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Centre for Urban Health Initiatives

Youth Sexual Health RIG Seminar Series 

 

"Are they doing desire differently?: Canadian youth developing sexual
selves" 

 

Maria Gurevich, Ph.D., 

Lewis Alex Wright, BA candidate, Amy Brown-Bowers, B.A., Lisa Dang, B.A.,
Jenna Wagner, BA. Ryerson University, Psychology 

 

Department Research on sexuality and youth is dominated by discourses of
danger, victimization, and individual morality, while pleasure, agency,
embodiment, and entitlement remain conspicuously submerged. We report on the
results of a developing program of research on healthy sexualities among
Canadian youth, based on pilot semi-structured interviews with female
university students (ages 18-26). Our findings suggest the epistemological
and empirical importance of reconfiguring sexual health education and
research aimed at youth. 

 

Maria Gurevich, PhD, is Associate Professor in the Psychology Department at
Ryerson University and Associate Editor for Psychology of Women Quarterly.
Her research focuses on constructions of gender, sexuality and identity. She
has also worked with chronic illness populations, including HIV-positive
women and breast cancer survivors, as well as conducting research in
traumatic stress among emergency medical personnel. An emerging line of
research examines sexuality among Canadian youth, with a specific focus on
agency and desire. 

 

Lewis Alexander Wright, B.A. Candidate, is currently in his third year of
the journalism program, with a major in newspaper reporting. 

 

Amy Brown-Bowers, B.A., is a freelance journalist and mature student working
towards admission to graduate studies in Clinical Psychology. She is
currently collaborating on projects examining sexuality among Canadian youth
under Dr. Maria Gurevich at Ryerson University and on examining
relationships between restrained eating and weight monitoring under Dr.
Maria Gurevich Michelle Dionne, also at Ryerson University. As a journalist,
she has written for The Toronto Star, The Globe and Mail, The National Post,
Chatelaine.com, Bankrate.ca and CARP magazine. 

 

Lisa Dang, B.A., graduated from York University in 2007 and has been
involved in several research projects since then. Her main research
interests are family psychology and the psychology youth and adolescents.
Previous research projects include the development of a computer program
aimed at helping troubled teenagers, a study on the link between imagination
and childhood anxiety and the youth sexuality study. She is currently
working at the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre as a research assistant in
breast cancer imaging research. 

 

Jenna Wagner, BA, graduated from Ryerson University (Arts and Contemporary
Studies programme). She was involved at all initial stages of this project
and is currently working for the CBC. 

 

Ryerson University, Bond Building (SBB), 105 Bond Street, 2nd floor, RM 239
(corner of Victoria & Dundas) April 2nd, 1:30-3pm 

 

Free, all are welcome, please RSVP to [log in to unmask] 

 

Please see our website for upcoming seminar summaries and other events:
www.cuhi.utoronto.ca

 

Alexis Kane Speer, M.A.

Centre Coordinator/ Research Associate

Centre for Urban Health Initiatives (CUHI)

University College, Room 259

University of Toronto

15 King's College Circle

Toronto, Ontario M5S 3H7

416-978-7223

FAX: 416-946-0669

 


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