An examination of the parking goddess and gendered vulnerability on the US West Coast

Carr, Sujittra Avery (2024) An examination of the parking goddess and gendered vulnerability on the US West Coast. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

This thesis explores the role of the parking goddess and related vernacular religious parking practices in mitigating gendered vulnerability when parking. The use of rhymes and rituals calling on Asphalta (or similar figures) by Neo-Pagan or new age practitioners were explored for their connection to women’s gendered experiences of parking. Seven women residing on the West Coast of the US participated in semi-structured interviews. The interviews took place both in person and over the phone due to Covid-19 restrictions. The results indicated that participants use their vernacular religious parking practices as a means of mitigating the fear they experience due to the vulnerability of parking as women. Vernacular religious parking practices helped relieve stress in liminal situation, protect against violence, manifest prosperity, and connect to a feminine spiritual lineage. Additionally, this research shows that the study of small-scale daily spiritual and religious folklore can illuminate larger social and political issues.

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