Journal of Research on Women and Gender
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10877/12803
The Journal of Research on Women and Gender is a peer-reviewed online electronic publication. The mission of the Journal is to promote critical dialogue about the experiences of women and persons of various gender identities in diverse cultural contexts. The Journal welcomes manuscripts that give voice to the unique and varied expressions of women and various genders. It is an interdisciplinary publication that welcomes qualitative research, quantitative research, pedagogical work, and creative projects. We encourage and welcome graduate student submissions.
Journal Website: https://journals.tdl.org/jrwg/index.php/jrwg
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Item A Black Woman's Choice: Depo-provera and Reproductive rights(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2011-09) Jackson, Nicole M.African American and Black British women exhibited a complicated relationship with reproductive rights activism in the 1970s and 1980s. As women's health work developed in both countries and focused their attention on abortion or expanding women's access to birth control methods, Black women were often wary of these newfound "freedoms." Much of this disagreement centered on the ways in which "choice" had been defined by mainstream society. Black women's participation in the women's health movement attempted to develop a more complicated definition of choice to demonstrate that more contraceptive options for White women could also means fewer choices for Black women. They provided a critique of reproductive abuses that centered race, class, and immigration status as significant arbiters of Black women's health status. They demonstrated a deep-seated hostility and mistrust of medical professionals who they saw as working to systematically strip Black women of their reproductive freedom. They believed that their doctors saw them as incapable of controlling their fertility and used this as a reason to rob them of their agency. Opposition to Depo-Provera provides one demonstration of the complexity of this issue and illustrates that Black women's reproductive rights activism was as much about protecting Black women's bodies and safeguarding Black motherhood, as forestalling it. And in this ways they connected reproductive health with the general health of all Black women, and at times the Black community as a whole. In this way, they made reproductive rights a distinct domain of women of color, poor women and, at times, Black people writ large.Item A Conceptual Framework for Developing the Female Entrepreneurship Literature(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2010-03) Parker, Betty J.Over the past 30 years, a great deal of research has been undertaken to enhance understanding of individual and organizational characteristics associated with entrepreneurship in general and women entrepreneurs in particular. As the scholarly study of female entrepreneurs and their businesses increases, a clearer understanding of women entrepreneurs and their businesses has begun to emerge. This paper contributes to the entrepreneurship literature by organizing the research stream about female entrepreneurs into several key areas, taking a critical and timely look at the key issues, and providing recommendations for addressing gaps in the literature.Item "A Man is Only a Man Among Other Men, But to His Woman He is All Things": Hip Hop Video Vixens' Impact on Singleness Crisis Rhetoric(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2012-03) Austin, Sierra J.With the rise of a black female presence in hip-hop culture, scholars are continually interrogating the ways in which race, gender, and sexuality function in (re)negotiating black womanhood. Specifically, much of this discourse involves music videos. The critique of the hip-hop video vixen's objectification and exploitation is being largely supplanted with discourses of agency and empowerment under the guise of feminism. Several of hip-hop's most notable vixens are utilizing the publishing platform in an attempt to redefine black female sexuality, adding what they argue is an unconventional twist to black feminist and hip-hop feminist paradigms. With three New York Times Best Sellers under her belt, former hip-hop music video vixen Karrine Steffans leads this pseudo-sexual revolution, while simultaneously perpetuating stigmas plaguing single Black women. In each book, a motif of the importance of sexual and/or emotional connections with men is explored, elucidating the notion of a Black antifeminism. As its title suggests, The Vixen Manual: How to Find, Seduce, & Keep The Man You Want, focuses on the importance of social and/or legal coupling. Through a critical analysis of hip-hop as an agent of gender socialization and society's manufacturing of marriage crisis rhetoric, this paper seeks to challenge the fears of singleness among heterosexual African American women by using nonfiction contextual analysis, and considering the possibilities of hip-hop feminism to function as an ideology and critical literacy tool that encourages egalitarian romantic relationships, as well as the reimagining of kinship and community via othersistering.Item Assertiveness and 'Somebodyness': Theatre Strategies and Resources to Enhance Achievement of African American Girls, K-12(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2016-06) Mayo, Sandra M.Theatre across the curriculum, is one of the innovations with a potential for positive achievement results for African American girls and our entire diverse population of students. In our drama and theatre work, a pluralistic perspective is one of the bridges to self-affirming visibility for all students. Since