Nicholas (He/They), is an avid scholar and activist, who is a passionate student and lifelong learner. When not at school, Nicholas enjoys hanging out with his two dogs and two bestfriends. He loves the outdoors, reading, baking, and watching movies. His parents are an important and critical aspect of his life, research, and activism, and he loves them dearly. Nicholas deeply believes in radical joy, love, and imaginings.

Research Interests 

Feminist Cultural Studies, Gender Studies, Critical Disability Studies, Queer and Crip of Color Critiques, Critical Fat Studies, Crip and Queer Temporalities, Ideologies of Cure, Historical Analysis, Body Politics, Representation of Disability and Sexuality in Popular Media, Literature and Film, Speculative Fiction and Fantasy, Discourse and Textual Analysis

Education

Masters of Gender and Feminist Studies (2022) – San Diego State University
Bachelors of Gender, Sexuality, and Women Studies (2018) Minor, Human Development – University of California, Davis

Selected Publications

Villarreal, Nicholas (2023) “Book Review: “You Just Need To Lose Weight” and 19 Other Myths About Fat People, By Aubrey Gordon, Beacon Press, 2023,” Journal of Fat Studies, DOI:10.1080/21604851.2023.2208008

Nicholas Villarreal (2021) “Book Review: What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon,” Journal of Fat Studies, Vol. 11 No. 1, pp.115-117, DOI: 10.1080/21604851.2021.1939492

Nicholas Villarreal (2021) “Book Review: Being Fat: Women, Weight, And Feminist Activism In Canada by Jenny Ellison,” Journal of Fat Studies, Vol. 10 No. 3, pp. 351-353, DOI: 10.1080/21604851.2021.1899623

Villarreal, Nicholas Daniel. Critically Engaging Representation: Queer, Fat, and Disabled Bodyminds in Romantic Films. Master's Thesis. San Diego State University, 2022.

Honors and Awards

Provost Fellow in Arts, Humanities, and Social Science 2022-2023

Michigan Humanities Emerging Research Scholars Fellowship English, and Women and Gender Studies, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor – 2021 Recipient