Title: Homophobia and Queer Repression in Watchmen

Mentors: Keegan Finberg and Sharon Tran, English dept.

Come see Esther's oral presentation at URCAD on April 22:  1:15-1:30 RAC 106

Abstract:

My honors thesis examines representations of queerness in Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ superhero comic series Watchmen (1986-7), remarkable for its literary status and influentially mature take on the superhero genre. My URCAD presentation will give an overview of this thesis with a focus on analyzing how the character Rorschach constructs a superhero alter ego to repress his queerness and acquiesce to neoliberal norms of masculinity outlined by Margaret Thatcher’s British New Right of the 1980s. This reading is informed by methods from queer studies, superhero comic studies, new historicism and Marxism. I unpack the ways in which superhero comic tropes are subverted to portray repressed queerness, put those tropes into conversation with the politics of the AIDS epidemic, and consider Rorschach’s identity factors, primarily his lower working-class status, to explain why and how he represses his queerness in the manner he does. Ultimately, I demonstrate that considering Watchmen as a queer superhero story can open up new avenues of scholarly conversation for exploring the superhero genre’s unique capacity to portray repressed queerness via costuming. Given the current political moment’s rising homophobia, finding ways of seeing queer people in media, especially those struggling with homophobia, has become incredibly salient.

URCAD.umbc.edu

WE FORGOT TO MENTION THAT THERE WILL BE LOTS OF FREE FOOD AVAILABLE AT THE EVENT TOO!!

The food includes:

• Sweet & sour chicken
• General Tso's chicken
• Beef & broccoli
• and more!!

gogogogo get your tickets!!

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p.s. we might be giving away airpods :) 
you'll only know if you come !

This is to vote for Student Affairs Senator! Students from any college can vote. Pick your top 4 candidates

This post is to vote for the 2026-2027 COEIT senators. Please make sure you are a COEIT student to vote for this college's representatives. Pick your top 4 candidates.

In this post, you will be voting for your CNMS Senator! Please make sure you are a CNMS student to vote for the college representatives. Pick your top 4 candidates.

 This post is to vote for the CAHSS Senator for the next school year! Make sure you are a CAHSS student to vote. 

Looking to strengthen your professional presence? Join us for a Resume & LinkedIn Building Workshop designed to help you present your experience with confidence and clarity.

When: April 2nd
Where: Ilsb230 from 12-1 pm

Whether your resume needs a few updates or your LinkedIn profile is still “under construction,” this session will provide practical tips to help you stand out to employers.

Please note: Completion of the sign-up form is required to attend.

Take advantage of this opportunity to invest in your future—we look forward to seeing you there!

Dear colleagues,

We are excited to invite you to partner with the Division of Institutional Equity in an ongoing, community-wide effort to foster a more loving, inclusive, and just campus: Culture Builders @ UMBC.

Culture building is the intentional practice of shaping the values, relationships, and everyday practices that define how we live, learn, and lead together. In a time marked by polarization and a loss of shared humanity, creating an inclusive culture requires all of us—each of us has a role to play.

Culture Builders @ UMBC is an academic-year cohort for staff and faculty who are interested in deepening their capacity to support meaningful culture change in their local contexts. This is not a traditional training or a space for quick fixes. Instead, the cohort invites participants into a process of reflection, dialogue, and practice that supports more sustained and thoughtful approaches to inclusive excellence.

As a Culture Builder, you will:

• Engage in critical, practice-based conversations about identity, community, and belonging

• Reflect on your own role in shaping culture within your department, unit, or sphere of influence

• Learn alongside colleagues across roles and disciplines

• Develop a context-specific action plan and implementation strategy to support culture change over time

Throughout the year, participants will be guided through a process of deepening awareness, grappling with complexity, and taking thoughtful action in their work.

This year’s cohort will engage Valarie Kaur’s See No Stranger as a shared text to support reflection and dialogue. The book will serve as a conversation partner as we explore what it means to build a more just and connected campus community. All participants will receive a copy.

What to Expect:

• Small cohort experience: 10 staff and faculty participants will be selected from across campus
• Monthly cohort sessions: 2-hour meetings for reflection, dialogue, and applied learning
• Small group connections: Opportunities for ongoing support and accountability
• Culture Change Project: Each participant will develop a strategic action plan, with the goal of piloting a program, initiative, or practice where appropriate
• Campus engagement: Participants will contribute to a shared kickoff event in the fall and a final showcase of learning

If you are already engaged in equity-focused work—or looking for a meaningful way to begin—this is your invitation to join a community committed to building the culture we want to see at UMBC.

APPLY TODAY

Please complete the application form HERE by April 30, 2026.

Supervisor support is required and must be submitted by May 1, 2026 via the Supervisor Support Form. Applications will be reviewed after the deadline, and participants will be notified in mid-May.

We look forward to building a thoughtful and engaged cohort for the year ahead.

The Spring 2026 edition of the Linehan Newsletter is here! This edition features the dynamic work of our current scholars across disciplines, our Maryland Artist in Residence, and the interdisciplinary projects from our first-year seminar students.

Reposting from Undergraduate Research! Be sure to check it out: URCAD is Wednesday, April 22, 2026 in the RAC!
For the full schedule see: urcad.umbc.edu

Bella Berry | Gender and Mental Illness in Slender Man Media | Kathalene Razzano | Media and Communication Studies | 1:55-2:10 | RAC 106 

Tanzila Malik | Do Muslim Women Need Saving? A Case Study of Iran's Veiling Policies | Nehal Elmeligy | Gender, Women's, + Sexuality Studies | 9:00-9:15 | RAC 230 

Maylene Quintanilla, Caroline Wehinger, John Eiers | Toy Choice: Does Gender Matter? | Susan Sonnenschein | Psychology | RAC Arena, 2-3pm, Poster #53 

Amy Taylor, Margot Anthony | Power and Control: The Impact of Religious Cults on the Lives of Women | Lauren Allen | Social Work | RAC Arena, 2-3pm, Poster #67