Biography

Following a varied career in local government I decided to take a career break  in 2003 and return to education with the intention of achieving a degree in psychology (just because I thought it might be interesting) before heading back to the local council offices.   However, one semester into my degree I became hooked on psychology and have not looked back.  I completed my undergraduate degree in 2006 then spent some time as a graduate teaching assistant at Kingston University before moving to Surrey to complete an MSc in Social Psychology.  I have remained at Surrey to undertake my PhD (part-time) under the supervision of Dr Peter Hegarty.
I combine my PhD research with part-time tutoring and lecturing with both the Open University and the University of Reading.  When not working on PhD research or engaged on my teaching duties I enjoy reading (both fiction and academic work), going to the theatre and cinema, walking, and listening to music.

Research Interests

PhD Research: Lesbian family of origin relationships

The aim of my research is to explore how lesbian family of origin relationships change and develop over time.   Social science research often constructs lesbian and gay people as individuals first and foremost rather than family members; however the lived experience of many lesbians does not square with this position.  Starting with the expectations, hopes and fears of young lesbians, regarding how their lives and relationships with their families of origin will develop over time, the research goes on to examine how middle aged and older lesbians are involved with their families of origin and how taking on family responsibilities such as caring and supporting elderly parents impacts upon lesbian lives.  Key areas of interest are lived outness and the family, and caregiving and lesbian personal relationships; in particular how outness may be lived differently in different contexts such as the home environment.

Other areas of interest:

Despite being fully occupied with my PhD research my other areas of research interest are the history and philosophy of psychology, sociology of scientific knowledge, social representations, gender and sexuality, feminist research, and (last but certainly not least) the media representation of women – in particular representations of non-normative women.

Publications

Hegarty, P., Parslow, O., Ansara, Y.G., & Quick, F. (in press). Androcentrism: Changing the landscape without levelling the playing field? In M. K. Ryan & N. R. Branscombe (Eds). The Sage Handbook of Gender and Psychology, London: Sage Publications

Parslow, O. (2010). Book Review: “Lesbian motherhood: Gender, Families and Sexual Citizenship” by Róisin Ryan Flood, Feminism & Psychology, 20, 555-558

Conference Presentations

Parslow, O.  & Hegarty, P. (2012, April). Elder care –who is the carer and why: A genealogical account. Paper presented at BPS History & Philosophy of Psychology Section Annual Conference, St Hilda’s College, University of Oxford, 3rd-5th April.

Parslow, O. & Hegarty, P. (2011, September). Behind closed doors: Privacy and outness within the family home for lesbian family caregivers. Paper presented at BPS Social Psychology Section Annual Conference, Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge, 6th-8th September.

Parslow, O & Hegarty, P. (2001, July). Behind closed doors: Issues of privacy and outness for lesbian family caregivers. Paper presented at BPS Psychology of Women Section Annual Conference, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, 13th-15th July.

Parslow, O. (2011, February). “Coming out or going back in: Lesbian family caregivers and outness in the family home”. Paper presented at the 18th Lesbian Lives Conference, Brighton University, 11th-12th February.

Parslow, O. & Hegarty, P. (2010, September). “Who Cares? Lesbian caregiving in a heterosexual world”. Paper presented at BPS Social Psychology Annual Conference, Winchester University, 7th-8th September.

Parslow, O. & Hegarty, P. (2010, July). “Who Cares? Lesbian caregiving in a heterosexual world” Paper presented at BPS Psychology of Women Section Annual Conference, Cumberland Lodge, Windsor, UK, 14th-16th July

Parslow, O. (2009). “I don’t do live-in relationships”: Lesbian caregivers in non-normative relationships. Paper presented at University of Surrey Social Psychology Open Day, 9th December.

Poster Presentations

Parslow, O. (2010, August). “Who Cares? Lesbian caregiving in a heterosexual world” Poster presented at LGBT Summer Institute, University of Michigan, 2nd-6th August

Teaching

At Surrey my demonstrating duties have encompassed the following:

• First year undergraduate seminars and tutorials
• Taught post graduate research methods workshops (qualitative and quantitative),
• Undergraduate research methods workshops (qualitative and quantitative)
• Marking, both undergraduate and taught post-graduate student assignments (essays, qualitative and quantitative research reports)

For 2012/13 my duties encompass MSc statistics tutorial demonstration, and undergraduate tutorial work and marking on the undergraduate Critical Thinking module.

I am also employed outside the University of Surrey as an Associate Lecturer for the Open University on the DSE141 Discovering Psychology Module.  I am also a visiting lecturer at the University of Reading on their level 2 Personality and Social Psychology Module delivering lectures on Theories of Personality and a number of social psychology topics including attitudes, attribution and bias.

Affiliations

Graduate member of the British Psychological Society.

Invited Talks

Addressing erasure: Sexuality as a relevant axis of enquiry.  Invited paper presented at the University of Surrey Psychology Research Seminar Series 2011-12, 10th January 2012

Midlife lesbian outness and caregiving. Invited paper presented at the Health and Lifespan Psychology Open Research Seminar Series 2011-12, Aston University, 12th December 2011