Skip to main content
Background photo used in collage is based on a street mural by Chite Yarumo and is of public domain. 

Knowledge for the 21st Century

Critical and Creative Worldmaking, The Future Is Now, which is our motto with visuals of a dove in night space near stars
G&SS: The Future Is Now

 

"I believe in the transformational power of the Gender & Sexuality Studies curriculum. I believe supporting the G&SS program and its curriculum is an act of resistance and hope and an investment in our future."

Heather Lang, PhD (she/her/they/them)

NMSU Gender & Sexuality Studies Alum (BA, 2010)

Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, Writing Coordinator

Susquehanna University


Equity and Excellence: Gender & Sexuality Studies (G&SS) at New Mexico State University (NMSU) is education for everyone.

G&SS is a combined field of study that encompasses interdisciplinary women's, gender, LGBTQ+, and feminist studies. It is a discipline dedicated to reshaping society through education, research and knowledge production, creativity, and social change. G&SS at NMSU offers you indispensable learning that sharpens your critical thinking skills, preparing you for today's world and the challenges and opportunities of the future. 

The interdisciplinary degree program in G&SS at NMSU cultivates scholars, creators, professionals, and everyday change-makers. At G&SS, education is both informative and transformative. This program is designed to challenge and expand your understanding, equipping you with the knowledge and skills to critically analyze and engage with our interconnected global society.

With a history spanning over three decades, our curriculum encompasses a wide range of fundamental topics. It fosters specialized knowledge and insight in critical areas in women's and LGBTQ+ studies, intersectional subjectivities, as well as global and transnational perspectives.

In this degree program, you will gain a deep understanding of gender and sexuality studies, developing skills and expertise that are highly sought after across different fields. These include academia and education, creative industries, arts and cultural administration, nonprofit and advocacy work, policy development, healthcare and social services, journalism and media, the legal profession, community organizing, and activism, among others. 

Our commitment to creative scholarship and aesthetic appreciation extends to hands-on experiences with audiio-visual creation, zines, digital media and design, cinema, and comics/graphic narratives. This media expertise is further underscored by our course concentration in Media Arts and Cultural Studies (MACS) and Feminist Border Arts (FBA) and its projects Feminist Border Arts Film Festival (FBAFF) and SJZ and other zines, housed within Gender & Sexuality Studies and lead by G&SS faculty.

Your choice to pursue study in G&SS is an affirmation of your commitment to critical and creative worldmaking. Access your untapped strengths. Transform possibilities into realities. The future is now. 


Upon fulfilling requirements, students completing a major, minor, or graduate minor in Gender and Sexuality Studies will demonstrate:

  • Interdisciplinary Critical Thinking: Demonstrate the ability to apply a wide range of critical and creative methodologies, including feminist, queer, and transgender theories, to analyze complex problems related to gender, sexuality, race, society, difference, and social change. Whether you're dissecting historical documents or analyzing current events, you'll be equipped to contribute to groundbreaking research.
  • Transformative Research and Research-Creation: Here, research isn't just about writing papers; it's about sparking change. Engage in a variety of transformative approaches—from ethnography and critical analysis to textual analysis and research-creation projects like digital storytelling and comics inquiry. Plus, you'll have opportunities to participate in special initiatives like the Feminist Border Arts Film Festival and Transnational Solidarity Day
  • Communication for Social Impact: Gain skills to engage, challenge, and forge new and different pathways. You'll learn how to articulate complex feminist, queer, and transgender theories in a way that resonates, whether you're presenting at an academic conference, leading a community workshop, or advocating for change in diverse social settings, including the workplace.
  • Effective Writing Across Media and Formats: Write powerful essays, create digital content and media-based projects that explore the complexities of social identity, power, difference, and social change.
  • Media Literacy: Critically analyze and engage with different kinds of texts, approaches, and media, understanding their impact on societal constructs and lived experience.
  • Advocacy and Civic Engagement: Utilize skills in advocacy and community organizing to effect change in policy and social structures at both local and global levels.
  • US, Borderlands, Transborder, and Global Perspectives: Through US, transnational, and transborder perspectives, explore how gender and sexuality intersect with issues like migration, foodways, and environmental justice. Engage in hands-on projects that prepare you to be a changemaker, from documenting oral histories to participating in community art installations. You'll emerge with a nuanced understanding that empowers you to contribute with informed action on transnational issues, borders, and the Borderlands region.
  • Transformative Leadership and Professional DevelopmentWe offer an education that exceeds traditional academic boundaries, modeling multiple pathways for research, teaching, and community engagement, including digital initiatives. You'll acquire knowledge, approaches, and skills that empower you to be an agent for positive social change, grounded in research-based practices and critical thinking, generated from decades of feminist, queer, and other socially transformative knowledge projects and movements.

