Center wraps up Women’s History Month
March is National Women’s History Month (WHM), and Utah State University’s WHM Chairperson, Ann Austin, is telling students how women’s history affects them today.
“If you do not care, do you like surprises? I can guarantee you will come to our workshops and be surprised at how the history of women continues to impact your own life and can help to round out the way your world is shaped,” Austin said.
With roots beginning in 1978, National Women’s History Month was established in 1987 as a way to address the history of women throughout America and celebrate their contributions to society. A Presidential Proclamation is issued every year in honor of women, and many organizations across the country celebrate the month with various activities and events; the Center for Women and Gender Studies at Utah State is one of those organizations.
In the past the center has hosted fashion shows and student showcases. This year’s activities have included in-depth looks into women and their cultures, various speakers and performances by female composers.
Austin discussed Dr. Susan Shaw, an ordained minister who spoke on campus about the roles of women in the Bible.
“We received very positive comments. She encouraged people to look at Bible stories from the women’s point of view,” she said. “There was a very powerful reaction and lots of interest.”
On March 3, the center will be hosting Darrin Brooks and Nancy Hills, who will speak on the influence of fashion on furniture and women in the 18th century. Dr. Susan Madsen will discuss what Austin calls “grim statistics” on women and education in Utah on March 22.
Currently the center is seeking research and creative submissions that embody this year’s theme, “Our History is Our Strength.” Men and women are encouraged to submit works they have created about women’s history, women’s issues and contributions by March 15 at 5 p.m. in TSC 309.
The seven categories they can participate in are: Research: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math; Research: Social Sciences, Education and Business; Research: Agriculture, Natural Resources; Audio/Video, Visual Arts, Written Works and Performance Arts. The winners of each category will receive cash prizes and selected students will have their work showcased.
Austin said that the goal of WHM is to bring recognition to the forefront, and in so doing, “round out our history.”
“People have passed over the contributions of women because, for example, they weren’t the ones to write the declaration,” Austin said. “They were doing a lot hidden from view.”
Austin, who is also a musician, gave the example of women composers throughout history and how all of the great music of the 16th through 19th centuries was composed by men.
“Does this mean women had no talents? No,” she said. “There were very good composers who were women and their music is not well recognized.”
Austin added some women were shy, busy or worried that their ability to compose was socially unacceptable. In modern fields such as math, science, education and medicine, there is the pressure of doing something that hasn’t historically been a woman’s place, she said, and women have been downplayed in those fields. Women’s History Month helps those women to be recognized, she said.
Students and staff are encouraged to nominate women on campus who have been role models to those who know them. An Early Career award will be given to a woman in her first eight years of a professional career and a Lifetime award will be given to a woman 65 or older who has accomplished much in her field. All are encouraged to send letters to the Center for Women and Gender Studies to nominate women they believe deserve recognition, the deadline is March 1.
Austin said the success of 2011 WHM events has been a bit of a shock.
“I’m surprised, frankly. I didn’t realize there was so much sincere interest in our Women’s History workshops,” she said.
She added that being involved with it has given her a strong sense of empowerment and inclusion. She would love to see scholarships associated with women musicians that could help balance practice and school. She also said that one of her goals is to work with high schools and middle schools and showcase the accomplishments of young girls at the university. Many only hear half of the story, Austin said, and Women’s History Month is one way to provide a complete perspective of contributions throughout history.
– ariwrees@gmail.com