WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
SPRING 2012
University of Oklahoma Women’s and Gender Studies Program Activist-in-Residence Lauren Zuniga Local&poet,&teaching&artist&and& emerging&activist&Lauren& Zuniga&kicked&off&her&tenure&as& the&spring&semester’s&Activist: in:Residence&with&a&workshop& titled&“Art&as&Activism.”&&Zuniga& is&best&known&locally&for&her& performances&of&her&poems,& “To&the&Oklahoma&Lawmakers”& and&“To&the&Oklahoma& Progressives.”&&In&the& workshop,&she&discussed&ways& in&which&she&uses&poems&and& interactive&dialogue&to&effect& change.&Zuniga&and&her&touring& poetry&group,&Dirt&Choir,& provided&entertainment&at&the& Friday&evening&welcoming& reception&of&the&WGS: sponsored&Take&Root& Conference.&The&members&of& Dirt&Choir,&in&addition&to& Zuniga,&are&Angel&Nafis,&Amy& Everhart&and&Shira&Erlichman.&& Their&spoken&word& performances&elicited&very&
enthusiastic&responses&from& the&audience.&Zuniga’s&next& event&as&Activist:in:Residence& was&a&workshop&titled&“Girl:& Exploded,”&named&after&her& poem&with&the&same&name.&The& workshop&explored&the& “gorgeous&and&confusing& terrain”&of&being&woman&as& well&as&“the&magical&pendulum& of&gender&and&sexuality.”& Students&who&attended&the& workshop&were&invited&to& examine&their&own& relationships&with&culture,& media&and&their&bodies.&&The& final&event&of&the&series&was&a& public&lecture&and& performance,&“Speaking&Truth& to&Power.”&&Zuniga’s&book&of& poetry,&The$Smell$of$Good$Mud,& was&published&March&15&and& was&available&at&her& performance&in&Meacham& Auditorium&on&May&12.
WGS Activist-in-Residence.............1 Lilly Ledbetter visits..............2 Film Screenings.......................2 Message From the Director...3 Letter from Eve Ensler..........4 Conferences............................5 Get to Know an Alum...........6 Title IX Celebration..............6 Faculty News..........................7
The University of Oklahoma is an equal opportunity institution. www.ou.edu/eoo/
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WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
SPRING 2012
Fighting&for&Fairness:&Lilly&Ledbetter&in&her&own&words Lilly&Ledbetter,&the&inspiration&for&the&2009&Lilly&Ledbetter&Fair& Pay&Act,&gave&a&public&lecture&and&book&signing&at&OU&on& International&Women’s&Day.&Ledbetter&served&as&a&manager&in&a& Goodyear&Tires&plant&for&19&years.&She&sued&Goodyear&in&1998& when&she&found&out&from&an&anonymous&source&that&she&was&paid& 40&percent&less&than&her&male&counterparts. &&&&&Ledbetter&shared&with&the&audience&her&experiences&in& attempting&to&recoup&the&wages&she&was&rightfully&owed&by& Goodyear,&&as&well&as&the&effects&of&the&fight&on&her&family&and& experiences&with&sexual&harassment&while&working&in&a&male: dominated&field.&She&talked&with&students&and&signed&copies&of&her& book,&Grace$and$Grit,&after&the&event. &&&&&Ledbetter’s&visit&was&co:sponsored&by&FOCAS&(the&Friends&Of& the&College&Of&Arts&and&Sciences);&The&Barbara&B.&and&William&G.& Caitlin Campbell, program coordinator for the Center for Social Justice, Lilly Ledbetter, and Jill Paul&Enrichment&Fund;&The&James&H.&and&Joann&H.&Holden& Irvine, director of WGS Enrichment&Fund;&the&Women’s&Outreach&Center;&the& Organization&for&the&Advancement&of&Women&in&Law;&and&the& Women’s&and&Gender&Studies&Program.
