Precarious and Performative Play

Hi.  My name is Ann, and I'm a junior at Haverford.  I'm a Biology major, but I'm minoring in Gen/Sex.  I wasn't really sure what to write about for this post until I delved back into Queer Theory, Gender Theory.  It's an interesting and readable text, but one thing that bothers me is the author's obvious, slanted perspective.  Riki Wilchins frequently makes cynical observations about feminism and the lack of care that the discipline has toward other advocate groups.  Her statements could be true (I suppose I don't know enough about the history of feminism to deny her claims), but her repeated hammering in of the fact that feminists aren't supportive enough of gender rights makes me feel like I'm not reading a very balanced account.

Hi all! My name is Sara, and I’m a junior Psychology major at Haverford. I am also a Gen/Sex minor who has thus far explored this very broad topic from both a psychological and an anthropological perspective, and I’m excited to continue my studies through a variety of new lenses this semester.  I think the “p” that currently intrigues me the most in our course description is “playful.” Today, so many of the topics that lie under the Gen/Sex umbrella are fraught with tension and emotion, yet we often tend to forget that sexuality is something to celebrate and enjoy. It’s reassuring to know that although we will be delving into deep issues, our class will still maintain a sense of levity and fun! 

Hi. I am a sophomore at Haverford. I'm majoring in Art History and am pretty sure that I will be a Gender and Sexuality Studies concentrator. This is my first class that is officially focused on gender and sexuality although it has always been something that interests me. I am really excited about this class and the potential discussions we will have in the future. 

I’m Steph, a Senior English major concentrating in Creative Writing here at Bryn Mawr. While I’ve never taken a course exclusively on Gender and Sexuality, I’ve read a good deal of literature in this area and have incorporated it into my last three years of undergraduate study. I’m hoping to write my Senior Thesis on perceptions of mental illness in twentieth century women’s literature, and feel that this course will expand my previous knowledge and enrich my studies this semester. And if you’re wondering about my unusual username, it’s nothing more than the sound of my initials: SCT. I also like to use song lyrics in my statuses/post titles — this one is from The Decemberists' "Down By The Water."