Feminist Framework Research Articles

N49 Sexual and reproductive health of Australian women who live with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract Background Robust research in the field of inflammatory bowel disease is readily available, however an exploration of gender issues which are specific for women who live with inflammatory bowel disease remain limited in the literature. Currently much of the literature regarding sexual health is limited to reproduction and sexual dysfunction and the broader impact that inflammatory bowel disease has on sexual wellbeing is not well understood. By exploring sexual and reproductive health issues for Australian women who live with inflammatory bowel disease, this research aims to draw attention to the current limitations within the literature and to stimulate discussion and inform future directions for research, policy, and practice. Methods An exploratory concurrent mixed methods study, using an online survey and qualitive interviews, was employed to develop an understanding of the sexual and reproductive health needs of Australian women who live with inflammatory bowel disease. The survey included questions specific to women’s physical and emotional health, their self-esteem, their satisfaction with life and women’s pregnancy related knowledge specific to inflammatory bowel disease. Additionally qualitative interviews allowed for further exploration of women’s experiences accessing health services and more detail regarding the challenges for them as women and the impact of inflammatory bowel disease on their identify. In keeping with feminist frameworks, qualitative data collection and analysis was informed by Anderson and Jack (1991) and Hesse-Biber (2014). This included the interviewer actively listening and encouraging women to talk about their day-to-day experiences and feelings which were related to their sexual and reproductive health and how this may have been impacted by their diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. Results Australian women participated in conversational interviews and completed an online survey. Preliminary themes which have emerged from this research include Sexuality, Sexual and reproductive health; Feeling vulnerable and dismissed. Conclusion Research which focuses specifically on the sexual health experience of women living with inflammatory bowel disease is important to inform acute and chronic models of care which are relevant across women’s lifespan. Findings may help to inform nursing curricula, primary healthcare service delivery and sexual and reproductive health services policy development. References Anderson, K., & Jack, D. (1991). Learning to listen: Interview techniques and analyses. In S. Berger-Gluck, & D. Patai (Eds.), Women’s words: The feminist practice of oral history (pp.11 – 26). Routledge Publications. Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2016). Thematic Analysis. In E. Lyons & A. Coyle (Eds.), Analysing qualitative data in Psychology (2nd ed., pp.84 – 103). SAGE publications. Hesse- Biber, S. (2014). Feminist approaches to in-depth interviewing. In S. Hesse- Biber (Ed.), Feminist Research Practice (pp. 182 – 232). SAGE publications.

“I See That Strong Woman”: Social Work Educators Learning from Trans Latinas and Chicana Feminists

ABSTRACT Trans, Latinx, and immigrants’ epistemological and ontological viewpoints are rarely discussed in social work courses, particularly from an intersectional strengths perspective. As a queer cisgender Latinx social work educator and scholar, I hope to inspire social work educators to see and follow the lead of trans Latina immigrants through a Chicana feminist framework. I introduce Chicana feminisms, Martha Cotera’s contributions, and my experiences with Chicana feminisms. I provide an application of Chicana feminisms through a research example of how trans Latina immigrants see themselves and their leadership. I then use the teachings by Chicana feminists and trans Latina immigrants to pose critical questions for social work educators. The article concludes with a critical call for next steps.

The Invisible Majority: Rural Women, Digital Campaigns, and Political Violence

Research on gender-based violence (GBV) has primarily focused on non-political dimensions, while studies specifically on political gender-based violence (PGBV) tend to be reductionist, often centering on elite women candidates running for office. This narrow focus overlooks the experiences of rural women, who represent a vulnerable majority in political spaces and are increasingly affected by political violence including, and increasingly so, within digital environments. Moreover, the study of PGBV in virtual or digital spaces remains limited. This study attempted to address this gap by examining the experiences of rural women with gendered political violence in digital spaces with the aim of offering insights to both academic and policy cycles. Using a sequential exploratory mixed methods design and inspired by Intersectional Feminist framework (Crenshaw, 1991, improved by Hawk, 2015), this study investigates the influence of gender on rural voters’ experiences of PGBV across nine identified digital domains. Data were gathered from self-administered surveys in-depth qualitative interviews and focus groups discussions with rural voters and electoral policymaker and implementers from 2 sub-counties and 4 Wards from Siaya County. The study explored specific grounds for political violence, including social media harassment and intimidation, disinformation campaigns and character assassination, cyberstalking and surveillance, non-consensual sharing of private information (doxing), coercive use of messaging platforms, exclusion from digital campaign engagement, manipulative use of deepfakes and altered media, sexual harassment in virtual campaign spaces, and exploitation via mobile money scams. Findings reveal three key insights with implications for extant literature, policy, and gender mainstreaming initiatives. First, the relationships between gender and Political violence and digital politics are more nuanced than currently understood, underscoring the need to acknowledge and transform elitist ontologies in literature, policy and programming. Second, digital spaces offer challenges that must be addressed to advance meaningful gender mainstreaming for attainment of gender parity in politics. Finally this study provides a foundational list of variables, which though are neither conclusive nor comprehensive, can inform future, non-elite-focused analyses of PGBV. Overall, the study findings contribute to a broader understanding of PGBV in digital spaces, particularly from the perspective of vulnerable rural women (and rural voters generally).