Spring&2012&Film&Screenings Women’s&and&Gender&Studies&co:sponsored&two&film&screenings&during&the&spring&semester. &&&&&Miss$Representation,&a&documentary&film&written&and&directed&by&Jennifer&Siebel&Newsom,&exposes&the&role& played&by&mainstream&media&in&contributing&to&the&under:representation&of&women&in&positions&of&power&and& influence&and&how&the&media’s&negative&portrayals&of&women&and&girls&prevent&female&empowerment. &&&&&True&stories&of&gay&and&straight&couples&and&singles&are&incorporated&into&a&hilarious&and&heartbreaking& collective&narrative&in&Inlaws$and$Outlaws.&&Co:sponsors&with&WGS&on&the&screening&were&The&Welcoming&Project& and&Cimarron&Alliance.& &&&&&For&more&information,&visit&http://www.missrepresentation.org/&and&http:// www.inlawsandoutlawsfilm.com/&
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WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
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A&Message&From&the&Director &&&&&This&has&been&an&amazingly&busy&and&productive&semester,&as&you&can&see& from&this&newsletter.&&In&addition,&this&entire&year&WGS&has&been&undergoing& academic&program&review.&As&part&of&this&process,&external&reviewers&from&the& University&of&Colorado&and&University&of&Missouri&visited&campus,&and&they&gave& us&a&glowing&review.&&Indeed,&the&report&stated&that&WGS&“is&a&dynamic&program& that&with&a&modes&infusion&of&institutional&resources&could&become&one&of&the& top&women&and&gender&studies&programs&in&the&region.”&&After&his&visit,&the&chair& of&Women&and&Gender&Studies&at&the&University&of&Colorado&invited&me&to&visit& CU’s&campus&and&talk&with&faculty&about&our&innovative&WGS&programs&here&at& Jill Irvine, WGS director OU.&&I&can&happily&report&a& terrific&visit&to&Boulder&to&direct&a&faculty&workshop&on& program&building.&&The&campus&Academic&Program&Review& Committee&was&equally&positive&about&developments&in&the& program&during&the&past&five&years.&& &&&&&In&spite&of&the&tough&budgetary&situation,&Women’s&and& Gender&Studies&at&OU&continues&to&thrive.&&Indeed,&our& amazing&Advisory&Board&hosted&an&event&commemorating& Title&IX&that&raised&close&to&$30,000&for&WGS&programs.&&Over& 200&people&attended&and&were&treated&to&an&inspiring& keynote&speech&by&OU&women’s&basketball&head&coach,& Sherri&Coale.&&We&are&deeply& Students at the 2012 WGS Spring Awards Ceremony grateful&for&the&OU& community&and&other& community&members&for&their&generous&support&of&this&event.&& &&&&&WGS&saw&a&record&number&of&majors&graduating&from&the&program&in& 2011:2012.&&So&many&of&our&graduates&are&off&doing&wonderful&and&interesting& things,&attending&law&school,&pursuing&degrees&in&public&health,&teaching&high& school,&starting&NGOs,&and&enrolling&in&Ph.D.&programs&in&gender&studies,&to& mention&just&a&few.&&It’s&always&hard&to&say&goodbye&to&you,&our&graduates,&in&the& spring,&but&it’s&so&much&fun&to&see&what&you&will&do&next.&&Don’t&forget&to&stay&in& touch.&&We&are&always&happy&to&hear&from&you. &&&&Finally,&it&is&especially&sad&to&say&goodbye&to&managerial&associate&Barb&Houser.&& Barb’s&family&is&moving&to&Fort&Collins,&Colo.,&and&we&will&miss&Barb&very&much.&& Our&best&wishes&to&you&and&your&family,&Barb,&as&you&head&off&to&your&next& adventure.
