WGST 692 - Snyder: Primary Sources

Primary sources are original objects or documents related to your topic. Since you're researching a wide variety of subjects, there's no one-size-fits all primary source type that will be relevant to everyone! However, some primary sources you might consider for your research include:

• historical or legal documents (legislation on transgender athletes' participation in sports)
• statistical data (stats on gender non-conforming people in the arts)
• creative writing or arts objects (video of a drag performance)
• images ("image of woman" in magazines or advertisements across decades)
• interviews (interview with queer students in marching band)

Many of the types of primary sources you might be interested in can be found using Google. Try searching for your topic plus the type of source you'd like to find: 

• LGBTQ+ athletes statistics

It can also be helpful to search for primary sources about a particular person/event/performance:

• Chase Johnsey [genderfluid ballet dancer] interview 
• Trixie Mattel [drag performer] performance

The library provides access to primary source databases; keep in mind that these are mostly for historical primary sources like historic news, letters, and other archival materials. Some primary source databases that might contain information relevant to this course: