Culture, power, activism and more were on the agenda for the 9th annual Capital District Feminist Studies Conference.
Held virtually on January 15 and hosted by Russell Sage College, the conference was an opportunity for area scholars to present academic papers and poster presentations on gender and sexuality topics.
Laurie Naranch, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and director of Siena’s minor program in women’s, gender and sexuality studies, served on the conference’s abstract review committee.
“The Feminist Studies Consortium is a wonderful mix of people who work, teach and research in fields such as public health, law, government, social services and more,” said Naranch. “It speaks very well to the wealth of experience in these fields in the Capital Region, and the commitment to critical thinking – and action – on intersectional issues of feminism, race, gender and ethnicity.”
Naranch said the annual conference (Siena will host it next year) is “an excellent opportunity for our faculty and students to network and discuss their research.”
Amir Taylor ’22, presented “The Hoodie is the Sponge for a Black Man’s Blood,” which focused on the origination of the hoodie and how it has become a “death sentence” for many black men in America.
“It examines the moral dilemmas, the mental, the emotional, and the physical destruction and emasculation of the Black man when he wears a hoodie in American society,” said Taylor. “Black men in America have to focus more on what they wear and where they are going to be in American society to make others feel ‘safe’ because if they don’t, there are more Trayvon Martin cases.”
He said presenting at an academic conference was “enlightening.”
“Being able to share my knowledge and personal experiences about what it means to be a Black man in America was helpful not only to others’ understanding, but to my own. To me that is the most powerful thing about entering the ring with people who are willing to listen.”
Kiera Mitru ’21 presented “Viewing Audre Lorde’s Use of the Erotic by the Light of the Biblical Blaze,” which touched upon the intersection of Christian religious notions and Lorde’s definition of the erotic.
“In her essay ‘Uses of the Erotic as Power,’ Lorde identifies a definition of the erotic that is intimate and empowering, which she then contends can be used as a source of strength,” said Mitru. “In consulting biblical literature, my project aimed to uncover that which is erotic in a religious context.”
She said presenting her work gave her “renewed inspiration in my passion for feminist studies and activism.”
“It is so intriguing to explore how a scholar’s lived experiences and interests inform their work,” she said. “Having this conference as a space to ask questions about the ideas and experiences of other feminist scholars is empowering.”
Sami DeRagon ‘22 spoke on “Black Women Go Bold: An Analysis of Clothing Choice of Black and White Women Politicians.” Her research compared the four of the most prominent women to run for executive office: Shirley Chisholm, Geraldine Ferraro, Hillary Clinton, and newly inaugurated Vice President Kamala Harris in their clothing choices and how they use their clothing to communicate.
“I focus on each of their manifestations of the white pantsuit that women in politics often wear for momentous occasions in the advancement of women in the political sphere,” said DeRagon. “As an overall trend, I argue that the clothing choices of the two black women running for office was much bolder because of intersecting identities and the idea of fashion diplomacy, using your clothing to bring other people up through the attention that is paid to it.”
Beth DeAngelis, senior director of Siena’s Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women, presented “The College-Aged Woman: Feeling Her Way Into Personal Power,” which she is researching as part of her doctoral studies.
"In my research, I am exploring the social and emotional skills that women of color and white women students express are necessary for them to step into their personal power,” said DeAngelis. “I will use women's voices to inform the curriculum for women's leadership programming at the Sr. Thea Bowman Center for Women and in the course ‘Developing Your Emotional Intelligence.’”
