A free Peninsula College lecture in Port Angeles will examine how the 2016 and 2020 elections affected LGBTQ people living in rural communities. Sociologist Miriam Abelson, whose research focuses on transmasculinity and place, is leading the lunchtime event, which will also stream online for people who can't attend in person.

Essential Takeaways

  • When: The lecture is scheduled for 12:35 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 5.
  • Where: It will take place in the Little Theater at Peninsula College's Port Angeles campus, with an online stream available.
  • Who: Miriam Abelson chairs Portland State University's Department of Sociology and wrote Men in Place: Trans Masculinity, Race and Sexuality in America.
  • Cost: The Studium Generale event is free.

What rural LGBTQ voters experienced after two elections

The lecture, titled "Live and Let Live? Effects of the 2016 and 2020 Elections on Rural LGBTQ People", puts a pointed question at the centre of a lunchtime talk: what did those elections mean for LGBTQ people outside major cities? The event is part of Peninsula College's Studium Generale series. [2], [3]

Abelson is a sociologist at Portland State University whose work examines transmasculinity, race and sexuality in relation to place. That combination makes the rural setting more than a backdrop; it puts the focus on how people's experiences can differ according to where they live. [4], [5]

A campus talk that's easy to join online

The presentation is set for 12:35 p.m. at the Little Theater on Peninsula College's Port Angeles campus, at 1502 E. Lauridsen Blvd. Those who can't make it to the room can watch through the college's Zoom stream, so the discussion isn't limited to local attendees. [1], [2]

The free event is one part of a broader fall-quarter programme featuring guest speakers, community partners and cultural celebrations. For anyone planning to join remotely, checking the college's Studium Generale page before the talk is a sensible way to confirm event details. [2], [3]

More than one kind of question on the fall programme

The series moves across subjects, from Jessie Young's "Wildness Is in the Ground" on Nov. 12 to a First Amendment celebration on Nov. 19. A talk by Sara Goldrick-Rab on student basic needs and college success is scheduled for Dec. 3. [1], [3]

That range gives the programme a distinctly campus-wide feel, rather than narrowing it to one academic field. Abelson's lecture, meanwhile, offers a chance to hear research framed around lived experience and the places people call home. [2], [3]

Why the rural perspective matters

Abelson's book, Men in Place, explores transmasculinity alongside race and sexuality in America, providing useful context for a talk about LGBTQ lives beyond urban centres. Her academic work also includes research published in Public Opinion Quarterly, reflecting a wider interest in how social and political questions are studied. [5], [7]

For listeners, the value may lie in looking beyond election headlines to consider how political shifts are felt in everyday settings. A free lecture with both in-person and online access makes that conversation straightforward to join. [2], [4]

Closing Line

If you're curious about how elections shape life in rural communities, this free talk offers a welcoming place to listen and learn.

Source Reference Map

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