Research Intern

This summer, I worked on a media-based intersectional research project focused on deconstructing and critiquing the representation of queer women of color in American high-school television shows. Over the summer, I conducted a case study of Glee and the character Santana Lopez to analyze how an Afro-Latina lesbian teen is represented in the context of an early 2000s satirical musical dramedy—a time prior to #MeToo, the legalization of same-sex marriage, and other institutional changes in the U.S. Through the mentorship of Professors Cristina Rhodes and Angel Matos, I examined and applied theories on queerness, girlhood, and media studies to develop my arguments. Ultimately, my research highlights the often ignored and sidelined characters in queer media and brings Santana Lopez to the forefront in a bid to highlight how television representation can be simultaneously reparative, diminutive, and disruptive. And that’s what you missed on Glee! 

Funding provided by the Preston Public Interest Career Fund.