KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

FEMINISM AND FAMILY STUDIES

2014 FALL NEWSLETTER
KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED
Compiled by SN/P Reps Lorien Jordan & Kevin Zimmerman

We Have Come a Long Way, My Friends..

Remarks from the Chair
Shannon E. Weaver, Ph.D.
This past week while cleaning I found an old t-shirt from my high school debate team. On
the back the seniors had elected to have the phrase We have come a long way, my
friends. They felt this saying paid homage to those who had come before us but also
closely represented who we were at that time independent young women capable of
whatever we set our minds to achieve. I have to smile at our youthful optimism, but shake
my head over our naivet. Have women really come a long way? I am not sure that they
have. One thing of which I am certain, however, is that they have not gone far enough. So where does this
leave us as feminist family scholars and what is our responsibility to promote social change in our work?
The lived reality for the individuals and families we study is that the gender pay gap still
exists and even with the White Houses support, the Fair Wage Act has not been passed.
Recent SCOTUS decisions regarding corporate insurance coverage of certain
contraceptive methods and numerous states passing restrictive laws limiting womens
reproductive choices has also undermined womens freedom to make decisions regarding
their own health. The recent media uproar following the video of Ray Rice hitting his
girlfriend (now wife), further reinforced the prevalence of victim blaming that persists in
society today as well as demonstrated the extent to which we excuse, and even normalize,
violence against women.
However, as an academic and a feminist, even more troubling to me is the rape culture present in the U.S., and
particularly that on college campuses. It is estimated that one in four women will be raped at some point in
their life, and other sources have found that 20 to 25% of women in college will be sexually assaulted. Eightynine colleges and universities are currently being investigated for how they dealt with sexual violence and this
includes many of those at which we are employed. The White House has even stepped up with a task force
and some schools have changed their policies in response to student activism. Although this is a start, what
obligation do we, as feminist family scholars, have to our students and our academic communities?
It is this question that I pose to you, as members of this section and as
feminists. Although our areas of foci are diverse, as is our feminisms, like
Rhoda Kesler Unger I would argue that, possibly the one characteristic
that most feminist scholars would agree upon is the need for social
change (1982, p. 10). We are fortunate in that in our positions we do
have a voice and the potential to challenge the dominant culture in
ways that others cannot. We as a section have not taken a stand or
made a statement before on issues such as these, but that does not
mean that we should not or could not do so. Therefore at our business
meeting in November, I hope that we begin a dialogue, to propose
ideas and share our thoughts and expertise regarding such issues. I look
forward to hearing your thoughts on these matters.
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IN THIS ISSUE
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2
3
4
8
10
12
14

Remarks from the Chair

Jessie Bernard Awards
2013 Conference Highlights
Spotlights
2014 NCFR Conference
Recent News
Deconstructing Privilege Review
Meet the 2014-2015 Officers

KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

JESSIE BERNARD AWARDS

Winners of the 2013 Jessie Bernard Awards were recognized in San Antonio. They were:
2013 Jessie Bernard Outstanding
2013 Jessie Bernard Outstanding Research
Contribution to Feminist Scholarship Paper
Proposal from a Feminist Perspective
Award Ana Jaramillo-Sierra
Award Kimberly Crossman
Jaramillo-Sierra, A. L., & Allen, K. R. (2013). Who pays
after the first date? Young mens discourses of the
male-provider role. Psychology of Men &
Masculinity, 14(4), 389

A Grounded Theory Analysis of Mothers

Experiences of Nonviolent Coercive Control in
Marriage and After Separation.
Although feminist researchers call attention to the
gendered nature of coercive control and violence
against women, coercive control has rarely been
examined outside of the context of physically
violent
relationships.
Using
a
constructivist,
grounded theory approach, this study seeks to
develop a theoretical explanation of how coercive
control occurs and is effective and the role of
gender in controlling relationships. Currently, indepth interviews with 12 mothers with and without a
history of marital violence have been conducted
and analyzed, and data collection and analysis are
ongoing. Preliminary and ongoing analysis has
revealed the complexity of identifying coercive
control and distinguishing it from other problematic
relationship dynamics. Distinct forms of control have
emerged from mothers narratives, including a
pervasive, long-lasting pattern of coercive
behaviors by their (ex)husband, power struggles
and isolated incidents involving controlling behavior
by either partner that occur situationally, and
mothers perceptions of being controlled or
restricted due to social, internalized, and often
hegemonic expectations related to gender and
marriage.
Conceptual
distinctions
between
coercive control and other forms of psychological
abuse, such as verbal abuse, have also
emerged.
These
early
theoretical
findings
emphasize consideration for the context in which
psychologically abusive behaviors occur when
identifying and classifying forms of intimate partner
abuse in research and practice. Additional results
and implications will be shared upon completion of
the study.

