My project is "done," and I got an A on the project, the paper, and the class on the whole, but I'd certainly like to continue that work in the future. However, I've been enjoying a nice little break with the summer here now, and I have to say it was much needed. Still, there are other topics under the broad heading of "Language, Gender, and Media" that catch my attention, and they're not all necessarily related to gender issues specifically (though I'm sure there can be and are gender issues involved somewhere).
A friend was asking me questions about deaf actors. Having a deaf uncle (who isn't an actor, and can speak, though not clearly, but cannot sing) I knew a little about deaf people, sign language and the like, but I find myself curious to learn more. He was asking questions like, "How do deaf people learn to act? How do they learn to sing?" I don't know if I answered his questions satisfactorily or not, and I didn't know much about deaf theater at all.
However, when he showed me a wikipedia entry about a deaf actor, I explored another blogspot blog about Deaf theatre: http://savedeaftheater.blogspot.com/ , which I highly encourage everyone to take a look at. It seems that back in 2004, funding for Deaf theatre was inexplicably cut by the United States government, without so much as a word. It's been deemed due to a clerical error by at least one person supposedly "in the know," so if that's so...why hasn't it returned? Please, check this out, and if their plight moves you, help as you're able.
I don't know if I'll do any research on the culture of Deaf Theatre in graduate school or not, but it may become a personal project soon. For now, I'll just do what I can to support it. I don't really have a lot of money to give, but I do have a vote and a voice, and however tenuous those things might seem in this day and age, they're utterly worthless if I don't at least try to use them.
If you're at all interested in this topic, check out that blog and show your support, and by all means, pass it on to others!
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Thank you, Everyone!
The project is complete, turned in, and even graded (I got 94%...a pretty solid A!), though I haven't gotten it back yet. Thank you to everyone who has participated, and, as per the agreement, anyone wanting to view the final paper may do so. Just drop me a message on MSN or here and I'll send it to you!
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
An optional question
One of the participants raised an interesting question, and I've decided to add it as an 8th, optional question. If you like, add it to your questionnaire; if it's too personal, you can simply decline to answer. Here goes!
8. Were you raised in a predominantly male household, predominantly female, or were you an only child? If you were an only child, who would you say had more influence in the way you perceive your world today?
I'm asking this question just to get some more ideas about where our perceptions of the opposite gender might come from - however, if you're uncomfortable with the question, feel free to decline to answer!
thanks again, everyone!
8. Were you raised in a predominantly male household, predominantly female, or were you an only child? If you were an only child, who would you say had more influence in the way you perceive your world today?
I'm asking this question just to get some more ideas about where our perceptions of the opposite gender might come from - however, if you're uncomfortable with the question, feel free to decline to answer!
thanks again, everyone!
Questionnaire time!
Edit: I should probably mention, you can either answer in a comment if you're comfy, or do as you did with the privacy agreement and just e-mail me the answers. Thanks!
Okay, here it is - 7 questions. PLEASE have this to me no later than 10am Thursday CST! If you are unsure about a question, leave it blank and ask me about it via MSN - I'll be available most of the day tomorrow.
Thanks!
Cross-gender Roleplay Study questionnaire
1. What are some of the reasons you play cross-gender? Which reason do you consider to be primary/most important?
2. Is this your first/only cross-gender character, or have you played another gender before?
3. Do you find it easier to play another gender or harder? What makes it so?
4. What are some positive experiences you've gained from cross-gender roleplay? What are some negative ones?
5. What are some of the things you do to make your character "convincing" or "authentic" as a character of a gender other than your own? For example...what changes do you make in gestures, emotive text, or even the way you dress your avatar that you feel make it truer to his or her gender?
6. Do you hide your gender as a player, or are you open about your cross-gender play? Why?
7. If you are open about it, has a member of the gender you portray ever complimented you on your portrayal and/or given you advice to improve? If so, did you find this helpful?
Okay, here it is - 7 questions. PLEASE have this to me no later than 10am Thursday CST! If you are unsure about a question, leave it blank and ask me about it via MSN - I'll be available most of the day tomorrow.
