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The Official Newsletter of the Women’s & Gender Studies Department “The battle for the individual rights of women is one of long standing and none of us should countenance anything which undermines it.” –Eleanor Roosevelt Women’s and Gender WGS PROFESSOR PUBLISHES ARTICLE IN GENDER & SOCIETY Studies Department The Women's and Gender Studies Department would like to Stevenson Hall, 320 congratulate Dr. Karen Christopher for the publication of her article, "Extensive mothering: Employed Mothers' University of Louisville Constructions of the Good Mother," published in the February Louisville, KY 40292 edition of Gender and Society! Phone: 502.842.8160 In researching this article, Dr. Christopher completed 40 in- Fax: 502.852.4421 depth interviews with both single and married mothers. Her research reveals that many of the mothers hold beliefs contrary Chairperson: to cultural ideologies surrounding motherhood. In the past, Dr. Nancy Theriot, research has shown that women believe that mothering is an [email protected] intensive, time-consuming process that should be their top priority. Their children's needs always come first. However, Dr. Christopher's interviews disclose ways in which working Core Faculty: mothers have restructured their ideas concerning "good" Dr. Karen Christopher mothering. Many of the mothers in her sample note the benefits Dr. Catherine Fosl they personally receive from employment outside of the home Dr. Dawn Heinecken and consider mothering the ability to make sure their children's Dr. Kaila Story needs are being met, whether they personally meet them or Dr. Diane Pecknold someone else helps out. Her results also explain a fundamental Dr. Nancy Theriot Pictured above: Dr. Karen difference between popular literature on employment theory and Christopher making time in her these mothers' lives. To these mothers, receiving fulfillment busy schedule as professor, through paid employment does not require working long hours Administrative Staff: wife, mother, and researcher to Jan Rayburn, make sure that the Tower of or entirely sacrificing family life. They feel that they can be both good mothers and good employees. Dr. Christopher's [email protected] Pisa remains standing for one more summer at least. groundbreaking article can be accessed through the U of L WorldCat search function on the library's main page. Graduate Assistants: Congratulations, Dr. Christopher! Erin Phelps, Teaching Assistant Jennifer Stith Alisha West The faculty, staff, and Congratulations students of Women's and Gender Studies would like to to our senior students Carissa House, welcome Treva, Sandra, Sarah Howard, Shelby Pumphrey, Yasmeen, Lauren, Lindsay Ferguson,Brittany Shaw Allison, Carissa, Jessie, AND to our graduate students Jamie Ratliff, Aletia, Jonathan, Susie Laun, Kelsie Patton, Sarah Shritha, and Catherine to Pennington, Jennifer Stith, and Jennifer the WGS Graduate Program! We are looking forward to Welch for graduating from our program. Pictured above: "Revisiting the Dinner getting to know you! Best wishes to all of you! Party: A Place at the Table" by Hite Art Students (IWD article, pg. 2) Page 1 them. My most rewarding moment is INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S when I see that teaching can truly be DAY CELEBRATION transformative. The WGS Department was a co-sponsor of the 101st annual International AW: What do you like most about your job? Women’s Day, which was celebrated KS: My students. Always have. They with an event that was open to the U of L help me become a better educator every community and the general public. The time I teach. event began with a delicious dinner, provided by Indulge Catering and the AW: What theorists/scholars do you most attendees were entertained by music from admire? Antique TV. Then the Hite Art School Kate Meyers & Clone Friend KS: Audre Lorde. She was exquisite. She spoke about the project they completed is my idol. for the event that was on display at the front of the room. The project was titled, AW: What is the funniest tweet you read “Revisiting the Dinner Party: a Place at LET'S GET TO KNOW in the last week? the Table.” The art students each KS: I love the @awkwardmomentwhen decorated a napkin in honor of a woman DR. KAILA STORY on Twitter and last week I read: "The whose work has been inspiring. Next, by Alisha West & Kaila Story awkward moment when you make eye there was a panel of four women who do contact with the person in the car next to various types of work in our community AW: Where are you from? you at a traffic light". That has happened and throughout the world. The panelists KS: Ann Arbor, Michigan to me and it is funny! included Luz Rivera Martinez (a labor activist from Tlaxcala, Mexico), Elmer AW: What helped you accomplish your AW: What is your favorite thing to do Lucille Allen (a retired chemist, artist, academic goals and what kind of away from work? and community activists), Dr. Diane obstacles