This research paper sought understanding in how

young men construct meanings of being providers
in romantic and dating relationships during their
transitions into adulthood. Utilizing a feminist
perspective, this paper adds to male adult
development literature through an exploration of
the masculine-provider role. To answer the research
question of how young men enact the masculineprovider role, a grounded-theory analysis of 34
young men on the campus of a large public
university in the United States. Participants wrote
personal narratives that were guided by a series of
questions surrounding their payment arrangements
in dating and romantic relationships with women.
The interaction between the gender-relational and
financial-relational dimensions described the
meaning and actions of these young men and their
beliefs of provider roles. Four emerging provider
types emerged from the analysis of these young
mens narratives. These included; 1) the selfcentered provider: one who has a negative and
unequal perception of women and an exchange
payment discourse; 2) the chivalrous provider: one
who has an idealized perception of women and a
responsible provider payment discourse; 3) the
chivalrous sharing provider: one who has an
idealized perception of women and an equal
sharing payment discourse; and 4) the mutual
provider: one who perceives women as equal and
holds an equal sharing payment discourse. Taken
as the whole, the typologies from this study point to
a variety of how young men relate, adhere or
transform the traditional masculine-provider role.
Also apparent was that while some young men
continue to view themselves in a more traditionally
held male provider roles that many young men
(45%) were in the process of changing these views
to more egalitarian ones.
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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

2013 NCFR CONFERENCE HIGHLIGHTS: SAN

ANTONIO, TX: BOARD OF DIRECTORS MAKES
STATEMENT ON SAME-SEX PARENTING
Kevin J. Zimmerman

On November 8, 2013, at the annual meeting, the NCFR Board of

Directors made the following statement.
The NCFR Board of Directors is in agreement with the position
outlined in the recent American Sociological Association amicus brief
on same-sex parenting. We concur that there is no clear and
compelling evidence that being raised by same-sex parents is
harmful to children. Moreover, because children thrive in stable
families, and because marriage helps to stabilize unions, the wellbeing of children is enhanced when same-sex parents have access to
marriage and all of its social and legal benefits and protections.

NCFR President Paul Amato, backed by

Diane Cushman and other Board members.

Members immediate response to the statement seemed to be

polarized, with the majority of attendees rising to their feet in applause, while pockets of the audience
remained seated and silent.
NCFR members had asked the Board for over a year to make a statement on behalf of NCFR regarding its
views on same-sex parenting and marriage. Given the large number of requests and the time frame, the Board
recognized that some members assumed that their silence reflected a position in its own right. After discussing
the issue, the research, and a diversity of opinions with many NCFR members, the Board decided to clarify its
position by making the statement at the annual meeting.
The statement is personally meaningful for me (Kevin), as a gay man raising three boys, and having lived in
Russia, where spurious and discredited research regarding lesbian and gay families is being used to criminalize
families headed by same-sex couples. After the announcement, I spoke with some members who were not
aware of the larger context, and who said that making the statement was a political act, rather than simply a
statement on the research. They're right, of course. The statement was a political act, just as remaining silent
would have been a political act.
The Board acknowledged in an email to members that not all NCFR members share the Boards interpretation
of the research evidence, and they welcomed all members to express their views openly and freely.
Gay Lesbian Bisexual Transgender Straight Alliance (GLBTSA) Focus Group
Members met on November 6th at the 2013 NCFR Conference to discuss topics and
concerns relevant to LGBTQ advocacy and inclusion at NCFR. Discussion centered
on discussing what strategies the group, and the Feminism and Family Studies
section, could use to influence the NCFR Board of Directors to react to the 2012
Regnerus article on children of parents in same-sex relationships. Comments
included examining NCFR policy and bylaws, drafting a letter or letters to the Board,
and summarizing the current state of the research.
The GLBTSA focus group meets annually with the following goals: To coordinate
research proposals focusing on sexual minorities, to network with other GLBT and allied family researchers, to
improve the involvement and representation of sexual minorities within NCFR, and to provide a safe haven,
mentoring, and social support for GLBT researchers and students.

KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

2014 CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT

Invited Speaker, Carolyn Pedwell
Effectiveness of the Transnational Politics of Emotion
Friday, November 21, 2014 1:15 2:30 pm
Dr. Carolyn Pedwell is a Senior Lecturer in Cultural Studies/Cultural Sociology in the School
of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at University of Kent (UK) and Coordinator
of Cultural Studies. She currently serves as the Editor of the journal Feminist Theory. Her
research interests lie at the intersection of media and cultural studies, gender studies, and
international politics, with a focus on feminist, postcolonial, and queer theory. Her research
centers on gender, the body, and culture; transnationality, multiculturalism, and cultural difference; feminist
theory and popular culture; and the transnational politics of emotion and affect.
Dr. Pedwells current research explores the transnational politics of empathy. Her forthcoming book, Affective
Relations: The Transnational Politics of Empathy, has grown out of her recent publications on the topic. Through
analysis of a range of popular and scholarly affective textsincluding Obamas political memoirs and
speeches, best-selling business books, postcolonial novels, popular science texts, and drawing on feminist, antiracist, and queer theorythe book investigates the possibilities, risks, and contradictions of relying on empathy
as a tool for bringing about transnational social justice. Given the focus of this years conference, Dr. Pedwells
work offers an additional perspective to our examination of international families and social justice.
Selected Publications:
Pedwell, C. (2014). Cultural theory as mood work. New Formations . ISSN 0950-2378.
Pedwell, C. (2013). Affect at the margins: Alternative empathies in a small place. Emotion, Space and Society,
8, 18-26. ISSN 1755-4586.
Pedwell, C. & Whitehead, A. (2012). Affecting feminism: Questions of feeling in feminist theory. Feminist Theory,
13(2), 115-129. ISSN 1464-7001.
Pedwell, C. (2012). Affective (self-) transformations: Empathy, neoliberalism and international development.
Feminist Theory, 13(2), 163-179. ISSN 1464-7001.
Pedwell, C. & Whitehead, A. (2012). Special Issue on Affecting Feminism: Questions of Feeling in Feminist Theory.
Feminist Theory, 13 (2). ISSN 1464-7001.
Pedwell, C. (2012). Economies of empathy: Obama, neoliberalism, and social justice. Environment and Planning
D: Society and Space, 30(2),280-297. ISSN 0263-7758.
Pedwell, C. (2008). Weaving relational webs: Theorizing cultural difference and embodied practice. Feminist
Theory, 9(1), 87-107. ISSN 1464-7001.
Pedwell, C. (2007). Theorizing 'African' female genital cutting and 'Western' body modifications: a critique of the
continuum and analogue approaches. Feminist Review, 86, 45-66. ISSN 0141-7789.
Book Chapters
Pedwell, C. (2012). Power. In M. Evans & C. Williams, (Eds). Gender: The key concepts. (pp. 179-184). Routledge
Key Guides . Routledge. ISBN 978-0415669627.
Pedwell, C. (2011). The limits of cross-cultural analogy: Muslim veiling and Western fashion and beauty
practices. In R. Gill & C. Scharff, (Eds). New femininities: Postfeminism, neoliberalism and subjectivity (pp.
188-202). Palgrave ISBN 978-0230223349.
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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

Pedwell, C. (2011) Sometimes whats not said is just as important as what is: Transnational feminist encounters. In
K. Davis & M. Evans (Eds). Transatlantic conversations: Feminism as travelling theory. The feminist
imagination - Europe and beyond (pp. 145-156). Ashgate Publishing Limited.
Pedwell, C. (2008). Intersections and entanglements: Tracing the Anorexic and the Veiled Woman. In E.
Oleksy, A. Petoe, & B. Waaldijk (Eds). Gender and citizenship in a multicultural context (pp. 261-267). Peter
Lang AG. ISBN 978-3631561966.
Pedwell, C. (2002) Seeing the self in the other and the other in the self: (Inter-subjective) Reflexivity A
methodology for representing others. In Marginal research: Reflections on location and representation.
pp. 71-81. Gender Institute, The London School of Economics and Political Science.
Books
Pedwell, C. (2014). Affective relations: The transnational politics of empathy. Thinking gender in transnational
times . Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1137275257.
Pedwell, C. (2012) Feminism, culture and embodied practice: The rhetorics of comparison. Transformations:
Thinking through feminism. Routledge.
Internet publication
Pedwell, C. (2014) Circuits of feeling in The age of empathy. The History of Emotions Blog.

Please join Dr. Pedwell for a fireside chat following her presentation. Time and location TBA.

KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

2014 CONFERENCE SPOTLIGHT

Special Session, The Alexis J. Walker Award Address, Katherine Allen
Feminist Family Studies: Reflection and Critique
Thursday, November 20, 2014 11:30 am 1:00 pm
Presider: Dr. Elizabeth Sharp
Introductory Remarks: Dr. Anisa Zvonkovic

Katherine Allen Selected as the Recipient of the inaugural Alexis J. Walker Award for
Lifetime Achievement in Feminist Family Studies!
Contributed by: Elizabeth Sharp and Crystal Duncan Lane
On behalf of the Feminism and Family Studies Section and the Alexis J. Walker 2014 Award Committee, we are
delighted to announce that Dr. Katherine Allen has been selected as the recipient of the inaugural Alexis J.
Walker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Feminist Family Studies.
The Alexis J. Walker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Feminist Family Studies
was created to publically recognize and honor Alexiss visionary and sustained
contributions to feminist family studies through recognizing other feminist family
scholars who share the same vision and offer lasting contributions to the field.
Katherine is considered to be the top feminist family scholar and the person
most deserving of an award honoring the powerful legacy of Alexis J. Walker. Working with Alexis, Katherine
was a forerunner in building and sustaining the Feminism & Family Studies Section and nurturing feminist scholars
(of all levels) through her incisive teaching (including numerous prestigious teaching awards), writing (an
impressive record of more than 125 publications), and service (she is thought to be one of the most generous
scholars in the field). Her nominating letters re-affirmed what NCFR members and FFS section members already
know: she is brilliant, incredibly generous, productive, and risk-taking, all of which are anchored in her
unwavering commitment to feminism. She has had tremendous impact on the field and beyond; her efforts
have led to positive change in workplaces, national organizations, laws, attitudes, and countless individual lives.
As one letter writer explained, Katherine Allen is one of a kind, a gem in the field of feminist family studies who
embodies the multiple ways in which feminism has enhanced family studies as an academic discipline, as a
teaching area, as a field of practice, and as a subject that touches personal lives.
Katherines colleagues and students also reflect her legacy:
Anisa Zvonkovic states: We at Virginia Tech are pleased as punch that we have the wonderful, dynamic,
supportive, wise Katherine Allen whom we get to see every day! Im so thankful that the Walker award was
established and so happy with the first awardee being our dear Katherine.

KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

Marilyn Coleman writes: Who but Katherine could possibly be the first winner of this award. Alexis would first
check the data - and "Yes, Katherine has the "chops" to win it!" Congratulations, Katherine, you are more than
deserving.
Kelly Munly states: Katherine Allen has been one of the greatest inspirations to me from the first year of my
doctoral program, a sustaining and motivating force in the challenges of graduate work. Her pedagogy is my
ideal, inspiring her students' intrinsic motivation in critical literature through establishing safe, open environments
for exploration and discussion.
Zhang, Jing writes: "Dr. Katherine Allens passion about research has always encouraged me. I am really
impressed that she has never gotten tired of reading students writings or giving feedback."
Crystal Duncan Lane states: Dr. Allen inspired me as both an undergraduate and doctoral student. Her high
expectations are made possible by her concern and support for us. Her courage and willingness to take risks in
the classroom are a large part of my teaching philosophy. Whenever I am considering taking a risk with my
teaching, I ask Would Katherine do this? and if the answer is yes, then I know it is the right choice.
The Award committee members whole-heartedly agree with your nominators and supporters, who wrote:
Katherine is supremely qualified for this award, which recognizes her lifetime friend, sister, roommate, and
colleague, Alexis Walker. We cannot think of anyone more deserving, or more fitting for this award, than
Katherine Allen.
Award committee members included: Elizabeth Sharp (Chair of Award Committee): Shannon Weaver (Current
Chair of FFS section); Past winner of the award (not Applicable); Verna Ourada (FFS member at large/SNP);
Sally Lloyd (FFS member at large-at least mid-career)

Help us celebrate Alexis and Katherine at NCFR 2014 in Baltimore! Mark your calendars to
attend the session on Thursday, November 20th at 11:30 am!

RISING SCHOLAR: AMY BRAINER

Dr. Brainer is an Assistant Professor of Womens and Gender Studies at the University of
Michigan-Dearborn. She earned her PhD in Sociology from the University of Illinois at
Chicago in 2014.
She is working on a book project about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender family of
origin relationships in Taiwan. Drawing from ethnographic fieldwork and life history
interviews, she examines how family negotiations surrounding gender and sexuality have
changed over time, and how these changes have varied for people in different gender
and family locations.
While conducting this fieldwork in Taiwan, Dr. Brainer was a Visiting Scholar at the Center for the Study of
Sexualities at National Central University and a volunteer member of the Taiwan Tongzhi Hotline Association
LGBT Elders Working Group. She also trained and supervised undergraduate research assistants who
contributed meaningfully to the project. She values bridging scholarly research with community engagement
and opportunities for student learning.
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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

2014 NCFR CONFERENCE FFS SECTION PRESENTATIONS AND EVENTS

Wednesday, November 19, 2014
Time

Presentation

7:45 - 8:30 am

Poster Session 103

17 FF Perceptions of Intimate Partner Violence Victims and Perpetrators, Jenica Hughes, Jessica Troilo

9:00 - 9:45 am

Poster Session 111

08 FF Itll Work Out: Older Mothers and Adult Daughters Perspectives on Future Plans, Margaret Manoogian, Amy Ringering, Jennifer
Rice, Nickie Sickles

