Gender Matters

In the seventeenth century, English polymath Nicholas Culpeper published his Directory for Midwives, an instructional and reference text for midwives. This study examines the audience and purpose of Culpeper’s text and what they reveal about his conceptualization of the roles of women within a changing medical field. This study explains how Culpeper’s radical political background led to his promotion of the democratization of medicine, but his actual conceptions about the role of female practitioners remained in line with traditional beliefs about gender hierarchy within medicine and the superiority of male practitioners.

The common ideal professional pipeline for orchestral clarinetists in the United States begins with an undergraduate performance degree, progresses through graduate degrees and training orchestras, and ultimately ends with a job in a major professional orchestra. Although most higher education environments are at or near gender balance, the top positions in the field are dominated by men. Two potential causes of this discrepancy are investigated–alleged abuse and hostility towards women in higher education and prejudice in professional audition processes. This thesis suggests that bias against women in professional auditions and the larger professional world is to blame. No evidence was found to suggest that higher education environments of alleged abuse contribute to poorer career outcomes for women than their male counterparts.

This thesis is a poetic documentary that examines femmephobia by juxtaposing dull moments of suppressed femininity with brazen expressions of one’s true feminine self. The film uses symbolic cinematography, archival footage, and experimental visuals to evoke the quiet burden of suppression and the loud beauty of reclaiming feminine attributes. These elements work together to shed light on the dichotomous female experience and the emotional weight it carries. Grounded in feminist film theory and extensive sociological research, the project takes lived experiences and channels them into something both reflective and defiant. It is a scrutiny, a catalyst for change, and a long-awaited exhale.

Shakespeare’s work has long stood the test of time. This can be attributed to the themes of his stories remaining evergreen, even while the language grows more and more antiquated. As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, with undertones of questioning one’s identity permeating throughout the play. This thesis contains a contemporary adaptation in the form of a screenplay and an accompanying essay describing the writing process. Themes like gender identity, sexuality, and the Gen Z experience are explored in “Adapting ‘As You Like It’: A New-Age Teen Rom-Com Film to Tackle Queer Identity.”