Deirdre Jonese Austin
@deirdrejonese.bsky.social
Womanist minister, Black feminist anthropologist, & Duke PhD student working at the intersections of faith, race, gender, bodies and sexuality, and dance in the U.S. South. She/her
https://deirdrejoneseaustin.com
https://deirdrejoneseaustin.com
My October ethnographic vignette/snapshot for my committee was about a moment at a Halloween showcase at a pole fitness studio. My November one is about dancing with a dance ministry at a worship night and the diffference between ministry and a performance.
November 8, 2025 at 4:54 AM
My October ethnographic vignette/snapshot for my committee was about a moment at a Halloween showcase at a pole fitness studio. My November one is about dancing with a dance ministry at a worship night and the diffference between ministry and a performance.
Another reoccurring theme is that what happens in pole dance can mirror what happens in our lives. The confidence and strength we find in pole, translates into other areas of our life.
November 3, 2025 at 3:27 AM
Another reoccurring theme is that what happens in pole dance can mirror what happens in our lives. The confidence and strength we find in pole, translates into other areas of our life.
When I talked to pole dancers at Pole Con (I’m cleaning up the transcripts now), I asked them what’s something that I should make sure to say as I’m doing this research. The top answer was that pole dancing is for everyone (inclusive of all sizes and abilities).
November 3, 2025 at 3:18 AM
When I talked to pole dancers at Pole Con (I’m cleaning up the transcripts now), I asked them what’s something that I should make sure to say as I’m doing this research. The top answer was that pole dancing is for everyone (inclusive of all sizes and abilities).
Up late working on the email I’m going to send to my dissertation committee tomorrow. My advisor recommended that I reach out once a month during my “field research” year with short ethnographic vignettes so that I can get into the habit of writing ethnographically, meaning very descriptively.
November 1, 2025 at 6:43 AM
Up late working on the email I’m going to send to my dissertation committee tomorrow. My advisor recommended that I reach out once a month during my “field research” year with short ethnographic vignettes so that I can get into the habit of writing ethnographically, meaning very descriptively.
One of the most interesting aspects of my research on pole dance is the answers I get when I ask people where they root the history of pole dance because it plays into how they justify their participation in it for themselves and for others. It also reflects their goals.
October 25, 2025 at 4:49 PM
One of the most interesting aspects of my research on pole dance is the answers I get when I ask people where they root the history of pole dance because it plays into how they justify their participation in it for themselves and for others. It also reflects their goals.
Today research looks like back-to-back liturgical dance rehearsals from 9:30-1:00.
October 18, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Today research looks like back-to-back liturgical dance rehearsals from 9:30-1:00.
There’s been a lot of talk and discussion about the Black Church and Black churches lately. As someone who earned a certificate in Black Church Studies, I figured I’d share a snapshot of some of the books in the “Black Church and related topics” section of my bookshelf.
September 29, 2025 at 7:14 PM
There’s been a lot of talk and discussion about the Black Church and Black churches lately. As someone who earned a certificate in Black Church Studies, I figured I’d share a snapshot of some of the books in the “Black Church and related topics” section of my bookshelf.
Revisiting Tamura Lomax’s “Jezebel Unhinged” for a piece on that new Tyler Perry movie, and everything she said about his movies definitely applies to this new one.
September 27, 2025 at 2:14 AM
Revisiting Tamura Lomax’s “Jezebel Unhinged” for a piece on that new Tyler Perry movie, and everything she said about his movies definitely applies to this new one.
I’m watching Ruth and Boaz. They made Boaz a kind, church going, good looking, educated man, on top of him being wealthy. The girlies about to be out here looking for their Boaz again. (Aside from owning land, this ain’t the Boaz from the Bible.) I do appreciate Naomi’s grief journey though.
September 26, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I’m watching Ruth and Boaz. They made Boaz a kind, church going, good looking, educated man, on top of him being wealthy. The girlies about to be out here looking for their Boaz again. (Aside from owning land, this ain’t the Boaz from the Bible.) I do appreciate Naomi’s grief journey though.
This is also why a chapter of my dissertation focuses on theology. I explore what it means to be a Christian and a pole dancer and how that is both shaped by and shapes theology.
I posted my second worship pole dance video on TikTok, and the super Christians are coming for me. But it’s only the Black super Christians. I’d be interested in whether race matters and also whether denomination matters in how people respond.
September 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
This is also why a chapter of my dissertation focuses on theology. I explore what it means to be a Christian and a pole dancer and how that is both shaped by and shapes theology.
I posted my second worship pole dance video on TikTok, and the super Christians are coming for me. But it’s only the Black super Christians. I’d be interested in whether race matters and also whether denomination matters in how people respond.
September 25, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I posted my second worship pole dance video on TikTok, and the super Christians are coming for me. But it’s only the Black super Christians. I’d be interested in whether race matters and also whether denomination matters in how people respond.
I’ve spent the last few weeks working on a conference proposal, a fellowship application, and a short story. Tonight I also started a creative nonfiction essay for an academic journal. I want to be able to write across platforms and to a wide range of audiences.
September 25, 2025 at 4:58 AM
I’ve spent the last few weeks working on a conference proposal, a fellowship application, and a short story. Tonight I also started a creative nonfiction essay for an academic journal. I want to be able to write across platforms and to a wide range of audiences.
I was going to finish drafting materials for a fellowship application today, but after my after church nap, I think I’m done with work for the weekend. On the bright side, I have a sense of my dissertation argument and what my chapters will look like.
September 14, 2025 at 11:29 PM
I was going to finish drafting materials for a fellowship application today, but after my after church nap, I think I’m done with work for the weekend. On the bright side, I have a sense of my dissertation argument and what my chapters will look like.
I’m also thinking about what it means to be a Black church & choose to opt out of politics because you perceive everything as a spiritual attack. The Kingdom of God as Christians promote it today is often different than the radical and political Kingdom of God that Jesus preached about.
September 14, 2025 at 4:36 PM
I’m also thinking about what it means to be a Black church & choose to opt out of politics because you perceive everything as a spiritual attack. The Kingdom of God as Christians promote it today is often different than the radical and political Kingdom of God that Jesus preached about.
One critique of the idea of “the Black Church” is that there have always been Black churches that have at times adapted anti-Black ideologies. Liberation has looked different for different churches, & not all churches have been invested in a radical & prophetic liberatory vision.
September 14, 2025 at 4:32 PM
One critique of the idea of “the Black Church” is that there have always been Black churches that have at times adapted anti-Black ideologies. Liberation has looked different for different churches, & not all churches have been invested in a radical & prophetic liberatory vision.
I wasn’t going to say anything about Charlie Kirk on Facebook but then I remembered that I was born and raised in the South and attended two Trump-supporting nondenominational churches, one Black and one white. I got tired of them talking about that man’s “Christian” faith.
September 11, 2025 at 3:34 PM
I wasn’t going to say anything about Charlie Kirk on Facebook but then I remembered that I was born and raised in the South and attended two Trump-supporting nondenominational churches, one Black and one white. I got tired of them talking about that man’s “Christian” faith.
Like David’s dance, pole dance is disruptive, and I’m invested in this disruption.
Full sermon linked here: youtu.be/wrvc79XSvTY?...
Full sermon linked here: youtu.be/wrvc79XSvTY?...
September 7, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Like David’s dance, pole dance is disruptive, and I’m invested in this disruption.
Full sermon linked here: youtu.be/wrvc79XSvTY?...
Full sermon linked here: youtu.be/wrvc79XSvTY?...
I preached on liturgical dance and pole dance. I preached on David’s disruptive dance. I talked about the history of Christians and dance. I affirmed stripping as art that can be sacred from the pulpit. I recruited a few people to pole dance in the process.
a woman in a blue skirt is dancing with the words overtime baby 100 written on the bottom .
ALT: a woman in a blue skirt is dancing with the words overtime baby 100 written on the bottom .
media.tenor.com
September 7, 2025 at 4:48 PM
I preached on liturgical dance and pole dance. I preached on David’s disruptive dance. I talked about the history of Christians and dance. I affirmed stripping as art that can be sacred from the pulpit. I recruited a few people to pole dance in the process.
