Let's Learn about Sex, Bay-bee!

[G. Wickwire]

Hey all, I want to say thanks to all my worshipers...it's nice to be
loved. :)  Anyway, I have lots of ideas just flowing through my brain
right now so bear with me ladies.  First of all, using women's sexuality
as the focus for women's history month is a crucial step for women on
campus.  I think it is so important that we start focusing on the power
and politics of the female body.  So, I would like to see us do a display
in the HUB art gallery of how women's bodies (and sexuality) have been
colonized and controlled throughout history.  IT would be interesting to
contextualize this by blending it with the feminist reactions of the
times.  

2. I think it would be great to do a "Religion (and/or spirituality) and
Sexuality" roundtable discussion or panel.  I think that would be a
popular event for people on campus because it is such a complicated
issue.  It might be tough to facilitate because it is such a high-energy
topic but I think we need to jump right in and open the feminist
discourse!

3.  I think it is essential to bring an amazing female speaker to campus
for the month.  I would like us to get someone who will talk about where
women's sexuality has been located, but mostly where it seems to be going.
I think the backlash NEEDS to be addressed by this speaker and we should
seek out an inspirational, activist, feminist GODDESS who will
energize people.  ( I think it is important for us to think of our goals
for each activity.  Is it primarily educational?  Thought-provoking?
Anger/Action-provoking? etc.)

4.  Yes, I am still on a roll...ok, for our roundtable discussions I would
like us to talk about violence against women. (big surprirse, right?) I
think the backlash against feminism and the "I'm not a feminist but..."
debate should be pursued also.  I know that wasn't on your list Meaghan,
but I think a roundtable discussion would allow us to really examine how
"feminism" has impacted all of our lives and how we define ourselves.
Labels are so powerful/political in our society that I think we should
allow ourselves to have an honest debate over them. I was also
thinking that we should have a discussion on race/whiteness.  Our
organization has traditionally been comprised of mostly white women which
hasn't allowed much room for conversations on race.  I think it is time we
broke those boundaries and talked about what role race has played in our
lives and how it is used to keep women in the movement separate.  It is
critical to address "whiteness" at that time.  Ok just one more...I liked
your idea of equality in relationships and would be interested in
discussing the power dynamics in romantic relationships. Things like,"Can
"equality"be achieved in any relationship if it exists in a patriachal
society?", would be fun roundtable discussions.

5.  Ok, I know I must have way too much time on my hands.  Meaghan
mentioned having a women's health/sexuality fair and that would just rock
my world.  I'll staff the "it's your body, take care of it" booth, as long
as I get to play with the female condoms and stuff!  :)  
Hope I didn't bore you all to death but to paraphrase my best girl Ani D,
I'm puttin in my 3 cents cuz history owes me one.

Gil (AKA, the Goddess herself)
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Gillian Wickwire
Director, ASUW Committee Organizing Rape Education
(206)543-4238
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