International Women’s Day 2008: A Woman’s Place is in the (Women’s) Center?
Friday, March 7th, 2008 marks International Women’s Day. While this holiday may not be widely celebrated in this area (it is certainly no Casmir Pulaski day!), International Women’s Day has a rich history. Originally formed as a day to recognize and value the role of women in struggling towards gender equity - and the vast gender inequities that still exist - this holiday provides a moment for all of us worldwide to examine the ways that women are treated in our community. In this spirit, Doin’ It Well is taking a look this week at an issue currently being raised by students on the University of Illinois campus: the need for a campus women’s center.
What’s the issue?
Women’s centers on campuses first appeared in the 1970’s as a result of the women’s movement, and hundreds of campuses across the nation already have women’s centers. Like many cultural centers on college campuses, these were originally formed to address inequities that women were experiencing in their higher education. However, women’s centers found themselves addressing much more than classroom discrimination. Sexual violence and harassment, LGBT rights, issues faced by women of color, international women, and pregnant students or mothers - all of these were issues that were (and are) central to women’s lives on a college campus.
Currently, the University of Illinois is one of only four Big 10 schools that doesn’t have a women’s center. Several Illinois institutions, such as University of Illinois at Springfield and Western Illinois University, have impressive and active women’s centers, yet the flagship institution does not. At the same time, female students have consistently had higher safety and discrimination concerns than men. A recent survey of freshman female engineering majors suggested that as many as 2/3rds of them felt discriminated against in the classroom.
Addressing the Needs of All Women
Gender is an interesting identity, because women are members of almost every social identity. So unlike other organizing that may be facilitated because the targeted group members all live in the same space, women are everywhere. Because of this, a women’s center must address the specific concerns of women of color, lesbian & bi women, trans folks, working class women, pregnant students and mothers. Quite literally (especially for pregnant women), these women’s bodies are not given any (or enough) space on campus for those needs to be addressed.
What does a campus women center have to do with sexuality?
At a recent meeting about a women’s center, one participant stated that he hoped a women’s center would create one more safe space on campus where two women could hold hands with one another or express affection. In effect, he said, the rest of campus was not a safe space for lesbian and bi women to express affection for one another. The oppression of women and women’s sexuality goes hand in hand.
By advocating for and succeeding with getting a women’s center on campus, a space could be created for women to discuss their sexuality safely and openly. A women’s center can build this by providing a collection of resources on women’s sexuality and pleasure, sexual health, and space for support groups for female sexuality, LGBT issues, and survivors of sexual violence. A space to focus on women itself can lead to an empowerment of women’s sexual selves.
What about the men’s center?
A friend recently told us that the whole world is a men’s center. Whereas that may not necessarily feel true for men, it is true that discussions about men’s sexuality and pleasure (however unhelpful those may be) are regularly occurring. Certainly, a women’s center would not only be a space for women; transgendered folks and men would be welcome and encouraged, but the dialogue would challenge the traditional ways these discussions occur.
A women’s center wouldn’t be just for women, but a place for women and men to gather, meet friends, and be themselves. A woman’s center would create a safe place on campus for women and men to be able to discuss, learn about and advocate for women’s issues, including sexuality, gender, and interpersonal violence and harassment. For men, a women’s center can be a wonderful opportunity to explore their own gender and masculinity, and understand their own role in correcting gender inequity.
We all have a role to play in addressing gender inequity to work for a safer, healthier, and more pleasurable sexuality for everyone!
Speaking of healthy sexuality, check out the Sex Out Loud sexual health fair, 9am-3pm in Illini Union Room A on Wednesday, March 12th! We’d also like to give a shout out to all our readers who attended our discussion on pornography; thank you for your thoughtful comments. Check us out next week as we look at the pressures behind baby making! Till then, keep Doin’ It Well.
Sex 411: Come to the UIUC Women’s Center “Grand Opening”
Anniversary Plaza, U of I Quad
International Women’s Day
Friday, March 7th from 9am-3pm
Students will be staffing a mock women’s center on the Quad to raise awareness. A ribbon cutting and press conference will be held at noon. For more information or to get involved, e-mail uiucwomenscenter@gmail.com
Kim Rice and Ross Wantland are experts in the fields of sexuality and sexual violence prevention. Send them your fan mail at buzzdoinitwell@yahoo.com
