Research
Research Interests
My research interests lie primarily in social ontology and ethics, with a particular focus on queer theory and the philosophy of sex. I am especially interested in how we understand social groups and the nature of appropriation. My work explores questions such as: What does it mean to be a counter-cultural group? Can a group’s identity give rise to distinctive forms of cultural appropriation? And what kinds of social critique are available to us when the relevant aspects of another’s identity remain unknown?
Published / Forthcoming
Publications
[2] The Bane of My Forgiveness: On Excuses, Apologies, and Repentance in Bridgerton and Philosophy with Lel Jones (Blackwell Publishing, 2026).
[1] Hatred as Emotive Resistance (forthcoming, Passion Vol. 4 No. 1 (2026):
Special Issue: Feminist Philosophy of Emotion).
[3] Philosophy of Sex Textbook with Adam Sennet (2025, TopHat Publishing).
[1] The Nature of Queerbaiting
Under Review
In Progress
[1] Appropriating Against the Grain: On Cultural Appropriation of Counter-Cultural Groups
The rise of queer representation in modern culture has brought with it a new set of philosophical questions about meaning, ownership, and what counts as “good” or “proper” representation. My dissertation argues that (1) counter-cultural groups - like queer communities - face distinctive harms when appropriated by the mainstream; (2) the concept of queerbaiting has stretched beyond what it can usefully explain and can sometimes end up harming the community it’s meant to protect; and (3) ambiguous or subtextual representation raises unresolved questions about what it means to represent queer identities at all.​ Together, these issues complicate how we should think about the ethics of representing and recognizing queer identities.