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Curriculum Vita
Deborah L. Tolman
Silberman School of Social Work@Hunter College The Graduate Center CUNY
2130 Third Avenue at 119th Street Doctoral Program in Psychology
New York, NY 10035 365 Fifth Avenue
212 396-7526 New York, NY 10016
212-817-8736
Current Position
Professor of Social Welfare and Psychology, Hunter College School of Social Work and The
Graduate Center, City University of New York, January, 2009-present
Co-Founder, SPARK Movement (Sexualization Protest: Action, Resistance, Knowledge). May,
2010-present
EDUCATION
Harvard University, Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA
Ed.D., Human Development and Psychology, June, 1992.
Dissertation: Voicing the body: A psychological study of adolescent girls' sexual desire
Advisor: Carol Gilligan
University of Pennsylvania, Graduate School of Education, Philadelphia, PA
M.S., Human Sexuality Education, August 1986.
Masters' research project: Functions of intimate relationships in different women's lives
Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
A.B., cum laude, History and Literature, June 1983.
Senior honors’ thesis: Women’s sexual awakening in George Eliot’s Middlemarch and Adam Bede
AWARDS AND PROFESSIONAL HONORS
Catalyzing Culture Award, 21 Leaders for the 21st Century, Women’s E-News, New York, NY,
May, 2012
Real Deal Award, Scenarios USA, New York, NY, April, 2012.
Outstanding Contribution to Sexual Science Award, Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality,
Western Region, Los Angeles, CA, April, 2012
Founder’s Award, Champions of Sexual Literacy, National Sexuality Resource Center, San
Francisco, CA, October, 2007.
Task Force on Sexualization of Girls, American Psychological Association, appointed member,
2006-2007 (co-author of Task Force Report).
Distinguished Book Award, Association for Women in Psychology (for Dilemmas of
Desire: Teenage Girls Talk about Sexuality), 2003.
Committee on Women in Psychology Leadership Award, American Psychological Association
(APA), 2002.
Fellow, American Psychological Association; APA, Division 9 (Society for the Psychological
Study of Social Issues); APA, Division 35 (Society for the Psychology of Women)
Award of Appreciation, Teen Voices Magazine/Women Express, Inc., for commitment and
contributions to sustainability of nonprofit for girls, 2003.
Elected Member, International Academy of Sex Research
Louise Kidder Early Career Award, 1997 (APA, Division 9).
FIRST Award, National Institute of Child Health and Development, 1995.
Henry A. Murray Dissertation Award, Radcliffe College, 1991.
Larsen Doctoral Research Fellowship, Harvard Graduate School of Education, 1987-1990.
Harvard College Scholar, 1981-1983.
GRANTS
Under Review
Co-Investigator (with C. Moreau and R. Blum). “The Global Early Adolescent Study,” National
Institute for Child Health and Development,January, 2015-December, 2019, $3,772,687.90.
Funded
Principal Investigator, “Girls negotiating sexualization in the UK and the US,” Society for
Research on Adolescence Innovation Small Grant, April, 2013-February, 2014, $4000.
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK: Engaging girls in activism,” NoVo Foundation, February,
2013-February, 2016, $120,000.
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK: General Support,” Women’s Fund of Colorado/Hunt
Alternatives Fund, January, 2013-February, 2015 ($50,000).
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK: Developing the organization,” Embry Family Foundation,
March 2012-March, 2013, ($25,000).
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK: From academic report to raising awareness, critical
perspective and activism,” Atlantic Philanthropies, January 1, 2010-June 30, 2011,
($100,000) (via Ms. Foundation for SPARK collaborative)
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK:,From academic report to raising awareness, critical
perspectives and activism,” October 1, 2010-March 31, 2011,
Ford Foundation ($150,000) (via Ms. Foundation for SPARK collaborative)
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK:,From academic report to raising awareness, critical
perspectives and activism,” October 1, 2010-March 31, 2011,
New York Community Trust ($10,000) (via Ms. Foundation for SPARK collaborative)
Co-Principal Investigator, “SPARK:,From academic report to raising awareness, critical
perspectives and activism,” October 1, 2010-March 31, 2011,
NoVo Foundation ($30,000) (via Ms. Foundation for SPARK collaborative)
Principal Investigator, PSC-CUNY Grant, “Desire in the 21st Century,” June, 2011-December,
2012, ($3500).
Principal Investigator, “Female Adolescent Risk Behavior” (a phenomenological study of
adolescent girls and oral sex),” Office of Population Affairs, Department of Health and Human Services, April 1, 2005-March 31, 2009, ($721,000).
Principal Investigator, “Television Consumption and Adolescent Sexual Activity,” National
Institute of Child Health and Human Development, October, 2000-August, 2007. ($2,457,322).
Principal Investigator, Minority Supplement, July, 2005-June, 2006 (Dr. Rita Melendez),
($81,000).
Principal Investigator, “Beyond Pregnancy and AIDS: Final Development of a New
Conception of Adolescent Sexual Health” The Ford Foundation, February, 2003-
August, 2006. ($750,000)
Principal Investigator, “Beyond Pregnancy and AIDS: Further Development of a New Conception of Female Adolescent Sexual Health,” The Ford Foundation, October, 1999-January, 2003. ($250,000)
Principal Investigator, Adolescent Boys’ Sexuality and Gender Ideology, The Ford Foundation. March, 2001-January, 2003. ($85,000)
Principal Investigator, "Gender Equity and Adolescent Outcomes in a Middle School," The
Spencer Foundation Small Grants Program, October 1998- December 1999. ($35,000)
Principal Investigator, "Beyond Pregnancy and AIDS: Sexual Health for Adolescent Girls," The Ford Foundation, October 1996-September 1999. ($190,000)
Principal Investigator, "Masculinity Ideology, Femininity Ideology and Adolescent Boys' Intimate Relationships," The Ford Foundation, Spring 1997-September 1999 ($50,000).
Principal Investigator, "Femininity Ideology and Risk of Unintended Pregnancy," National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (FIRST Award), February 1995-September 2001. ($360,880).
Principal Investigator, "Femininity Ideology and Risk of Unintended Pregnancy," National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Minority Supplement (Judy Chu), February 1998-April 2001. ($96,306).
Principal Investigator, "Dimensions of Desire--Phase 2," The Spencer Foundation Small Grants Program, May 1995-August 1996 ($12,000).
Principal Investigator, "Dimensions of Desire," The Spencer Foundation Small Grants Program, December, 1993-July, 1994. ($12,000)
Principal Investigator, "Mary Calderone Oral History Project," The Clapp Fund, Schlessinger Library, Radcliffe College, 1988. ($5,000)
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
City University of New York
Positions
Professor of Social Welfare and Psychology, Hunter College School of Social Work and The
Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY, February, 2008-
Visiting Professor, Department of Urban Public Health, Hunter College, New York, NY,
February, 2008-January, 2008
Visiting Scholar, Department of Psychology, Subprogram in Social-Personality, The Graduate
Center, New York, NY, September, 2008-January, 2009
Service
Member, Executive Committee, Doctoral Program in Social Welfare, Silberman School
of Social Work, September, 2012-
Chair, Curriculum Committee, Doctoral Program in Social Welfare, Silberman School of
Social Work, September, 2012-
Member, Faculty Search Committee, Silberman School of Social Work, September, 2009-2013
Panelist, Dealing with Rejection Workshop, Office of Research Administration, Hunter College,
November, 2011.
Member, Silberman School of Social Work, Research/Professional Development Committee,
September, 2011-
Member, Faculty Development Committee (Managing Oppressions in the Classroom and
Beyond), September, 2009-2011
Advisor, Junior Faculty Professional Development to Tenure, February, 2008-
Advisory Board, LGBT Policy Center, Hunter College, September, 2008-
Member, Executive Committee, Social/Personality Subprogram, GC-CUNY, September, 2009-
Member, Admissions Committee, Social/Personality Subprogram, GC-CUNY, September, 2009-
2011
Member, Curriculum Committee, Social/Personality Subprogram, GC-CUNY, September, 2008-
Chair, Faculty Appointment Committee, Social/Personality Subprogram, GC-CUNY,
September, 2008-
Co-Chair, Doctoral Research Grant Review Panel, Psychology Doctoral Program, GC-CUNY,
2012.
