The purpose of this panel discussion is to critically examine and creatively explore the intersections of technology, sexuality, and power. Join us for scholarly and personal reflections about dating apps, sexual health, and digital safety. We will explore current research on these topics, unique methods used to explore them, and their socio-political implications. This event will resonate with students and faculty members across academic disciplines, reflecting an array of scholarship conducted at Western.
Panelists
Cornel Grey
Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies
Dr. Cornel Grey’s research focuses primarily on the health of black queer men. More specifically, he is interested in the ways that black queer men mobilize skin-to-skin contact as a practice of care. He recently completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Dalla Lana School of Public Health where he examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the social and sexual lives of gay, bisexual, and queer men. His current projects include a qualitative study examining the impact of positive touch on the health of black queer men and an archival study examining black queer diasporic networks. Dr. Grey will also be a Visiting Fellow at the Sydney Social Sciences and Humanities Advanced Research Centre (University of Sydney) during the 2024 Spring term.
Kaitlynn Mendes
Department of Sociology
Kaitlynn Mendes is a sociologist whose work sits at the intersection of media, education, and politics. Her research and teaching adopt an intersectional feminist perspective to better understand and combat gender inequalities and their relationship with media technologies. Using a mixed methods approach, she explores how digital technologies pave the way for new forms of online abuse, while simultaneously being used to challenge sexism, sexual violence, rape culture, and harassment in on and offline spaces. Insights from her research have been used to inform policies, practices, and public understanding on contemporary gender inequalities.
Treena Orchard
School of Health Studies
Associate Professor Treena Orchard is an anthropologist and author who researches sexuality, gender and health among marginalized groups and within the context of her own life. She has published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is featured in 130+ media stories about her research, activism and public scholarship. Treena also been a featured guest on several podcasts, including one hosted by NYT Best-Selling author Dr. Wednesday Martin, who also penned the foreword to her memoir. Told with humour and vulnerability, Sticky, Sexy, Sad: Swipe Culture & The Darker Side of Dating Apps (University of Toronto Press) is a riveting and inspiring manifesto about how we can stay true to ourselves amid the digitization of love in the twenty-first century.
Host & Moderator
Anna Lise Trudell
Student Experience
Anna Lise is Manager, Wellness & Equity Education, at Western Student Experience. She is a prominent figure in gender equity and violence prevention education at Western University and in community organizations across London, Ontario. She has worked with Anova, collaborated with the Centre for Research & Education on Violence Against Women & Children (CREVAWC), represents Western on London & Middlesex Network to End GBV and Woman Abuse, and also sits on Western's Women's Safety Committee.