Angel Bronk, UW-Stevens Point – “Crafts, Contests, and Control?: An Insider Analysis of Self-Policing and Its Effects Within the Cosplay Community”
When a subculture is built upon the rubble of insecurity, the end product is imbued with the bias and anger of those who laid the first brick. Despite the subcultures of cosplay and anime conventions originating from a position of otherness, the community has long felt the sting of bigotry underneath its glimmering petals of chiffon and showmanship. From cosplay’s very origin, it has suffered under the weight of being seen as woman’s work, despite white, cisgender men taking home many of the awards and recognition rightfully belonging to true crafters – often marginalized groups. Modern day cosplay remains much the same, with attacks on body type, race, gender identity, sexuality, disability, and economic status permeating the comment sections of photo ops and audiences of masquerades despite recent pushes for acceptance and judgment on craftsmanship alone. Through interviews, historical examination, and my decade of experience, this project investigates the roots, extent, and damage such attitudes produce within the cosplay community. Consequently, the rules, policies, and criteria surrounding conventions and their craftsmanship contests will be examined as to whether these negate the damages of bias or if more must be done to regulate a subculture reaching closer to the mainstream.
Angel Bronk is a senior student at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point studying English literature, Race and Ethnicity, Social Justice and Equity, and Women’s and Gender Studies. He works as a Peer Success Coach and the Programming Coordinator for the Queer Resource Center, currently leading the second annual Drag Me to Finals Amateur drag show. Angel also works as a Writing Tutor, Academic Coach, and Tech Tutor in the Tutoring-Learning Center. In his free time, Angel likes to play with his cat Beans and make cosplays to compete in competitions around the Midwest. He recently won first place Journeyman at Anime Milwaukee’s 2025 cosplay competition for the second year in a row, now working toward his first master build. Angel continues to fight for social justice and EDI on his campus, working with students and faculty to ensure that, even in a world that seeks to erase them, trans people will always have a place in Stevens Point.
Fatima Chavez , UW-Eau Claire – “Breaking Defiant Boundaries: Sexy Latinas Reclaiming and Redefining the Sexy Latina Stereotype at PWIs ”
This presentation explores the “Sexy Latina” stereotype—a hot-headed, vocal, assertive, fierce image—and its impact on Latina identity and agency in academic and social spaces. By performing what I call my “Sexy Latina” persona, a therapeutic exercise to explore my multifaceted identity, I reclaim space as an unapologetic Latina, reappropriating racist and misogynistic stereotypes while embodying sex-positive politics. The pressure to overperform often leads to burnout and imposter syndrome, as boundary-setting in predominantly white spaces proves challenging. Drawing on scholarship by Arrizon, Castaneda, Montero-Sieburth, Niemann, Rodriguez, and Yoshioka, I analyze how hypersexualized portrayals of Latinas restrict societal perceptions of Latina women. For example, Arrizon (2008) critiques the media’s depiction of Latinas as passionate and seductive, marginalizing them into gendered and racialized roles that hinder social and academic advancement. As a fifth-year Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies major and Political Science minor at UW-Eau Claire, I situate this stereotype within my own experiences as a Latina at a predominantly white institution. As such, this presentation highlights the intersectionality of the lived experiences of Latinas, as well as our resilience and ongoing struggle to redefine ourselves outside of stereotypes. It is crucial to hear the voices of those who have been silenced.
Fatima Chavez (she/they) is a fifth-year majoring in Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a minor in Political Science. As a McNair Scholar, she is researching the Effects of Cutting DEI for First-Generation Latinx Students at a Predominantly White Institution. After graduation, they plan to apply to graduate schools for a Ph.D. in Feminist Studies/WGSS.”
