On Sunday, March 2nd, the 97th Oscars took place. All eyes were on Emilia Pérez’ lead Karla Sofía Gascón, as she became the first transgender woman to receive an Oscar nomination for best actress. In this musical/thriller film, Karla’s character is a Mexican drug lord who transitions into a transgender woman, Emilia Pérez. Living in […]
Read More Breaking barriers: transgender representation in filmPhoto by oliveeoyl Overview I’m a champion of being a lifelong learner. Throughout college, my perspective has been challenged and expanded and I’ve realized that JMU wide array of opportunities, including both educational and experimental, that students should take advantage of. A recent event, Beyond Binaries with Robyn Ochs, took place on Thursday, November 2nd […]
Read More Beyond binaries with robyn ochs“Everyone wants to experience pleasure, why is society so shameful for wanting that?” – Adrienne Maree Brown Earlier this month I attended the first-ever JMU hosted, Queer Teach-in. This campus event provided an all-day long event with speakers, activities, and insight into the LGBTQ+ curriculum that is missing from our campus. I attended the virtual […]
Read More “Pleasure Activism” with Adrienne Maree BrownThe household image of what an eating disorder looks like is typically presented through the image of a young girl, who is struggling to eat, keep food down, or has lack of control over eating. The reality of eating disorders is that people of all ethnicities, genders, sexualities, and ages are affected by these serious […]
Read More the shocking correlation between eating disorders and LGBTQ+ teensOn Wednesday, October 4th JMU held its very first Queer Teach-In at the University in Madison Union 235. The event consisted of all-day lectures, workshops, artwork, exhibits, performances, etc. The event went on from 9:05 am to 7:20 pm, with endless amount of information to indulge in. The room shined with pure queer joy that […]
Read More Queer Teach IN: Dr. Reslie CortésThis post was edited on October 18 by FemmeInAction Mental illness is on the rise, impacting 1 in 5 adults in America, according to the CDC. While mental illness is extremely relevant, it remains a topic that is surrounded by stigma and misinformation. When we intersect sexuality and mental health, particularly the LGBTQ+ community, we […]
Read More Mental Health Challenges in the LGBTQ+ CommunityWill Smith and Chris Rock may have stolen the media’s attention from this year’s Oscars, but don’t let that distract you from the list of achievements from stars in marginalized communities. Award shows are known for their history of being white-washed and male dominant. Insider lists some scary statistics, including the fact that 89% of […]
Read More Inclusion & The OscarsKristen Shrewsbury is an instructional faculty member at JMU who teaches the special topics course WGSS 300: Queer Families. She’s a Harrisonburg native who went to JMU for her undergraduate degree from 1996 to 2001, and began working at JMU as a professional in 2007. She’s married to a same sex spouse and has two […]
Read More An interview with JMU professor Dr. ShrewsburyRecently, the topic of what’s being taught in K-12 schools has been making national headlines. From topics such as “critical race theory” to book bans, lawmakers have turned the classroom into a political battleground. This has garnered attention from not just parents of K-12 children, but celebrities, social justice advocates, students, businesses, and more. The […]
Read More Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill isn’t actually about protecting childrenBeing queer in both straight and LGBTQ+ spaces can be mentally taxing I work with a close-knit group of fellow college students. We talk about our personal lives, complain about classes, and occasionally go out together on weekends. Some of them, like me, identify as queer. At the office, I made a lighthearted joke when […]
Read More Too much, but also not enough
ShoutOut! James Madison University 