San Francisco State University
Positions
Professor, Department of Sexuality Studies, August, 2003-July, 2008
Founding Director, Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality January, 2004-December, 2007
Director, Adolescent Sexuality Project, Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality,
September, 2003-February, 2009
Service
Member (Appointed by Provost), Search Committee for Dean of the College of Ethnic Studies,
November, 2005-June, 2006.
Member (Appointed by President), University-Wide National Search Committee for Vice
President of Research and Sponsored Programs, November, 2003-April, 2004.
Chair, Retention, Tenure and Promotion Committee, Human Sexuality Studies Program
(HMSX), September, 2003-June, 2008. (Melendez, early tenure granted; Carillo, early tenure granted)
Member, Search Committee for Sexuality and Public Policy Tenure-Track Faculty, September,
2005-April, 2006.
Member, Graduate Studies Committee (HMSX), September, 2003-February, 2008.
Member, Retention, Tenure and Promotion Committee (Dr. Jessica Fields, Sociology),
September, 2004-June, 2007. Tenure granted.
Wellesley College
Positions
Associate Director, Center for Research on Women, January, 2001-May, 2003.
Senior Research Scientist and Director, Gender and Sexuality Project, Center for Research on Women, February 1995-May, 2003.
Visiting Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Wellesley College, “Sexuality and
Public Policy,”Spring, 2001.
Research Associate, Center for Research on Women, June, 1994-January, 1995.
Visiting Research Scholar, Center for Research on Women, July, 1993-June,1994.
Service
Review Committee, Stone Center and Center for Research on Women Working Papers Series,
September 2001-May, 2003.
Endowment Campaign, Center for Research on Women, November, 2005-April, 2006.
Harvard University
Graduate School of Education
Research Associate, Project on Women's Psychology and Girls' Development, July, 1992-July, 1993.
Assistant Study Director, Project on Women's Psychology and Girls' Development, September 1987-October, 1991.
Instructor, Harvard University Graduate School of Education, Cambridge, MA, "Adolescent
Sexuality," Spring, 1994, 1995, 1996.
Seminar Leader and Thesis Advisor, Committee on Women's Studies, Harvard College, Cambridge, MA, 1989-1993.
Additional Experience
Research Associate, Pickman Consulting Group (public policy consulting), New York, NY
1986-1987.
Oral Historian, "Mary Calderone Oral History Project," New York, NY and Cambridge, MA,
1986.
Editorial Assistant, SIECUS Report, Sexuality Information and Education Council of the US,
New York, NY 1985-1986.
Research Assistant,The Alan Guttmacher Institute, New York, NY, 1983-1985.
PUBLICATIONS
Book, volumes and special sections:
Tolman, D. & Diamond, L., (Eds-in Chief). (2014).The APA Handbook of Sexuality: Person-Based Approaches, Volume 1. APA Press, Washington, D.C.
Tolman, D. & Diamond, L. (Eds-in Chief.). (2014). The APA Handbook of Sexuality: Contextual Approaches, Volume 2. APA Press, Washington, D.C.
Zurbriggen, E., Tolman, D., Ward, M., Roberts, T.A., Collins, B. & Lamb, S. (2007). Task
Force Report on the Sexualization of Girls, Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Tolman, D. (Ed). (2006). Sexuality Research and Social Policy, Guest Editor. “Through a Lens of Embodiment: New Research from the Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality.” 3(4).
Tolman, D. (Ed.). (2005). Feminism and Psychology, Special Section “Theory, research and practice for female adolescent sexuality: Emergent discourses of desire.” 15(1).
