Crucial Conversations: Equal Pay Day
Popular Culture Panels
Ever wonder how popular culture impacts how we view gender? What does 50 Shades of Grey's popularity say about feminism and relationships? Is the sport of roller derby empowering for women? Join us for these panels on popular culture as we debate and discuss the role that popular culture has in our lives.
Spring 2013 Schedule of Popular Culture Panels
All-Female Roller Derby
March 6, 2013
Sage 1234, 6.30-7.30pm
Roller derby, a full-contact sport on quad roller skates, has its origins as a coed sport in the 1930s. In 2001, the sport was revitalized as primarily a women's sport - although men do participate, most leagues in the United States are all-female and it is the female players who have often captured the attention of the media.
The Women's Center is excited to have representatives from two local roller derby leagues, the Fox Cityz Foxz and Paper Valley Roller Girls, participate in a panel on issues of women's empowerment in the sport. More information is forthcoming, but don't miss this opportunity to mark your calendars so that you can attend!
Loredai Kilmore and Blazin' Britches will join us from Paper Valley Roller Girls. Wring Leader, Gixx Her, and Secretary of Skate will join us from Fox Cityz Foxz..
Vagina Monologues Recap and Discussion
April 16, 2013
Location TBA
The Women's Center is excited to announce that the Women's Advocacy Council is organizing a performance of the Vagina Monologues for April 11th and 12th. This panel will examine the debates, successes, and concerns related to the Vagina Monologues. More detail forthcoming.
Previous Panels:
50 Shades of Grey
February 26, 2013
Sage 1234, 6.30-7.30pm
50 Shades of Grey has sold more than 60 million copies worldwide. With talks of a movie based on the book, it has become an important piece of popular culture which must be examined. It has been celebrated by some as a new example of sex positivity for women. Others have denied that it has a positive message, or that it's at least a mixed message.
The Women's Center would like to invite you to critically explore why 50 Shades of Grey is so popular. Our guest panelists will explore how 50 Shades of Grey is and is not an example of sex-positivity and how the book has fostered discussion about BDSM. We will ask whether the novel is successful in reaching out to new feminists, and/or if the book models unhealthy, abusive relationships counter-intuitive to feminism.
Panelists:
Dr. Kathleen Corley, Professor of Religious Studies
Dr. Susan Rensing, Assistant Professor of Women's Studies and History
Dr. Liz Cannon, