How gender and sexuality impact public health
A minor in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies offers you a way to cross disciplinary boundaries and take an active part in the world around you. The goals of the program include recognizing gendered individuals of all backgrounds as whole and productive human beings, providing a more accurate and equitable account of human experience, and employing gender as a central category of analysis.
Our minor exposes you to the scholarly traditions of history, English, political science, psychology, environmental studies, philosophy, anthropology, and sociology. This interdisciplinary perspective invites you to consider how gender plays out in your major field of study by exploring how gender and sexuality impact mental health; medical diagnoses and treatments; social, behavioral, and environmental initiatives for a healthier planet; and more. Whether you’re a student in the College of Arts and Sciences or Westbrook College of Health Professions, you can enrich your perspective by pursuing the minor.
Program
Jessica Laughlin, '05
At the time, a practicing attorney.
"My minor at UNE helped to make me more aware of gender issues. I approach things critically, I spot and identify gender stereotypes, and question who defines what is male vs. female (masculine vs. feminine). It has helped me bring this awareness to others in every part of my life.
"It challenged me to look at myself and the assumptions I and others bring to situations/tasks/subjects/views, etc. It challenged me to redefine woman/man/feminine/masculine in terms of the way I talk, write, and how I identify myself. I have made it my personal mission to challenge others to examine and question their own assumptions in a respectful and meaningful way (I love nothing more than defying gender roles).
"I understand and appreciate the role of language that is used to convey and perpetuate these assumptions and this comes into play a lot in my legal career, whether questioning the accuracy or neutrality of a written account, the assumptions that are behind a piece of legislation, or the way certain words or phrases are received.
"My minor has certainly helped me appreciate the gender stereotypes and assumptions that I, as a female in law, come up against on a daily basis. Finally, it made me want to educate others, especially women, about these issues. So much so, that I would love to teach women's studies someday.
"The learning I experienced at UNE, and cultivated through my Gender Studies minor, has given me the knowledge, the base, and the tools I need to do all of this, and to continue to do these things in my professional and personal life. Gender studies is an amazing subject that you can continue to explore on your own once you have these tools and this framework. And it can be applied anywhere, anytime, by anyone. Most importantly, it prepared me for independent and interdisciplinary learning, which has been crucial for me, as that's exactly what law, and most other real world settings, are: interdisciplinary."
The learning I experienced at UNE, and cultivated through my Gender Studies minor, has given me the knowledge, the base, and the tools I need to do all of this, and to continue to do these things in my professional and personal life.
One-of-a-kind Location
As a student in our Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies program, you study on UNE's scenic Biddeford Campus, where the waters of the Saco River flow into the Atlantic Ocean. Over the years, this confluence of natural resources has inspired students and faculty from around the world. Recently named the youngest city in Maine, Biddeford, and its twin city, Saco, boast an up-and-coming, hip downtown offering delicious eateries, exciting social and cultural events, and more. With the transformation of the old Biddeford/Saco mills into restaurants, breweries, housing, fitness facilities, salons, and retailers, there is something for everyone to explore in downtown. Looking to try a new type of food, grab a coffee, or shop for locally-made clothes? Biddeford/Saco has it all.