Tolman, D. (2002). Dilemmas of desire: Teenage girls talk about sexuality. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. (Paperback published in 2005).
Excerpted in Chronicle of Higher Education; 12/13/2002, Vol. 49 Issue 16, pB4, 2p
Excerpted in D. Newman & J. O’Brien. (2006). Sociology: Exploring the architecture of everyday life, sixth edition. Pine Forge Press (imprint of Sage Publications). Thousand Oaks, CA.
Tolman, D. & Brydon-Miller, M. (Eds.). (2000). From subjects to subjectivities: A handbook of interpretive and participatory action research methods. New York, NY: New York University Press.
Brydon-Miller, M. & Tolman, D. (Eds.). (1998). Journal of Social Issues, Special Issue "Transforming Psychology: Interpretive and Participatory Methods." 53(4).
Gilligan, C., Rogers, A., & Tolman, D. (Eds.). (1991/2014). Women, girls and psychotherapy: Reframing resistance. New York: Haworth Press. (Second edition published in 1996).
Republished (2014) by Routledge Press.
Manuscripts in Preparation
Tolman, D., Bowman, C. & Davis, B. Reproducing gender inequitable relationships in adolescence: The complementary role of masculinity and femininity ideologies.
Tolman, D., Andersen, S. & Belmonte, K. Slut talk: Regulatory discourse in adolescent girls’ fellatio narratives.
Tolman, D., Chmielewski, J. & Bowman, C. The study of sexualization in the US: Mechanisms,
outcomes, and public discourse. In E. Renold and J. Ringrose, (Eds.), Children,
sexuality andsexualization. London: Palgrave Press.
Peer-reviewed journal articles
Edell, D., Brown, L. M., & Tolman, D. (2013). Embodying sexualization: When theory meets practice in intergenerational feminist activism.Feminist Theory,14(3), 275-284.
Roye, C., Tolman, D. & Snowden, F. (2012). Heterosexual Anal Intercourse among Black and Latino Adolescents and Young Adults: A Poorly Understood High-Risk Behavior.Journal of Sex Research, (ahead-of-print), 1-8.
Tolman, D. (2012). Female adolescents, sexual empowerment and desire: A missing discourse of gender inequity. Sex Roles. 66 (3), Online First DOI 10.1007/s11199-012-0122-
Burns, A., Futch, V. & Tolman, D. (2011). “Doing homework”: Academic achievement discourses in adolescent women’s fellatio narratives. Sexuality Research and Social Policy 8(3), 239-251.
Tolman, D. & McClelland, S. (2011). Normative sexuality development in adolescence: A decade in review, 2000-2009. Journal of Research on Adolescence 21(1), 242-255.
Impett, E., Breines, J., Schooler, D., Henson, M. & Tolman, D. (2011). Embodiment feels better: Girls’ body objectification and well-being across adolescence. Psychology of Women Quarterly. 35(1), 46-58
Brotto, L., Heiman, J. & Tolman, D. (2009). Narratives of desire in middle-aged women with and without arousal disorders. Journal of Sex Research, 46(5), 387-98.
Impett, E., Sorsoli, L., Schooler, D. & Tolman, D. (2008). Relationship authenticity and girls’
self esteem across adolescence: A latent growth curve analysis. Developmental Psychology, 44
722-733.
Schooler, D., Sorsoli, L., Kim, J. & Tolman, D. (2007). Beyond exposure: A person-oriented approach to adolescent media diets. Journal of Research on Adolescence. 19(3), 484-508.
Kim, J., Sorsoli, L., Collins, K., Zylbergold, B., Schooler, D. & Tolman, D. (2007). From sex to sexuality: Exposing the heterosexual script on primetime network television. Journal of Sex Research. 44(2), 158-147.
Tolman, D., Kim, J., Schooler, D. & Sorsoli, L. (2007). Rethinking the association between television viewing and adolescent sexual health: Bringing gender into focus. Journal of Adolescent Health. 40(1), 9-16.