the pioneering efforts of Winifred Ward in the 1930s and 1940s, scholars have utilized drama in the classroom with young people at all grade levels to enhance knowledge and skills while promoting confidence and interpersonal skills (Heathcote & Bolton, 1995; McCaslin, 2006; Ward, 1952; Way, 1967). Sharon Grady in Drama and Diversity (2000) poses apropos questions: "What informs the choices we make as we construct drama work? How do our choices open up areas of learning or close down areas of inquiry? What is the impact of our choices on our students?" (p. xiii) After reviewing the achievement dilemma of African American girls K-12, this discussion 1) highlights the literature documenting the effectiveness of using theatre across the curriculum to engage and push forward all students, 2) describes three theatre strategies for enhancing academic skills and self-esteem (creative drama, role-playing, readers theatre), and finally, 3) presents a representative sampling of resources for developing a cultural knowledge base related to African American females and African American culture. Theatre can provide the spark that will enrich content across the curriculum for all students. It is especially needed for children of color who are at risk for lower test scores and high dropout rates, and can make a positive difference for African American females in K-12 grades.Item Black Twitter Representations of #Kavanaugh Hearing(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2020-06) Bland, Dorothy; Moody-Ramirez, MiaPublic reaction on Twitter exploded after Christine Blasey Ford testified she was sexually assaulted by Brett Kavanaugh when they were teens. He denied her allegations and became the 114th justice on the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 6, 2018. This study employs feminist theory in analyzing tweets containing "Kavanaugh Hearings" and "Black Twitter." Findings indicate most tweets studied fell into five key categories: call to action, historical repetition, steep racial/political divide, white privilege and informational.Item Bringing Home the Bacon while Staying Out of the Fire: Communicatively Negotiating the Working Mother Identity(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2018-06) DeGreeff, Becky L.; Littlefield, Robert S.Women choose to become employed for a variety of reasons including financial necessity and/or career aspirations. Some of these women also chose to work while simultaneously raising a family. The communication strategies of employed mothers when confronting comments made by coworkers and associates about their life choices to work outside of the home are examined through the perspectives of two types of working women: the mother with a "job" and the mother with a "career." Three themes describing the purpose of work, personal desires, and characteristics of criticism and their responses are drawn from interviews with employed mothers. Passive and aggressive communication strategies are identified as a means to confront the criticisms. Findings reveal the mother with a "job" is more likely to be expected to stay employed in order to help provide for her family and is criticized for her parenting choices. On the other hand, the mother with a "career" is more likely to be criticized for her desire to remain employed after having children in order to work toward career advancement. The differences between the women are discussed along with implications for family policy.Item Building Strength: Strength Training Attitudes and Behaviors of All-Women's and Coed Gym Exercisers(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2016-06) Mercurio, Andrea Elizabeth; Rima, Brandi N.; Obleada, KatrinaResearch suggests varied reasons why women may avoid engaging in a regular strength training routine at the gym in favor of performing cardiovascular exercise (e.g., Harne & Bixby, 2005). However, there has been little research focused on the potential role of the gym environment itself, specifically in terms of the presence of men. The current study compared women members of all-women's and coed fitness facilities on their attitudes toward different exercise activities as well as their exercise choices within the gym. A community sample of women from the Northeast US, who attended either an all-women's or coed gym (N = 635), filled out a series of online questionnaires. We hypothesized that all-women gym members would report more positive attitudes towards strength training and would report attitudes towards strength training and cardio that were more similar in favorability compared with coed gym members. In addition, we expected all-women exercisers to engage in strength training activities (e.g., weight machine or free weights) more frequently than coed exercisers, especially if they also reported higher body dissatisfaction. Results were mixed and hypotheses received only partial support. Although all-women members rated strength training more positively and more similarly in magnitude to cardio compared with coed members, little differences were found between groups on strength training behaviors. Null findings are discussed in light of existing socio-cultural beauty and exercise norms that may deter women from engaging in strength training irrespective of male presence within the gym environment. More research is needed to explore the potential positive and negative consequences of same-sex and mixed-sex fitness settings for women's physical and mental health.Item Challenges Facing Emirati College Student Mothers Post Childbirth(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2019-06) Tennant, Lilly; Dickson, MartinaThe vast majority of women in higher education in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are first generation