Alumni Caucus for Gay, Lesbian
and Bisexual Concerns at Allegheny College

Meadville, PA

The Minor in Lesbian and Gay Studies

By Prof. Glen Wurst

The Minor in Lesbian and Gay Studies was approved by the faculty in the Spring of 1997. It was developed from the Lesbian and Gay Studies Concentration in response to the College's abandonment of Concentrations during its curriculum restructuring approved in 1996.

 

The Minor is currently described and constituted as follows:

A minor which combines three Liberal Studies courses focused on lesbian and gay issues with courses from the sciences, humanities and social sciences which connect these issues to other cultural themes. Liberal Studies 206 Before and After Stonewall, Liberal Studies 207 Human Sexual Identity, and Liberal Studies 406 Queer Theory are required. LS 206 should be taken before LS 406. This interdisciplinary minor may be taken by any student to meet the minor requirement for graduation. Students must take 12 credits outside the division of their major to complete the minor. The minor requires 24 credits. Courses which can be taken for the minor other than those listed below are offered from time to time. Check with the minor administrators for a list of them. Administrators for this minor are Debby Dickey (Psychology) and Glen Wurst (Biology).

I. Core Courses on Lesbian and Gay Issues Take all of these courses.

  • Liberal Studies 206 Before and After Stonewall: An Introduction to Issues in Lesbian and Gay Studies
  • Liberal Studies 207 Human Sexual Identity
  • Liberal Studies 406 Queer Theory

II. Sexuality in a Biological Context Take one of these courses.

  • Liberal Studies Natural Science 270 Human Heredity
  • Liberal Studies Natural Science 272 The Neurosciences

III. Lesbian and Gay Issues in Cultural Context Take two of the following.

  • Psychology 102 Sex and Gender History 150 The Sixties in America
  • Psychology 160 Life Span Development Philosophy 210 Liberation
  • Theories English 362 20th Century Gay and Lesbian Literature

(pending approval -- Fall 1998)

The Minor in Lesbian and Gay Studies is the product of the work of a dedicated and committed group of faculty which began what have turned out to be annual "reading group" meetings held for one or two weeks during the summers, beginning in 1994. This faculty group originally organized under the auspices of a grant largely funded by FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). A goal of this support was to develop interdisciplinary Concentrations in which the Humanities and the Natural Sciences were significantly represented and interrelated. The Lesbian and Gay Studies group, therefore, was originally envisioned and constituted to achieve this end.

The annual reading group meetings provided the vehicle for the development of a program in Lesbian and Gay Studies, as well as educated the faculty participants in aspects of Lesbian and Gay issues with which they may not have been previously conversant. Although external funding support ran out several years ago, this group has continued to meet every summer, exploring new avenues to continue the development of the Minor.

The faculty members of these reading groups has varied over the years, as faculty come and go. The prime organizers of this group were Sonya Jones (English) and Erny Schwarz (Communication Arts). Other members include John Golden (Economics), Beth Watkins (Communication Arts), Linda Baughman (Communication Arts), Lee Coates (Biology), Glen Wurst (Biology), Jan Hyatt (Dance), Debby Dickey (Psychology), and Bill Bywater (Philosophy). A more recent but valuable addition to this group is Amelia Carr (Art).

From these annual meetings have arisen three courses specifically designed for this Minor. They are "Before and After Stonewall", a history of the Lesbian and Gay movement, "Queer Theory", a course exploring the philosophical and theoretical bases for sexuality, and most recently "Human Sexual Identity", a study of the biological and psychological foundations for human sexual development and identity. Human Sexual Identity was recently approved by the faculty, but has not yet been taught. In fact, due to scheduling restrictions and sabbatical leaves, it won't be taught until the 1999-2000 academic year. It is planned that a psychologist (Debby Dickey) and a biologist (Lee Coates or Glen Wurst) will co-teach this course.

The other two courses have each been taught a few times, with average enrollments of about a dozen students. Before and After Stonewall was originally taught be John Golden (Economics), but since his departure from campus at the end of last year, that course was taught by Bill Bywater (Philosophy). Queer Theory was originally taught by Linda Baughman (Communication Arts), but most recently was taught, again, by Bill Bywater. Enrollments in these courses have been relatively low, but there does seem to be an ongoing interest in these courses among a small group of students.

At the moment, no students have formally declared Lesbian and Gay Studies as their minor. This causes us some concern, but we think that this may be due to the stigma students might attach to such a declaration. An additional concern is the frequency with which we shall be able to offer these specifically designed courses in the face of increased pressures to teach in our own disciplines. The recent faculty cutbacks will undoubtedly have some effect in increasing this pressure, and the long term future of this as well as other interdisciplinary minors is uncertain. However, the faculty in the Lesbian and Gay Studies group are committed to offering these courses, at least in alternate years, in order to maintain the viability of the Minor.

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© 1998, Last updated: June 23, 1998
Homepage Established: September 13, 1997

Meadville, PA, USA
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