Date of Award
Spring 5-11-2022
Degree Type
Capstone
Degree Name
Master of Arts in American Studies (MAST)
Department
Interdisciplinary Studies
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Griselda Thomas
Second Advisor
Dr. Ashley Shelden
Third Advisor
Dr. Pete Rorabaugh
Abstract
Lesbian erasure negatively impacts the accessibility to literature, archives, and records of lesbian history as a result of being buried within queer and feminist discourse. As a result, scholars often classify lesbians into other categories, effectively rendering them invisible and unimportant. Across the literature, there is no cohesive definition of lesbian and it is difficult to be exclusive on the basis of sex and gender. In addition, lesbian relationships are often dismissed as friendships. All of these factors have influenced my decision to create a website dedicated to promoting lesbian visibility and combating lesbian erasure. I have made a website entitled The Vast Unsaid in order to combat these microaggressions. The Vast Unsaid has a specific focus on the intimacy, love, romantic communications, and identity of lesbians. There are some online spaces that claim to promote lesbian interests but instead serve the broader LGBTQ+ community at the expense of lesbian visibility. The intention of The Vast Unsaid is to create a space specifically for self-identified lesbians (without racialized or gendered constraints) because they should not have to incessantly fight for visibility.
Comments
The website can be viewed on thevastunsaid.com