Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Overview

The collection’s broad function is to support research and teaching in the fields of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, women’s, gender, and sexuality studies. These studies cut across many different disciplines, departments, and degrees at Yale.

The collection also specifically supports the Women’s, Gender, & Sexuality Studies Program at Yale.  The program establishes gender and sexuality as fundamental categories of social and cultural analysis.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Studies (LGBTS) at Yale promote innovative interdisciplinary scholarship and teaching on the historical and contemporary experience of lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, and transgendered people. It also fosters critical analysis of queer and normative sexualities, the formation of sexual and gender minorities and the role of sexuality in culture and politics across the world. 

Historical materials are of particular interest to scholars doing research in sexuality studies. Primary source collections are a high priority as well as historic runs of older magazines and newsletters from LGBTQ-related organizations and movements. Collection of contemporary material includes popular culture, legal and social issues, narratives, and sociological treatises. 

Yale University Library has a number of unique collections that support women’s and gender studies. Manuscripts and Archives’ Sexuality Subject Guide describes holdings relating to “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender history and culture.”

The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library also has a particularly strong collection on British women writers of the first half of the twentieth century as well as manuscripts and correspondence of Gertrude Stein, Georgia O’Keefe, and Leslie Marmon Silko among many other influential women writers, artists and thinkers of their times. Housed at the Beinecke is also a unique collection of broadsides and periodicals capturing gay, lesbian, and queer culture.

Departments/disciplines/programs/subject areas supported

Departments and Programs

Drawing on history, literature, cultural studies, social science, and science, women’s and gender studies offers interdisciplinary perspectives from which to study the diversity of human experience. Gender and sexuality are studied as they intersect with class, race, ethnicity, nationality, and transnational movements. Studies on women and development and globalization are of particular interest.

The collections also support the Research Initiative on the History of Sexualities and the Initiative on Race, Gender and Globalization.

Formats collected

All formats are acceptable; priorities are books, electronic journals, and primary source materials. 

Languages collected

Most materials are collected in English; materials are also collected in other languages.

Chronological and geographical focus

All areas are collected: global, historic and contemporary treatments.

Collaborations within Yale

International collections, social science, history, and humanities selectors, Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library, and Manuscripts & Archives for joint collection development.

Subject Librarian

Jennifer Snow
Program Director for Instruction
Marx Science and Social Science Library
(203) 432-5132