Thanks!
Cross-gender Roleplay Study questionnaire
1. What are some of the reasons you play cross-gender? Which reason do you consider to be primary/most important?
2. Is this your first/only cross-gender character, or have you played another gender before?
3. Do you find it easier to play another gender or harder? What makes it so?
4. What are some positive experiences you've gained from cross-gender roleplay? What are some negative ones?
5. What are some of the things you do to make your character "convincing" or "authentic" as a character of a gender other than your own? For example...what changes do you make in gestures, emotive text, or even the way you dress your avatar that you feel make it truer to his or her gender?
6. Do you hide your gender as a player, or are you open about your cross-gender play? Why?
7. If you are open about it, has a member of the gender you portray ever complimented you on your portrayal and/or given you advice to improve? If so, did you find this helpful?
Well, we're nearly done!
I've studied most of you, but I do need to watch maybe two more of you; I'll be in contact with you via MSN. I'll also be sending each of you a very short questionnaire which you can fill out for me to help with my report.
It's been really great working with all of you, and I wanted you to know that doing this study has been a wonderful oppurtunity for me, not just for my potential career, but because it's just been really fun watching all of you play.
I'll be writing my research paper that's due at the end of the semester on a comparison of the project with other research that's been done on the same phenomenon as it exists in tabletop (PnP) Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. If any of you are interested in that final paper, please let me know, and I'll be willing to share! I don't know that I will continue this research beyond this class (I do have other semi-related projects planned for the coming year, and possibly for graduate school, but they're more to do with gender roles in the entertainment industry and in adult entertainment than with gender roles in roleplaying games, though some of that will involve Second Life, which I've dropped from this project in the interests of time and relevance).
I'll post the questionnaire on here and provide a link via MSN to all participants shortly. Thanks again for all your help!
It's been really great working with all of you, and I wanted you to know that doing this study has been a wonderful oppurtunity for me, not just for my potential career, but because it's just been really fun watching all of you play.
I'll be writing my research paper that's due at the end of the semester on a comparison of the project with other research that's been done on the same phenomenon as it exists in tabletop (PnP) Dungeons & Dragons campaigns. If any of you are interested in that final paper, please let me know, and I'll be willing to share! I don't know that I will continue this research beyond this class (I do have other semi-related projects planned for the coming year, and possibly for graduate school, but they're more to do with gender roles in the entertainment industry and in adult entertainment than with gender roles in roleplaying games, though some of that will involve Second Life, which I've dropped from this project in the interests of time and relevance).
I'll post the questionnaire on here and provide a link via MSN to all participants shortly. Thanks again for all your help!
Monday, February 11, 2008
More volunteers?
Hey, everyone!
If I can get at least three more volunteers who qualify (even if they end up being from another Neverwinter server) that would be great. The optimal number for a pilot study like this is at least 10 for each group, and so far I only have 7 for Neverwinter. If I end up unable to get more, it'll be alright, but if you know someone who might be interested, please give them this blog and my MSN!
Thanks, everyone!
If I can get at least three more volunteers who qualify (even if they end up being from another Neverwinter server) that would be great. The optimal number for a pilot study like this is at least 10 for each group, and so far I only have 7 for Neverwinter. If I end up unable to get more, it'll be alright, but if you know someone who might be interested, please give them this blog and my MSN!
Thanks, everyone!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Privacy Agreements: Time to get this show on the road!
For those of you participating, I'd like to thank you for your patience. I was supposed to have this done Wednesday, but being a full-time student, married with three children, life intervenes a lot; there was a snow-day Wednesday and I was ill, and Thursday was my youngest son's birthday, and well...it all kind of snowballed from there (no pun intended).
Finally, however, I got it done! Now, to make sure everyone's privacy is completely protected, I'm posting the privacy agreement here, and what I would like for you to do is to copy and paste it into an e-mail to me at jessicar@ksu.edu and follow the very simple instructions for signing (unfortunately, I'm somewhat technologically limited, so this is just something I drummed up in Word Pad. Hopefully, future studies will give me access to nifty online forms and stuff like that).
