GSST: Gender & Sexuality Studies (Undergraduate)

GSST 1005  Introduction to Women’s Gender & Sexuality Studies  (4 Credits)  

This course offers students an overview of Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, an interdisciplinary field that establishes gender and sexuality as fundamental categories of social power and cultural analysis. Students will learn about different types of feminism and a variety of social movements that gave rise to feminist thought and practices in the United States and globally. Considering scholarship from various fields and perspectives, students will explore intersections of gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, class, nationality, religion, dis/ability, body size, and other facets of social identity that impact people’s lives. Related courses may be disciplinary rather than interdisciplinary or multidisciplinary; for example: Women, Girls, and the Media (COMM), U.S. Women’s Multicultural Life-Writings (LIT), Images of Women in Western Civilization (ART), Feminist Theory (CUL), Theories of LGBTQ Identities (CUL). This course was previously CUL 281324 Introduction to Women's and Gender Studies.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, Liberal

GSST 1996  Speical Topics in GSST  (2-8 Credits)  
GSST 1998  Individualized Studies in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

GSST 2005  Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies  (4 Credits)  

This course provides an introduction to the field of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Studies. We will ask, what does it means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, or queer, both historically and today? We will explore multiple answers to this question by learning about LGBTQ+ life through a variety of disciplines, including anthropology, history, psychology, educational, health and wellness, and the study of queer culture and media. Furthermore, we will incorporate race, class, gender and sexuality and other aspects of identity into our analyses of power, privilege, and oppression for LGBTQ+ people.

Attributes: Humanities Gen Ed, *Diversity Gen Ed, Liberal

GSST 2998  Individualized Studies in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

GSST 3005  Queer Theory  (4 Credits)  

This course provides students with an in-depth knowledge of contemporary theories of sexuality, an interdisciplinary field called 'queer theory.' While queer theory often focuses on the complexity of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered identity, the elasticity of the term queer is one of its defining characteristics; the aim of queer theory is to challenge rigid categories and definitions. We will examine the inconsistencies and erasures that often characterize notions of sex, gender, sexuality, and sexual desire, and the categories that intersect with sexual identities such as race, ethnicity, class, nationality, dis/ability, and age. Students will apply queer theory to an array of events and texts Prerequisites: an introductory course in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Attributes: Liberal

GSST 3008  LGBTQ+ Youth & Education  (4 Credits)  

In this course, we will explore key issues that LGBTQ+ youth face within the P-12 U.S. educational system, and ways in which teachers and advocates are striving to make education more inclusive and welcoming to LGBTQ+ students. Issues may include: the risk of suicide for LGBTQ youth; history of LGBTQ+ inclusivity in public education in the U.S.; supportive movements in LGBTQ education; the role of educators and support staff; intersections of race, class, gender and sexuality and their impact on educational and health outcomes for students. In this course we will explore both the challenges that educators face and successes to date providing welcoming and inclusive educational experiences for LGBTQ+ youth. LGBTQ+ Youth and Education is a companion course to the 4 credit GSST 2005 Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies; students may enroll in both courses. Introductory level course in LGBTQ+ Studies, or Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies is strongly recommended.

Cross-listed with EDST 3008.

Attributes: *Diversity Gen Ed, Liberal

GSST 3015  Feminist Theory  (4 Credits)  

This interdisciplinary course explores the central issues of feminist theory, such as ideologies of woman and man, sexual politics, the political economy of patriarchy, and the ways that race, ethnicity, dis/ability, age, nationality, class and other aspects of social identity intersect with gender and sexuality. Students will apply feminist theory to a variety of texts and events. Prerequisites: an introductory class in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies.

Attributes: Liberal

GSST 3030  Sex & Gender in Global Perspective  (4 Credits)  

This course is a comparative exploration of gender and gender relations in different regions of the world. Using the concepts of intersectionality (of race, class, gender, etc.) and globalization we will examine how inequalities across sexes and genders are created and perpetuated in different cultural contexts. The course will examine topics such as: non-binary gender systems, variations in the sexual division of labor and economic organization, gender-based violence, and the impact of forces such as colonialism and globalization on gender issues. This course was previously SOC-283324 Sex and Gender in Cross-Cultural Perspective: Advanced.

Cross-listed with ANTH 3122.

Attributes: Social Science Gen Ed, *Diversity Gen Ed, Liberal

GSST 3152  Queering American Culture  (4 Credits)  

Examine recent and historical forms of cultural representation in the U.S. (e.g., plays, novels, movies, memoirs, television programming, comic strips, and/or other cultural texts) for what they say about LGBTQ+ lives in America. Questions that may be considered include: How have LGBTQ+ people historically been represented in American culture? How do LGBTQ+ people seek to represent themselves? How has LGBTQ+ activism sought to challenge systems and structures of oppression organized around gender, sexuality, race, class, and other aspects of social difference? What does it mean to “queer” American culture? This course was previously CUL-243204 Queering American Culture. Prerequisites: Introduction to LGBTQ+ Studies, Introduction, or general background knowledge of gay and lesbian history and culture.

Cross-listed with CUST 3152.

Attributes: *Diversity Gen Ed, *Humanities Gen Ed, Liberal

GSST 3998  Individualized Studies in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.

GSST 4998  Individualized Studies in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST)  (1-8 Credits)  

Students have the opportunity to develop individualized studies with their mentor in Gender and Sexuality Studies (GSST). Please contact your mentor/advisor for more details.