"In Gender and Sexuality Studies, student success is not just a goal, but a commitment. The faculty genuinely cares, seeking our voices, championing our triumphs, and investing in our futures. Every professor I've encountered relentlessly asked, 'how can I make sure you succeed?' - and then they did more than just listen, they took action. They see us not just as students, but as a community, guiding our educational paths with relentless commitment and equipping us with invaluable tools and unwavering support."

-Casey L Combs

NMSU G&SS Alum (Minor, 2023)


 

MACS: Media Arts & Cultural Studies Concentration in G&SS

Everyday Media as Production Tools: Welcome to MACS
Everyday Media Is Production Tools

 

MACS (Media Arts and Cultural Studies) course concentration offers a unique specialization through an exciting fusion of contemporary creative forms, media, and film with the insights and perspectives of women's, gender, and sexuality studies, including feminist, queer, transgender, and transnational perspectives. Whether you are a Gender and Sexuality Studies major or minor, or simply an interested learner, our MACS courses are open to you.

Through MACS, we explore the dynamic intersection between media, arts, and culture, and how they shape and are shaped by gender, sexuality, difference, and social change. By enrolling in MACS courses, you will delve into the analysis of contemporary media, such as films, television shows, graphic narrative, digital platforms, popular culture, and other creative forms. You will critically examine how gender and sexuality are represented, negotiated, and challenged within these cultural artifacts. Furthermore, you will gain valuable insights into the ways media and arts can be harnessed as tools for social transformation, activism, and cultural critique.

MACS goes beyond being just an area of expertise; it offers a transformative learning experience. Our faculty members are experts in their respective fields, bringing a wealth of knowledge, creative practices, and diverse perspectives to the classroom. They are committed to fostering engaging discussions, encouraging critical thinking, and supporting your intellectual and creative growth. Through our courses, you will engage with project-based learning and research-creation methods. We believe in exploring combined research and creativity outputs and utilizing digital humanities and do-it-yourself (DIY) approaches. These approaches empower you to create meaningful media, such as zines, and develop digital projects that challenge existing narratives and promote social justice.

D.I.Y. Media Studies and Methods

MACS courses are available to students on-campus, online, and through NMSU Global, ensuring accessibility and flexibility for all learners. Enroll in our courses, immerse yourself in project-based learning, and contribute to the evolving field of Gender and Sexuality Studies through digital humanities, arts activisms, analysis, and DIY media methods. 


"NMSU needs G&SS, plain and simple. Not only am I speaking from previous experience as a former student, where G&SS courses fundamentally shaped me as a scholar, but also as an instructor with more than 5 years of teaching experience. My students often express the need for space and intellectual understanding concerning their lived experiences and diverse identities. In an institution where diverse student experiences might be overlooked or undervalued, G&SS plays a crucial role in providing the necessary support and recognition."

Juan “Ricky” Araiza

NMSU G&SS Alum (graduate minor, 2020)


 

19th Annual J. Paul Taylor Social Justice Symposium

JPT19-11x17-Poster.png
Join Us in April

 

In April 2024, G&SS will be hosting the 19th annual J. Paul Taylor Social Justice Symposium. The symposium, commemorating 35 years of G&SS at NMSU, will be a day-long event highlighting the importance of inclusive leadership and the impact of collective voices in the fight for social change. Join us at the Corbett Center Student Union Auditorium, where admission is free, and the exchange of ideas is boundless. 

The NMSU Department of Government will also be giving out the Social Justice Award during the event. 

Click this link to learn more about this year's 19th annual J. Paul Taylor Social Justice Symposium

 


 

2024 Feminist Border Arts Film Festival

FBACallforEntries.png
Call for Entries

 

SAVE THE DATE: Film & Media: Prepare to celebrate Pride 2024 like never before.

Anticipate two days of film, video, zines, workshops, and panels. Join us for the 2024 Feminist Border Arts Film Festival, kicking off on Pride Day, June 28 in 2024.

Day 1 - June 28: Immerse yourself in the world of film, from the US and around the globe. They educate, challenge norms, rebel against conventions, delight the senses, and demand change.

Day 2 - June 29: It's a zine revolution. Explore zines and zinema (video zines) that defy authority, journeys that break boundaries, comics that will change your life, and tales that celebrate community, social change, and creative expression.

Click for our call for submissions to be part of a media arts space of change and creativity.


 

Spring 2024 Courses

Downloadable G&SS Digital Media

 

2023-Digital-Media-Kit.
Download the 2023 DMK

 

Uncover a curated collection of resources designed to empower you to express, engage, and transform through digital media. 


 

GenXProf Social Media


instagram logo    twitter logo   Youtube logo    Tiktok logo

Feminist Border Arts is a research-creation and curation initiative in D.I.Y. Media Studies and Methods by Jonet & Williams, located in G&SS. GenXProf social media (GensXProf on X - Twitter) supports FBA projects and G&SS.