Dr Emma Whatman (she/her) is an early career researcher, lecturer, and writer from Melbourne, Australia. Her research spans contemporary feminism and feminist history, young people’s cultures, media representation, and sex education. She holds a PhD from Deakin University, where her award-winning thesis examined postfeminist identities in contemporary fairy-tale adaptations for young people. Emma teaches gender studies, children’s literature, media and communications, and digital culture at institutions including the University of Melbourne, Deakin University, and Monash University. She has developed and coordinated multiple university subjects and is committed to inclusive and innovative pedagogy.

Emma is widely published, with her research appearing in Continuum, Marvels & Tales, and Hecate, among others. She has co-edited special issues and book collections, including Taylor Swift: Culture, Capital & Critique (Routledge, 2025). Her forthcoming monograph, Postfeminist Identities in Contemporary Fairy-Tale Adaptations for Young People, is under contract with Wayne State University Press. In addition to her academic work, Emma is actively engaged in public scholarship and media commentary. She has written for The Conversation, been interviewed on ABC Radio, and contributed to discussions on sex education and feminist media cultures. She has also co-organized major academic conferences, including Swiftposium 2024 and the AWGSA biennial conference.