My overarching research interests surround social inequalities, with a focus on the sociology of race and education, as well as the sociology of gender, sexuality, and the body. In a forthcoming paper, I examined racial mismatch in high school classrooms and how racial stereotyping operates through white teachers’ evaluations of their students. My dissertation is mixed methods study of how gay men simultaneously experience weight and sexual orientation stigmas. To examine resistance against stigma, I studied the bear subculture. The bears are a group of gay men who reject narrow stereotypes of gay male beauty and effeminacy and idealize bigger, hirsute bodies and a "regular guy" masculinity. Currently, I am in the beginning stages of a qualitative project on serodiscordant couples (romantic partners in which one person is HIV-positive and the other is HIV-negative) and their management of stigma, health, and anxiety. In my non-academic life, I enjoy playing music, hiking, and spending time with my dog, Piper.
The Charger Blog
In advance of the start of the 2022-23 academic year, Patrick McGrady, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, offers an update on the ongoing work of a University-wide committee focusing on attracting employees as well as enabling them to find a true sense of belonging as part of our community. He also introduces a new co-chair to support these efforts.