8/28 BB Response: The F Word

It’s everyone’s favorite time of year: the first brown bag at the Center for Women’s Studies! And that's not an exaggeration, since there was such an incredible turn out for our annual kick-off topic “The F Word.” Each year, Colgate students on this panel discuss their views of feminism, how it effects their identity, and their experience as part of the Colgate community.

Since I've been a student, this has been one of my favorite topics because I'm always interested in personal stories when it comes to feminist ideology and work. This time was a little different, though, because I actually had to be part of this year's five-person panel. A little nerve wracking at first, but I like to think I got through it with something resembling grace; it became less of a stress as I was sitting alongside my astonishing peers: Andrew Hoadley '13, Faith Benson '14, Griffin O'Shea '13, and Drea Finley '13. Each of us had a particular way of describing how we "do feminism" as Colgate students, whether it was describing how we gained comfort with the label itself, experiences during time spent abroad, or just criticizing the climate of the campus itself. The point of having this brown bag is to open up discussion about the many faces that feminist work can take on; it emphasizes the ways, in which, this work becomes personalized and the different ways individuals can fit feminism into their goals and actions.

During the Q&A, audience members seemed very interested in addressing the challenges that come with being an advocate for equality in this society. And there were questions from the first-year students about "how bad" Colgate is in terms of these issues. The panelists addressing this question were careful to reiterate that they did not want to frighten newcomers but remained honest in saying that Colgate has some significant problems that are constantly being worked on. Being mindful that Colgate as an institution spent its early years as a space for elite White males (much like the country itself), this is a legacy that continues to influence the culture of this school. Yes, female and trans* students are now part of the community, so are people of color, and those from various countries and sexual orientations and socioeconomic backgrounds; progress has been made, but we also know from the Campus Climate Survey that racism, sexism, cissexism, and heterosexism still need to be addressed. Colgate also has a reputation of being a partying and drinking school, and we also know from the Campus Climate Survey that sexual assault is an issue on this campus.From this standpoint, it is possible to deconstruct the ways, in which, Colgate remains an institution that is for the elite White male (again, much like the country itself), and it is for these very reasons that things like the Office for LGBTQ Initiatives exists, the Center for Women's Studies, ALST, student groups like the Network, Men at Colgate, SORT, and so many others exist. And that is one of the great things about this institution, the ability of its concerned, vocal, and active members to create spaces that push against generally accepted notions of who this environment belongs to and what it is about. That is a job crucial to anyone identifying as a feminist no matter what faction of this society they happen to find themselves in. And this is also crucial to the point of having this brown bag topic at the beginning of the year, because there always needs to be a reminder that anyone at this institution who has an inkling of concern about these problems needs to and can do what is within their power to work against those oppressive and destructive aspects of the culture. It is tough, but necessary work.

This is a discussion that needs to be constantly happening and shifting on this campus and, also, beyond it, which makes it awesome that the Center for Women's Studies is now recording all of its brown bags! You can find the link for this week's topic here, so that you can engage with these ideas even more.

- Che J. Hatter

BB Introduction

If it's Tuesday (read as: the best day of the week) then you're obviously coming to the Center. Tomorrow's brown bag is aptly titled "Gender Disparities in the Political Sphere: Preparing for Upcoming Elections." It will include a panel organized by Diana Stephens '13 of Democracy Matters. For those who don't know, Democracy Matters is a student political organization that, in their own words, "works to get big private money out of politics and people back in." The conversation should be especially relevant given the upcoming US Presidential Elections in November. Come join us tomorrow at 11:30 for great talk and great food!


-Renyelle Jimenez

4/5 BB Response: Research on Gender in Africa

This Brown Bag involved 3 panelists: Colgate President Jeffrey Herbst, Breanna Pendleton '12, and Caroline Anderson '12.

President Herbst had spent numerous years doing research in Zimbabwe. One of the biggest lessons he learned was that, often times, laws are just for show and simply signing them does not necessarily signify change. He did not initially begin his research focusing on the gendered aspect of land rights and the environment, but found later that he must include women in his research.

Breanna Pendleton did research on where feminism comes from in Western Africa. Specifically, she did a case study of ABANTU for Development which is an NGO in Accra, Ghana that works to train organizations for the purpose of helping women for her SOAN thesis: "Who Needs Saving? Neocolonialist Feminism in Ghana". While the group does a substantial amount of good, it is run by higher class and Western women who primarily work with and help benefit upper middle to upper class women which, unfortunately, overlooks the needs of lower class women.

Caroline Anderson researched Shapna Coffee and Tea in Uganda for her SOAN honors thesis on maternal health in Uganda. She led various focus groups with women from these coffee growing communities to discuss what was needed for maternal / reproductive health and family planning. Through these discussions, she saw room for growth particularly regarding:
a) education of men in order to diminish the stigmas about condoms and birth control, and
b) distribution of resources so that women would not need to walk 15 miles just to receive a birth control shot

4/3 BB Response

The skype session with the New View Campaign at Tuesday's Brown Bag "Female Genital Cosmetic Surgery" brought up many fascinating issues, especially since we were reading about it at the same time in my Women's Studies class.  What's interesting to me is that people want to get cosmetic surgery on something that not only will most people not even see, but that for the most part they can't see either.  This seems to destroy the argument that cosmetic surgeries are done for one's own personal aesthetic, when a sexual partner is potentially the only person who's going to see your renovated vulva.  Of course, I certainly understand how having your vagina look the way you want it to is important, because mine doesn't at all; like I said at the brown bag, as a transwoman I have a lot at stake in the development of this type of surgery if I do decide to get it.  So why is it okay for me to perform a cosmetic (i.e. non-medical) surgery on my genitals, but not for a bio-female?  First of all, my issues are tied to gender and sex identity, as the speaker mentioned, and the type of procedure is different, but one could argue that the effect is the same: both are trying to conform the genitals to a narrow few of what a woman's genitals look like.  For this reason many transwomen don't get bottom surgery because they are just fine with the genitals they have.  The idea that one has to have a vagina to be a woman, and that this vagina must have small, unobtrusive labia and be really tight and perfectly hairless, is challenged by this notion.  But that doesn't imply that a woman shouldn't get or have access to the procedure if she wants it.  The critique is that the cultural construction of what makes a beautiful vagina is narrowly defined, heteronormative, and based on what pleases a man.  The vagina has to be tight so that when a man penetrates it, there's more pressure and therefore more pleasure.  Dangly labia are just weird, and pubic hair is too masculine.  Furthermore, the critique is that these procedures are done under the guise of female empowerment, because women are taking control of their own body and their own sexual pleasure (although the evidence is still unclear as to whether these procedures actually enhance sexual pleasure for the woman, or their partners for that matter).  These procedures are concerning on many levels, and I hope people will think twice before getting them, but I also recognize that in the end, it's your choice whether or not you want a "perfect" vagina.  From my standpoint, the foremost criterion is how comfortable you feel with what's between your legs, and how to figure out what would make you more comfortable if you aren't.

Xavia Publius

Thursday's Brown Bag!

Please join us for one of our more rare Thursday Brown Bags this week in the Center! We will have a panel speaking about their individual research about women and gender in Africa.  President Herbst will be joining us this week and will start the discussion by talking about his work in Zimbabwe, followed by Breanna Pendleton '12 talking about her Sociology and Anthropology thesis, which explored neocolonialist feminism in Ghana.  Caroline Anderson '12 will conclude by discussing her Honor's Sociology Thesis looking at women's health and gender structures in Uganda.  This more globally focused Brown Bag is one you won't want to miss! Please join us at 11:30 in the Basement of East Hall! As always, there will be free lunch and we welcome all!