January is coming to an end and the Spring semester is in full swing. To supplement all the learning that our students will be doing this semester, The Women’s Center has a host of events coming up in the next three months. From Vampires to V-Day, from sports to art, there are events and programs for just about everyone (even a Barbie fan or two).
In February we will host a variety of events. If you liked the movie Twilight, maybe you will be interested in participating in “Taking a Bite out of Twilight: Race, Class, and Gender through Vampire Eyes.” This will be a discussion held in the Women’s Center on February 9 that will examine how race, class, and gender are portrayed through teen literature. Several V-Day events are planned this month including two opportunities to see a live performances of Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues on February 17 & 18. Men can get in on the V-Day movement by attending one of the V-Men workshops on February 2 or 11 for an honest discussion on what they can do to end violence against women. At the end of the month, sports fans and non-sports fans will enjoy the panel discussion, “Throwing like a Girl Since 1972” which will include an intergenerational discussion on Title IX and what it did for women and sports.
March is Women’s History Month and includes many events about Barbie. There will be discussions about Barbie and material culture, Barbie and her creator Ruth Handler, and a special event on March 11 at the Plaza Library with Courtney Martin who will take a hard look at the feminist inclination to demonize Barbie. You can also attend a screening of the film Barbie Nation and join the discussion afterwards about America’s obsession with Barbie.
April will be a month of art and activism. Start the month at First Friday in the Crossroads Arts District and attend an art exhibit featuring local women artists at the Leedy-Voulkos Arts Center. Then attend a documentary screening of “Who Does She Think She Is?” at the Tivoli Theater on April 13 and join a discussion about the struggles women face in the male-dominated art world. Take Back the Night on April 20 and join the march from UMKC to The JC Nichols Fountain to unify women, men and children in an awareness of violence against children, and families. And don’t forget to wear your jeans on Denim Day, April 22, and make a social statement with fashion to protest against the misconceptions surrounding sexual assault.
This is just a sneak peek at some of the events that are coming up on campus and around the community hosted by the Women’s Center this semester. For more information, please stop by the Women’s Center in Haag Hall or check us out on the web, become a fan on Facebook , or follow us on Twitter.