacts from your present environments, e.g. selfies, home space, work space, advertisements, social media screenshots, beauty products, etc.
****If navigating a public space, be sure to prioritize your safety and adhere to COVID-19 safety guidelines. If taking photos of people, please obscure the person’s identity and request permission to use the photo for this class assignment.

Writing Prompt:
Using Weeks 3 & 4 readings and concepts, critically analyze how you “do” and “undo” gender in everyday life through a photo essay format (aim for 750-800 words). Include 4 photos that document how you “do” or perform gender in your everyday life AND/OR gender rebellion (“undoing gender”). Choose an overarching theme/thesis and select photos that relate to that theme.
Examples of photo artifacts from past students:
PAST Experiences: playing youth sports, family photos, Halloween dress-up, attending high school dances, etc.
PRESENT Experiences: clothing displays, magazine covers, beauty care routine, clothing style, etc.
What is a photo essay? A photo essay is a series of photos with captions and accompanying text that critically explores an overarching theme/topic. Students capture their own images, caption the image, and analyze the images.
Picture Examples:

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Fig. 1. Image from (store name) of boy and girl books. The girl book is titled, How to be Gorgeous and the boy book is titled How to be Clever.
Image of a gender reveal party. A couple is holding a ball that reads “Boy” in blue and “Girl” in pink
Fig. 2. Image of a gender reveal party. A couple is holding a ball that reads “Boy” in blue and “Girl” in pink.
Image of a man mopping the kitchen floor.
Fig. 3. Image of a man mopping the kitchen floor.
Image of a dog. The female dog is wearing a pink collar.
Fig. 4. Image of a dog. The female dog is wearing a pink collar.
What does “critical analysis” mean? Critical analysisLinks to an external site. refers to deconstructing or unpacking something using a theoretical framework or argument. This can look like responding to, “Why did you select that specific photo? What is the photo’s context and underlying meanings? What is the story behind this image? How do the image’s meanings relate to a Week’s 3 & 4 concepts?”
Cite 3 sources from Week 3 & 4 in a Works Cited page in MLA formatLinks to an external site..
MLA citations:
Fausto‐Sterling, Anne. “The Five Sexes.” The Sciences (New York), vol. 33, no. 2, Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 1993, pp. 20–24.
Kang, Milian, Donovan Lessard, Laura Heston, and Sonny Nordmarken. Introduction to Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. University of Massachusetts Amherst Libraries, https://openbooks.library.umass.edu/introwgss/front-matter/introduction-to-women-gender-sexuality-studiesLinks to an external site..
Lorber, Judith. ““Night to his day”: The social construction of gender.” Race, class, and gender in the United States: An integrated study, 2004, pp. 54-65.