Brett Dunn , UW-Madison – “Thin, White, All-American Gays: Rejecting Embodied Homonationalism, Anti-Fatness, and American Empire”
Neoliberal creation of the consumer citizen has complicated body politics and who becomes included in the national imaginary. Through discursive and textual analysis, this paper applies a fat studies framework to demonstrate how homonationalism in the United States demands thinness. Pulling from historical and contemporary developments of the American national imagination, in particular how the ‘war on terror’ and ‘war on obesity’ collided to both expand and constrict ideal citizenship, I investigate how the body exists as a symbol of the nation by drawing together developments of neoliberalism, (homo)nationalism, American masculinity, and anti-fatness. I look towards former South Bend Mayor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg as an example of embodied homonationalism, and critique queer/gay embodiments that uphold American empire, specifically through explorations of drag performance that reject and subvert homonationalist narratives. Questioning the history and processes of LGBTQ+ citizenship in relation to the national marking of fatness as failed citizenry, I argue that embodied homonationalism requires upholding anti-fatness.
Brett Dunn (they/them) is a queer, enby poet and writer from Wisconsin. They are currently in their final semester at UW–Madison receiving their BA in Creative Writing and Gender and Women’s Studies. They serve as a Poetry Editor at The Madison Review.
Izzy Fincher, UW-Milwaukee – “Constance de Salm’s “Sapho”: Constructing the Greek Poetess as a Political Symbol for Revolutionary Era French Feminism”
French poet, writer, and dramatist Constance de Salm advocated for equality for female writers in Parisian literary circles. Her 1794 libretto Sapho was her most ambitious and grand-scale feminist literary undertaking. By representing the Greek poet as a tragic heroine whose creative voice was silenced by patriarchal oppression, Salm subverts canonical depictions of Sapho as a tragic figure driven to suicide by romantic betrayal. Her portrayal of Sapho offers a feminist critique of the persecution and exclusion of female citoyennes in France’s male-dominated literary culture during the Revolutionary Era. Despite its egalitarian aims, Sapho falls short of feminist revisionist mythmaking, reflecting a broader trend in revolutionary women’s opera of exerting agency while operating within the context of gendered power dynamics. To address the intertextuality and treatment of feminist themes in Sapho, this study uses the theoretical framework of feminist critical discourse analysis in the context of Salm’s moderate bourgeois feminism. This analysis reveals three key themes: the limits of women’s creative agency, gendered instruments of patriarchal oppression, and the symbolic death of the female genius representing women’s erasure from history. This study will examine to what extent Salm’s reinterpretation of Sapho’s mythology deconstructs versus reproduces the patriarchal structures she condemns.
Izzy Fincher (she/they) is a master’s degree student at UW-Milwaukee pursuing the MM in Classical Guitar Performance and WGS Certificate. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Colorado Boulder with bachelor’s degrees in Journalism and Classical Guitar Performance. She was named the College of Media, Communication and Information’s William W. White Outstanding Graduating Senior and the College of Music’s Outstanding Graduating Senior.
Her research focuses on journalism, media and mass communication, popular music, intersectional feminism, racism, and LGBTQIA+ rights. Her undergraduate honors thesis, “An examination of mainstream media’s treatment of female guitarists,” is published in the Journal of Popular Music Studies. She has presented her research at the International Communication Association Conference, Global Conference on Gender Studies, International Conference on Gender and Sexuality, and the Guitar Foundation of America Conference.
Abbie Laundrie , UW-Oshkosh – “Menstrual Products: Effects on Bodies and the Earth”
It is well-known that there is little research done on all people’s bodies in the U.S., especially when it comes to things like the menstrual cycle. We also know hygiene products advertised to menstruators cost more than sometimes advertised to non-menstruators, often referred to as the “tampon tax.” With people who menstruate needing health products most non-menstruators do not, and little research done on how such products affect the physical health of people who menstruate, there needs to be a demand for more research done on menstruators’ bodies and regulations that prohibit against gendered price discrimination. There should be more studies on menstrual products and how they are not only harmful to menstruators, with the toxic chemicals in most of the commonly sold products, but harmful for the environment as well. One such example of this is Go Green for Menstrual Hygiene, a student-led presentation discussing such topics with students at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. While people are able to find information on what chemicals are within menstrual products, more studies should be conducted and be made known to the public how harmful these products are to the general consumer and the impact these products have to our planet.
