> DR. OLIVIA ADAMS
The department welcomes Dr. Olivia Adams as an Assistant Professor. After completing her undergraduate studies at the University of Chicago in Gender and Sexuality Studies and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, Dr. Adams earned a Ph.D. in Gender Studies at Indiana University Bloomington, where she also trained at the Kinsey Institute.
Dr. Adams’ scholarship focuses on chronic vulvovaginal pain (CVVP) and folks’ experiences trying to access a diagnosis and/or treatment. Like many chronic pain conditions, the CVVP conditions are unfortunately characterized by extensive diagnostic delay and other negative healthcare seeking experiences, like one’s pain being dismissed by a provider or receiving poor advice for pain management. Her own experiences as a CVVP patient and as a peer sex educator in college opened her eyes to widespread sexual healthcare problems and how feminist theories can help make sense of them.
Dr. Adams is committed to addressing two large gaps in the research literature on CVVP patient experience – the experiences of women of color and LGBTQ+-identified people who are managing CVVP. She is especially interested in tracing the histories of chattel slavery and the professionalization of gynecology through to what Patricia Hill Collins calls the ‘controlling images’ that affect Black women and girls’ ability to move throughout the world, especially when it comes to sexual and reproductive healthcare. She is also interested in the role of heteronormativity and the coital imperative in the healthcare seeking experience, especially regarding the ways in which the CVVP conditions have been linked to distinctly sexual problems that are oftentimes framed and researched in the context of heterosexuality.
In the classroom, Dr. Adams contributes core courses like Introduction to Health Disparities, and electives related to women’s health. She is excited by the close ties that the department has with the wider Gainesville community through its various student internship and colloquium programs and to draw on student expertise of the Gainesville and broader North Central Florida area as she works to incorporate more community-focused methodologies into her research.
When she’s not immersed in research and teaching, you may find Dr. Adams playing video games. As an avid gamer, Dr. Adams loves thinking about video game culture with a gender, sexuality, and women’s studies lens.
> DR. OCQUA GERLYN MURRELL
The department welcomes Dr. Ocqua Gerlyn Murrell (Dr. OG) as an Assistant Professor. After completing her undergraduate degrees in International Studies and Anthropology at the University of Southern Indiana, Dr. OG earned a Ph.D. in Sociology and a graduate certificate in Women’s and Gender Studies at Virginia Tech.
A scholar focusing on Black girlhood, Dr. OG has conducted two phases of a longitudinal study of the transition from girlhood to womanhood, following a group of girls on the island of Sint Maarten. Most scholarship on girls and women in the Caribbean focuses on anglophone or Hispanic culture; thus, her research in the Dutch West Indies fills a gap in the knowledge base. She is interested in how girls narrate, navigate, and negotiate experiences at different life phases. Dr. OG is from the Caribbean herself and moved to the US with her father at age 4. The move was traumatic, and the US did not feel like home. The distance did give her perspective which she brings to her research as both an insider and an outsider to the culture of girlhood and womanhood in Sint Maarten.
Dr. OG loves teaching and interacting with students. She had a great mentor and saw how much energy, time, and care her mentor poured into her praxis. This set the standard for how Dr. OG wants to be for her students. Because she is close in age and doesn’t look “traditional,” students find her to be relatable. Dr. OG has a strong understanding of the difficulties Black and brown students often face. She is excited to obtain research funding to hire students to collaborate with her on scholarship.
Dr. OG has 14 siblings; she is the oldest child on her mom’s side and the youngest on her dad’s. Growing up, she played alto, tenor, and baritone saxophone from 5th to 12th grade. At UF, she has decorated her office in a cheerful and welcoming way with vibrant art. It is well stocked with snacks and drinks. Dr. OG welcomes visitors to stop by to meet her and enjoy some refreshment.
> DR. CINNAMON WILLIAMS
The department welcomes Dr. Cinnamon Williams as an Assistant Professor. After completing her undergraduate degree at Williams College in American Studies (including time studying Comparative Women’s Studies at Spelman College), Dr. Williams worked as a sex educator at Planned Parenthood; that experience shaped her perspective and fueled her passion for interdisciplinary work and social justice. This pivotal experience taught Dr. Williams about the complexities of pedagogy and working with young people amidst a politically turbulent climate in 2016. It was during this time that she developed a deeper understanding of reproductive justice outside of the South.
Driven by a professor’s encouragement and a love for interdisciplinary approaches, Dr. Williams attended graduate school at Northwestern University, earning a Ph.D. in Black Studies and a certificate in Gender and Sexuality Studies. Dr. Williams’ scholarship offers valuable insights into Black feminist perspectives on reproductive labor across historical and contemporary contexts.
Currently, Dr. Williams is working on a book manuscript, tentatively titled Slave of a Slave No More: Gender, Domestic Labor, and Black Feminist Theories of Domestic Life. The project explores how Black feminists reimagined the structure of Black domestic life between the 1960s and the 1980s. Methodologically, Dr. Williams employs archival research and theoretical analysis, analyzing personal manifestos, pamphlets, and flyers to offer a history of Black feminist thinking about reproductive labor.
In Spring 2024, Dr. Williams will teach Foundations and Futures of Black Feminist Theory. She will guide students to engage with classic texts by scholars like Audre Lorde and Barbara Christian, as well as newer works, fostering a nuanced understanding of evolving Black feminist discourse.
Returning to the South to teach Black feminist theory at UF, Dr. Williams feels a profound sense of commitment. Her presence symbolizes a dedication to transformative academic and political work, providing a space for critical thinking and scholarly evolution.