Tolman, D. (2006). Sexuality research at the Center for Research on Gender and Sexuality: Through a lens of embodiment. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. 3(3).
Fields, J. & Tolman, D. (2006). Risky business: Sexuality education and research in U.S. schools. Sexuality Research and Social Policy. 3(3), 63-76.
Impett, E. & Tolman, D. (2006). Late adolescent girls’ sexual experience and sexual satisfaction. Journal of Adolescent Research. 21(6), 628-646.
Tolman, D. (2006). In a different position: Conceptualizing female adolescent sexuality development within compulsory heterosexuality. New Directions in Child and Adolescent Development. (L. Diamond, Ed.). Summer (112), 71-89.
Impett, E., Schooler, D. & Tolman, D. (2006). To be seen and not heard: Femininity ideology and adolescent girls’ sexual health. Archives of Sexual Behavior. 35(2), 131-144.
Tolman, D., Impett, E., Tracy, A. & Michael, A. (2006). Looking good, sounding good: Femininity is bad for girls’ mental health. Psychology of Women Quarterly. 30(1), 85-95
Tolman, D., Hirschman, C. & Impett, E. (2005). There’s more to the story: The place of qualitative research on female adolescent sexuality in policy making. Sexuality Research and Policy Studies (Special issue on Adolescent Sexuality). 2(4), 4-20.
Tolman, D. (2005). Found(ing) discourses of desire: Unfettering female adolescent sexuality. Feminism and Psychology, 15(1), 5-9.
Tolman, D., Madanagu, B., & Osakue, G. (2005). Supporting subjectivity: Girls’ Power Initiative as Gender Practice. Feminism and Psychology, 15(1), 50-53.
Chu, J., Porche, M & Tolman, D. (2005). The Adolescent Masculinity Ideology Scale: Development and validation of a new measure. Men and Masculinities. 8(1), 93-115.
Tolman, D., Spencer, R., Porche, M. & Rosen-Reynoso, M. (2003). Sowing the seeds of violence in heterosexual relationships: Early adolescents narrate compulsory heterosexuality. Journal of Social Issues, 59(1), 159-178.
Tolman, D., Striepe, M. & Harmon, T. (2003). Gender matters: Constructing (a) model(s) of adolescent sexual health. Journal of Sex Research, 40(1), 4-12.
Spencer, R., Porche, M & Tolman, D. (2003). We’ve come a long way...maybe: New challenges for gender equity. Teachers’ College Record 105(9), 1771-1807.
Striepe, M. & Tolman, D. (2002). Mom, Dad, I’m straight: The “coming out” of gender ideologies in adolescent sexual identity development. Journal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.
Stein, N., Tolman, D., Porche, M. & Spencer, R. (2002). Gender safety: A new concept for schools. Journal of School Violence, 1(2), 35-50.
Tolman, D. (2002). Female adolescent sexuality: An argument for a developmental perspective on the New View on Women’s Sexual Problems. Women and Therapy. 24(1-2), 195-209.
Tolman, D. & Diamond, L. (2001). Desegregating sexuality research: Synthesizing cultural and biological perspectives on gender and desire. Annual Review of Sexuality Research., 12(1), 33-74.
Tolman, D. (2000). Object lessons: Romance, violence and female adolescent sexual desire. Journal of Sex Education and Therapy. 25(1), 70-79.
Reprinted in T.A. Roberts, Ed., (2004). The Lanahan Readings in the Psychology of Women. Baltimore, MD: Lanahan Publishers.
Tolman, D. & Porche, M. (2000). The Adolescent Femininity Ideology Scale: Development and validation of a new measure for girls. Psychology of Women Quarterly. 24(4), 365-376.
Tolman, D. (1999). Femininity as a barrier to positive sexual health for girls. Journal of the American Medical Women’s Association. 54(3), 133-138.
Reprinted in J. Ussher, Ed., (2000). International Reader on Women’s Health. London: British Psychological Society.
