Faculty Spotlight - September 19, 2024
College of Arts & Sciences: Faculty Spotlight Series
Dr. Michelle Dietert
Department: Social Sciences, Associate Professor of Sociology
Presentation: Thursday, September 19, 2024, 4:30-5:30 p.m.
Talk by Dr. Michelle Dietert.
Location: Founders Hall, Bernie Beck Lecture Hall (Doors open at 4:15 p.m.)
All are welcome to attend. Appetizers and light refreshments will be served!
“Invisible No More: The Journey to Understand Transgender Experiences"
Dr. Dietert will talk about how she began her research journey focusing on transgender people from graduate school to the present time as an Associate Professor of Sociology at Texas A&M University Central Texas. Through her research, she will also address the discrimination faced by transgender and non-binary people in the United States.
Abstract:
The sociological study of gender includes what it means to be a transgender and non-binary person, by investigating how gender identity is perceived, defined, and experienced in the context of societies. Our understanding of what it means to be a gendered person has evolved over time, which makes it even more imperative to investigate individuals who do not align with the gender binary (male/man OR female/woman).
This presentation will focus on one sociologist’s journey to understanding how those who do not conform to binary gender norms navigate their lives around those constructs. Some research topics will include workplace discrimination, the socialization experiences of transgender youth, and the experiences of U.S. transgender service members. Statistics will also be provided that give the audience an overall understanding of the discrimination faced by this population in all areas of social life.
Dr. Michelle Dietert is an Associate Professor of Sociology and LGBTQ+ scholar in the Department of Social Sciences at Texas A&M University-Central Texas, who specializes in qualitative research methods, sociological theory, sexuality, and gender. Dr. Dietert’s research focuses on the experiences of transgender and non-binary individuals, covering topics such as workplace discrimination, the socialization experiences of transgender youth, the experiences of transgender veterans and active duty service members, and has developed theoretical papers as these apply to the social construction of gender.
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