by pj.rey The increasing centrality of the Internet in our daily lives has precipitated a spate of theorizing about how we – as humans and as a society – are changing (or not) due to the constant technological mediation of our most basic interactions and activities. Let’s face it: This sort of theorizing is populated … Continue reading »
Filed under Gender …
The Clothes Make the (Heterosexual) Man
Dress codes in schools have long been a source of intergenerational conflict, control, and increasingly obvious, a way to police gender norms and sexuality. In an article that interrogates these instances of specific gender and sexuality “violations” through clothing and accessories, we can see both an increase in apparel as a means of identity formation … Continue reading »
Gender discrimination, law and the fight for tenure at DePaul University
By Rachael Liberman Academia has never been immune to charges of elitism, sexism, or racism. From the use of socially questionable theories as “objective truth” to the absorption of meritocracy, academia does not necessarily evoke thoughts of “fairness” or “transparency.” As a doctoral student myself, I have encountered inconsistencies and political posturing within the “ivory … Continue reading »
Augmented Reality: Going the Way of the Dildo
by pj.rey While the term “augmented reality” uttered in a sexual context might immediately conjure the perennial problematic of the boozed, buzzed, and befuddled (commonly referred to as “beer goggles”), more nuanced analysis may prove fruitful. Fellow Sociology Lens news editor, nathan jurgenson, recently argued in “towards theorizing an augmented reality” that we need to … Continue reading »
Living in a “Post-Feminist” World
Discourse surrounding feminism, feminist theory, and even Women and Gender Studies departments has grown increasingly skeptical. Questioning the need for feminism in this “post-feminist” world and citing the high attendance of women in universities, American society seems fixated on closing the door on calls for social justice based on gender. Two recent new stories however, … Continue reading »
Editor’s Highlights: Reconsidering “Medical” and “Natural” through a Gender and Power Lens
Social science research has been lax in the use of terms medical and natural, using the words without problematizing them. Yet a cursory glance at the way research regards men’s health and women’s health reveals a striking pattern. While men are empowered by the medicalization of their bodies, women are disempowered by the same process. … Continue reading »
Gender-neutral housing comes to Princeton University
By Rachael Liberman As a result of the sustained efforts of Undergraduate Student Government Life Committee members, a pilot program for gender-neutral housing will come to Princeton University this spring. This means that students can apply to the Spelman Hall upperclassman-housing lottery in mixed-gender groups rather than all female or all male. According to a … Continue reading »
Are you a Lesbian?: The Reification of Dichotomous Thinking
nmccoy1 For all of the talk about sexual expression and deconstructing gender categories, much of the public discussions regarding sexuality continue to reify the very concepts that tend to constrain us. Proponents and members of LGBTQ communities must practice what they preach: to end discrimination and challenge heternormative institutions we have to move beyond hard … Continue reading »
Renegotiating the Gender Contract
by ChristinaBlunt According to a recent article in the New York Times, the single mothers of South Korea are beginning to mount a battle to reclaim not only their rights but also their identities. The social stigma surrounding unwed motherhood in South Korea is particularly fierce. According to the report, in 2007, 1.6 percent of … Continue reading »
Religion and Child Custody Cases
by NickieWild What are the limits of free expression in the United States today? Are we still living under what many would consider a theocratic state? Although the “Protestant Ethic” as defined by Weber is often thought of in terms of the realm of work, it includes other moral dimensions. The U.S. has often been … Continue reading »
