Making Spaces: Supporting and Affirming LGBTQ + Identities

Presented by: Cory Johnson

Speaker Bio

Corey’s theorizing and qualitative inquiry focuses its attention on the power relations between dominant (white, male, heterosexual, etc.) and non-dominant populations in the cultural contexts of leisure. This examination provides important insight into both the privileging and discriminatory practices that occur in contemporary leisure settings. He also see his research as complimentary to both classroom instruction and professional service, and he uses advocacy, activism, civic-engagement, service-learning and community partnerships to create unique learning opportunities for individuals and institutions. Dr. Corey Johnson is a professor in Leisure Studies at the University of Waterloo. For Corey, good research has a responsibility to question and shape practice. He sees himself as equal parts scholar and activist as he explores privileging and discriminatory practices that occur in leisure settings. Drawing on his research in gay bars, supporting LGBT+ youth in camp settings, and the use of geo-social networking applications (Grindr, Tinder, etc.), Corey argues that the act of love is critical if we are serious about transforming power relationships in leisure spaces and working for equity in our communities.