Rethinking Rigidity: Fluid Gender, Liquid Identities
Completing my Women's Studies undergraduate thesis was one of the most challenging yet rewarding projects I've worked on at Penn State. In just one semester, I researched a topic I love in order to create a clear argument on gender fluidity and successfully complete my first major piece of writing at the university level. While exhausting and sometimes frustrating, the experience gave me a "crash course" in completing a project of this magnitude and taught me more about myself as a writer than I could have ever imagined.
In addition to the paper, it was necessary to design a poster to illustrate and introduce our research. Originally, the posters were featured in the WMNST hallway in the Willard building. Below is a digital version; click to view larger. Some of my supporting points of the paper are noted on this poster to give viewers an idea on what the focus was on. The photographs around the edged were taken off of an online space that featured people with (mostly) non-normative gender identity constructions. I really wanted to give some faces to the people I was talking about in my paper since so few people have exposure to those who do not conform to strictly normative constructions of "male" and "female." I think bringing visual space to these types of identities makes my argument in the thesis stronger.
Below is several versions of the poster. (click to view larger)
In addition to the paper, it was necessary to design a poster to illustrate and introduce our research. Originally, the posters were featured in the WMNST hallway in the Willard building. Below is a digital version; click to view larger. Some of my supporting points of the paper are noted on this poster to give viewers an idea on what the focus was on. The photographs around the edged were taken off of an online space that featured people with (mostly) non-normative gender identity constructions. I really wanted to give some faces to the people I was talking about in my paper since so few people have exposure to those who do not conform to strictly normative constructions of "male" and "female." I think bringing visual space to these types of identities makes my argument in the thesis stronger.
Below is several versions of the poster. (click to view larger)
In November 2012, I traveled to Oakland, CA to present this paper at the National Women's Studies Association with the same panel. After my part of my panel returned to Penn State, we had another opportunity to present for the Commission for Women's meeting as they generously gave us funding to make the Oakland trip possible.
Another one of the amazing experiences with this research has been the opportunities to present my thesis at conferences. In Spring 2012, I got the opportunity to sit on a panel of undergraduate research at the Women's Studies Graduate (WSGO) Conference. It was the first time orally presenting my work, but I got a lot of positive and constructive feedback.
Undergraduate Exhibition 2013
During Spring 2013, I had the opportunity to participate in the Penn State Undergraduate Poster Exhibition. It was a good experience in learning how to convey complex materials to a specific audience while using visual materials to explain my thesis.
Image of poster to come.
Image of poster to come.