All of the opportunities I’ve had this summer to share my work have reminded me that it’s worth it. Other than a few internal grants, I’ve literally been rejected from every grant and fellowship I’ve applied for since I started my PhD program, as most of my cohort peers get 2-3.
September 4, 2025 at 9:25 PM
All of the opportunities I’ve had this summer to share my work have reminded me that it’s worth it. Other than a few internal grants, I’ve literally been rejected from every grant and fellowship I’ve applied for since I started my PhD program, as most of my cohort peers get 2-3.
I love preaching, and I think this sermon on my research is my favorite sermon I’ve written so far.
September 4, 2025 at 9:02 PM
I love preaching, and I think this sermon on my research is my favorite sermon I’ve written so far.
I’ve had 2 people tell me that the pole dance poles is the modern-day Asherah pole in the Bible, and I finally went down that rabbit hole. It’s been shared by a number of fundamentalist Christians who claim God told them that or they’ve been studying the Bible for years.
September 1, 2025 at 5:49 AM
I’ve had 2 people tell me that the pole dance poles is the modern-day Asherah pole in the Bible, and I finally went down that rabbit hole. It’s been shared by a number of fundamentalist Christians who claim God told them that or they’ve been studying the Bible for years.
Check out my piece for Faithfully Magazine on what Norman Gyamfi missed in his discussion of gospel music and the significance of gospel music in Black churches in the rural South that are virtually untouched by CCM.
www.faithfullymag.com/p/i-dont-kno...
www.faithfullymag.com/p/i-dont-kno...
August 29, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Check out my piece for Faithfully Magazine on what Norman Gyamfi missed in his discussion of gospel music and the significance of gospel music in Black churches in the rural South that are virtually untouched by CCM.
www.faithfullymag.com/p/i-dont-kno...
www.faithfullymag.com/p/i-dont-kno...
While we talking about Ruth and Boaz, here’s my old blog post that continues to be the most viewed blog on my site. It’s about why I stopped “waiting for my Boaz” because that’s a misinterpretation of the text:
deirdrejoneseaustin.com/2023/02/28/n...
deirdrejoneseaustin.com/2023/02/28/n...
No Longer Waiting For My Boaz
I’ve been planning my wedding since I was a child. I’ve written out the details from the playlist to the location, occasionally updating it as I’ve gotten older. While all the details of the weddin…
deirdrejoneseaustin.com
August 29, 2025 at 2:54 PM
While we talking about Ruth and Boaz, here’s my old blog post that continues to be the most viewed blog on my site. It’s about why I stopped “waiting for my Boaz” because that’s a misinterpretation of the text:
deirdrejoneseaustin.com/2023/02/28/n...
deirdrejoneseaustin.com/2023/02/28/n...
I need my inspiration for writing to stop coming after bedtime.
August 28, 2025 at 5:16 AM
I need my inspiration for writing to stop coming after bedtime.
This week, my research looks like:
M: Church dance rehearsal
T: Pole Tricks n’ Transitions at Studio A
W: Pole 5 at Studio B
R: See A. (the boyfriend)
F: Twerk party at Studio A
Sat.: Organize data
Sun.: Do dance from Monday church dance rehearsal at church event
M: Church dance rehearsal
T: Pole Tricks n’ Transitions at Studio A
W: Pole 5 at Studio B
R: See A. (the boyfriend)
F: Twerk party at Studio A
Sat.: Organize data
Sun.: Do dance from Monday church dance rehearsal at church event
August 28, 2025 at 12:24 AM
This week, my research looks like:
M: Church dance rehearsal
T: Pole Tricks n’ Transitions at Studio A
W: Pole 5 at Studio B
R: See A. (the boyfriend)
F: Twerk party at Studio A
Sat.: Organize data
Sun.: Do dance from Monday church dance rehearsal at church event
M: Church dance rehearsal
T: Pole Tricks n’ Transitions at Studio A
W: Pole 5 at Studio B
R: See A. (the boyfriend)
F: Twerk party at Studio A
Sat.: Organize data
Sun.: Do dance from Monday church dance rehearsal at church event