American University 4th Annual GLBT Studies Colloquium

Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Come celebrate the research and creative works of students, faculty, and staff from DC area universities. The GLBT Studies Colloquium is free and open to the public.

The Colloquium fits into a larger goal of establishing connections between higher education LGBT resources in the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan area. By having students, faculty and staff present their research, ideas and other works, we reinforce the already present idea of creating a network between these resources.
The primary goal of the Colloquium is to recognize and celebrate the work of staff, faculty and students from D.C. area universities in various academic disciplines (social sciences, to business, to the performing arts) related to gender and sexuality.

Colloquium Schedule:

12:00 - 12:30pm = Check in in front on Mary Graydon Center 200

12:30 - 1:30pm = Session 1

• MSMs and Blood Donation Policies by Jon-Carlo Conezo and Stephen Tranovich: Mary Graydon Center 200
  
• • The FDA has a policy against men who have sex with men from giving blood; is this based on fact of homophobia? Information regarding this policy, the project that we decided to tackle to show our support for those who cannot give blood, and the future regarding the blood ban.

• The Spiritual Development of Nonheterosexual Undergraduates: An Interactive Workshop by Shaunna Payne Gold: Mary Graydon Center 245
  
• • The Spiritual Development of Nonheterosexual Students was an exploratory study that sought to understand how nonheterosexual students anchor themselves in a sense of spirituality during the coming-out process. Using higher education as a backdrop, this presentation will provide an interdisciplinary, cross-pedagogical glimpse into the lives of today's coming out college students by presenting empirical findings, implications, and facilitating an opportunity to discuss proactive steps to foster spiritual growth among nonheterosexual students.
    

• LGBT Studies in High School - Combining the Academic and Personal by Bianca Palamisano: Mary Graydon Center 247
• • Bianca Palamisano presents a new approach for bridging the gaps in understanding about the LGBT community in high school. Her newly formulated curriculum, designed as a high school semester elective, uses popular media, historical grounding, and the integration of student's personal experiences and interpretations to dissect the cultural sterotypes of gender and sexuality. She will explain the process used to develop her coursework and the importance of this unique approach to gender and sexuality education.

1:40 - 2:40pm = Session 2

• LOLesbians: Web 3.0 and the Queer Community by Katrina Casino: Mary Graydon Center 200
• • An exploration of the web as it moves from a venue for sharing ideas to a place where we can meet people who come up with them. More than just an information database, the internet is now becoming a cluster of communities through which queer people may met one another and exchange ideas.

• LGBT Family Policy: Representations of Marriage & Adoption in Poetry and Fiction by Rachel Cupelo, Shirin Karimi, and Robert Johnson: Mary Graydon Center 245
• • A creative presentation of the social and policy issues affecting LGBT families. Poetry by Shirin Karimi will focus on the LGBT struggles in the institution of American marriage, with all of its political shortfalls and prejudices. Short Fiction by Rachel Cupelo uses marriage as a backdrop for other important LGBT issues: Adoption and Domestic Violence.

• Body Image and Eating Disorders in the GLBT Community: Clarifying the Issue and Strategizing for Programs to Tackle These Issues in a College Environment by Alan Duffy and Ashley Wood: Mary Graydon Center 247
• • This presentation explores issues involving body image and eating disorders within the GLBT community. Differences will be discussed between the large body of heteronormative body image literature and the studiesthat have occured primarily with gay, lesbian, and transgendered individuals. The presentations hopes to raise awareness that body image and eating disorders are health issues that transcend gender identity and sexual orientation, and that specific and appropriate interventions should be implemented for GLBT groups and individuals.

2:50 - 3:50pm = Session 3

• Language & Culture: Challenging Perceptions & Gay Talkback by Sarah Toporoff, Amy Cochran, Scott Quigley, and Brolley Genster: Mary Graydon Center 200
• • We will be showing our final video presentations from the anthropology class, Language & Culture. They deal with many forms of talkback to heteronormative society.

• Polyamory: A Sociological Approach to Power, Gender & Sexuality by Shannon Post: Mary Graydon Center 245
• • The practice of polyamory or consensual non-monogamy -- intimate and sexual relationships with more than one partner simultaneously -- is a unique site for the sociological examination of power, gender and sexuality. Exploratory qualitative interviews with members of the DC polyamory community suggests the potential for the practice of polyamory to both challenge and (re)produce heteronormative arrangements.
• Rupture at Both Ends: Queer Failure by Jennifer Mille: Mary Graydon Center 247
• • Rupture at Both Ends: Queer Failures' critiques aspects of queer theory and culture that leave the panelists disappointed. Michael Lecker discusses the failed delivery of a queer narrative within comic books, Richard Otten explores the failure of queer theory to account for striaght perversions, and Jennifer Miller addresses the reification of perceived failure and re-strategize the political and cultural potential of queer.  

4:00 - 6:00pm = Closing Reception in Mary Graydon Center 200

Please RSVP for the Colloquium.