Barb Houser
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Jill Irvine
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WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
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Eve&Ensler&Writes&a&Letter&of&Support This&spring,&the&University&of&Oklahoma&Women’s&and&Gender&Studies&Program&caught&the&attention&of& Tony&Award:winning&playwright&and&activist,&Eve&Ensler.&&Ensler&wrote&a&generous&letter&of&support&for&our& program.&&It&is&a&great&feeling&to&receive&acknowledgement&from&a&person&like&Ensler.&&She&stated,&“the& department&is&exemplary&in&many&ways&and&we&must&do&everything&possible&to&maintain&it.” &&&&&She&went&on&to&praise&the&Center&for&Social& Justice:&“one&of&the&department’s&newest&projects,& the&Center&for&Social&Justice,&has&been&recognized&in& a&recent&study&by&American&University&as&one&of&the& seven&most&innovative&women’s&studies&initiatives& in&the&country.” &&&&&Showing&an&understanding&of&the&hard&work&and& importance&of&OU’s&yearly&production&of&The$Vagina$ Monologues&she&wrote,&“this&is&a&department&that& also&gives&back&to&the&community.&Annual&V:Day& productions&of&The$Vagina$Monologues&that&are& coordinated&through&it&have&raised&over&$4000&each& year&since&2004&for&he&Women’s&Resource&Center&of& Norman.” &&&&&While&performing&her&plays&across&the&world,& Ensler&was&inspired&to&create&V:Day,&a&global&activist& Eve Ensler moment&to&end&violence&against&women&and&girls.&& Many&well:known&celebrities&including&Jane&Fonda,& Salma&Hayek,&Donna&Karan,&Thandie&Newton,&and& Charlize&Theron&actively&participate&on&the&V:Day& board. &&&&&In&her&letter&to&the&OU&Women’s&and&Gender& Studies&Program,&Ensler&wrote,&“V:Day&is&proud&to&be&part&of&the&history&of&this&department&and&we&look& forward&to&working&with&it&in&the&future.”&&WGS&director&Jill&Irvine&said,&“We&are&grateful&for&the&wonderful& letter&of&support&we&received&from&Eve&Ensler.&We&are&excited&to&carry&on&the&important&work&of&the&V:Day& Foundation&however&we&can.&&Thank&you,&Eve!” &&&&&For&more&information&about&V:Day&or&to&get&involved,&visit&http://www.vday.org/home& "
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WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
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Take&Root:&Red&State&Perspectives&on&Reproductive&Justice &&&&&The&Women’s&and&Gender&Studies&Program&
hosted&“Take&Root:&Red&State&Perspectives&on& Reproductive&Justice&2012&Conference"&in& collaboration&with&the&Center&for&Social&Justice,&the& Student&Organizer's&Collective,&Oklahomans&for& Reproductive&Justice,&the&Abortion&Access&Project,& National&Advocates&for&Pregnant&Women,&Gender& and&Women's&Studies&at&Oklahoma&State& University,&the&Oklahoma&Coalition&for& Reproductive&Justice&and&Trust&Women.&The& conference&was&held&Feb&24&and&25&on&the&OU& Norman&campus&and&provided&an&introduction&to& reproductive&justice&for&students,&academics,& practitioners,&advocates&and&members&of&the& public.& &&&&&Friday&night&began&with&the&first&break:out& panels&over&DIY&activism,&professional& development&and&social&media,&followed&by&dinner& and&a&moving&performance&by&Dirt&Choir,&a&touring& poetry&collective&led&by&Activist:in:Residence&and& Oklahoman&Lauren&Zuniga.&On&Saturday,&members& of&the&Student&Organizers&Collective&spoke&about& what&reproductive&justice&means&to&them&in&an& introductory&film&created&by&SOC&officers&Elly& Roberts&and&Katie&Knutter.&Panels&on&Criminalizing& Bodies&in&Red&States,&Priorities&and&Perspectives& from&Communities&of&Colors,&and&Allyship&and& Privilege&were&followed&by&breakout&panels&over& the&environment,&religion&and&sexual&assault/
Participants at the Take Root Conference
intimate&partner&violence&activism.&The&conference& ended&with&a&participatory&conversation&about& what&comes&next&in&our&activism.&OU&WGS&faculty& and&students&made&alliances&with&other&groups&as& well&as&numerous&student&activists&and&feminists& from&Texas. &&&&&Faculty&member&Roksana&Alavi,&for&whom&this& was&her&first&reproductive&justice&conference,&said,&&& “the&wealth&of&information&that&I&received&from& this&conference&was&way&beyond&my&expectations.& The&students&expressed&the&same&sentiments.&The& conference&was&well&organized&and&the&panels& were&well:chosen.&It&was&an&honor&to&participate&in& this&conference.”
WGS Students Attend Feminist Conferences &&&&&Four&WGS&students&received& scholarships&to&attend&feminist& conferences&outside&of&Oklahoma.& Seniors&Elicia&Reynolds:Medaris&and&
Noel Isom and Elicia Reynolds-Medaris
Noel&Isom&went&to&the&Young& Feminist&Leadership&Conference&in& Washington,&D.C.&&“The&ideas& discussed&at&the&conference&were& especially&relevant&for&Oklahoma,”& said&Isom.&Reynolds:Medaris&&said,& “It&very&inspiring&to&be&around& people&who&all&cared&about&issues& that&I&view&as&crucial&but& are&usually&seen&as&unimportant&by& the&people&around&me.” & Junior&Jordan&Ward&and&graduate& student&Jennifer&Cox&attended&the& Civil&Liberties&and&Public&Policy& Conference&at&Hampshire&College&in&
Amherst,&Mass.&Cox&spoke&on&a&panel& about&organizing&in&conservative& areas&with&fellow&WGS&alum&and& Oklahomans&for&Reproductive& Justice&director&Sandra&Criswell.&& Ward&said&that&she&was&particularly& inspired&by&a&panel&on&disability& justice&and&reproductive&justice.&&“It& was&life:changing,”&she&said.&&Ward& said&she&hopes&to&incorporate&more& discussions&on&ability&into&next& year’s&Take&Root&Conference&in& Norman.
