Naleena Velji
PhD Student
Gender Studies
Supervisor: Elaine Power
Research interests: My research interests for a PhD thesis revolve around the intersection of fatphobia, racism and misogyny, in relation to the social constructions of gender, performativity and self-identification. I am specifically interested in re-centering race within fat studies and highlighting the specific experiences of those who exist within multiple marginalized identities. Fatphobia is a structure of racist and colonial violence; as such, fat queer women of colour are living at an intersection of violence. My Master’s MRP focused on how histories of racism, fatphobia, and homophobia play out on fat queer women of colours’ bodies in specific and complex ways, as they are situated within multiple and interconnected systems of domination. Building upon this research, I plan to further explore the complexities of white privilege, hegemonic performances of gender, the weaponization of femininity and the social constructions of fatness. I would like to investigate the ways that self-identification/labels can function as a method of resistance and a tool for community building.