12 FF Young Women Doing and Undoing Gender in Their Anger Towards Parents and Romantic Partners, Ana L. Jaramillo Sierra,
Katherine Allen, Christine Kaestle

13 FF Gender, Race, and Marital Status Differences in Retirement Plans, Maximiliane Szinovacz, Adam Davey
10:00 - 11:30 am

Concurrent Sessions 118

FF PA Relational Experiences, Identity, and Inclusion for GLBT Individuals and Families
Research on LGBTHeaded Families: A Content Analysis of Top Family Journals 20002013, Brad van EedenMoorefield, April Few
Demo, Kristen Benson, Shannon Lummer

Workplace Climate, Identity Salience, and Disclosure of an LGB Identity, Elizabeth Holman, Brian Ogolsky, Ramona Oswald
The Meaning and Process of Dating Among Gay and Lesbian Emerging Adults, Kathryn Conrad, Spencer Olmstead
Minority Stress and Public Displays of Affection in Gay and Lesbian Couples, Joel A. Muraco, Stephen T. Russell, Melissa A. Curran, Emily
A. Butler

(NCFR INNOVATION GRANT WINNER) It's OUTside Our Relationship: Effects of Outness on Stress in Samesex Couples, Casey J.
Totenhagen, Ashley K. Randall, Caroline B. Adams, Ashley Cooper, Dannele C. Ferreras, Morgan Howell, Kelsey J. Walsh

Discussants: TBA; Paul Amato

12:30 - 1:15 pm

Poster Session 131

16 FF Caregiving for an Exhusband After Abuse, Christine Proulx, Ashley Ermer, Kylee Mattoon, Teresa Cooney

3:00 - 4:15 pm

Concurrent Session 143

FF WK Incorporating Feminism Into Academic and Professional Mentoring, Jenifer McGuire, Ramona Faith Oswald, Anisa Zvonkovic,
Katherine Allen (059)

6:15 - 7:00 pm

Poster Session 147

22 FF Maintaining Relationships With Former Stepgrandchildren Following Remarriage Dissolution, Caroline Sanner, Marilyn Coleman

8:00 - 9:30 pm

Roundtables on Innovative Approaches to Research (FF/RT/FH) 150

01 Redefining the Gendered Power Struggle Through Relationship Skills, Jennifer Randles
02 Redefining Familywork Balance? A Discourse Analysis of an Intervention Strategy, Annie Neimand, Heidi Steinour
03 Immigrant Latina Motherhood and the International Division of Reproductive Labor, Megan BaroletFogarty
04 An Autoethnography of PostPartum Depression, Jessica Troilo
05 Womens Hightech Erotic Literature Engagement and Relationship Wellbeing, Amanda Williams, Claire Kimberly, Stacy Creel, Jessica
Baxley

06 Family Discourse: A Foucauldian Approach to Family Research, Heidi Steinour

07 Stages of Survivorship and Family Stress Theory: Linking Domestic Violence and Cancer Research, Shauntia White
Thursday, November 20, 2014
TIme
7:00 - 8:15 am

Presentation
Feminism and Family Studies Section Member Meeting #200

KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

8:00 - 8:45 am

Poster Session #207

08 FF Genes and the Experience of Choosing a Sperm Donor: A Qualitative Study, Alyssa Henry, Abbie Goldberg
22 FF Desire for Similarity in Samesex Romantic Partners, Erin LavenderStott, Shanhong Luo
23 FF Bisexuality: Family Perceptions and Experiences, Maureen Todd, Linda Oravecz, Cynthia Vejar
24 FF A Multidimensional Approach to Assessing Sexual Minority Status and Mental Health, Jessica Fish, Kay Pasley
25 FF Now There are Two in the Family: Understanding the Experiences of the Second Sibling to Come Out as LGBT in the Family of
Origin, Katie Barrow, Katherine Allen

8:30 - 9:45 am

Special Session - Administering a Humane Workplace the Influence of Feminism and Social Justice, Elaine Anderson,
Rosemary Blieszner, Cathy Surra, Donna Sollie (Sponsored by Family Science and Feminism and Family Studies
Sections and Montclair State Univ.) (LIVE STREAM)

10:00 - 11:15 am

Concurrent Sessions #219

FF/FH/PA Sexual Coercion, Sexual Abuse, and Relational Violence (060)
The Hidden Role of Social Coercion in Sexual Acquiescence, Nicole Conroy, Ambika Krishnakumar
Mothers' Acceptance and Rejection of Children Born From Rape in the DR Congo, Lee Ann De Reus
Violence, Coercive Control and HelpSeeking Among Divorcing Mothers, Megan Haselschwerdt, Elissa Mitchell, Jennifer Hardesty, Marcela
Raffaelli

