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2025 Conference Program

April 10, 2025

Gender Studies Conference Schedule (all panels will be held in A300 White Oak)


10:30 am – Welcome, Dr. Paul Kintzele, CHSS Associate Dean

A300 White Oak


10:45 am-12:00 pm: Gender, Identity, and Pop Culture

Moderator: Dr. Jianling Xie, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Christine Gonzalez, “Lost to a Distant Summer: Western Films as the Impetus for Queer Self-Discovery”

Gabriela Ortiz, “Macha but Feminine: Latina Representation in the Fast & Furious Film Franchise”

Noah Brewster, “Behind Brown Eyes and Beneath Black Skin: A literary investigation of Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man and the African American identity”


12:00-1:00 pm: Lunch in A300 Buffalo Bayou


1:15-2:30 pm: The Role of intersectionality: Collective Perceptions of Race, Gender, and Sexuality

Moderator: Dr. Zach Dailey, Assistant Professor of Theatre History

Alex Mendoza, “Language & Identity: The Evolution of Gender & Gender-Neutral Language in the Latine Community”

Mateo Aragon, “Humanize Me”

Sam Pueblos, “Queer Women Throughout Horror Movie History”

Ayanna Davis and Eva Williams, "Adolescent School Experiences for Black Men and Later Life Outcomes"


2:45-4:00 pm: Gender Disparities in Health and Feminine Agency in Patriarchy

Moderator: Dr. Yajaira Ceciliano-Navarro, Assistant Professor of Sociology

Marla Marin, “Misdiagnosed and Misunderstood: How Society Has Maligned Women with ASPD”

Andrea Ledezma, “Health Inequalities from a Male Perspective

Lyric Harris-Whitby: “Magic, Men, and Liberation: Redefining Gender and Sexuality in Anna Biller's ‘The Love Witch’”

Kai Walden: “The Brush is in My Hands”


4:15-5:30 pm: Redefining Masculinity, Global Feminism, and Gender Difference in Response to Stress

Moderator: Dr. Shahnjayla Connors, Associate Professor of Health and Behavioral Science

Alex Soto, “What Men Should Be”

Yasmeen Ammourah, “Westernization Vs. Liberation: Analyzing Islamic/Muslim Feminism alongside Secular Feminism”

Meagan Fontenot, “The Influence of PTSD and Trauma on the Prevalence of Premenstrual Dysmorphic Disorder”


2025 Gender Studies Conference Committee Members:

Dr. Kara Winkler, Assistant Professor of Communication Studies

Dr. Yajaira Ceciliano-Navarro, Assistant Professor of Sociology

Dr. Hanjin Mao, Assistant Professor of Nonprofit Management

Dr. Anita Chadha, Associate Professor of Political Science

Dr. Shahnjayla Connors, Associate Professor of Health and Behavioral Science

Ms. Nisreen Elsayegh, M.A., Lecturer of Psychology

Dr. Jianling Xie, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Dr. Annalee Ring, Assistant Professor of Philosophy

Dr. Zach Dailey, Assistant Professor of Theatre History

Ms. Crystal Guillory, M.A., CHSS Assistant Dean