Milícias in Rio de Janeiro: deconstructing the myth of a violent everyday peace through a feminist perspective

Milícias have proliferated across Brazil, engaging in criminal activities while maintaining close connections to the Brazilian state and politicians. They seek political validation by presenting themselves as combating drug traffickers and reducing violence, positioning peace and security as fundamental to their political appeal. Therefore, examining the role of peace within these criminal organizations through the lens of peace and conflict studies provides valuable insights into how Brazilian militias work. Through an analysis of the rhetoric used by politicians, the media, and residents in areas under milícias’ control, it becomes apparent that these criminal groups assert their role in establishing a form of “everyday peace.” However, this form of peace is inherently violent, resulting in a paradoxical concept of ‘violent everyday peace.’ Consequently, the feminist framework’s emphasis on the public/private distinction and the continuum of violence becomes crucial in addressing this paradox. By applying this feminist concept, it becomes evident that milícias generate a limited sense of peace in the public sphere while perpetuating violence in the private domain. Private violence, however, is often overlooked by those unaffected by milícia control, allowing these groups to garner political support. These findings enrich the study of criminal organizations in Brazil and the concept of everyday peace, which has not been previously explored in the context of Brazilian milícias.

Children's views on women in sport: Locating feminist narratives

Narratives of progress have circulated around women's sport in recent times, as reflected in the growing numbers of women sports participants, increased media visibility and movements towards pay parity for professional sportswomen. As part of a wider project exploring children's sporting identities, 147 children were asked via focus groups (21) about their views on the perceived progress of women in sport, with the data analysed to see how these ideas might be underpinned by feminist perspectives. Using reflexive thematic analysis, the constructed themes comprised of (1) pay equity, (2) media visibility, (3) girl fandom and (4) a continuum of boys’ views. Overall, children are overwhelmingly positive about the progress of women in sport. Feminist frameworks presented in discussions on equity of pay and resources as linked to liberal feminism, to media visibility typically associated with popular feminism. However, while the viewpoints of the children appeared to support the progressive narrative around women in sport, many of the frameworks that underpinned children's views may not ultimately challenge gender inequality in sport. The significance of this research relates to the potential for future generations to recognise and embrace gender equity in sport.

Spotify (Un)wrapped: how ordinary users critically reflect on Spotify’s datafication of the self within creative workshops

ABSTRACT Each year, Spotify nudges users to share aesthetically pleasing data stories ‘wrapped’ and repackaged from their listening behavior. This article approaches Spotify Wrapped as an annual algorithmic event, defined as a moment in time in which there is a collective orientation towards a particular algorithmic system and its associated data. It offers a methodological contribution to research on datafication of music taste and identities through the development of a workshop format aimed at ordinary Spotify users. The workshop delivers insights into practices of datafication and the normative assumptions baked into Spotify data stories. Drawing on a data feminist framework, we outline three interconnected but distinct creative exercises, which take participants on an analytical journey. We combine feminist arts-based research methodologies with critical reflection and the walkthrough method to centre people’s experiences and equip them to analyze different layers of Wrapped. Our theoretical and methodological approach seeks to destabilize the logics of data extraction that further Spotify’s commercial aims and its associated claims of ‘knowing us’ through the aggregation of user data. As such, our workshop transforms the marketing campaign into a site for critical reflection on Wrapped as an algorithmic event.

