“ONLY I CAN SEXUALIZE ME”: EXAMINING THEMES OF EMPOWERMENT IN NORTHEASTERN RENAISSANCE FAIRES
Open Access
- Author:
- Tallon, Aubrey Nicole
- Area of Honors:
- Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management
- Degree:
- Bachelor of Science
- Document Type:
- Thesis
- Thesis Supervisors:
- Dr. Andrew Justin Mowen, Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Andrew Justin Mowen, Thesis Honors Advisor
Birgitta Baker, Faculty Reader - Keywords:
- renaissance
faire
tourism
leisure
erotic
capital
empowerment
community
diversity
sexuality
atmospherics - Abstract:
- Renaissance Faires are a recreation venue which have seen a marked rise in popularity during the last two decades. Unfortunately, due to their relatively recent appearance in the public eye and reputation for being on the fringes of social acceptance, little literature exists to frame the sociological implications of this type of tourism for leisure professionals. This study sought to provide exposition into the use of erotic capital in Renaissance Faire culture through the lens of the “independent performer”—a type of performer who travels between various Faires to earn their keep. It focused particularly on equal discussion with men and women through semi-structured interviews, as men are underrepresented in current literature related to erotic capital. Researchers analyzed results of 27 surveys and eight depth interviews using emergent codes and SPSS software. Thematic coding of semi-structured interviews revealed four main focuses—empowerment, community, diversity, and sexuality; while erotic capital was occasionally discussed by performers, themes of empowerment became prevalent throughout the respondent narratives. This study provides insight into the discussion of empowerment and erotic capital as they relate to the independent Renaissance Faire performer. Data discussed herein can serve to inform leisure service professionals of social trends within this unique culture to better direct future events.