Abbie Laundrie is a Women’s and Gender Studies major and a Political Science minor at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh, where she is also pursuing a certificate in LGBTQ+ Studies. She is currently the co-president of the Women’s Advisory Council at UWO, a student organization that promotes gender equity on campus. Her graduation date is May 2025; after graduation she plans to work with nonprofit organizations on women’s issues, and possibly someday work in local government. She has an interest in women’s issues, environmental issues, and grassroots political organizing. Her research interests focus on menstrual equity and ecofeminism, as well as women in political parties, and social issues relating to women and LGBTQ+ members.
Claudia Liverseed, UW-Madison – “Gender, Power, and Coloniality: Reimagining Responses to Global Health Epidemic Crises”
As climate change worsens, the world will inevitably witness the increasing prevalence of infectious diseases that threaten people’s lives and social and economic systems. Documentation demonstrates that the devastation of epidemics follows global structures of power, disproportionately impacting communities in the Global South and often along gendered lines. This research aims to analyze previous global health responses to infectious disease epidemics in the Global South and aims to bridge gaps within existing literature on gender and anti-colonialism. Using the examples of the 2014 West African Ebola Outbreak, HIV/AIDS in Sub-Saharan Africa, and Malaria in West and Central Africa, this project will explore how gender and colonialism are fundamentally intertwined within infectious disease crises. In each case, I will explore the following questions: How does this epidemic have gendered effects? In what ways is this gendering necessarily tied to colonialism? How do institutions address gender in their responses? Why were these responses successful or unsuccessful in addressing gender? What would a successful response look like? By filling the gap in studies of gender and colonialism, I aim to create a framework that is attentive to the shortcomings of previous global health responses in order to effectively shape future outreach.
Claudia Liverseed is a fourth-year student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison working towards a B.S. in Gender & Women’s Studies and History with a certificate in Global Health. Her thesis critically examines how global health responses to infectious disease epidemics in the Global South reproduce colonial and gendered inequalities. She is a Fellow for the Undergraduate Research Scholars program, a student researcher for the Nonviolence Project, and the Volunteer Coordinator for PAVE–UW. Passionate about community-led social change and expanding access to research, Claudia plans to pursue her MPH in Global Health and PhD in Gender, Women, and Sexuality Studies or History after a gap year or two, hoping to become a professor to conduct research and teach.
Mallori Martin, UW-River Falls – “An Analysis of Don’t Worry Darling Through a Gendered Lens”
This paper examines Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling (2022) through a gendered lens, analyzing how the film portrays gender roles, control, reality, and societal limitations imposed on women. While set in a seemingly utopian 1950s society, the film’s themes remain relevant in contemporary discussions of women’s autonomy and empowerment. By exploring the historical evolution of gender roles in film, this study contextualizes the ways Don’t Worry Darling reinforces and challenges gendered expectations. Through an analysis of verbal communication, camera angles, lighting, costume design, gaze, casting, and production choices, this paper demonstrates how the film constructs and performs gender. The research also applies feminist theory, particularly the Bechdel test, to evaluate the representation of women in the film. Ultimately, Don’t Worry Darling serves as both a critique of patriarchal structures and a call for female empowerment, encouraging audiences to challenge societal norms and question imposed limitations.
Mallori Martin is a senior at the University of Wisconsin–River Falls, studying Communications and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. Originally from Green Bay, WI, she chose UW-River Falls for its WGSS program. On campus, she is actively involved in Greek Life, the Feminist Organization, College Democrats, and serves as the WGSS Intern, alongside holding two other jobs. Beyond academics, Mallori enjoys traveling, reading, attending concerts, and spending time with friends. She is passionate about gender studies and media representation and welcomes opportunities to connect and collaborate. Feel free to reach out to her on LinkedIn to network and engage in meaningful discussions.
