I expect to pass through life but once. If therefore, there be kindness I can show, or any good thing I can do to any fellow being, let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it, as I shall not pass this way again. ~William Penn~
Content alert: Brief listing of the course content of my sociology of sex course, which includes readings on sexual violence At the start of this semester, debates about trigger warnings spread over social media, inflamed by a letter that the University of Chicago sent to incoming students declaring that Our commitment to academic freedom means that... Continue Reading →
Heather Rachelle White, author of Reforming Sodom: Protestants and the Rise of Gay Rights, Gillian Frank. and Bethany Moreton, author of To Serve God and Wal-Mart: The Making of Christian Free Enterprise are editing a book on sexuality and religion (Ahhhh! That's the sound of my spirit being renewed at the thought of these three... Continue Reading →
As 2016 nears to an end, I'm just now plowing through the rest of my 2015 reading (which is probably not what "slow professor" should mean)--at least the odds and ends, like book reviews. I wanted to share this one, from Ibrahim Abraham (University of Helsinki) in Religion & Gender, over Globalized Religion and Sexual Identity: Contexts,... Continue Reading →
Oh Mylanta! I've actually not watched TV regularly since about when Full House went off the air in the mid-199os. But, thanks to Netflix and a very persistent 9 year old daughter, I caught an episode of Fuller House, the "Velveeta reboot" of the show that hid the truth about Bob Saget's comedic genius from me for years. The... Continue Reading →
Content alert: LGBT teen suicide, white nationalist politics, homophobia in politics The drama began with Drama, Raina Telgemeier’s graphic novel about a middle school play. My daughter had enjoyed her Smile and Sisters, and I was probably more excited than an adult should be about her re-vamping of The Babysitters Club series. We’d given Telgemeier’s... Continue Reading →
If you are teaching God Hates: Westboro Baptist Church, American Nationalism, and the Religious Right this spring and would like to schedule a class visit, please let me know! Speaking with students, learning about their projects and interests, and supporting their research is something I'm passionate about, and I'd love to meet your students (or Sunday school... Continue Reading →
No, really, that was the goal of late November's Congressional-Clergy Townhall. The event was organized by Wallbuilders, led by pseudo-historian David Barton, and the Jefferson Gathering, a weekly Wednesday night non-denominational contemporary worship service held especially for members of Congress. Wallbuilders promotes a vision of "America's forgotten history and heroes with an emphasis on our moral,... Continue Reading →
The need to teach and research on the intersections of race and ethnicity, class, gender, sexuality, and religion is as great as it ever has been, and I've never been prouder of the work American studies has been doing. Below, a call for contributions from those who are members of the American Studies Association, to... Continue Reading →
Open Society Foundations, founded by George Soros, is a nonprofit that works to "build vibrant and tolerant societies whose governments are accountable and open to the participation of all people." As part of that effort, it awards grants to organizations working against hate. Those interested in applying can join a conference call on December 8... Continue Reading →
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Rebecca Barrett-Fox 