ABOUT ME

I am a cultural historian whose work often crosses national and disciplinary boundaries. I specialize in the fields of Gender & Sexuality and Celebration Studies, and I am particularly interested in Carnivals and drag competitions. 

 

My first book, Carnival in Alabama: Marked Bodies and Invented Traditions in Mobile, uses Mardi Gras as a vehicle to understand social and cultural changes in Mobile, Alabama (USA) in the second half of the 20th century.

 

For the ongoing oral history project, Queens of the South(s) , I am interviewing performers who defy gender normativity in different parts of the globe.

 

I also serve as co-editor of the Journal of Festive Studies and as a host/interviewer for the New Books Network podcast