Women's History Month at ISU

Gender violence, beauty standards, gender representation in advertising and the annual charity drag show will all be part of Women’s History Month at Illinois State University in March.  All events are open to the public.

Leading off the month will be a forum on Tuesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. in the Old Main Room of Bone Student Center (BSC) addressing “Beyond ‘Blonde is Beautiful’: Body Image Issues for All Women.

On Wednesday, March 19, at noon Mary Fabri of the Dr. Marjorie Kovler Center for Treatment of Torture Survivors of Heartland Alliance will discuss “Rape as a Weapon of War: A Comparative International Perspective” as part of the Where’s the Outrage? conference on gender-based violence in a global context.  Her presentation will be held in the BSC 3rd floor east lounge.  For more information on the conference, contact Women’s and Gender Studies at (309) 438-2947.

On Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the one-day Black Awareness Conference focusing on issues impacting the Black community will be held in the BSC Brown Ballroom.  Admission is $8 for Illinois State students and $10 for all others. For more information, contact Rachel Kerr at 1blackstarr@gmail.com.

The award-winning documentary on gender representation in advertising, “Killing us Softly III,” will be shown in 244 Schroder Hall on Wednesday, March 26, at 6 p.m.  A discussion will follow the viewing.

On Saturday, March 29, starting at 9 a.m., the one-day Illinois LGBTQA Collegiate Conference focusing on issues impacting the LGBTQA community will be held in Capen Auditorium.  For more information, contact PRIDE (People Realizing Individuality and Diversity through Education) at http://www.isupride.org.

Wrapping up Women’s History Month will be the 10th annual Charity Drag Show at 7:30 p.m. in the BSC Brown Ballroom.  Tickets are $4 for students and $5 for all others and are available at the door.  All proceeds go to the Acorn Equality Fund, a Central Illinois organization supporting students who are active in the GLBTQA community.  The show will highlight professional drag kings and queens as well as student performances.