The annual Miranda Joseph Endowed Lecture (MJEL) honors the scholarly and institution-building work of Miranda Joseph, a former UA GWS Professor whose leadership efforts contributed to the creation of the Institute for LGBT Studies. Her vision to turn the University of Arizona into a hub of critical interdisciplinary scholarship in transnational gender and sexuality studies continues annually with the MJEL by inviting distinguished scholars in this field. This year we are excited to welcome Dr. Micha Cárdenas for a virtual presentation of Poetric Operations: Trans of Color art in Digital Media.

Gender and Women’s Studies 200 Women and Western Culture will be taught asynchronously June 6 through July 7. What is Asian American Feminisms? This course will introduce you to Asian American feminists who have critiqued the stereotypical representations of the “Asian woman” that result in violence against Asian women in America. For inquiries please email course instructor Luna Chung.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities around the world have made important advances in securing their human rights but these remain under constant assault and attack. Join this class to learn more about the different struggles! For more information contact professor.

Drawing on Black feminist frameworks, this course examines the meaning making process of pleasure and health, historical narratives of the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the influences pop culture (such as music videos and song) has in producing and disseminating knowledge around sex, health and AIDS. The course pays particular attention to the sociopolitical effects of health policies, public discussions, racial violence and (hetero-cis) patriarchy, and dominant cultural discourses on the most marginalized of our communities. For any questions, contact instructor Giramata. U. Icyeza

The Institute of LGBT Studies would like to invite you all the second film screening of Spring semester that will be hosted this semester via ZOOM on April 22 at 6:30pm. We will be viewing Rafiki, a film by Kenyan producer Wanuri Kahui on the life and experiences of Kenyan queer folk. It tells the story of Kena and Zaikai, both living in Nairobi but with different material conditions that shape and inform how they move within their queer lives. It is our hope that these will help us expand our idea of care and love, and help us tap into the LGBTQ+ community beyond US borders.
Following the film will be a few minutes for discussions and also simply dwell in the space as a community.

UNSETTLED: Seeking Refuge in America. UNSETTLED is an award-winning documentary that follows the journeys of four LGBTQ+ refugees and asylum seekers: Subhi, Cheyenne & Mari, and Junior to reveal their individual stories of fleeing intense persecution in Africa and the Middle East to resettle in the United States.

According to survey done by the Harris Poll, 68 percent of Americans say the presidential election is a significant source of stress. That’s up 16 percent from the 2016 election.