What is gender?

Gender involves social and cultural understandings of sexual difference and the practices and behaviors that support or challenge those understandings. And the College of Humanities & Social Sciences’ 14^th Annual Gender Studies Conference will challenge, discuss and confront these varied understandings on gender, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. on Friday, April 9.

This one-day virtual conference will feature discussion topics moderated by CHSS faculty. UHD undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines were invited to submit proposals for presentations exploring the many dimensions of gender. 

“The College of Humanities & Social Sciences is excited to continue our commitment to student success and promoting student scholarship in Gender Studies with this year’s conference,” said CHSS Assistant Dean Crystal Guillory. I would like to thank our Gender Studies Conference committee members with a very special thank you to Dr. Giuliana Lund and Dr. Tammis Thomas for continuing to serve year after year on this conference committee to ensure we promote and encourage our student scholars of Gender Studies. This year, we also are excited to collaborate with the O'Kane Gallery with a presentation from Teri Greeves, Native American Kiowa artist and co-curator of "Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists" (an exhibition organized by the Smithsonian American Art Museum).”

CHSS Interim Dean David Ryden will offer welcome remarks to open the conference.

14^th Annual Gender Studied Conference Schedule

10:15 a.m.
Historical Perspectives On Gender
Moderator: Dr. Theresa Case, Associate Professor of History
An Observation of the Socially Constructed Essence of Gender through Shakespeare’s Viola By Susie Herndon:

• The Impact of Social Settlement Houses on Immigrant Women By Anita Goolcharan
• The Impact of Settlement Houses in the Early Nineteenth Century By Emonii Fitz-Bowie

11:30 a.m.
Catch A Criminal By The Tale: Sexual Predators in “Little Red Riding Hood” and “Sleeping Beauty”
Moderator: Dr. Tammis Thomas, Professor of English

• “Little Red Riding Whore”: Perversities of Predation and Desire in the Original “Little Red Riding Hood” Tales By Jaida Doll
• The Transformation of Sleeping Beauty’s Bed in the Light of Consent By Katt Pittard
• Sleeping Beauty: Another Eternal Slumber By Katt Pittard

1:15 a.m.
Breaking Literary And Gender Norms: Fairy Tales Revisited
Moderator: Dr. Tammis Thomas, Professor of English

• “Caramela”: Correcting the Damage of Snow White By Mariey Garcia
• Little Red Riding Hood Revisited: “The Wolf that Cried” By Eric Tat
• Discovering Harmony Despite Dissonance for Gender Dysphoric Youth: A Radical Revision of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid” By Jaida Doll

2:30 p.m.
The Struggle For Gender And Sexual Equality
Moderator: Dr. Shahnjayla Connors, Assistant Professor of Health & Behavioral Science

• History of Feminist Struggles By Norma Galindo
• Law Abiding Sexuality By Jessica Love
• Law Enforcement and the LGBTQ+ Community By Brayan Ayala

3:40 a.m.
Framing Women In The Cinema
Moderator: Dr. Johanna Schmertz, Professor of English

• Flipping Behavioral Expectations and Class Transcendence: A Parable of Fan Culture in ItBy Chase Hodgeson
• The Rise and Fall of the IT Factor By Leah Williams
• Framing the Female Gaze in Jane Campion’s The Piano and Bright Star By Rachel Leigh
• Ex Machina and Gender: Ava and Performative Femininity By Jordynn Godfrey

4:50 p.m.
Speaking Out And Acting Up: Voicing Gender Diversity
Moderator: Dr. Katharine Jager, Associate Professor of English

• Am I Not Equal? By Nampie Kamara
• Socks By Rachel Leigh
• Truth Has Never Been Spoken By Ahsanul Haque

6 p.m.
Hearts of Our People: Honoring Native American Women Artists as Contributors to American Art By Teri Greeves
Moderator: Mark Cervenka, Associate Professor of Art & Director of O’Kane Gallery

To attend the 14^th Annual Gender Conference, register today. For more information, contact Crystal Guillory at guillorycry@uhd.edu.