Joey Padgett, UW-Whitewater – “Feminist Embodiment: Theory and Praxis in Advanced Undergraduate Research”
At the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, advanced undergraduate students have several opportunities to produce their own knowledge on key themes within the field in specific courses. Although we maintain a highly flexible curriculum, our students often take two courses in their path towards a major or minor in the field: Feminist and Queer Theories and Advanced Seminar. In this panel, advanced Women’s and Gender Studies undergraduates will present their research on various themes related to feminist embodiment. Specifically, advanced undergraduates will present their own theoretical knowledge production through a manifesta assignment, their academic research through advanced seminar, and feminist praxis within and beyond the classroom. The aim of this panel is to showcase advanced undergraduate thought and highlight the impact of a Women’s and Gender Studies education on undergraduate research, praxis, and overall learning outcomes of a college degree. Once students have shared their work, panel moderators will facilitate a conversation with the audience, recognizing that dialogue is the best tool for advancing feminist thought and practice.
Joey Padgett (He/It) is a senior at UW-Whitewater where he is currently doubling majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies and English – Creative Writing. It spends his free time with his lovely fiancé and their pet family, reading theory, and working as a staff member for the campus literary and arts magazine The Muse. His WGS studies focus largely on queer and trans theory with a primary focus on community and acceptance.
Valeria Rodrigo Rojas , UW-Madison – “Virtual Self-Fashioning: Imagining Queer of Color Radical Embodiment Online and Beyond” and “Queering the Venezuelan Femme”
Integrating ethnicity and cultural aspects to the ideas of butch-femme lesbian as a gender identity in and of itself and the distinguishing aspects of a queer femme-nity, I wish to introduce la Veneka and the cultural aspects of a Venezuelan femme-nity as a branch of this third path being actively forged. The Venezuelan Femmenine is distinct and follows the traditions of where she stands. There is an inherent and innate queerness and homoeroticism in femininity even in cisheterosexual spaces. The tradition of taking something imposed upon the people and queering it as a form of resistance and survival can be seen throughout the Venezuelan cultural relationship to femininity. Then actual queer Venezuelan bodies take on this tradition and queer the queer into the ultimate Veneka Marica. I hope to examine three mythopoeic feminine subjects to look at this cultural cycle: La Miss, La Virgen, and Maria Lionza. Introducing “La Veneka” as a figure of a queering, or maricanizacion, as a mode that proposes the construction of its own paradigm, epistemology and ontology. Through which the established discourses can be disarticulated to integrate an embodied knowledge, from a regional and decolonial perspective on an untranslatable gender identity and form of resistance that is centered around a Latina (Venezuelan) femme-nity against the nationalistic machine of mimesis. The Venezuelan feminine has had an innate cultural fingerprint of refusal of erasure and purity, radical community, and loudness that goes in tandem with queer ephemerality The radical practice of femininity, beauty, and the metaphor that is the body is encoded in every femme in Venezuela.
Valeria Rodrigo Rojas (she/her/hers) is a writer from Valencia, Venezuela. She is currently a senior majoring in Gender & Women’s Studies.
Michael Rozier , UW-Madison – “Where Are We? Black Student Enrollment at UW”
The history of Black student enrollment at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is deeply intertwined with larger struggles for racial equity in higher education. This presentation traces the institutional policies, student activism, and racial climate shifts that have shaped Black student representation at UW-Madison from the late 20th century to the present. Using a timeline format, this project highlights key moments, including the Holley Report (1987) and its urgent recommendations for improving minority recruitment and retention, and The Madison Plan (1988), the university’s response, which softened many of the Holley Report’s boldest measures. This timeline also examines the 1988 “Slave Auction” fraternity incident and the administration’s handling of campus racism, which exposed tensions between policy reform and student demands for justice. Additionally, this presentation reflects on long-term trends, from early affirmative action efforts to contemporary debates over race-conscious admissions and diversity initiatives. By analyzing both historical and current data, this project seeks to answer a crucial question: Has UW-Madison meaningfully addressed Black student underrepresentation, or are we still facing the same barriers decades later? This work aims to spark discussion on the university’s progress and the challenges that remain, ensuring that Black student enrollment and inclusion remain at the forefront of institutional priorities.
