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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Description
HIV/AIDS remains a pressing global health challenge, not only because of its medical complexities but also due to associated stigma and the lack of knowledge of the illness in communities around the world. This thesis analyzed cross-cultural differences and long-term changes in women’s knowledge and stigma around HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries. Using Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) data from 24 countries for knowledge and stigma from 2000-2018, we examined changes in HIV/AIDS knowledge score and stigma score. The findings shed light on the perception of HIV/AIDS knowledge improving while stigma persisted indicative of remaining concerns about the illness amongst women.
ContributorsMurala, Divya Sruthi (Author) / Hruschka, Daniel (Thesis director) / Loebenberg, Abby (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / School of Life Sciences (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor)
Created2023-12
Description
Representation in television and film not only impacts how people view themselves, but also how society views them. We have created a society in which the media defines societal norms and controls how particular groups and issues are represented. It is vital for identity formation and creating a sense of belonging, and normalizes communities that may be viewed through a stereotypical lens. What we see in the media has a significant impact on our lives and perspectives. For lesbian and queer women, invisibility and heteronormativity are common themes in television and film representation, both historically and today. Representation in film and television is uncommon and short-lived for lesbian and queer women. When these characters are included, they often pose issues such as not being relatable to the community or they exemplify stereotypes and tropes. These include the oversexualization of lesbian and queer women and the “bury your gays” trope, which explains the frequency that these characters are killed or denied happiness. Lesbian and queer women crave visibility and authentic representation. Diverse representation that strays from the standard heteronormative narrative is imperative in creating a more inclusive world in which every person feels they belong and receives acceptance and respect. My webpage, www.violet-representation.com, shares my research and aims to serve as a resource for the lesbian and queer community to express their opinions about shows and films, and for creators to learn what lesbian and queer women wish to see in television and film representations.
ContributorsWiley, Carlee (Author) / Himberg, Julia (Thesis director) / Haseley, Hilary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Public Affairs (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This qualitative study explores how women, nonbinary, and trans individuals define their identities in relation to contemporary fashion. To gather insights about the connection between fashion choices and the expression of complex identity categories, four 45-minute long interviews were conducted and transcribed using Otter.ai software. A two-stage coding approach was used to analyze the data, and the findings suggest that people intentionally use their clothing to communicate aspects of their identities to others. In particular, the study found that clothing helps individuals learn, perform, and embody their gender. Intersectional feminist theory argues that oppressed identity categories combine to create unique experiences for people who belong to marginalized groups, including those related to gender, race, and sexual orientation. The results of this study contribute to the discussion of intersectionality by highlighting the ways in which people are empowered by fashion to both express and celebrate their identities, as well as to challenge oppressive societal norms. The unique combination of traits to make a different lived experience creates a new and improved understanding of who the person is and the different ways they express their activities.
ContributorsMatthews, Megan (Author) / Woodbury, Alicia (Thesis director) / Stephenson, Megan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Historical, Philosophical & Religious Studies, Sch (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
WellSuited is a customized apparel company that specializes in women’s business professional clothing. Young women have struggled to find affordable professional outfits that they can feel confident in and that will withstand more than a handful of wears before breaking down. The process of trying to find these pieces, whether that’s online or in store, is a painstaking task that takes the fun out of shopping and adds unnecessary stress that puts women at a disadvantage. Not only does this negative shopping experience impact them in the moment, but it carries into their days every time they have to get dressed and go into a career fair, an interview, or to work feeling uncomfortable, lacking in confidence and not ready to tackle the day. WellSuited is meant to bridge that gap, and encourage young women to enter the world of business feeling confident.
ContributorsZanon, Danielle (Author) / Byrne, Jared (Thesis director) / Giles, Charles (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Significant health inequalities exist between different castes and ethnic communities in India, and identifying the roots of these inequalities is of interest to public health research and policy. Research on caste-based health inequalities in India has historically focused on general, government-defined categories, such as “Scheduled Castes,” “Scheduled Tribes,” and “Other Backward Classes.” This method obscures the diversity of experiences, indicators of well-being, and health outcomes between castes, tribes, and other communities in the “scheduled” category. This study analyzes data on 699,686 women from 4,260 castes, tribes and communities in the 2015-2016 Demographic and Health Survey of India to: (1) examine the diversity within and overlap between general, government-defined community categories in both wealth, infant mortality, and education, and (2) analyze how infant mortality is related to community category membership and socioeconomic status (measured using highest level of education and household wealth). While there are significant differences between general, government-defined community categories (e.g., scheduled caste, backward class) in both wealth and infant mortality, the vast majority of variation between communities occurs within these categories. Moreover, when other socioeconomic factors like wealth and education are taken into account, the difference between general, government-defined categories reduces or disappears. These findings suggest that focusing on measures of education and wealth at the household level, rather than general caste categories, may more accurately target those individuals and households most at risk for poor health outcomes. Further research is needed to explain the mechanisms by which discrimination affects health in these populations, and to identify sources of resilience, which may inform more effective policies.
ContributorsClauss, Colleen (Author) / Hruschka, Daniel (Thesis director) / Davis, Mary (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution & Social Change (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The intent of this project was to design, build, and test a female-intended vibrator that incorporates elements of haptic feedback, biomimicry, and/or micro robotics. Device development was based on human-centered user design elements and the study of physiological arousal, as sexuality and sexual functioning are a part of a human’s overall assessment of health and well-being. The thesis sought to fill the gap that prevents data collection of a female entire sexual response from initial arousal to final orgasm.
