Date of Award:

8-2026

Document Type:

Thesis

Degree Name:

Master of Science (MS)

Department:

Communication Studies and Philosophy

Committee Chair(s)

Mollie Murphy

Committee

Mollie Murphy

Committee

Jennifer Peeples

Committee

Timothy Curran

Abstract

It is known that celebrities have influence on their audience’s attitudes and behaviors. Within the last few decades, multiple celebrities have created distinctions between their public/stage self and their private self, however, less is known about the ways that they differentiate between the two. This paper looks at celebrity public persona’s and how these persona’s influence their audience. I use Kayleigh Amstutz, otherwise known as Chappell Roan, as my case study. This thesis offers an analysis of how Amstutz talks about Kayleigh differently than Chappell within social media posts, interviews, and commentary from media outlets. I use the concepts of persona studies and gender performativity to argue that Amstutz talks of Chappell as an objectified first persona that is characterized as work, a project, and a sex object. Additionally, this paper argues Amstutz’ rhetoric and use of drag contributes to gender essentialism. Due to Amstutz’ position as a celebrity, I posit that this invites an objectified second persona. I conclude by offering the dangerous implications of trafficking (self) objectification and gender essentialism by means of progressive media as well as posing future directions for research.

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