What was Women’s Liberation seeking liberation from? Discuss an example of 1970s feminist activism in Australia in your answer, and in doing so, evaluate its success or failure.

  1. What was Women’s Liberation seeking liberation from? Discuss an example of 1970s feminist activism in Australia in your answer, and in doing so, evaluate its success or failure.
  2. Representations of gender in popular culture (e.g. film, advertising, music, social media) have often been criticised by feminists for reproducing essentialist ideas about masculinity and femininity. Identify a problematic depiction of gender in popular culture and analyse/explain why you think it is problematic, drawing on ideas about ‘essentialism’ and ‘social constructionism’. Make sure you include definitions of ‘essentialism’ and ‘social constructionism’ in your essay.
  3. In comparison to Women’s and Gay Liberation, Trans* Liberation represents a shift in a political focus which more explicitly addresses questions of gender difference. Additionally, trans* liberation is not as well discussed, and many would argue it is still ongoing. Discuss, through an analysis of a contemporary case study. 
  4. Feminism is strengthened by an intersectional analysis. Discuss this statement through reference to a political issue of your choice. Include a definition and/or discussion of what intersectionality means in your essay.
  5. Postfeminism is understood as a ‘sensibility’ that is embedded in many different cultural texts, including film, social media, and advertising. Identify an example of postfeminism in popular or everyday culture and analyse/critique what this communicates about gender, femininity or feminism. Make sure you define postfeminism in your essay.  
  6.  What it means to be a man in Australia today has changed since the 1970s. Agree or disagree, drawing on specific examples to support your argument.
  7. Gay Liberation presented itself as a cultural and political struggle not only for homosexuals but for people more generally. Discuss the impact or potential of this through reference to examples of 1970s Australian activism in your answer.
  8. Attitudes towards sex (and minority gender and sexuality identities) have often been shaped by the shame/pride binary. Discuss through a critical analysis of a particular example.
  9. Holding The Man provides its readers with an account of growing up gay in the 1970s and the impact of the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. Comparing this account with more recent accounts of growing up queer, what things have changed and what things are the same? Make sure you include a close reading of Holding The Man in your answer.
  10. Queer theory emerged in the 1990s as a way of thinking that resisted a narrow focus on gay men and lesbians and wanted to trouble essentialist ways of thinking about sexual identity. Why was queer theory so critical of this narrow focus, and the reliance on essentialist thinking? 
  11. Sharing personal experiences can sometimes help people understand ideas and histories of gender and sexuality. Discuss by comparing and contrasting at least two relevant texts from this unit (e.g. Brazen Hussies, Holding The Man, Fun Home, Pride, Colouring The Rainbow etc.).
  12. What are some of the ways that disability rights activists, artists and writers challenge understandings of “normal” in relation to sex, gender, sexuality and/or the body? How might this work influence everyone, including people who might regard themselves as ‘non-disabled’?
  13. Australia’s colonial history shapes contemporary understandings of sex, gender and sexuality. Discuss through reference to Colouring The Rainbow.
  14. Pick a film/book/artwork/etc. that you love/hate on the grounds of something to do with sex, gender and/or sexuality. Draw on resources from the unit to make an argument in relation to this issue. [If you choose this option, you must talk with your tutor or unit chair about your proposed idea before you begin your essay in order to craft your essay question].
  15. Identify a gender/ sexuality issue that matters to you.  Draw on resources from the unit to make an argument in relation to this issue. [If you choose this option, you must talk with your tutor or unit chair about your proposed idea before you begin your essay in order to get approval and craft your essay question].