How can you live without your kids? : Distancing from and embracing the stigma of “incarcerated mother

This article examines how incarcerated mothers constructed moral identities in the face of stigma. Analyzing data from participant observation and 83 in-depth interviews with incarcerated mothers, we show that mothers claimed moral identities by distancing from the stigma of incarceration and/or embracing the identity of incarcerated mothers. Utilizing these strategies, women challenged the stigma of convicted felon/bad mother and reinforced the assumptions that motherhood is compulsory and should be reserved for women with enough money and standing to give their children advantages. The implications for understanding motherhood as a mechanism of moral identity and social control are discussed

“We are God’s Children, Y’All:” Race, Gender, and Sexuality in Lesbian- and Gay-Affirming Congregations

This article examines how lesbian, gay, and straight-but-affirming members of lesbian- and gay-affirming churches in the South challenged a deep-rooted Christian belief in homosexual sin. Data are taken from 200 hours of participant observation and 25 in-depth interviews in two Protestant churches: one predominantly black, working class, lesbian, and evangelical, and the other mostly white, middle class, heterosexual, and liberal. I identify three strategies lesbian, gay, and straight-but-affirming church members used to accommodate—but not assimilate—to heteronormative conceptions of the “good Christian.” First, some black lesbians minimized their sexuality as secondary to the Christian identity. Second, most lesbian and gay members—both black and white—normalized their sexuality by enacting Christian morals of monogamy, manhood, and motherhood. Third, a small group of black lesbian/gay and white, straight-but-affirming members moralized their sexuality as grounds for challenging homophobia in the church. Using these strategies, church members both resisted notions of homosexual sin and reproduced a “politics of respectability” (Warner 1999) among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people. Findings shed empirical light on two issues in the social problems literature: (1) the inseparability of race and gender from sexual identity; and (2) the importance of an intersectional analysis in assessing the possibilities of faith-based strategies for sexual equality. Keywords: identity, intersectionality, religion, sexuality, heteronormativity

“How Can You Live Without Your Kids?”: Distancing from and Embracing the Stigma of “Incarcerated Mother”

This article examines how incarcerated mothers constructed moral identities in the face of stigma. Analyzing data from participant observation and 83 in-depth interviews with incarcerated mothers, we show that mothers claimed moral identities by distancing from the stigma of incarceration and/or embracing the identity of incarcerated mothers. Utilizing these strategies, women challenged the stigma of convicted felon/ bad mother and reinforced the assumptions that motherhood is compulsory and should be reserved for women with enough money and standing to give their children advantages. The implications for understanding motherhood as a mechanism of moral identity and social control are discussed

Teaching Domestic Violence in the New Millennium: Intersectionality as a Framework for Social Change

This article describes an intersectional approach to teaching about domestic violence (DV), which aims to empower students as critical thinkers and agents of change by merging theory, service learning, self-reflection, and activism. Three intersectional strategies and techniques for teaching about DV are discussed: promoting difference-consciousness, complicating gender-only power frameworks, and organizing for change. The author argues that to empower future generations to end violence, educators should put intersectionality into action through their use of scholarship, teaching methods, and pedagogical authority. Finally, the benefits and challenges of intersectional pedagogy for social justice education are considered

Disrupting Islamophobia: Teaching the Social Construction of Terrorism in the Mass Media

This article presents a critical media literacy technique for teaching about the social construction of terrorism. In a post-9/11 context where the human rights of Arabs and Muslims in the United States and overseas are threatened by drone attacks, profiling, detentions, and hate crimes, educators must not shy away from this issue. I use visual media to engage students with three questions: (1) How do everyday Americans define “terrorism” and perceive “terrorists”? (2) Where do these images come from? (3) What are the consequences for domestic and foreign policy? Using students’ own socialization as a starting point, I challenge them to consider how media representations can have real-life consequences

\u3ci\u3eBeyond Loving: Intimate Racework in Lesbian, Gay, and Straight Interracial Relationships\u3c/i\u3e by Amy C. Steinbugler

Review of Amy C. Steinbugler\u27s Beyond Loving: Intimate Racework in Lesbian, Gay, and Straight Interracial Relationships. New York: Oxford University Press, 2012

\u3ci\u3eBe Not Deceived: The Sacred and Sexual Struggles of Gay and Ex-gay Christian Men\u3c/i\u3e by Michelle Wolkomir

Review of Michelle Wolkomir\u27s Be Not Deceived: The Sacred and Sexual Struggles of Gay and Ex-gay Christian Men. New Brunswick: Rutgers University Press, 2006

\u3ci\u3eGay Religion\u3c/i\u3e by Scott Thumma & Edward R. Gray (Eds.)

Review of Scott Thumma and Edward R. Gray\u27s Gay Religion. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press, 2005

\u3ci\u3eLanguage Policy and Identity Politics in the United States\u3c/i\u3e by Ronald Schmidt Sr.

Review of Ronald Schmidt Sr.\u27s Language Policy and Identity Politics in the United States. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2000