Gender and Sexuality Studies

Dominant understandings of normal genders and sexualities are woven throughout society, while resisting those norms and reshaping those understandings contribute to ongoing social change.

Gender and Sexuality Studies, which is available as an undergraduate level minor, is an interdisciplinary subject that is concerned with all of these issues. Papers explore a wide range of topics, including media representations of gender and sexuality, medical constructions of the body, gender and development, the gendered division of paid and unpaid work, gender and public policy, gender, sexuality and technology, violence based on gender and/or sexuality, and difference and ethnicity.

Studying Gender and Sexuality Studies at Waikato offers specialised knowledge of gender relations and social change in relation to the media, health, paid and unpaid work, education, sexuality, social policy and the law.

Adding this subject to your degree will enable you to develop critical thinking skills, and prepare you to respond effectively to a wide range of social justice issues. Students who enjoy social sciences and history, and are interested in learning more about women’s and men’s roles in society today and in the past, will find the subject a stimulating addition to their degree, either as a minor or supporting subject.

Gender and Sexuality Studies is an interdisciplinary subject. It goes particularly well with sociology, social policy, anthropology, education studies, geography, history, law and psychology.

There are employment opportunities for graduates with a good understanding in this area are within advocacy groups, government agencies, human rights organisations, non-governmental organisations and social services agencies.