For the first time, the University of Utah gender studies program has an emphasis. Years in the making, queer studies provides a pathway through the gender studies major that centers LGBTQ+ curriculum and research.
Fifteen years ago, the School for Cultural & Social Transformation didn’t yet exist as a distinct entity. Gender studies, as a program, was alive and well but had a limited selection of classes available, and even fewer options for students who wished to learn about LGBTQ+ specific topics. Over the course of the 2010s, gender studies continued to grow both in faculty capacity and in student interest–and once the School was established in 2016, that momentum only grew. In the Spring 2022 semester, the final pieces fell into place. Dr. Kim Hackford-Peer (she/they), professor in and then associate chair of gender studies, shifted away from administration and subsequently expanded their class portfolio.
“Once I stepped down, the final domino fell in terms of feeling prepared,” said Dr. Hackford-Peer. “We had the student interest already there, and since I would be teaching additional courses with a queer pedagogical lens, we had enough courses to get the emphasis through the curriculum committees.”
The road to getting an undergraduate emphasis approved at the University of Utah, a process known officially as “transcripting”, is a fairly straightforward, albeit long, process. There are three major steps to this process. First, queer studies was approved by the gender studies faculty curriculum committee in October 2023. Next, a presentation defending the rationale for establishing the emphasis needed to go before the Undergraduate Council, the members of whom are responsible for managing degree requirements for undergrad students. In November of the same year, they said yes, and over the winter, the Academic Senate heard the proposal for the emphasis. In April 2024, the Board of Trustees’ approval vote meant that finally, after years of brainstorming, stakeholder input, and tireless work by the gender studies leadership team, the queer studies emphasis, was ready to go.
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Ella Myers (she/her), current chair of gender studies, is excited about what queer studies can mean to students and how they might find it useful now that it is officially part of the department offerings.
What additional requirements will students have to complete if they opt into the queer studies emphasis?
The emphasis is a “path” through the gender studies major or minor. It doesn’t require any extra classes beyond the major or minor. Rather, it offers students the opportunity to take a curated set of courses focused on queer studies. Classes that count toward the emphasis include: Intro to LGBTQ+ Studies (GNDR 2000), Queer Representation in the Media (GNDR 3573), Love and Relationships (GNDR 1080), and Queer of Color Critique (GNDR 5725).
Who should opt into this emphasis?
The emphasis is for anyone who is interested in exploring the histories, politics, and cultures of queer people. It provides students with a unique curriculum that brings together queer theory, trans* theory, theories of race and ethnicity, feminist theory, and the study of comparative social justice and political movements. No matter who you are, this emphasis will be fascinating and eye-opening.
What makes Transform the best place for this emphasis?
Transform has had faculty expertise in queer studies for a long time. In fact, we’ve been offering courses in the field for decades. A couple years ago, the gender studies faculty decided we wanted to create an emphasis that drew on these strengths. We put together a plan and last year it was formally approved. We are thrilled to see that students are now able to pursue an emphasis in queer studies.
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Dr. Hackford-Peer spoke to the impact of the emphasis, and provided her thoughts on how gender studies’ academic offerings might benefit students who are considering the program.
What will queer studies students gain from this designation?
Students can count on being able to take classes based on queerness and trans*ness and how those theories intersect with feminism and gender studies as a broader discipline. The emphasis legitimizes knowledge in this area of specialty, which can make students more attractive to graduate schools or future employers.
Do you have any recommendations for students just starting the emphasis?
For students new to Gender Studies, I’d recommend our new Intro to LGBTQ+ Studies course (GNDR 2000). It’s a lower division course designed to be an accessible way for those interested in the program to discover if this fits in their academic journey.
How is the emphasis helpful to Transform?
This emphasis provides an academic space in which students can feel true belonging. There will always be students who opt into gender studies because of the working, being, and thinking that occurs in this space that doesn’t exist elsewhere on campus. It’s nice to have an academic place where you can just do your best work as yourself.
What would you like to say to Transform’s student body?
I would like students to know that you matter. Your presence in our classrooms matters. We are all building knowledge together; we’re building community, we’re working on difficult problems, together. In an increasingly uncertain world, I believe gender studies is more important than ever.
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Students interested in adding the emphasis should schedule an appointment with advisor extraordinaire Mackenzie Ahanonu (she/her) to explore their options.