ContributorsDirks, Jessica (Author) / Ralston, Laurie (Thesis director) / McDaniel, Troy (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Engineering Programs (Contributor) / Human Systems Engineering (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
Shifting Horizons in Entrepreneurship, better known as SHE is a multimedia reporting project that explores the experiences and narratives of Arizona-based female business owners. This collaborative project uses multimedia reporting techniques such as writing, photography, social media and a podcast to showcase how women are making a space for themselves in entrepreneurship.
ContributorsDow, Olivia (Author) / Blakslee, Mara (Co-author) / Sepessy, Celeste (Thesis director) / Hinz, Krista (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Comm (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2023-05
Description
Despite equal opportunity legislation, female firefighters (3.4 percent) remain underrepresented compared to their male counter parts (97 percent) in the United States (NPFA, 2012). I question why there are so few women pursuing a firefighting career and if there are any organizational, cultural, or structural barriers which affect the retention and recruitment of women. My research entails observations and interviews with staff at three firefighting stations in my community; my data spanned both individual background and organizational dynamics. Across the firefighting occupation, my analysis focuses on understanding the recruitment process and early phases of firefighting careers to understand the ways in which women might be encouraged and discouraged into the occupation. In this paper, I begin with a literature review about the history and status of women in the field, comparisons with barriers faced by women in other traditionally male fields such as policing since there is limited literature on women in firefighting, efforts undertaken to increase the percentages of women in firefighting, and the organizational dynamics of firefighting highlighted in prior research. From this review I develop an analytic framework for my analysis. After a review of my research methodology, I turn to my analysis of recruitment and probationary stages in firefighting and how these stages affect recruitment and retention of women. First, I review how social networks facilitate pre-employment socialization which enhances candidate work opportunities in firefighting. Second, I examine the recruitment process and criteria for hiring and the ways in which the same social networks facilitate success in the probationary phases of employment. Third, I highlight issues of stereotypical masculine images associated with becoming a good firefighter. By focusing on the recruitment and hiring processes, training and probationary periods, and inherent masculinities prevalent in the fire organization, I am able to identify some key issues and apply them to the fire organization.
ContributorsMoser, Sarah Elizabeth (Author) / Jurik, Nancy (Thesis director) / Cavender, Gray (Committee member) / School of Social Transformation (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
News headlines are filled with unequal treatment in the workplace. However, there are also inspirational stories that encourage young women to face the challenges they are presented as they become executives in corporate America.
The purpose of this study was to interview women executives within corporate America to identify similar means of navigating women-specific issues they may have been presented with within their industry. More specifically, the questions sought to identify how these women became successful within their industry and how their female identities may have provided benefits to them, professionally. Interviewees were selected on a multitude of factors, title and status in company, industry, including availability, mutual connections, and demographics. Interviews were conducted both in person, over the phone, via web video conference and via email. All interviewees were asked the same questions, and interviews ranged from 25-45 minutes each. Each one was recorded and transcribed in order to facilitate comparison between stories, experiences, and other mentions.
The initial intention of analyzing the interviews and stories of these executives was to identify common factors that unified their stories. There were nine categories that the interviews sought to investigate: work-life balance, starting off strong, daily routines, mentorship/support, leadership, impact and legacy, advice and motivation, pros of being a woman, biggest challenges/cons. However, the interviews revealed that there were a plethora of unique factors that identified the stories these women had to tell. Overall, 5/8 of the executives believed that their female identity provided an advantage to them in the corporate sector, 2/8 women said their identity was a neutral factor, and only one woman stated she felt it placed her at a disadvantage. Further, this study concludes that the stories of impenetrable glass ceilings and roadblocks are balanced to some degree by stories of success within the corporate sector. There were 3 key themes for their narratives for success, having a support system, putting yourself first, and giving back.
The purpose of this study was to interview women executives within corporate America to identify similar means of navigating women-specific issues they may have been presented with within their industry. More specifically, the questions sought to identify how these women became successful within their industry and how their female identities may have provided benefits to them, professionally. Interviewees were selected on a multitude of factors, title and status in company, industry, including availability, mutual connections, and demographics. Interviews were conducted both in person, over the phone, via web video conference and via email. All interviewees were asked the same questions, and interviews ranged from 25-45 minutes each. Each one was recorded and transcribed in order to facilitate comparison between stories, experiences, and other mentions.
The initial intention of analyzing the interviews and stories of these executives was to identify common factors that unified their stories. There were nine categories that the interviews sought to investigate: work-life balance, starting off strong, daily routines, mentorship/support, leadership, impact and legacy, advice and motivation, pros of being a woman, biggest challenges/cons. However, the interviews revealed that there were a plethora of unique factors that identified the stories these women had to tell. Overall, 5/8 of the executives believed that their female identity provided an advantage to them in the corporate sector, 2/8 women said their identity was a neutral factor, and only one woman stated she felt it placed her at a disadvantage. Further, this study concludes that the stories of impenetrable glass ceilings and roadblocks are balanced to some degree by stories of success within the corporate sector. There were 3 key themes for their narratives for success, having a support system, putting yourself first, and giving back.
ContributorsCrawford, Claudia Laine (Author) / Dietrich, John (Thesis director) / Sacks, Jana (Committee member) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05