did you face? KS: Relax. KS: I had two great supportive parents Pecknold (a WGS professor and mother), who supported me financially and AW: If you could live anywhere in the and LTC Tina Gay Riddle (diversity emotionally while I was in school. I also world (other than Louisville), where officer for the Kentucky National Guard). have great mentors throughout my would that be? Next, the women got to relax as the male academic career. The only obstacles I KS: Chicago. I love everything about the attendees were invited to participate in a have really faced have been my own. Self city. women’s history challenge. The audience doubt and lack of discipline at times. learned just as much as the contestants AW: What was the best vacation you ever and each of the contestants received a AW: What are your specific took? prize for participating. Finally, each academic/research interests? What are KS: Miami. I went there this past summer attendee was asked to fill out a postcard you working on right now? for my best friend's birthday. It was and send it to a woman who inspires KS: My current research explores the awesome. them. Throughout the night there were intersections of race, class, and sexuality prize raffles and local vendors raising in identity performance, mass media, AW: Do you have any advice or insight money to support women’s causes were body politics, and the like. Currently, I for students thinking about pursuing available to all participants. Over 100 am looking at how reality television degrees in the area of Women's and guests participated which was a much posits Black and Female identity and Gender Studies? larger number than in past years! In fact, reinforces past controlling images of KS: I would say, find a body of research there were so many attendees that the Black women. My other research interests that really fascinates. If you are not food nearly ran out. are Gender Socialization, Transnational passionate about your research you will Sexualities, Black feminisms, and lose your momentum. Your research in Transnational Feminisms. the end will always save you. So make sure whatever you are working on AW: What is the most rewarding class academically, make sure it is something experience you have had? you love. KS: When students have told me that I AW: Any other information you'd like to have taught them to think. Or when they share or offer? have told me that have become changed Pictured from left to right: Dr. Diane KS: Remember to have fun. in some way by the materials I provide Pecknold, LTC Tina Gay Riddle, Tony Nelson (interpreter), Luz Rivera Martinez, and Elmer Lucille Allen Page 2 THE 2012 ANNUAL MINX AUERBAUCH LECTURE IN WOMEN'S AND GENDER STUDIES by Alisha West On March 22nd, Norma Ramos visited the University of Louisville as a guest speaker for the Annual Minx Auerbauch Lecture series. Ramos is the Executive Director of the Coalition Against Trafficking in Women. In her talk, Ramos discussed CATW's positions regarding prostitution and pornography. Ramos is concerned with the use of the term "sex worker" because it seems to imply that the women involved in prostitution are there by choice and are not being exploited. It ignores the fact that many women are trafficked into prostitution. Though she did not have a source, she estimates that only 1% of prostitutes choose to take part in the industry. CATW prefers to use the terms, "sexually exploited person," "prostituted person," or "child used in prostitution." Furthermore, Ramos and her organization are firmly opposed to legalization/decriminalization of prostitution because they believe it would only foster the traffickers and governments, leading to further exploitation of women. She supports the "Nordic Model" which decriminalizes prostitution for prostituted persons only and offers them support services, but criminalizes the purchase of sex acts and trafficking. Ramos, once legal counsel for Women Against Pornography (WAP), a leading feminist anti-pornography group during the 1980s, also spoke about her concerns regarding pornography. To her, pornography is not only exploitation of women, but leads to use of prostituted persons. She explains, "Men go to prostitutes because they don't get what they see in porn at home." CATW's positions on prostitution and pornography are somewhat contested within pro-sex feminist circles. For more information on this important debate, you may visit the following websites: http://www.catwinternational.org/ http://sitemaker.umich.edu/lesbian.history/the_sex_wars http://prostitution.procon.org/ http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/pornography-censorship/ Pictured from left to right: Dr. Nancy Theriot, Sarah Pennington, Norma Ramos, and Alisha West WGS STUDENTS PRESENT PAPERS AT CONFERENCE IN PRAGUE by Jessy Haywood Women’s and Gender Studies graduate student Jessy Haywood presented as part of a panel at the Second Global Conference on Trauma: Theory and Practice in Prague, Czech Republic, March 21-24, 2012.