Esther reimagined: feminist essence in Sara Joseph’s narrative

Gynocentric approaches to biblical women uncover narratives of liberation and empowerment. These perspectives highlight the gaps and omissions in the representation of women within the overarching metanarrative of the Bible. Sara Joseph’s novel, Esther, serves as a feminist reimagining of the biblical story of Esther, offering a pluralistic lens through which to examine the experiences and lives of women against the backdrop of patriarchy. This paper utilises the feminist hermeneutic method to critically engage with the narrative, drawing on the feminist frameworks established by scholars such as Elizabeth Fiorenza and Esther Fuchs. It argues that biblical women can be reinterpreted as positive role models, saviours, heroines, and vital contributors to an extraordinary narrative of survival and redemption.

"Come to us first": Centering Community Organizations in Artificial Intelligence for Social Good Partnerships

Artificial Intelligence for Social Good (AI4SG) has emerged as a growing body of research and practice exploring the potential of AI technologies to tackle social issues. This area emphasizes interdisciplinary partnerships with community organizations, such as non-profits and government agencies. However, amidst excitement about new advances in AI and their potential impact, the needs, expectations, and aspirations of these community organizations--and whether they are being met--are not well understood. Understanding these factors is important to ensure that the considerable efforts by AI teams and community organizations can actually achieve the positive social impact they strive for. Drawing on the Data Feminism framework, we explored the perspectives of community organization members on their partnerships with AI teams through 16 semi-structured interviews. Our study highlights the pervasive influence of funding agendas and the optimism surrounding AI's potential. Despite the significant intellectual contributions and labor provided by community organization members, their goals were frequently sidelined in favor of other stakeholders, including AI teams. While many community organization members expected tangible project deployment, only two out of 14 projects we studied reached the deployment stage. However, community organization members sustained their belief in the potential of the projects, still seeing diminished goals as valuable. To enhance the efficacy of future collaborations, our participants shared their aspirations for success, calling for co-leadership starting from the early stages of projects. We propose data co-liberation as a grounding principle for approaching AI4SG moving forward, positing that community organizations' co-leadership is essential for fostering more effective, sustainable, and ethical development of AI.

Understanding Transnational Technical Communication in Technical and Professional Communication: What Do You Mean When You Use the Word “Transnational”?

ABSTRACT This article explores the usage and implications of the term “transnational” in research articles published in the prominent journal of Technical Communication from 2013 to 2023. Employing content analysis techniques, metasynthesis, and transrhetorical reading as self-reflective methods, this research reveals the diverse ways in which transnational is employed. The findings of this study suggest the adoption of transnational feminist frameworks to advance the goal of social justice in Technical and Professional Communication (TPC).

The Femme Fatale in Text and Image: Analyzing Gender, Power, and Representation in Rudyard Kipling’s “The Vampire” and Philip Burne-Jones’s Painting

This paper examines the connection between Rudyard Kipling’s poem “The Vampire” (1897) and Philip Burne-Jones’s painting of the same title, focusing on their portrayal of femininity and the interaction between text and image. Kipling’s poem, often viewed as a response to Burne-Jones’s depiction of actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell, presents a warning about the destructive allure of female beauty, highlighting themes of male disillusionment and betrayal. Burne-Jones’s painting emphasizes the femme fatale figure, portraying a sexually dominant woman overpowering a helpless man. Both works suggest that beauty conceals danger, leading to male ruin. Using Foucauldian and feminist frameworks, the paper critiques the politics of representation, arguing that the portrayal of women often reflects patriarchal anxieties, reducing them to passive objects in male-dominated visual culture. Critics like Linda Nochlin and Griselda Pollock are cited to challenge these depictions. The paper concludes that the female vampire theme reflects cultural fantasies rather than truths about femininity, contributing to ongoing discussions on how art and literature shape gender perceptions.

Breastfeeding, Folklore, and Nature

This article focuses on depictions of breastfeeding that move beyond idealization and/or realistic depictions of breastfeeding, and do not necessarily elicit an empathic, personal connection with the reader, but rather, I argue that it is via their engagement with Japanese folklore and nature, that they create the necessary distance to critically explore the question of breastfeeding within a feminist framework. I analyze the fantastical treatment of breastfeeding through its fictional representation in two short stories: “Higanbana” (彼岸花 Spider Lilies, 2014; trans. 2014) by Oyamada Hiroko, and “Enoki no isshо̄” (エノキの一生 Enoki, 2019; trans. 2020) by Matsuda Aoko. One of the representative features of the writing of both Oyamada and Matsuda is how they bring together fantastic events within realistic settings, blending realism and science fiction, the human and the non-human, the ordinary and the extraordinary. In the selected stories, both authors play with traditional beliefs and popular stories passed by word of mouth as well as feature personification and imagery of plants, flowers, and trees. This literary quality—problematizing “nature” and folklore while blending fantasy and reality—can be read as a subversive strategy for potential feminist critique. Hence, I read their depiction of breastfeeding in terms of it being fantasy grounded in reality, focusing on unraveling affects of shame and disgust, often associated to breastfeeding, and moving towards a reproductive justice framework.

