FALL 2019 Department of Women & Gender Studies Letter from the Chair s you read through this year’s edition non-white men the right to vote. These relevant courses across the University. Musical, Aof Connections, you’ll learn about the milestones also coincide with a presidential dance, and theater performances will address extraordinary commitments, scholarship, election year, and the power of voting will be the history of suffrage and civil rights and solutions, and creativity that underline much in the news and on our minds. the voices of women and social-justice leaders in America. A community-reader series will everything we do and care about in Women “OUR VOTE” will engage students and the focus on the struggles for empowerment and & Gender Studies — and the enormous community on topics and events that reflect social justice, with special lectures from faculty contributions that our faculty and students upon the history and impact of social justice across a broad range of perspectives from make within and far beyond the University advocacy, the democratic process, and laws of Delaware. Our programs and initiatives multiple disciplines. Student research will continue to reach get students writing, hundreds of members thinking, researching, of the university and creating projects community, as we offer that deepen their a robust schedule of understanding of student-focused events democracy and the right and conversations that to vote. address the power We encourage alumnae dynamics that fuel and alumni to become gender-based violence which both advance and restrict the rights involved in “OUR VOTE” initiatives, so please and oppression, and seek solutions to ethnic, of citizenship and political access. Just as in let us know if you have ideas or topics you sexual, religious, and class divides. 1920, when suffrage was still denied to many would like to see addressed during the three Partnering with departments and units across Americans, voting rights remain under attack semesters, and if you would like to participate. the UD campus from Fall 2019 through in many states, disproportionately affecting Whether you are currently working in politics, Fall 2020, Women & Gender Studies will low-income and minority voters. So, too, is the government, or social justice advocacy, or have spearhead the major teaching initiative, very notion of democracy — and the rights a historical perspective to share, and would “OUR VOTE: History. Advocacy. Justice.” of citizens and non-citizens —threatened in like a chance to speak or present at one of our to commemorate the power and privilege nations worldwide. events, please let us hear from you! of suffrage. Not only does 2020 mark the Events currently planned for “OUR VOTE” – Patricia Sloane-White centennial of the 19th Amendment allowing include a themed curriculum for interested certain women the right to vote, it is the 150th students, with a three-semester listing of anniversary of the 15th Amendment allowing Ann V. Bell: Faculty Research Award Recipient By Margaret D. Stetz, Mae and Robert Carter Professor of Women’s Studies and Professor of Humanities hrough their endowment’s Women’s The 2018 Faculty Research Award recipient ways that give full weight to the combined TStudies Faculty Research Award, Mae is Dr. Ann V. Bell, Associate Professor of effects of gender, class, and race. Her book and Robert Carter have continued to advance Sociology at the University of Delaware, who Misconception: Social Class & Infertility in scholarship and support research focused is at the forefront of examining the issue of America (Rutgers, 2014), has made an impact on issues that are central to women’s lives. women’s reproductive health in intersectional Continued on page 2 PB CONNECTIONS / DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN & GENDER STUDIES / UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE / FALL 2019 CONNECTIONS / DEPARTMENT OF WOMEN & GENDER STUDIES / UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE / FALL 2019 1 reproduction, which also affect reproductive is silenced, giving the effect of rarity rather decision-making. More recently, Dr. Bell has than commonality. In turn, this prevalence Spotlight: Andrea Glass-Heffner been examining the gendered components paradox stigmatizes abortion, and constructs By Chiara Sabina of reproduction through interviews with its patients as deviant and non-normative . a men experiencing infertility as well as with universal ‘Abortion Patient,’ often portrayed uthentic, dedicated, and stimulating Dr. Glass-Heffner holds two master’s degrees, same-sex couples seeking medical treatment as a young, unmarried, poor woman of color, Aare three words to describe Dr. Andrea one in American Studies (Pennsylvania State to conceive. Currently, she is exploring despite the