Noon Talks are presented by recent recipients of research grants from the Center for the Study of Women in Society. These scholarly talks span the interests of many departments in the areas of women and gender.

On Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, sociology PhD student Jinsun Yang will present, “Creating a Non-gender Binary and Queer/Women-centered Sports Space: Strategies and Experience of Korean ‘Queer Women Games.’” Talk description: “Studies on sex segregation in sports have demonstrated that gender equity policies can uphold the male supremacy and heteronormativity of sports culture when they accommodate the binary and essentialist logic of gender difference. While sex-integrated sports and trans/gender-inclusive policies have been designed and explored as pathways toward gender equity in sports, organizational strategies to reform the binary gender system in sports have been little investigated. In this study, I introduce an annual sports competition, Korean Queer Women Games (QWG) as an experimental sports space undertaking organizational actions and collective practices against sexist sports culture. I call QWG’s aims to build a ‘non-gender binary’ and ‘queer/women-centered’ sports space distinct from the mainstream sports structure policing gender and centering males. Interviews suggest that queer/women were considered as a default identity in QWG and participants could exert their capacity for excellence and joy without discouragement and self-censorship of their ability and identity. Findings illuminate that organizational strategies and collective practices can reform sexist sports structures and two distinct strategies, advocating women as a marginalized identity and rejecting binary sex system, can be integrated at the practice level.” Zoom link: https://uoregon.zoom.us/j/99683974273?pwd=WW9VclpvQllJOUJUZ0YvRkpLM2ZHZz09