Michael Rozier is a husband, dog dad, musician, and a fourth-year Gender & Women’s Studies major passionate about advancing social justice and equity initiatives. My work focuses on addressing systemic inequalities, with a particular interest in education access and representation.
Lily Simon , UW-Platteville – “Feminist Political Ecology: The Feminization of Poverty ”
The concept of feminism shapes the various aspects of our lives, including homes, schools, businesses, city spaces, as well as geographical surroundings. When examining feminism’s impact on the surrounding environment, experts tend to utilize Feminist Political Ecology, or the study of how power relations and gender privileges restrict access and control of resources within geographical areas. Feminist Political Ecology serves as a spring-board to introduce the overarching theme: The Feminization of Poverty. Throughout this essay, readers will be exposed to the different causations of this type of poverty and gain an understanding as to how male power relations within communal settings fueled these inequalities and conditions.
Lily Simon is a Junior at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, majoring in Social Studies Education. She aspires to teach high school U.S. History while pursuing master’s and doctorate degrees. Her intent is to specialize in World War II and Holocaust Studies, with the end goal of teaching at the collegiate level. Outside of academics, Lily enjoys reading, listening to music and collecting vinyl records, spending time outdoors, and enjoying moments with family and friends.
Alexis Smiezek , UW-Madison – “Comparative Visions of Family: Pathways to Liberatory and Transformative Futures in Reproductive Justice”
This presentation will explore how varying ideological frameworks shape competing visions for reproductive justice, particularly focusing on three movements with divergent approaches to family and care: the radical right’s white women’s movement, the family abolition movement, and Black feminist mothering. By contrasting these perspectives, I aim to reveal the gendered and racialized dynamics that influence whose choices and families are deemed valuable. I will examine how the radical right’s emphasis on traditional family structures ultimately upholds patriarchal and white supremacist ideologies, while the family abolition movement envisions liberating kinship from these oppressive norms. Meanwhile, Black feminist mothering represents a radical alternative rooted in collective care and resistance to systemic oppression. This analysis challenges restrictive views of reproductive justice, advocating for a vision that dismantles hierarchies and centers liberatory, transformative possibilities. Through this exploration, I invite audiences to consider the redefinition of family as essential to achieving true reproductive justice.
Alexia Smiezek is a senior majoring in Gender and Women’s Studies, Neurobiology, Psychology, and Zoology. She is also getting certificates in Global Health and Health Policy. Alexis’s thesis research is on the role of storytelling in envisioning utopian futures for reproductive justice: an intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and intersectional feminist oral history project.
Lauren Upmeyer, UW-Platteville – “Feminist Political Ecology: Case Studies in Biodiversity Conservation”
In the intersection of feminism and environmental justice lies the framework of Feminist Political Ecology (FPE). This project explores different scenarios in which FPE is utilized or where FPE can be applied to create a better life for those affected by various social issues. Saving native and natural seeds is the mission of Navdanya International; women and minorities are working against large genetically modified seed producers to protect their native agricultural biodiversity. Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TKE) is an important tool in the biodiversity conservation world providing generational understanding of best ecological practices for sustainability. The need for fighting for women’s rights to land also lies within the FPE framework as shown with the Miskito people in rural Honduras facing invading governmental land-grabbing. Through research of examples illustrating ways FPE can be used to protect biodiversity conservation, an appreciation of the natural world can be found. Following that comes a desire for social justice through a feminist lens relating to global environmental affairs.
Lauren Upmeyer (she/her) is pursuing a B.S. in Biology with an emphasis in Ecology at University of Wisconsin – Platteville. Her career goal is to work with the National Park Service focusing on plant and wildlife research in the name of conservation and education. Lauren realizes the need now more than ever for intersectional feminism in the outdoor world and she works hard to promote diverse voices in the conversation of conservation. In the future, she hopes her work can lead to bridging the gap between social justice and environmental sustainability. She enjoys traveling, hiking, and backpacking with her girlfriend and loves trying new things.