As a senior at Hope College, WGS major Chloe Long (’21) conducted research with Dr. Sarah Kornfield.
Recently published in Sexualities, their research analyzes television portrayals of femininity and femme resistance on The Bold Type (2017-2021). Read below for an interview with Chloe Long.
Bold Resistance
What is femme?
“As Dr. Rhea Ashley Hoskin explains, femme is historically linked to feminine presenting lesbians; more broadly, femme is a presentation of feminine defiance. As ‘culturally unsanctioned femininity,’ femme is a direct act of revolution.”
What did you find meaningful about this research?
“This research was an absolute joy to explore. I believe the research to be not only meaningful, but impactful as gender and the study of gender evolves. This research highlights injustice in a way that demonstrates how normal and pervasive injustice can be: through television. Television and media as a whole are clear indicators of social values, so using it as a medium of analysis is incredibly important to understanding our culture and its injustices.”
What would you say to a Hope undergrad who is considering doing research with a WGS faculty member?
“DO IT! Working with Dr. Kornfield was an absolute delight to say the least. I was extremely pleased to work alongside her and learn from her along the way. It is an amazing opportunity to not only see the rhythm of research, but also to expand your own thinking, writing, and learning with the guidance of someone who is experienced in the field. I cannot recommend it enough!”
How are you using Hope WGS major in your career?
“My career currently isn’t overtly related to Women’s & Gender Studies, yet I find myself utilizing the skills I learned in the WGS program. I currently work at a technology and project management company in Kansas City, and it was definitely a learning curve to be working in a male-dominated field. I’m on the leadership team for my project, so it’s given me a big opportunity to be an advocate for other women in my company, as well as fight to change processes that currently work against women and people of color. I was also able to get connected to local organizations in Kansas City, like Black Lives Matter KC, as well as women’s groups that lead protests in the downtown area. I’m so grateful for all my studies at Hope, as it gave me a voice and agency in understanding and recognizing injustices in my community and even my workplace.”