Program holds symposium

By Heather Holman
Staff Writer

This weekend is all about women's power.

The Women’s Studies Program will host the Third Wave Feminism Symposium on Friday and Saturday. The event is open to both the Purdue and Greater Lafayette communities.

The Women’s Studies Program, along with a variety of University departments, programs and organizations, hosts a symposium every other year, said Suzanne Thompson Clemenz, a Women’s Studies graduate assistant. This will be the sixth year for the event and the topic of discussion is third wave feminism.

Clemenz said it’s hard to pin down a concrete definition of what a third wave feminist is because it’s so diverse.

"By and large, third wave feminists call attention to all forms of oppression, be it gender or racial or sexual oppression," Clemenz said. "Third wave is considered a movement for all women."

Lisette Schillig, a Women’s Studies graduate assistant, agreed that defining third wave feminism can be difficult.

"I think of third wave feminism in terms of the next generation of feminists," Schillig said. "(Those) who have benefited from the important and hard-won changes the women’s movement has historically been able to realize and yet find they still face gender inequality in the workplace, in the home and in the current culture at large.

"Third wave feminism is really about the actions women are taking now on issues that are still very much with us."

Schillig thinks the symposium provides an opportunity for people to explore the ins and outs of third wave feminism.

"I think part of what this symposium importantly provides is the chance to further explore and discuss where the feminist movement is going, what directions it’s taking and what forms of collective action women are taking part in," Schillig said. "I think a lot of students think feminism and the feminism movement is something that happened a long time ago or that feminism doesn’t pertain to them."

The symposium is composed of professors and graduate students from across the United States who present their most recent writings and research, Clemenz said. "Topics range from visual images to addressing third wave issues in the classroom."

This year’s guest speakers include Erika Lopez, author of such works as "Flaming Iguanas: An Illustrated All-Girl Road Novel Thing," "They Call Me Mad Dog" and "Hoochie Momma: The Other White Meat." Other guest speakers will be Jennifer Drake and Leslie Heywood, co-authors of "Third Wave Agenda: Being Feminist, Doing Feminist," a key third wave feminism text.

Schillig thinks this is an important event for Purude.

"We don’t often have forums like this on our campus," Schillig said. "This forum will be an opportunity to hear about the kinds of grassroots activism that women today can and do participate in."

Clemenz thinks this event will be both fun and fascinating. "(This event) offers a unique opportunity for students, in particular, to come together and examine the most contemporary dimensions of he women’s movement."

Presentation explores conceptions of 'freak'

Team to defend Goldberg title

Program holds symposium

FEATURES DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111 ext. 256

Features editor: Jenny Jones

Assistant Features editor: Kate Johann

To send a letter to the editor, please email opinions@purdueexponent.org