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WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
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Get&to&Know&an&Alum:&&Madison&Mélon Since&graduating&in&December&2011,&Madison&Mélon&has&adjusted&to&the&fast&pace&of&life&in&our&nation’s&capitol.&&& She&currently&serves&as&the&staff&assistant&in&Congressman&Dan&Boren’s&office,&an&office&she&interned&with&as&a& Cortez&Ewing&Fellow&in&the&summer&of&2011.&Mélon&spent&her&last&semester&at&OU&studying&in&Arezzo,&Italy.&&She& would&have&graduated&in&May&2011,&but&after&spending&two&weeks&as&a&tourist&in&Europe,&she&knew&she&wanted&to& spend&more&time&abroad.&&“When&I&heard&that&Dr.&Julia&Ehrhardt&was&going&to&Italy,&I&practically&started&packing& my&bags,”&said&Mélon,&“I’m&glad&I&went&to&Italy;&it&was&the&best&four&months&that&I&spent&in&college.”&&While&abroad,& she&also&traveled&to&Spain,&Greece,&Belgium&and&Hungary.&&“Spending&time&in&a&different&country&and&within&a& different&culture&truly&opens&your&eyes&to&how&every&human&is&essentially&the&same,&and& through&my&travels&I&really&bridged&a&gap&in&my&feminist&knowledge,”&she&said.&&Two& weeks&after&her&return,&she&packed&for&the&move&to&D.C.&Though&she&grew&up&in& Oklahoma,&Mélon&said&she&is&excited&to&make&the&move&to&D.C.,&where&she&feels&she&will& get&“a&little&boost&of&confidence&for&[her]&liberal&ideas.”&&She&said,&“There&are&many& intellectual&opportunities&in&D.C.,&along&with&a&thriving&and&fun&population&of&young& people."&&Mélon&will&pursue&her&juris&doctorate&at&Georgetown&Law&School&this&fall,&where& she&will&specialize&in&human&rights&law.&She&said&she&is&excited&to&go&to&law&school&at&a& university&with&a&strong&commitment&to&public&interest&law.&After&receiving&her&J.D.,&Mélon& plans&to&work&for&a&nonprofit&in&the&D.C.&area.&&Mélon&graduated&summa&cum&laude&with&a& major&in&women’s&and&gender&studies&and&a&minor&in&political&science.&She&is&a&member&of& Phi&Beta&Kappa. Madison Mélon in Washington, D.C.
Panel&and&Banquet&Celebrates&40&Years&of&Title&IX The&Women’s&and&Gender& Studies’&Board&of&Advisors&hosted& a&banquet&April&18&in&Oklahoma& Memorial&Union&to&celebrate&the& 40th&anniversary&of&the&passage&of& Title&IX.&Sherri&Coale,&OU&women’s& basketball&head&coach,&was&the& keynote&speaker.&&&The&idea&for&the& dinner&sprang&from&a&discussion&at& a&meeting&of&the&Women’s&and& Gender&Studies&Advisory&Board& about&how&to&mark&the& anniversary.&&&&
Farley,&OU&adjunct&instructor&and& former&director&of&recreational& services&for&OU.&Farley&provided& the&board&with&background& information&about&the&Title&IX&act& and&organized&a&panel&discussion& for&the&afternoon&of&the&dinner.&& The&impact&of&Title&IX&has&been& extensive,&reaching&far&beyond& college&sports.&&An&afternoon&panel& was&held&prior&to&the&banquet&to& discuss&the&impact&of&Title&IX.&&The& law,&passed&in&1972,&states,&“No& person&in&the&United&States&shall,& & “We&knew&we&wanted&to& on&the&basis&of&sex,&be&excluded& fundraise&for&specific&needs&of&the& from&participation&in,&be&denied& Women’s&and&Gender&Studies& the&benefits&of,&or&be&subjected&to& Program,&and&we&knew&we&wanted& discrimination&under&any& to&recognize&Title&IX.&The& education&program&or&activity& fundraising&and&the&celebration&fit& receiving&federal&financial& together&quite&well,”&said&Jackie& assistance.”&&The&law&was&renamed&
in&honor&of&Patsy&Mink,&principal& author&of&the&act,&for&her&work&for& equal&rights.&&Mink&was&the&first& Asian&American&woman&elected&to& Congress.&
Head Coach Sherri Coale
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WOMEN’S AND GENDER STUDIES