college students and about over half of them are student mothers. The education of women has been the top priority of the UAE government. The intent of the study was to examine the needs and challenges of student mothers at a teacher education campus in Abu Dhabi. The research study, using a mixed methods approach, surveyed about 71 students and interviewed about 13 students, a representative sample of student mothers, about experiences after their return to college post childbirth. The findings of the study revealed the physical and academic challenges faced by the mothers and their ways of coping in order to pursue their education within the constraints of the college policies. Recommendations and implications for teacher education colleges are discussed.Item China's Population Policy: Aging, Gender, and Sustainability(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2011-09) Yuan, LijunChina is about to undergo a stunning demographic transformation, a rapidly aging population. Despite the influence of the aging process on women's lives, very few works analyze the interconnectedness of gender and aging. This article analyzes the interrelationship between China's aging population, gender inequality, and elderly women's poverty. Since gender issues in aging have been ignored, idealistic models to promote the well-being of the elderly fail to address the specific needs of aging women. Traditional attitudes in China toward caring for the elderly have met serious challenges as a result of China's economic reform, one-child policy, and social acceptance of individualistic development and competitive life-styles. I argue that a fruitful way for dealing with the "graying" population of China is not to abandon her traditions but to call upon a Confucian notion of reciprocity that provides guidelines for the respect and care for the elderly through a joint effort of family, community, and government support. When properly revised and infused with gender consciousness, the Confucian tradition points the way to attending specifically to the needs of disadvantaged elderly women. While Confucianism emphasizes how humans can live together and create a just society with a benevolent government, it, like Daoism, points to the importance of harmony with nature. I will argue that the needs of elderly Chinese will be well-served not just by interweaving gender consciousness into the tradition of Confucianism, but also by emphasizing an ecological consciousness; cooperation with nature will foster limited growth within a steady state economy and sustainable development that will help all elderly, both women and men, in the long run.Item Choice or Chance? Gender, Victimization, and Responsibility in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2010-03) Foss, KatherineThis research applied Andrew Karmen's classifications of shared responsibility to the fictional victimizations of "anonymous victims" in the television program CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, exploring the extent to which male and female victims were considered responsible for their attacks. Findings indicate a disparity between the victimization of men and women. Storylines and visual aesthetics suggested that the victimization of anonymous men was random, therefore, male victims were not responsible for their crimes and were considered "completely innocent." The victimization of anonymous men was quick and no sexual assault was involved. Female victims, on the other hand, were typically considered "facilitators" in their victimizations because they ignored basic rules of crime prevention or behaved in a "sexually inviting" manner. Almost all female victims were sexually assaulted and murdered, suggesting that they were not just killed, but were punished for their careless behavior. For both male and female victims, resistance proved to be futile and, in some cases, incited further attack. Given the popularity of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, these findings are alarming. Numerous storylines convey the message that that women place themselves in danger and therefore are, to extent, responsible for becoming victims, whereas, male victims are "completely innocent." These diverging representations perpetuate myths about rape (that women somehow "ask for it") and overall reinforce a patriarchal hegemony in which women are too vulnerable to venture alone in public. By implicating female victims in their crimes, these fictional representations could hinder overall support in victimization discourse, and may discourage victims from reporting their crimes.Item Christianity's Collusion with Whiteness: Divine Embodiment in The Shack(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2012-03) Lemons, ElizabethThe Shack is a story about a Christian man, Mack, who encounters God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit one weekend after experiencing a family tragedy. Mack is surprised to find that each of the characters presents him or herself as a person of color. This seemingly progressive, anti-racist depiction of the trinity was wildly popular among evangelical readers, many of whom gushed that the story is life-changing and faith-renewing. Using feminist scholarship, critical whiteness theory, and a history of Evangelical race relations, this article gives an alternative reading of The Shack, making the argument that the story reifies racist stereotypes and reinstates the authority of the white, male liberal subject. Tracing the influence of Enlightenment discourse on Christian beliefs about bodily transcendence, this article makes the argument that the structures of whiteness are fundamental for American Evangelicalism's culture and theology. Ultimately, The Shack is an exploratory