Healthy Sexuality as a Context for Resilience in Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, Kimmery Newsom, Karen MyersBowman
A Grounded Theory Analysis of Mothers Experiences of Nonviolent Coercive Control in Marriage and After Separation, Kimberly
Crossman, Winner of the 2013 Jessie Bernard Outstanding Research Proposal from a Feminist Perspective Award
11:30 am - 1:00 pm

Special Session - Alexis Walker Award Address (LIVE STREAM) #221

Feminist Family Studies: Reflection and Critique
Given by: Dr. Katherine Allen,
Recipient of the Inaugural Alexis J. Walker Award for Lifetime Achievement in Feminist Family Studies
Presider: Dr. Elizabeth Sharp
Introductory Remarks: Dr. Anisa Zvonkovic

11:30 am -12:15 pm

Poster Session #223

13 FF Working Women: Domestic Workers Seen Through the Eyes of the Privileged Employer, Lisa Reber

Friday, November 21, 2014

Time

Presentation

8:00 - 8:45 am

Poster Session #307

16 FF College Males and Females Perceptions of and Experiences With Hooking Up, Ani Yazedjian, Michelle Toews, Kori Daniel

1:15 - 2:30 pm

Special Session - Effectiveness of the Transnational Politics of Emotion, Carolyn Pedwell (Sponsored by FF Section)
(LIVE STREAM)

KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

RECENT NEWS
2014 Policy Impacting Feminism and Family Studies Section Members
January 1, 2014: The Affordable Care Act (ACA). Prior to the passage of the Affordable Care Act,
there was no federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in health care nor did the states provide
broad protections against such discrimination. The ACA prohibits insurance companies, health
care providers, and health programs that receive federal fundingas well as federallyadministered health programsfrom discriminating on the basis of race, national origin, age,
disability, or sex.
May 7, 2014: National Womens History Museum. Congress voted, 383-33, to establish a bipartisan commission
to make recommendations for building a National Womens History Museum in Washington, D.C. "The museum
would help ensure that future generations understand what we owe to the many generations of American
women that helped build, sustain, and advance our society.- Senator Collins.
May 20, 2014: Human Trafficking. The House of Representative passed five anti-human trafficking bills with
bipartisan support. All five aim to do everything from providing additional funding for authorities to requiring
states to identify youth who have fallen prey to sex trafficking.
June 20, 2014: Same-Sex Marriage. The federal government announced regulatory changes to extend a wide
range of marriage benefits to same-sex couples. With Oregon, Pennsylvania and Illinoiss passage of marriage
amendments in 2014, same-sex marriage is legal in 19 states and D.C.
Womens Rights
April 8, 2014: Civil Rights Summit. Former President Jimmy Carter targeted the mistreatment of women as a
front-line in the civil rights movement, calling for a multidimensional approach to combatting a broad range of
issues from pay discrimination to sex-trafficking of women and girls.
June 13, 2014: Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict. John Kerry speaks out about gender equality,
stating, No country can get ahead if it leaves half of its people behind. This is why the United States believes
gender equality is critical to our shared goals of prosperity, stability, and peace, and why investing in women
and girls worldwide is critical to advancing U.S. foreign policy."
June 23, 2014: Working Families Summit. President Obama delivered a speech in favor of progressive family
policies, and encouraging paid family leave and affordable childcare. Obama stated Anything that makes
life harder for women, makes life harder for families, and makes life harder for children... This is about you too,
men.
Feminism and Family Studies Kudos
Libby Balter Blume was named the Editor-elect of the Journal of Family Theory & Review
Marissa L. Christensen graduated with a bachelors degree in Family and Consumer Sciences- Family Life
Education from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point. She is beginning graduate studies at Texas
Womans University in the fall.
Dulce Guzman graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Family and Consumer Sciences (family studies
concentration) from California State University, Sacramento.
Elizabeth G. Holman was awarded the Illinois Council on Family Relations Outstanding Research Award.
ine Humble is co-investigator on the 2013 TVN Catalyst Research Program Grant for her work on Fostering
end-of-life conversations, community and care among LGBT older adults.
Maureen Perry-Jenkins will be inducted as a NCFR Fellow at the 2014 Conference

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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

Michael P. Johnson has been busy in retirement consulting and training with governmental agencies and NGOs
on domestic violence policy/intervention in England, Scotland, Sweden, Canada, and with the US military.
Most recent was a presentation for the Tavistock Centre for Couple Relations.
Katherine Kuvalanka was promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure with the family studies
department at Miami University of Ohio.
Janet M. Liechty was promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure at the University of Illinois.
Jana Meinhold was promoted to Associate Professor and awarded tenure at Portland State University. On May
14th, she welcomed her second child into the family four days.
Kevin J. Zimmerman defended his dissertation and has joined the faculty at Bridgewater College in Virginia.
The 2nd Annual LGBT Research Symposium was held in May and organized by FFS section members Ramona
Oswald, Elizabeth Holman, Shawn Mendez, as well as, non-members Paceley and Robinett.