COVID-19 pandemic and women transitioning from incarceration: a study of online health information seeking among underserved and marginalized women

ABSTRACT Based on interviews with 118 women recently released from incarceration in the U.S. Midwest, this study examines changes in their online health information consumptions and evaluations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022). Findings show that women transitioning from incarceration, who are often marginalized at the intersection of gender, socioeconomic status, and race, faced challenges navigating and assessing online health information during the pandemic. We use a feminist framework in analyzing online health information seeking and assessments among women recently released from incarceration while acknowledging intersectional marginality experienced by this population. Given the limited existing research on reentry programs focusing specifically on justice-involved women, our study contributes to developing and improving health and information literacy programs for this underserved and marginalized population.

Fugitive Care: The Politics of Care Enacted by Afro-Caribbean Women Teachers

The future of teaching will increasingly rely on overseas-trained teachers (OTTs) to address teacher shortages. While research on OTTs in the United States is expanding, studies focusing on Afro-Caribbean teachers are emerging. Despite the growing call for more teachers of color, Afro-Caribbean OTTs’ contributions are often overlooked due to their immigrant status. We propose the concepts of “radical transparency” and “fugitive care” to articulate how these teachers’ classroom practices offer alternative possibilities for schooling, making the learning process both explicit and equitable for all students. Drawing on a Transnational Black Feminist Framework (TBF), we highlight the unique politics of care practiced by these teachers, revealing gaps in our cultural understanding and underscoring their vital, yet understudied, contributions to education.

Educational capitalisation: a co-formational feminist framework for conceptualising investment in for-profit education within the racialised and gendered political economy

ABSTRACT This paper examines the processes through which education becomes valued as capital within the racialised and gendered political economy. Using the empirical case of venture capital (VC) investment in for-profit education companies, principally education technology companies and for-profit school chains, it puts forward the concept of educational capitalisation. We conceptualise it as the set of uneven processes, practices, and socio-spatial relationships through which value is extracted from educational processes and practices, and, thus, education is valued in terms of expected monetary return on investment. While our conceptualisation focuses on VC investment, this framework could be used to outline other processes of extraction and valuation in education, including private equity, investment banking, venture philanthropy, and public-private partnerships. We conclude with a co-formational feminist framework for guiding future research, policymaking, and educational decision making that considers the financial, socio-technological, learning & teaching, and political-legal aspects of educational capitalisation, with ethical considerations embedded within each of these domains.

Police Responses to Rape in Metropolitan India

Much of the published research on police responses to rape is located in the West. This study conducted in-depth interviews with three adult victim-survivors and 15 police personnel to explore police responses to rape in the metropolitan city of Kolkata, India. Using an intersectional feminist framework, a reflexive thematic analysis indicated both sensitive and insensitive responses and showed that police responses were often based on discretion rather than being guided by the law. Police responses were also shaped by occupational culture, the socio-political environment, the police–criminal nexus and media coverage. The research sheds light on the unique cultural context of policing rape in metropolitan India. It adds to discussions regarding women’s police stations and changes in policing to address sexual violence.

HE in FE mature students’ experiences of labour, learning and lockdowns: a feminist narrative inquiry

ABSTRACT A significant proportion of mature undergraduates study at further education colleges (HE in FE) in England. This inquiry builds on research which explores the effect of paid work or unpaid care work on mature students’ learning but offers a new perspective by considering the interaction of both forms of labour on learning in the home during COVID-19 lockdowns. The study broadens theoretical perspectives on this group by using Gouthro’s critical feminist theory of the homeplace. The research makes an original contribution by arguing that the key lenses through which we understand mature students’ experiences of learning at home are labour and relationships. Online life history interviews with 15 HE in FE mature students and a research diary were analysed using a feminist framework, The Listening Guide. Findings indicate individual further education college staff played a major role in supporting students; however, the thesis recommends that colleges recognise unpaid work as a legitimate contributor to HE learning. To enhance social justice and gender equity, a reimagination of work-based learning which develops students’ capacity to critique structural inequality at work is needed. The study recommends that colleges work on new narratives for and about mature students which counter deficit perspectives.

