Women,Gender,Sexuality Studies 293L - S- Intro to LGBT Studies

This course introduces Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies. Students will uncover the history of modern, western ideas about sexuality and sexual and gender identity through a wide variety of texts and images across a range of disciplines and methodologies. Sexuality and gender will be considered not as "natural" or consistent phenomena, but as sets of cultural beliefs that have changed over time, manifesting themselves differently in varied cultural and historical contexts. Students will learn how the categories of sexuality and gender relate to shifting regimes of normativity in the twentieth century. Students will also discuss controversies in the contemporary period while being tolerant and respectful of differing viewpoints.