06/05/2026
We are thrilled to celebrate Court Fallon, who successfully defended their dissertation and earned their Ph.D. last month!
Dr. Fallon shared a bit about their work:
“My dissertation, ‘Beyond the Rainbow: On Rural Q***r Rhetoric,’ introduces rural q***r rhetoric as a theoretical framework that elucidates place and class as critical animators of gender, sexuality, and race in contemporary LGBTQ+ politics in the United States. This project brings together three case studies on Chappell Roan’s Midwest Princess persona, a rural LGBTQ+ campout, and speeches by rural transgender folks in conservative U.S. state legislatures to explore the ways in which rural q***r rhetorics work with, against, and despite metronormative narratives about LGBTQ+ identity and belonging. This work speaks to ongoing interdisciplinary conversations in rhetorical, performance, and gender and sexuality studies about worldmaking, place, and intersectional inquiry.”
Amazing work! In addition to this milestone, Dr. Fallon was awarded a Summer 2026 Dissertation Completion Fellowship from and will soon bring their expertise to the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater at Rock County as an Assistant Professor of Communication beginning Fall 2026.
Congratulations, Dr. Fallon! We are so proud of you and can’t wait to see the impact you’ll make. 🎉💛