Photo provided by LWC Public Relations: Students gathering in Slider Humanities Center last April to participate in the annual Women’s Studies Conference.
Looking forward to April 7th, the LWC Women's Studies Program will be hosting their sixth annual Women’s Studies Conference in the W.W.Slider Humanities Center.
Kara Mollis, Associate Professor of English and Women's Studies Program Coordinator is hosting the event along with Associate Professor of English, Allison Smith.
“The conference has something for everyone.” Said Mollis.
Featured at the conference is a variety of faculty and student work ranging over a variety of topics and delivered in many mediums. This year will feature 6 panels of men and women discussing topics ranging from cultural gender norms, to how European women change between 1200-1750. Long with discussions will be readings of original poetry, personal narratives, presentations, and visual displays.
“We like for it to be organic and to allow students, whatever the focus, to come from all different disciplines and share on the topic of women’s studies.” Said Mollis.
Not all projects must be female driven. Mollis has seen projects several projects focused on male stereotypes. In years past a male student presented on rural southern male masculinity.
“He used a critical feminist perspective, and that’s what made it a women’s studies project.” Said Mollis.
Throughout the year the Women’s Studies program hosts a number of events outside of the conference. Brown bag lunches and film nights serve as discussion opportunities. They also partner with the Adnata Crisis Center and LWC’s Women’s Student Union to help run Denim Day to raise awareness of sexual assault, they hold the women’s pay gap bake sale, and Take Back the Night to raise awareness of sexual violence, just to name a few.
The Women’s studies program is growing as a whole. At this years conference almost forty individuals will present. The educational program is growing as well.
When Mollis first began at LWC there were only two women studies classes, now they offer upwards of ten classes, a comprehensive minor, independent studies, and are looking towards the future to possibly add a major.
“We are hoping to offer [a major] and build up our curriculum. We are in a pretty good position to offer a major in the next few years. There’s definitely been interest expressed and we want to cater to our students and future ones as well.” Said Mollis