significant diversity inherent Glass-Heffner, Adjunct Instructor in University) and one in American History and contraceptive inequalities by documenting in the women receiving the procedure.” To Women & Gender Studies, who brings an Museum Studies (University of Delaware), and and analyzing both women’s and providers’ counter this “disconnect” from the truth, array of talents to the department. Students recently defended her dissertation entitled, attitudes, behaviors, and beliefs around Dr. Bell designs research questions to elicit in her course, “Cultural Introduction to “Gentrification, Interrupted: Place-Based- reproductive health. new information and thus to challenge the Sexualities and Gender Studies” appreciate Identity, Vanishing Landscapes, and the prevailing views, asking “How might such a how engaging, invested, and inclusive she War on Gentrification in Urban America,” Dr. Bell’s research, presented at the Faculty disconnect shape women’s lived experiences of is in the classroom. She is a fierce ally to the receiving her doctorate in American Studies Research Award lecture in October 2019, abortion?” Dr. Bell’s Faculty Research Award- LGBTQ+ community, and has served as a from Penn State Harrisburg. Serving as examines “A Neglected Disparity’: Race, funded research closely examines the social board member of the LGBT Center of Central associate editor for the journal Cultural Class, Gender and the Lived Experience of Continued from page 1 construction of abortion, how its embedded Pennsylvania, worked on the Center’s oral Analysis, and her expansive focus on gender Abortion,” an increasingly political focal point stereotypes influence how women understand history project, and is currently the President and sexuality, urban culture and folklore, in the United States. As Dr. Bell explains in through its study of women’s experiences of and experience abortion, and how a woman’s of the Ephrata Performing Arts Center, a place-based identity, and popular culture her research, the topic of abortion abounds infertility and its concentration on how those life circumstances, including race, class, and theater dedicated to producing “theater that ensures her classes are interdisciplinary and with stereotypes and misperceptions: “Despite experiences are shaped by class- and race- gender, shape that experience. matters” and showcases diverse voices. For include diverse media sources. “Many of its extensiveness, the practice of abortion based social understandings of infertility and more than 15 years, Dr. Glass-Heffner has my students come to class looking to learn worked for non-profits, including as executive something about both themselves and the director of the Ephrata Area Chamber of world around them,” Dr. Glass-Heffner Commerce, leading community efforts in notes. “I am truly blessed knowing that the economic development and social justice, enthusiasm and passion that I have for my and documenting cultural landscapes as a students, my research, and my classes, has The Diversity Research Café photographer. changed the lives of others.” By Patricia Sloane-White his Diversity Research Café, now in its third sexual violence. Dr. Block also shared her The April 2019 Tyear, continued to advance the Department expertise for using creative pedagogies in the Diversity Research of Women & Gender Studies’ mission to foster digital humanities to tie historical subjects Café welcomed discussion among faculty, staff, and graduate to students’ modern concerns, as instructors Dr. Lisa Bowleg, students across the University on issues related strive to reach students across political, Professor of Applied to diversity, gender, women, and sexuality. Each ideological, and academic spectrums. Social Psychology Café, intended to cultivate new research ideas, at The George curricular offerings, insight into classroom In October 2018, Washington approaches and collaborative projects, is led by The Diversity University. Dr. Welcome Barbara Ley an invited speaker whose work explores active Research Café Bowleg – who was a By Pascha Bueno-Hansen approaches to addressing and understanding welcomed Dr. Aída student in the very first Women’s Studies class eginning in Fall 2019, Associate Perspectives,” particularly management produced systems of inequality. Hurtado, Professor taught by Dr. Margaret Stetz at Georgetown Professor Barbara Ley shifts her relevant within the and used in social contexts and Luis Leal University – discussed “The Intersectionality B appointment to the Department of Women DVPS Program, which that hold the potential In September Endowed Chair in Tool Kit,” a resource she developed for & Gender Studies as a seventy-five percent attracts students entering to both perpetuate and 2018, The Diversity the Department public policy researchers to ensure that they faculty