story about racial reconciliation within the evangelical community; however, The Shack does not challenge the popular evangelical conception that racism is nothing more than conflict between individuals on the basis of racial stereotypes. The Shack continues to ignore the structural privileging of whiteness, colluding with racist systems by ultimately failing to undermine them.Item Climbing High or Falling Flat? Representations of Female Rock Climbers in Climbing Magazine (1991-2004)(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2010-03) Vodden-McKay, Sarah; Schell, Lea AnnRock climbing and mountaineering have historically been viewed as "male only endeavor" which are too strenuous and too dangerous to be undertaken by women. However, since the 1970s, more women have joined the climbing community and have pushed the limits of difficulty once thought to be unattainable. Although still a minority, women do engage in this athletic endeavor yet receive little or no attention in the media for their successes. Climbing magazine is the longest running and most widely circulated publication in the United States that is dedicated solely to reporting on rock climbing and mountaineering. The purpose of this study was to analyze the way in which female rock climbers are represented in Climbing magazine by investigating the publication"Ÿs feature articles and photographs over a 14-year time period, 1991-2004. Results suggest that the few images and descriptors of female climbers in Climbing work to "normalize" the female climbers as "real" women by emphasizing their heterosexuality and domesticity, highlighting their feminine physique, and infantilizing them as a means to disempower.Item Democracy's Broken Promise in Fin-Desiècle British and American Women's Literature(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2016-06) Zabala, ChristineBy analyzing fin-de-siècle literature, this essay will focus on a critical examination of The Awakening, “The Yellow Wallpaper,” “Mrs. Dalloway in Bond Street,” and Passing. The emphasis will be on the impact of women’s suffrage on women’s voices, and the way these voices are perceived by a male-dominated democratic system. The early writings demonstrated the expectation that women’s suffrage would translate the ability to vote into a meaningful voice in this system. However, later texts revealed this expectation to be a false promise. This essay uses Virginia Woolf’s, A Room of One’s Own, as one critical lens through which to read these works.Item Deontology and Female Eudaimonia in the World Polity: A Grotian Perspective(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2010-03) Kuiler, Erik W.The last decades of the 20th century witnessed a renewed emphasis on issues of women's rights in the world polity. However, the growing importance of the international economy, with its attendant migratory labor and capital regimes, has increased the potential to exacerbate economic inequities and cultural differences, including those that perpetuate gender inequalities. Using Grotian political theories and post-1989 data from diverse sources, this study analyzes macro-level world polity aspects of international development, gender equality, and the potential for achieving female eudaimonia. The study posits different testable hypotheses and supports these with a multivariate cross-sectional time-series analysis of the data.Item Discourses of Gender Identity and Transition in Later Life(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2018-06) Jen, SarahThere is a small but growing field of inquiry exploring the needs and experiences of transgender and gender non-conforming older adults (TGNC). While large, quantitative studies are useful for illustrating differences at the population level, in-depth qualitative research is needed to offer interpretations that reflect the complexity and nuance of individual lives to better illuminate the reality of living as a TGNC elder. Guided by a social constructionist epistemology, this study reports findings from a Foucauldian discourse analysis of interviews with two older women who had previously undergone sexual reassignment or gender confirmation surgery to examine how these women talk about their identities and gender transitions, how their language might be informed by or resistant to their social context, and what they might possibly gain from using language in these ways. Each woman chose to present her gender transition in vastly different ways, illustrating the wide variation in conceptualizing transitions as a critical aspect of one's identity versus a minor shift in the scope of a larger self-development narrative. They took up the roles of expert, educator, consumer, and transgender individual in differing ways, demonstrating varied approaches to resilience and resistance. These findings are explored for their potential to inform direct practice and research with older transgender adults.Item Disordered Eating and Smoking for Weight Control in Bulgaria and the U.S.