MU Offers New Course: Queer Studies

Baily Januchowski

Students registering for spring semester found several new classes to choose among, including Intro to Queer Studies taught by Barb Burdge, social work program director. The three-credit hour course GNST-201-A will require readings of the “classics” of queer studies. Students will write and do projects as they connect queer studies to their own areas of interest.

“The course will expose students to the histories and contemporary realities of life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, transgender, queer, intersex and other people distinguished by minority sexualities and gender identities,” Burdge said.

Sexuality, gender, human rights and community will be taught with the queer perspective in mind. Burdge explained that students will be expected to apply feminist theory to all areas of their studies.

This course might be ideal for students who already have an understanding of the LGBTQIA+ community, but all students are welcome to take the course, she said.

Students will discuss abstract “theoretical and philosophical constructs based on [their] understandings of sexuality and gender.” The course also will discuss ways queer studies scholars coming from various disciplines go about studying those areas.

“I’d like students to enroll in this course if that type of thinking interests them,” Burdge said.