SPRING 2012
Faculty&News&and&Publications Hester'Baer&was&awarded&a&Research&Visit&Grant&by&the&DAAD&(German&Academic&Exchange&Service)&to& spend&summer&2012&in&Berlin,&&completing&the&research&for&her&book,&German$Cinema$in$the$Age$of$ Neoliberalism.$$ & Elyssa'Faison&received&the&Regents’&Award&for&Superior&Teaching&for&2012.&&She&will&spend&six&weeks& this&summer&as&a&visiting&professor&teaching&a&graduate&seminar&on&Asian&Women’s&History&at&Yamaguchi& University&in&Japan.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & Misha'Klein&published&Kosher$Feijoada$and$Other$Paradoxes$of$Jewish$Life$in$São$Paulo&at&Gainesville’s& University&Press&of&Florida.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & Penny'Pasque&was&presented&with&the&2012&“Advocate&Award”&from&the&American&College&Personnel& Association,&a&national&association&for&higher&education&and&student&affairs.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & Zoe'Sherinian&won&a&$9,000&Asian&Cultural&Council&Award&to&make&her&next&documentary&film&on&the& Sakthi&Folk&Arts&Centre&in&Tamil&Nadu,&India,&which&works&for&the&economic&and&social&development&of&young& Dalit&(outcaste)&women&through&training&in&the&folk&arts.&&She&hopes&to&use&a&participatory&filmmaking& process,&and&when&she&returns,&to&engage&OU&students&in&similar&video&projects&to&address&reproductive& rights&and&LGBT&concerns&in&Oklahoma.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & JoAnna'Woolridge'Wall,&JD&was&appointed&by&the&Women's&Foundation&of&Oklahoma&as&the&statewide& coordinator&of&SMART&in&collaboration&with&the&Oklahoma&Regents&for&Higher&Education&to&recruit&single& mothers&into&higher&education.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& & &Meredith'Worthen&received&the&2012&Vice&President&for&Research&Junior&Faculty&Award.&&Her&article&& “An&Argument&for&Separate&Analyses&of&Attitudes&toward&Lesbian,&Gay,&Bisexual&Men,&Bisexual&Women,&MtF& and&FtM&Transgender&Individuals,”&appears&in&Sex$Roles:$A$Journal$of$Research.&&“Heterosexual&College&Student& Sexual&Experiences,&Feminist&Identity,&and&Attitudes&toward&LGBT&Individuals”&written&by&Worthen&was& published&in&the$Journal$of$LGBT$Youth.&&Deviant$Behavior&printed&Worthen’s&article&“Gender&Differences&in& Delinquency&in&Early,&Middle&and&Late&Adolescence:&An&Exploration&of&Parent&and&Friend&Relationships.”&&She& collaborated&with&Susan'Sharp&and&Forrest&Rodgers&to&produce&“Gay&and&Lesbian&Attitudes&toward&the&Death& Penalty:&The&Roles&of&Empathy&and&Political&Beliefs”&that&appeared&in&Criminal$Justice$Review.&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&& &
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Women’s and Gender Studies Program
731 Elm Ave. Robertson 101 Norman, OK 73019 T: (405) 325-3481 F: (405) 325-3573 wgs@ou.edu wgs.ou.edu
The&University&of&Oklahoma&in&compliance&with&all&applicable& federal&and&state&laws&and&regulations&does&not&discriminate& on&the&basis&of&race,&color,&national&origin,&sexual&orientation,& genetic&information,&sex,&age,&religion,&disability,&political& beliefs,&or&status&as&a&veteran&in&any&of&its&policies,&practices&or& procedures.&This&includes&but&is&not&limited&to&admissions,& employment,&financial&aid&and&educational&services.&For& questions&regarding&discrimination,&sexual&assault,&sexual& misconduct,&or&sexual&harassment,&please&contact&the&Office(s)& of&Institutional&Equity&as&may&be&applicable::&Norman&campus& at&(405)&325:3546/3549,&the&Health&Sciences&Center&at&(405)& 271:2110&or&the&OU:Tulsa&Title&IX&Office&at&(918)&660:3107.& Please&see&www.ou.edu/eoo
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