If you have any questions, let me know, and if there's something you feel needs to be added to the privacy agreement, let me know BEFORE you sign it, and I'll make amendment.
Thank you again, everyone who has decided to participate. You'll find the agreement below.
Statement of Informant's Right to Privacy
By electronically signing this agreement with your player name, you, the participant (also known as the informant) are stating that you are aware of the following rights:
1. The right to have your player, character, and real names unpublished in the study, should you so choose;
2. The right to refuse to participate in any aspect of the study, even after you have agreed to take part. If at anytime a question makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy for any reason, you have the right to refuse to answer, without fully ending your participation in the study;
3. You have the right to end your participation in the study at anytime, for any reason;
4. You have the right to view the findings of the study before it is given to Dr. Tiffany Kershner to be graded;
5. You have the right to be notified in advance of the author's (Jessica A. Rittenhouse) intention to publish the study in any journal or enter it into any competition;
6. You have a right to request that your information not be included, should she decide to publish it.
By signing, you also state that you understand that the purpose of this study is not to in any way exploit the participants or to make judgements about their sex, gender, sexual preference, or age, but to understand the motivations behind cross-gender roleplay online, and to observe the assumptions that people make about the way another gender thinks and behaves.
To sign this agreement, please type your player name below, along with whatever name you wish to be called in the final paper for this study, and e-mail it to: jessicar@ksu.edu
If you don't mind your player, character, or first name being used, then put one of those down, and add a note that you are willing to allow the use of these names (no last names will be published, regardless of choice).
Student conducting cross-gender roleplay study: Jessica A. Rittenhouse
Participant's player and/or real name (you decide how you wish to sign):
Name you wish to be called in the study:
Finally, however, I got it done! Now, to make sure everyone's privacy is completely protected, I'm posting the privacy agreement here, and what I would like for you to do is to copy and paste it into an e-mail to me at jessicar@ksu.edu and follow the very simple instructions for signing (unfortunately, I'm somewhat technologically limited, so this is just something I drummed up in Word Pad. Hopefully, future studies will give me access to nifty online forms and stuff like that).
If you have any questions, let me know, and if there's something you feel needs to be added to the privacy agreement, let me know BEFORE you sign it, and I'll make amendment.
Thank you again, everyone who has decided to participate. You'll find the agreement below.
Statement of Informant's Right to Privacy
By electronically signing this agreement with your player name, you, the participant (also known as the informant) are stating that you are aware of the following rights:
1. The right to have your player, character, and real names unpublished in the study, should you so choose;
2. The right to refuse to participate in any aspect of the study, even after you have agreed to take part. If at anytime a question makes you feel uncomfortable or uneasy for any reason, you have the right to refuse to answer, without fully ending your participation in the study;
3. You have the right to end your participation in the study at anytime, for any reason;
4. You have the right to view the findings of the study before it is given to Dr. Tiffany Kershner to be graded;
5. You have the right to be notified in advance of the author's (Jessica A. Rittenhouse) intention to publish the study in any journal or enter it into any competition;
6. You have a right to request that your information not be included, should she decide to publish it.
By signing, you also state that you understand that the purpose of this study is not to in any way exploit the participants or to make judgements about their sex, gender, sexual preference, or age, but to understand the motivations behind cross-gender roleplay online, and to observe the assumptions that people make about the way another gender thinks and behaves.
To sign this agreement, please type your player name below, along with whatever name you wish to be called in the final paper for this study, and e-mail it to: jessicar@ksu.edu
If you don't mind your player, character, or first name being used, then put one of those down, and add a note that you are willing to allow the use of these names (no last names will be published, regardless of choice).
Student conducting cross-gender roleplay study: Jessica A. Rittenhouse
Participant's player and/or real name (you decide how you wish to sign):
Name you wish to be called in the study:
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