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From the Chair
Lorraine Bayard de Volo
Dear WGST friends and alumnae/i,
As you know, Women and Gender Studies students and faculty have long called for increased attention to sexual harassment and assault. Finally, feminist efforts are paying off, and the nation is talking. There is plenty more to talk about, and our classes critically reflect upon the news as it unfolds. In my classes, for example, students have engaged in deeply thoughtful explorations of the alt-right, transgender rights, the presidency, and campus sexual assault. And WGST provides many learning opportunities outside of class. We had a recent visit from activist-in-residence Paromita Vohra, who held workshops on international feminist advocacy through art. In the coming weeks, our student leadership practicum Gender Justice League will host a #MeToo mediated discussion, and the WGST cottage will have an informational gathering (plus wedding cake!) on the U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments to decide if a Lakewood, CO baker can refuse to sell cakes to same-sex couples.
In many ways, the last year has been a hard one, as equal rights and those who fight for them have come under attack and the most marginalized of our communities feel all the more vulnerable. But response to these challenges is taking many forms. There are more CU WGST majors than ever, our classes are filling like never before, faculty are fielding more media interview requests than we can handle, and we are seeing an upsurge in donations from our WGST community.
We’d love to hear from you—please send us your news!
Thank you for your support,
Lorraine Bayard de Volo,
Chair and Associate Professor, Women and Gender Studies