This unit offers an inclusive study of gender, exploring the identities, relationships, and lived experiences of ciswomen and cismen, as well as trans and sex/gender diverse peoples. It engages an interdisciplinary and intersectionality approach and draws from sociology, feminism, post-colonialism, psychology, philosophy, political science, the law, and literary studies (among others) to address how the social construction, regulation, criminalisation, and medicalisation of gender impacts First Nations peoples, people of colour, LGBTQIA+ communities, people with disabilities, and neurodiverse peoples.
Students will be introduced to key thinkers who have contributed to gender studies, feminist theory, queer theory, and transgender theory such as Judith Butler, Michel Foucault, and Donna Haraway. More specifically, students will be equipped with knowledge and language to respond to emerging and recurring issues such as trans-exclusionary radical feminism (TERF), 'toxic masculinity', drag queen story-time, and the #MeToo movement.
