Research

Feminist Frontiers (now in it's 8th edition)

Although Dr. Taylor did not write this book by herself, she, alongside Dr. Laurel Richardson, was a full co-editor of the book. The book, an extensive exploration of different areas in regards to the sociology of women, has been critically acclaimed ever since it came out in the 1980's.
In the Third edition of Feminist Frontiers, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Richardson write a Preface that is enough for any young woman to want to get involved with the feminist movement. They explain how "the articles in Feminist Frontiers III underscore the pervasive cultural, racial, ethnic, and other differences that interact with gender" (Richardson, Taylor xi). What is fantastic about this particular edition, which was published in 1993, is that both Dr. Taylor and Dr. Richardson truly reached to make a cross-cultural connection between a diverse group of women so as to try and make as many women as possible feel included. They were well aware that "the experience of being disadvantaged [was] not the same for different groups of women" (xi) a concept that was still being explored at the time in which this book was published. This third edition, one of the two Feminist Frontiers found available in my very own library (the other being the first edition), is comprised of four different parts including: "Introduction to Feminist Research," "Learning Gender," "Social Organization of Gender," and "Social Change." The four parts including 11 sections, each divided amongst the different parts and made up of numerous articles, stories, and tidbits of information.
The first part, "Introduction to Feminist Research" "deals with feminist approaches to diversity and difference and outlines the parameters of feminist theoretical and methodological approaches" (xi). The section within the part is named "Diversity and Difference" and has essays which focus on different types of oppression, experiences from women of color with feminist research, even an essay concerning science and feminism with other essays on the social construction of different types of feminism. It provides a good introduction for someone who has never really been in touch with feminism.
The second part, "Learning Gender" is comprised of two different sections labeled "Language, Images, and Culture," and "Socialization" respectively. The first section begins with an essay on the gender stereotyping of the English language, and the limitations that language forces upon gender. It also has essays written by women of different cultures and times; one essay, for example, focuses on Chinese footbinding and the devastating effect it had on many young girls and woman's lives. The second section focuses on the socialization of feminism within everyday life; this includes an essay on how a feminist fits into a man's "Life Cycle," as well as essays on families and family structure, and the effect of gender roles on children. The section provides great insight into concepts of gender that may have not been considered during this time period, with many different essays to build a solid base concerning ideas of gender.
In the third part, "Social Organization of Gender," sociology seems to take a grander step inside the realm of feminism. It is made up of six different sections, all important topics when it comes to ideas of gender within a social construct: "Explanations of Gender Inequality," "Work," "Families," "Intimacy and Sexuality," "Health and Medicine," and "Violence Against Women." This particular part becomes very important to this book as a whole because it is a section that women can truly relate to. With stories on suchs topics as sexism in the workforce, transgendered women, working parents and feminism, body image, eating disorders, birth control, racism, and rape, these stories could easily become vital lifelines for women who are unsure of where to turn to. Many of the essays provide advice, explanation, or other pieces of information that could easily help a woman learn more about her rights as a human, and what to do if a particular situation were to arise.
The fouth and final part on "Social Change" is made up of two sections: "The State and International Politics," and "Social Protest and the Feminist Movement." These sections provide information on feminism and politics, as well as the different ways a woman could become actively involved in helping create social change. There is one article that is co-written by Verta Taylor and Nancy Whittier on "The New Feminist Movement." In this article, concepts of the New feminist movement are explained; everything from the ideologies, to the structures, with a sociologists twist on it. All in all, this part is excellent in providing information about social change, and what feminism is doing to aid in it.
Although this edition is not the newest edition, it is still a very smart resource for any woman or sociology student looking for a connection between women's studies and sociology. All editions of Feminist Frontiers get nothing but fantastic reviews, constantly being praised for the different articles and information that can be used by any woman.

Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret
Co-Authored with Dr. Leila Rupp

If you have ever wondered what it was like to be a Drag Queen, how one comes around to becoming a Drag Queen, the job and life as a Drag Queen, or anything surrounding Drag Queens, this is quite possibly the best book for you. This book delves into the life of the Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret in Key West, Florida.

You can be assured as soon as you open this book, that it will not be your typical book on gender and sexuality (although now, as I come to think about it, I wonder if there IS any typical book on gender and sexuality!), but that does not drive you away from it. As a kind of side note, I have to admit that this book reminded me a lot of Stripping, Sex and Popular Culture by Catherine Roach. The subject is rather taboo and difficult to discuss for many, but the book is just so fantastic with just the right amount of delving into the lives of Drag Queens (or strippers) and theorizing how this fits within our society, you become easily hooked.

The book opens with the first chapter labeled "Introduction: 'What Makes a Man a Man?'" with a description of how a regular night would open and run at the 801 Cabaret. This is a question that will assuredly resound in your head as you continue through the book. Rupp and Taylor make a compelling first argument when they say that "public fascination with the meaning of gender crossing has its counterpart in the world of scholarship, where feminists and queer theorists contemplate the instability of the categories 'woman' and 'man,' 'feminine' and 'masculine,' 'heterosexual' and 'homosexual'" (Drag Queens 2). These are the ultimate questions that Taylor and Rupp seem to be searching for in their book. How does drag affect what we have come to know as the social norm? Is it challenging enough to make a difference? How does it serve as a social protest?

Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret is one of the first extensive publications on drag and it's affect on society. This book doesn't seem to have any dull moments, with promises of not only insight into the girls' lives as Drag Queens, but also research on how they fit into society, and what their work is doing for the field of sex and gender. Taylor and Rupp have been endlessly praised on this book, and I feel it isa subject that is important for all women's and gender's studies students to understand.

Sushi and the rest of the Drag Queens from the 801 Cabaret

Resources:

Richardson, Laurel and Verta Taylor. Feminist Frontiers III. McGraw Hill, 1993.

Rupp, Leila and Verta Taylor. Drag Queens at the 801 Cabaret. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2003.