From L-R: Dr. Mercedita M. Reyes (Chair, GAD Research Congress Steering Committee), Dr. Ravelina R. Velasco (CLSU Vice President for Academic Affairs), Mr. Joshua Sianne Gabrielle Camporedondo (UPOU-BAMS student), Dr. Emely Amoloza (Camporedondo’s Adviser and UPOU-BAMS Program Chair), Prof. Janet O. Saturno (Director, CLSU Gender and Development Office/GAD Core Group Coordinator), Mr. Neal Del A. Rosario (CLAARRDEC Director)
A senior year student of the UP Open University (UPOU) Bachelor of Arts in Multimedia Studies (BAMS) won the Best Oral Presentation and Best Paper awards under the Student Research Category during the 2nd International and 5th National Gender and Development (GAD) Research Congress, the yearly gathering of GAD advocates and researchers. This year’s Congress was hosted by the Central Luzon State University (CLSU) from 15-17 November 2023, with the theme “Digital Innovation and Technology for Gender Inclusivity.”
Joshua Sianne Gabrielle Camporedondo, presented his MMS200 Research Project, “Risgo: Exploring Queer Men’s Narratives of Risks and Stigma in the Queer Dating Applications Through an Interactive Film” at the Research and Extension Amphitheater of CLSU, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.
Camporedondo’s practice-based research utilized interactive film to delve into the experiences of queer men using dating apps, focusing on risks and stigma. Eight queer-identifying men shared their narratives, with analysis guided by the Sexual Script Theory where five key themes emerged: Hypermasculinity, Body Shaming, Misgendering, Prejudice in Sex Roles, and Risks. These findings were transformed into an interactive film, using Brecht’s Aesthetic Theory, employing historicization, gestus, and alienation techniques. The resulting interactive film was assessed for its interactivity and narrativity using Windsor’s explanation-demonstration model for interactive visualizations. The interactive film provides users with a branching narrative approach, granting them control over the story’s progression, and enabling a deeper understanding of the experiences of those navigating queer dating apps. By immersing the viewer in these experiences, the film highlights the impact of knowledge gaps and underlying stigma within Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer or Questioning (LGBTQ+) communities.
“It can be lauded for using appropriate theories that catch the essence of your study” and “I thought this was for a master’s thesis” were some of the judges’ comments on Camporedondo’s paper during the presentation.
The three-day research congress was an avenue open to all researchers in the field of GAD. The research categories include 1) Gender, Arts and Humanities/LGBTQIA+ Discourse Representation; 2) Gender Mainstreaming in Education; 3) Gender Empowerment in Agriculture and Fisheries/Gender Empowerment Towards Socio-Economic Development; 4) Elimination of Gender-Based Violence/Gender, Health and Reproductive Issues; 5) Student Research Presentation; and 6) Research Poster Presentation.
Written by Maria Paula T. Bautista ♦ Edited by Emely M. Amoloza ♦ Contributed by Faculty of Information and Communication Studies
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