“It Will Always Feel Worse Because it Comes with That Added ‘Betrayal’”: Intersectionality Praxis and Black Young Women Survivors’ Perspectives on Cultural Betrayal Trauma Theory

ABSTRACT Because of interlocking oppressions of racism and sexism (e.g. intersectionality), Black women’s experiences of high rates of sexual violence are often ignored. A critical Black feminist framework, cultural betrayal trauma theory (CBTT) examines within-group violence in the Black community, which has compounding harm due to inequality. Though quantitative research has found support for CBTT, Black young women survivors’ perspectives have not been examined. Therefore, the purpose of the current exploratory study was to engage in intersectionality praxis to qualitatively examine Black young women survivors’ perspectives on CBTT through structured thematic analysis and coding based on theory. Respondents (N = 37; 18–30 years), provided their thoughts on CBTT following participating in a quantitative study. With most survivors in agreement that cultural betrayal in trauma is harmful, a key theme was community orientation in understanding both the harm and healing of cultural betrayal trauma. Black young women survivors’ resonance with CBTT, as well as their recommendations for community-level solidarity and healing have important implications.

Expanding the Boundaries of Feminist Understanding of Art in the Posthumanist Era: Art and Care

In this article, the characteristics that make a work of art feminist in the posthumanist period will be analysed through artworks in which artists show a specific ort his both the materials of their medium and non-human living and non-living things. In addition, a discussion will be carried out about the fact that when the medium and the material become the work itself in a way that reveals different content and expression potentials, it can be characterised as feminist. This discussion will be addressed through the complex relationship between instrumental reason, which can be defined as the determination of the most effective and efficient means to sustain one’s life and for the benefit of one's material interests, and the concept of patriarchy, which expresses the domination of men over women in the axis of education, employment, domestic labour, wages and care. For this reason, firstly, the positions in feminist art debates, then the conditions of attribution of care to women and the struggles initiated against this, and finally the place of artworks that are shaped within the framework of feminism, care and notions of imagination and that are interested in revealing the autonomy of the material in posthumanism discussions will be explained.

Politics of Gear: Gender, innovation and live embodied composition

Within computer-based and live electronic music, the values of competition, power, control and innovation dominate. Women continue to be under-represented in technical roles across production, management and software development. To address this imbalance, I examine how feminist frameworks and values can be applied to challenging the biases that influence uneven gender distribution within music technology development. Focusing on live embodied composition and computing where performative and design roles intersect, I explore the work of women composers who design or co-create bespoke systems that feature the body, reimagining the norms of music technology development while exposing insights about gender, race and body types in the sound and music industries. Referencing the work of Laetitia Sonami and Lauren Sarah Hayes, I argue that their embodied design practices constitute a type of activism that promote the feminist values of human computer interaction (HCI), including collaboration, transparency and empathy, countering dominant audio equipment and software design values oriented towards precise, perfected and disposable designs created in a hierarchical fashion.

Psychosocial health of migrant careworkers from Southeast Asian countries in Israel: A mixed methods study

BackgroundIn 2018, 66,859 migrant careworkers were in Israel, most of whom originated from Southeast Asian countries and 81 % of whom are women. Stringent regulations combined with social invisibility creates vulnerabilities that may contribute to emotional distress. This study aimed to assess psychosocial status and determine mechanisms of emotional distress and resilience in this population. MethodsMixed methods were used in this cross-section study. An online survey measured demographic variables, psychosocial wellbeing using the HSCL-25 questionnaire, general health, perceived social support, cultural identity, and perceived othering. Based on the survey's results, interviews were conducted with a subpopulation of respondents (n = 15) to further understand the mechanisms of emotional distress and resilience, and were analyzed using a postcolonial feminist framework and grounded theory. Data collection took place during 2018–2019. ResultsIn total, 263 careworkers completed the survey and 15 careworkers were interviewed. The overall prevalence of emotional distress according to the HSCL-25 was 36.8 %, 22.6 % on the anxiety subscale, and 41.8 % on the depression subscale. Emotional distress was associated with female sex, not being parents, poorer general health, high perceived othering, and low perceived social support. Interviews revealed that Israeli policy, and relationships with family in their country of origin and with Israeli employers and their families can either contribute to or mitigate emotional stressors. ConclusionsSymptoms of emotional distress among Southeast Asian migrant careworkers in Israel are frequently reported, and may indicate rates of anxiety and depression higher than in careworkers’ countries of origin and host country. Increased monitoring to protect careworkers’ rights and including mental health services as part of their health insurance plan are warranted.