When considering how to approach the complexity of gender non-conforming identities beyond the binary, it is important to recognize that their existence is not new. With this in mind, I reflect on the potential of decolonization to challenge binary norms and embrace gender fluidity. In this reflective essay, I explore pre-colonial identities and…

Career aspirations are a crucial aspect of future adult development for individuals of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. However, Black emerging adult men may face specific challenges and obstacles that can hinder the formation of career aspirations. Social and economic disadvantages, racism, and development in low-resourced constrained…

Despite some progress towards gender equality in Western societies, traditional gender norms still shape career choices, perpetuating a gender gap where girls are more likely to pursue traditionally feminine fields like healthcare, elementary education, and domestic roles (HEED), while boys are drawn to masculine domains such as science,…

Higher education biology (HEB), a discipline where women undergraduates are numerically overrepresented in most Western universities, has been given little attention in exploring norms of scientific practice from a student perspective. This study brings into focus how biology students negotiate identities in relation to figured worlds of HEB.…

Sexual assault against women is a pervasive problem on college campuses in the United States (Canan, Jozkowski, & Crawford, 2018). Interventions to prevent sexual violence have been developed to target men. However, they generally lack a specific guiding theory and show mixed results (Caver, 2013). Factors such as adherence to traditional…

Individuals identifying as aromantic asexual face challenges living in predominantly heteronormative societies. This essay explains the challenges encountered living in India, a society known for its unique cultural and social structures. The authors use the oral history story-telling technique to understand the lived experiences of being an…

This paper delves into the intricate realm of Shakespearean characters in love, employing a psychoanalytical lens to unravel the depths of their emotions, desires, and conflicts. Drawing on psychoanalytic theories, particularly those of Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung, this paper aims to dissect the subconscious motivations and psychological…

Frequent exposure to victimization by peers is related to greater psychological problems. It is often assumed that peer victimization is associated with fewer psychological problems in classrooms where defending victims of bullying is common (i.e., a norm). The few studies testing this claim have been cross-sectional and have produced mixed…

Gender-typical characteristics are associated with popularity and acceptance, suggesting that gender typicality is an important component of how adolescents are perceived by peers. The current study addressed the contributions of self- and peer-perceived gender typicality in predicting popularity and liking among same- and other-sex peers.…

Much of the work on body image socialization masks the potentially unique influence of different socializers, yet clearer understanding of socialization mechanisms and ideological context aid intervention efforts. We explored how fathers, female peers, male peers, and adolescent boys themselves produce different levels of internalized…

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of a peer-led single-session intervention targeting the sociocultural pressures of body image. Participants: New members of 13 sororities at one university. Methods: Participants were randomized by sorority into the intervention (n = 207) or wait list control (n = 264). Online surveys were administered at…

In the Two Islands Activity, students are given a fictitious prompt to examine and reflect on how their positionality influences their perceptions regarding their assumptions about gender and sexuality in interpersonal workplace interactions. Through the active process of perception checking, students examine how gender and sexuality stereotypes…

Co-curricular activities have been shown to impact many measures of academic success, such as academic self-confidence, leadership abilities, identity development, personal development, and student thriving. Borrowing from established research paradigms on pluralistic ignorance, the current study sought to explore whether first-year and senior…

Through an instrumental case study from a critical feminist lens, we explored college student gender and leadership identity development in a gender and leadership focused course. We examined FemCrit perspectives on knowing (exploration of socialization), being (reflection on identity development), and doing (recognition of gender performance and…

Young children bring rich social, cultural, and political knowledge to school, cultivated in their homes and communities. This knowledge, ranging from household skills to multilingual practices, is often marginalized in schools that value different norms. Drawing from ethnographic studies in Illinois and New York kindergarten classrooms, this…