Date of Award

Spring 5-5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Expressive Therapies

First Advisor

Dr. Raquel Chapin Stephenson, PhD, ATR-BC, LCAT

Abstract

This thesis explores the relationship between community art-making and queer resilience in response to state-sanctioned violence and surveillance. Furthermore, this paper focuses on the impact of visibility/invisibility on individuals within a community that is heavily policed and how less Eurocentric, medicalized approaches to support can serve these individuals. To better study and understand this approach, multiple sessions of community-based open studios were held from the writer’s home. Research was gathered from a group of individuals already in community together through the spectrum of queerness within a roller derby team. Participants were given a variety of materials to work with and often brought their own projects to finish in the company of others, with a heavy concentration of fiber artistry in the group. Within the larger context of past and current sociopolitical patterns, and with anecdotal evidence from members of the queer community, it becomes clear that collective action and care is the key to both surviving the current world and dreaming of a new one. This research aims to assist in that reimagining and to celebrate the transformative potential of creative and compassionate social networks.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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