Events and Programming

Women on Wednesday
Spring 2008

30 Years Later: Still Fighting for Our Rights
Atwood Theatre Noon - 1:00 pm

Knowing our history, evaluating progress and changes in the lives of women in contemporary society, and challenging commonly-held perceptions about which women influenced our communities -- these are the central issues to be explored during the 2007/2008 Women on Wednesday series. During the highlycharged decade of the 1970s, the nation and the women’s movement were analyzing power structures related to race, class, gender, ethnicity, ability, marital status, religion and much more. These critiques led to opportunities such as the 1977 National Women’s Conference held in Houston, Texas, a conference very few students know occurred and/or understand its significance on women’s lives.

The Women’s Center is using the 30th anniversary of this historic conference, a conference that brought more than 20,000 women together to debate, discuss and develop a platform of action, as a way to focus on the human rights of women in our society. This framework will allow us to explore the fundamental questions of: In what ways have women achieved equal opportunity, liberation, and gender equity -- and in what ways have we not? More specifically, which women have achieved more equality and how do race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, class, nationality, ability, religion, and marital status affect the equality quotient?

The topics for Women on Wednesday have been taken directly from the 1977 Plan of Action in order to consider the status of women during this time period, and to evaluate where we are today. There aren’t enough weeks in the academic calendar to cover every plank, much less every issue in its full complexity, but the series is designed to address a variety of topics that were being debated and discussed 30 years ago. And, many might be surprised to learn that most of these issues are still front and center among the diverse women’s movements active in society today.

Our goals for part two of this series are to honor the history of our foremothers and sisters, while being open to analysis and critique of the second wave of the women’s movement. With our knowledgeable, experienced, and savvy group of speakers, these presentations will help us accurately and honestly evaluate the gains, the losses, and the incomplete of a national agenda for women’s human rights.

Downloads

• Women on Wednesday - 30 Years Later: Still Fighting for Our Rights Program Guide (pdf)

Women on Wednesday Spring 2008