Reprinted in A. Hunter & C. Forden, Eds., (2002). Readings in the Psychology of Gender: Exploring our Differences and Commonalities. Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Tolman, D. & Szalacha, L. (1999). Dimensions of desire: Bridging qualitative and quantitative methods in a study of female adolescent sexuality. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 23(1), 9-41.
Reprinted in M. Crawford & E. Kimmel, (Eds.). (2000). Innovations in Feminist Psychological Resesarch. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Reprinted in S. Hesse-Biber & P. Leavy, (Eds). (2002/2003). Approaches to Qualitative Research: A Reader on Theory and Practice. New York: Oxford University Press.
Tolman, D. & Brydon-Miller, M. (1997). Transforming psychology: Interpretive and participatory methods. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 597-604.
Brydon-Miller, M. & Tolman, D. (1997). Engaging the process of transformation. Journal of Social Issues, 53(4), 803-810.
Tolman, D. (1994). Doing desire: Adolescent girls' struggles for/with sexuality. Gender and Society, 8(3), 324-342.
Reprinted in V. Taylor, L. Rupp & N. Whittle, Eds., (2010). Feminist Frontiers IX. New York: McGraw Hill
Reprinted in M. Kimmel & R. Plante, Eds., (2004). Sexualities: Identities, Behaviors and Society. New York: Oxford University Press.
Reprinted in L. Richardson, V. Taylor & N. Whittier, Eds., (2004). Feminist Frontiers VI. New York: McGraw Hill
Reprinted in L. Richardson, V. Taylor & N. Whittier, Eds., (2001). Feminist Frontiers V. New York: McGraw Hill.
Reprinted in M. Baca Zinn, P. Hendagneu-Sotelo & M. Messner, Eds., (2000). Gender through the Prism of Difference. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Tolman, D. (1994). Listening for crises of connection: Some implications of research with adolescent girls for feminist psychotherapy. Women and Therapy, 15(2), 85-100.
Tolman, D. (1991). Adolescent girls, women and sexuality: Discerning dilemmas of desire. Women and Therapy, 11 (3-4), 55-69.
Reprinted in E. Aries, Ed. (2001). Adolescent Behavior: Readings and Interpretations. New York: McGraw Hill.
Orr, M.T., Forrest, J.D., Johnson, J., & Tolman, D. (1985). The provision of sterilization services by private physicians. Family Planning Perspectives, 17 (5), 216-229.
Book chapters
Tolman, D. & Diamond, L. (2014). Sexuality theory: A review, a revision and a recommendation. In D. Tolman, L., Diamond, J. Bauermeister, W. George, J. Pfaus & M. Ward, (Eds). Handbook of Sexuality and Psychology, First Edition. Washington, DC: APA Books.
Tolman, D., Bowman, C. & Fahs, B. (2014). Sexuality and Embodiment. In D. Tolman, L., Diamond, J. Bauermeister, W. George, J. Pfaus & M. Ward, (Eds). Handbook of Sexuality and Psychology, First Edition. Washington, DC: APA Books.
McClelland, S. & Tolman, D. (2014). Adolescent sexuality. In T. Teo, Ed. Encyclopedia of Critical Psychology. New York: Springer.
Tolman, D. (2013). Insisting on “both/and”: Artifacts of excavating moral panics about sexuality. (Afterword). In B. Fahs, M. Dudy & S. Stage, (Eds.). The Moral Panics of Sexuality. New York: Palgrave Press.
Tolman, D., Brown, L. & Bowman, C. (2013) “Hey, media, back off and get off my body!”: SPARK is taking sexy back. In Harper, K., Katsulis, Y., Lopez, V. & Gillis, G.S., (Eds.), Girls’ Sexuality and the Media, New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing,
Tolman, D. (2012). Sexual health. In R. Levesque, Ed. Encyclopedia of Adolescence. New York: Springer.
Tolman, D. (2012). It’s bad for us too: How the sexualization of girls impacts boys, men and women. In E. Zurbriggen & T.A. Roberts, (Eds.), The Sexualization of Girls and Girlhood, Oxford University Press. (84-106).