(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2013-03) Kalibatseva, Zornitsa; Smolak, LindaNo abstract prepared.Item Disrupting Students' Misunderstandings (and misgivings) about Feminism through a Popular Press Book: A Feminist Research Team's Practices as a Site of Analysis(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2019-06) Christopher, Samantha D.; Sharp, Elizabeth A.In response to the sustained and widespread resistance to feminism within U.S. classrooms and the underuse of undergraduate researchers in large universities, our research team experimented with a popular press book on feminism. Using our research team as a case study, we argue that the book, Full Frontal Feminism: A Young Woman’s Guide to Why Feminism Matters, offered benefits including: (a) advanced understandings of feminism, (b) increased comfort with critiquing arguments, and (c) increased confidence and application of feminism. We hope the paper encourages other feminist-identified scholars to expand their use of feminist popular culture texts to cultivate interest, increase understanding of fundamental feminist sensibilities, and ultimately enhance their research projects while working with undergraduate researchers.Item Employability of Transgender in Bangladesh: Problems and Prospect(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2022-06) Abedin, Fariha; Sarker, Md. Atiqur RahmanIn this era of human rights movement, the transgender people still remain as one of the critically disadvantaged community in many developing countries. Bangladesh legally recognized them as ‘third gender’ just in the year 2013 and since then a contradiction between being legally recognized and protection of their rights existed. This study examines the consequences of the transformation of this socio-cultural status of Hijra (transgender) into a legal one and analyses their basic rights, focusing on their employment rights. The right to employment is a universal right for all, including the transgender, where the Constitution of Bangladesh also ensures equal rights and provides equality before law with the prohibition of gender discrimination in availing employment facilities. This research evaluates the problems and hindrances as well as the support and enforcement of existing social and legal system of the country in development of the transgender’s’ lives. To come into conclusion, five In-depth Interviews (IDIs) from transgender and two Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were conducted along with extensive field observations. The findings revealed, albeit the legal recognition and social adjustment of the Hijra’s, present public mindset and the policy gap are major concerns till date.Item Engendering the Public Sphere: Between Modernity and Tradition the Dynamics of Shaping and Reshaping the Public Sphere with Reference to Zimbabwe's Political Landscape(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2010-03) Marowa, IvanThe world in general has experienced the division of the society into public and private spheres as a consequent, in most cases, of the patriarchal nature of the societies. The private sphere has for long been identified as the preserve of women while the public sphere has been identified with men. The public is identified with decision making, control, economic participation and authority and as a sphere of cultural politics. Today calls are being made to reverse patriarchal thinking and engender the public sphere and do away with the idea of viewing women as inferior and taking them as capable and equal participants in the public sphere. The 21st century has moved to accept women not only as capable leaders but also talented persons. The African public sphere has been affected by both modernity and tradition in its attempt to address the issue of gender equity. This paper argues first that the African public sphere is an imagined concept and a social construct by the society. As a result, the public sphere has been shaped and reshaped, defined and redefined owing to struggles between tradition and modernity and women and men in trying to engender this sphere.This paper argues that the public sphere though trying to fit in the globalisation process where gender has become fashionable, tradition has remained afloat and very significant. A gender concept that has become powerful in the African public sphere is masculinity as opposed to femininity and gender equality. In as much as gender equity has been accepted, the African society has remained dominated by several masculinities. However, as this paper argues, this is done not to address the woman question but to use women in the ensuing fights between the society's existing masculinities. This paper examines the question that "Is the numerical increase of women in the African public sphere part of affirmative action or it is a career punctuated by talent and leadership qualities in governing the African public sphere?" The other issue relates to women as a class and the inequalities that come with women representation in the public sphere. All these issues constitute the dynamics of making and remaking the African public sphere as modernity and tradition are at continuous loggerheads. The paper examines these ideas using Zimbabwean politics and women politicians. Politics has been chosen because it is the most significant public sphere that allows women into public governing organs of decision making and authority.Item Entrepreneurship and Gender Disparity in the Caribbean(Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies, 2015-06) Pounder, PaulThe contribution of entrepreneurship and innovation to national economic growth has been established in economic literature. However, not much emphasis has been placed on gender-based disparity in entrepreneurship in the Caribbean. United Nations statistics highlight that women comprise half of the world's population and perform two thirds of the work, but only a small percentage consider entrepreneurship in the informal sector or in traditional female sectors. In the Caribbean, education is viewed as the main way of empowering women to be independent, and entrepreneurship comes a close second. From an entrepreneurship perspective, gender disparities remain the reason that female entrepreneurs continue to lag behind male entrepreneurs. The purpose of this paper is to identify areas of gender disparity among entrepreneurs, as well as to identify the means of empowering female entrepreneurs, with special reference to the Caribbean.