Academics

Western provides rich opportunities to study topics of sexuality and gender and their intersections with race, nationality, class, ability, and other aspects of identity and experience. In addition to courses of study in the Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies and Queer Studies programs, courses across multiple disciplines offer paths for inquiry into LGBTQ+ topics.

FIG: Queer & Trans Thriving

This First Year Interest Group (FIG) includes a seminar and two GUR courses, Human Sexuality (Psychology) and Queer Literature (English). In the seminar, students will explore resources within themselves, at Western, and beyond to support multidimensional queer and trans thriving.

Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

The Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies (WGSS) program draws on interdisciplinary research and teaching to analyze the formation of sex, gender, and sexuality as they intersect with race, class, ethnicity, nationality, religion, age, and ability.  The WGSS program encourages theory and praxis that critically considers global and local communities in efforts to revise, re-envision, and reimagine social change.  Students may choose to major or minor in WGSS.

Queer Studies

The interdisciplinary Queer Studies minor, within American Cultural Studies, explores LGBTQ+ contributions to history, culture, literature, and politics.  Students are able to tailor the minor to their specific interests.

Courses across programs and departments

Courses across disciplines exploring topics of sexuality and gender include:

  • Advanced Seminar in Critical Race Feminist and Queer Studies (AMST 410)
  • Early Modern Art Gender and Sexuality (A/HI 497P)
  • Education and Social Justice (ESJ 411)
  • Gender, Sexuality and Human Services (HSP 371)
  • Introduction to Sexuality and Queer Studies (WGSS 213)
  • Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Experience (AMST 242)
  • LGBTQ+ History in the United States (HIST 265)
  • Queer and Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Politics (PLSC 321)
  • Queer Literature (ENG 227)
  • Queer Politics (PLSC 321)
  • Trans* Lives (HSP 371)
  • Women, Gender, & Sexuality in African History (HIST 369)