Art Blake

My current project is a transnational historical study of organizations as well as facilities and contacts (such as clothing stores, dressmakers, photographers, social venues, etc.,) that supported cross-dressers in the US, UK, and Canada post-1960. My research focuses on people assigned male at birth for whom wearing clothing regarded as “feminine” formed a key aspect of their gender expression. The project draws on archives in 3 countries and will include oral histories where possible.

Recent publications:

Blake, A. (2018). Re-Dressing Race and Gender: The Performance and Politics of Eldridge Cleaver’s Pants. Fashion Studies, 1(1), 1–37.

Blake, A. M. (2019). Radio, race, and audible difference in post-1945 America: The citizens band. Palgrave Macmillan.  

Sample of supervised ComCult projects:

2022 - Pauline Nguyen; MA Project-Paper; Spaces of Care / Photography as Queer Racialized Affective Archives: A Collaborative Project

2020 - Amanda Piche; Dissertation: The Role of Canadian National Print Media in Fostering Positive Public Opinion Towards the Legislation of Same-Sex Marriage in Canada

2019 - Alison Aird; Major Research Paper: Broken Record: Madness and Epistemological Agency

2017 - Zechariah Bouchard; Major Research Paper: The Challenge For Change At 50: Reimagining Canadian Activist Participatory Documentary At The National Film Board

2013 - Daniel Guadagnolo; Major Research Paper: Can Ya Dig It? - Music, Fashion, and Cross-Cultural Consumption

ComCult Teaching Activities

CC 8839 Sound Studies

CC 8849 Selected Topics in Politics and Policy - Transgender Studies

CC 8905 MA Research Specialization and Practice

CC 8982 The Body and The Culture of Modernity