This course explores how gender and sexuality both influence and are influenced by U.S. politics and public policy, with a particular focus on their intersections with other systems of power. We will examine the history, methodologies, and debates within research on gender and sexuality in U.S. politics from various theoretical perspectives. Through key foundational texts in gender and sexuality studies, we’ll explore the historical dynamics that have shaped contemporary policy issues such as reproduction, gender-based violence, carcerality and punishment, HIV/AIDS, marriage equality, and trans rights. The course will also critically assess what full equality could look like in the U.S., considering the limits and possibilities of public policy in advancing this goal.
