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Show Beyond The u U . v , x. a r s Entertainment Magazine of Weber State University March 2-8, 2001 Vol. 4, Issue 1 9 10 e 4 Hi. 1 . . A month-Cong tribute to thz ecfuaC status of women f i sirs' y Tit .J. i I mi Ilk j v, ; (Ml d) By Kristy Jorgensen features editor The Signpost The efforts of women throughout history to achieve equality has been brought to attention of the United States and Weber State University for the month of March. "Women's History Month is an attempt to tell the whole story," said John Sillito, archivist and historian at the Stewart Library. 'This month is a chance to celebrate all the influential women who have been ignored throughout history," said Sandra Powell, coordinator of the WSU Women's Studies program. "It's an opportunity to write them back into the history books." Last year, President Bill Clinton proclaimed, "Women's History Month is about highlighting the extraordinary achievements of women throughout our history, while recognizing the equally significant obstacles they had to overcome along the road to success." The beginnings of the women's suffrage movement Early attitudes presumed that women naturally had fewer rights and career opportunities than men. Women were regarded as not only physically inferior to men, but also intellectually inferior. Women were even regarded as evil temptresses. Although recent studies suggest that women have an increased tolerance for pain than men and that women live longer and are more resistant to diseases. In Greek mythology. Pandora, a woman, opened the forbidden box that led to great plagues for mankind. St. Jerome, a father of the Christian church in the 4th century said, "Woman is the gate of the devil, the path of wickedness, the sting of the serpent, in a word, a perilous object." These allegedly closed-minded ideas seem appalling to most of us now. Eventually, changing social conditions led to the idea of equality in the early 1800s. Starting with the first women's convention in Seneca Falls. N.Y. in 1848. Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Cady Stanton became two of the first women reformers. The men and women at the convention made a declaration mimicking that of the U.S. constitution, stating, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal ..." The movement lasted for over 70 years. With the abolishment of slavery and the addition of the 14th and 15th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, women were still waiting for the right to vote. After marching, picketing and chaining themselves to the White House fence, suffragists got the government's attention and the 19lh Amendment, giving women the right to vote, passed with an overwhelming majority in the Senate and House in 1919. With the penetrating climate of equality between genders, one may wonder why this issue needs to resurface. "A lot of people don't understand that there are still '"The (Right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by thz United States or by any state on account ofse?.. . Congress shallhave pozoer to enforce this article by appropriate legislation. " -13th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States issues," said Gloria Perez-Jensen, coordinator of the Equity in Opportunity Training and Technical Assistant Center and counselor for the Services of Women's Studies. Perez-Jensen helps women with nontraditional career exploration."I encourage females to think outside of the box," she said. "I want women to consider being a doctor, not just the nurse, although the nurse is extremely important." Perez-Jensen cited times when counseling groups of young women and asking them to raise their hands if they were planning on working after graduating from high school or college. "Hardly any raised their hands," said Perez-Jensen. Then she asked how many of their mothers worked. Almost everyone raised their hands. "Women work an average of 33 years," said Perez-Jensen. She stressed the importance of career preparation for women in case of a divorce, injury or death of a spouse. WSU events for Women's History Month WSU kicks off Women's History Month with an opening social in the Diversity Center from 10 a.m. to noon today. During the event, students will be able to add the name of their female role model, whether it's a nationally renown figure or not, to the "Circle of Influence" banner. The banner will be displayed at the Diversity Center along with banners from past years. During the opening social at the Diversity Center at 1 1 a.m., the Hill Air Force Base African-American Outreach Group will perform. Sergeant Denise Elbert will portray Judith Jamison, artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. Ann Tarrant will portray Harriett Elizabeth Byrd, the first African-American legislator from Wyoming. Each year the African-American Outreach Group performs for WSU, adding new characters to their repertoire each year. They integrate active military women to take on the role of the person instead of just talking about her. Other Women's History Month events going on is the WSU women's basketball team's game on March 3. Also the WSU women's tennis team plays March 27 and 31. Women's History Month March 2 Opening Social, Diversity Center, 10 a.m. to noon March 3 Women's Basketball, Dee Events Center 9 a.m. March 6 "Feminist Pursuit" sponsored by Feminist United Network, UB Lair, 5 p.m. March 7 Video "The Way Home," UB 338, noon. "Women Hold up Half the Sky," Ott Planetarium, 8 p.m. March 8 Convocation, Susan Estrich, UB Ballroom, 10 a.m. Women's History Day March, Duck Pond, 12:30 p.m. March 14 "Women Hold up Half the Sky," Ott Planetarium, 8 p.m. March 17 Northern Utah Women's Conference featuring keynote speakers Mary Nickles, co-anchor of 2NEWS This Morning and Vickie L. McCall, chair of the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services. At the Ogden Marriott Hotel 8 a.m. $27 by March 1 2, $35 at the door. Contact: 626-6372.March 21 Women on Wednesday, Sunny Scott-Luther, UB 338, noon. Emma Lou Thayne, Stewart Library Special Collections, 1 p.m. "Women Hold up Half the Sky," Ott Planetarium, 8 p.m. March 27 Movie "Cleopatra," Stewart Library Special Collections, 1 p.m. Women's Tennis, WSU tennis courts, 3 p.m. March 28 Writing Contest sponsored by the Services for Women Students, UB Lair, noon. Poetry Slam sponsored by the Feminist United Network, UB Lair, 7 p.m. "Women Hold up Half the Sky," Ott Planetarium, 8 p.m. March 29 Martha S. Bradley, Stewart Library Special Collections, 1 0 a.m. March 31 Women's Tennis, tennis courts, 9 a.m. The Ott Planetarium will be featuring important women astronomers in the show "Women Hold Up Hall the Sky" every Wednesday night in March at 8 p.m. "There is a wide range of activities pointing to women's various contributions." said Sillito. WSU's Feminist United Network, FUN. will be hosting two of the activities for the month. March 6, they will host a game of "Feminist Pursuit for students to participate in. "It's loosely based on the game, Trivial Pursuit,'" sai Powell. "Some of the questions were submitted by var ous students and faculty." And at 7 p.m. March 28, FUN will be hosting a poetr slam for students to read works about what it means t be a woman, or to comment on statements regardin womanhood. All day March 17, the 26th annual Northern Uta Women's Conference will be held at the Ogden Marrio. Hotel. The morning keynote speaker will be Vickie L. McCal see Women page |