New Publications by FFS members

Byrne-Doran, J. (2013). An Exploration of the Intergenerational Influences on Working Mothers. In L. Fitzpatrick
(Ed.) Performing Feminisms in Contemporary Ireland, Dublin: Carysfort Press.
Few-Demo, A.L. (2014) Intersectionality as the New critical approach in feminist family studies: Evolving
racial/ethnic feminisms and critical race theories. Journal of Family Theory and Review, 6(2), 169-183.
Milardo, R. (2014). Crafting Scholarship in the Behavioral and Social Sciences: Writing,
Reviewing and Editing (Routledge).
Ourada, V. E. Z. & Walker, A. J. (2014). A comparison of physical health outcomes for
caregiving parents and caregiving adult children. Family Relations, 63, 163 - 177.
Sharp, E., Zvonkovic, A., Humble, ine M., & Radina, M.E. (2014) Cultivating the family studies
terrain: A synthesis of qualitative conceptual articles. Journal of Family Theory and
Review, 6(2), 139-168.

Please send us your recent publications, presentations, announcements, and other

news that you would be willing to share for future newsletters! Email these to the
section chair at shannon.weaver@uconn.edu

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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

BOOK REVIEW: DECONSTRUCTING PRIVILEGE: TEACHING AND LEARNING AS

ALLIES IN THE CLASSROOM
Zimmerman, K. (2014). Deconstructing Privilege: Teaching and Learning as Allies in the Classroom, edited by
Kim A. Case. Journal of Feminist Family Therapy, 26(2), 113-115.
When Peggy McIntosh revealed to the world the
contents of her invisible knapsackthose unearned
special provisions, maps, passports, code books,
visas, clothes, tools, and blank checks that benefit
U.S. Whites while simultaneously subordinating
people of colorshe started a movement of
privilege pedagogy that has substantially impacted
American education. When I first encountered her
article in my marital and family therapy graduate
training, I was transformed, suddenly attuned to the
power differentials that infuse our every interaction
but which previously had evaded my conscious
awareness. With the far-sighted vision characteristic
of the founders of other important ideas, McIntosh
asserts in the prelude to Deconstructing Privilege
that people need the concept of privilege to
advance their own understanding, not only of their
particular field of study, but of their daily lives.
Indeed, I have used the core concepts of privilege
pedagogy with clients, and Deconstructing
Privilege can help equip therapists to effectively
engage with clients various identities and their
associated social positionalities. For example, the
young Latina who reports conflict arising from
rejecting her parents faith can be assisted in her
identity formation process by more fully
understanding her identities, including her
marginalized identities as a female, non-believing
person of color. The couple with a an unequal
balance of power can be given the language that
raises their awareness of how power operates in
their relationship and can begin to consider ways of
working towards greater relationship equality.

insight as an antidote to colorblindness, and

includes activities with instructions and examples
that make this chapter particularly practical for
educators.
The focus of Part 2 is intersectionality, which refers to
the way in which multiple dimensions of identity
interact in the service of privilege or oppression.
Chapters 6 and 7 include some ideas for teaching
from an intersectional perspective. Chapter 8
details how the authors use transcripts and video
recordings of interviews with female scholars and
activists from around the world as part of the Global
Feminisms Project. Chapter 9 reports on experiential
activities and mediated dialogues on the topics of
heterosexual privilege, Christian privilege, and
Jewish privilege within an Arab context.
Part 3 comprises the last four chapters about
strategies and applications of teaching privilege in
the classroom. Chapter 10 relates three activities
that the authors use to teach about heterosexual
privilege. Chapter 11, co-authored by an instructor
and her student, highlights the advantages of
students learning about class privilege through
experiential, out-of-class learning. Chapter 12, on
Christian privilege, recommends three approaches
for preparing students for discussion, then describes
a class assignment to attend the worship service of
an unfamiliar religious group and to write a
reflection paper on the experience. Finally, Chapter
13 argues that the privileged are often least familiar
with privilege, yet are best positioned to effect the
greatest change, and recommends making the
curriculum personal and relevant, and offers three
activities for exploring ones own social identities.

Following Chapter 1, which serves as an

introduction, the book is comprised of three parts.
Part 1 includes Chapters 2 through 5, related to
teaching and learning about privilege. Chapters 2
and 3 grapple with how to overcome student
resistance to learning about privilege. Chapter 4
addresses how to encourage students to become
allies. Chapter 5 proposes the concept of color

Case states in Chapter 1 that when she first began

teaching about privilege, she had difficulty finding
resources that would aid her in her own teaching,
and so she set about creating the book that she
wished to read. If she wished to read a collection of
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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

scholarly essays by individuals who have taught

about privilege in college classrooms, then she has
hit her mark. I suspect, however, that she might
have wished for concrete activities, discussion
questions, assignment sheets, grading rubrics, and
step-by-step instructions. In this case, she might
have found more helpful something like the
Dialogues on Diversity Facilitator Packet, a 111page document that I heavily relied on as a
graduate student when teaching an
undergraduate diversity course. Although there are
some example assignments sprinkled throughout
Deconstructing Privilege, one would need either to
fill in the activitys missing details or to contact the
chapters authors for more information.

A logical extension of the book would be to offer

materials and activities on a companion website,
as is increasingly common with other books. Such a
website could include the authors syllabi and class
activities, and could offer the opportunity for others
to share their own materials. Imagine the innovative
ideas that might result from such crowd sourcing.
Surely college instructors would submit ideas, but so
might grade school educators, therapists,
corporate trainers, artists, and others from a variety
of fields. Such a resource would be immensely
valuable in advancing and refining privilege
pedagogy.

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KEEPING FEMINIST FAMILY SCHOLARS INFORMED AND CONNECTED

MEET THE 2014-2015 OFFICERS

We hope that you take the time to come and talk with us at the conference in November. We would be
happy to discuss ideas you have for the section and any paper/presentation proposals you are thinking
about submitting to present next year. Be sure to look for Shannon in the public gathering area near the
exhibits as she (or one of the other officers) will be there during most of the conference to meet with section
members. To get to know our Treasurer/Secretary and S/NPs, we asked Crystal, Lorien, and Kevin to
introduce themselves and share what the FFS section means to them.
Shannon E. Weaver, Chair
Associate Professor
Dept. Of Human Development and
Family Studies
University of Connecticut

Tara Saathoff-Wells, Chair-Elect

Research and Evaluation Scientist
Clearinghouse for Military Family
Readiness
The Pennsylvania State University

Crystal Duncan Lane, Secretary/Treasurer

I am an Assistant Professor in the
School of Family and Consumer
Sciences at Eastern Illinois University
in the Family Services section. I
received my Bachelors Degree in
Family and Child Development from
Virginia Tech (2000), my Masters
Degree in Marriage and Family
Therapy from East Carolina University (2005), and my
doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies
from Virginia Tech (2011). My research focuses on
family resilience as it relates to health, the impact of
breast cancer on women and families, and the
mediating influence of cell phones on relationships.
My investigation of the impact of the pink ribbon
movement on women in stage IV breast cancer has
twice earned the Ruth E. Hawthorne Research Grant
from Kappa Omicron Nu. My teaching interests
include addiction and substance abuse, theories of
human development, and statistics. I serve on the
Faculty Senate, the university Committee for the
Assessment of Student Learning, and am the
departmental Academic Assessment Chair. I am on
the board of the Illinois Council on Family Relations,
and am the President of the Illinois Association of
Family and Consumer Sciences. Though my
participation in this section is new, I have already
found that belonging to the Feminism and Family
Studies Section means complete acceptance,
validation, and genuine relationships. This section is my
professional safe space.
14

Lorien Jordan, S/NP Representative

I am a doctoral student at the University of Georgia,
Athens. After a decade long career in fine arts, I
transitioned my love of human connection and social
justice to focus on action, research and therapy with
marginalized populations. In 2012, I received the
Master of Family Therapy degree from Mercer
Universitys School of Medicine. My
current research focuses on the
intersection of research, policy,
and mental health. The FFS section
is invaluable to me as I continue to
grow in scholarship, not only
because of its strong commitment
to acceptance and justice, but
also because of the welcoming
and supportive mentorship that it provides. Not to
leave out that our section meetings are the most fun!

Kevin J. Zimmerman, S/NP Representative

I am an assistant professor at
Bridgewater College in Virginia and
a family therapist. My area of
research is relationship quality. The
FFS section is astonishing in its
vibrancy, honorable in its
philosophy, extraordinary in its
scholarship, and exceptional in its
warmth. It is my professional home.

Elizabeth Sharp, Past Chair

Associate Professor
Dept. of Human Development
and Family Studies
Affiliate Faculty Member,
Womens Studies
Texas Tech University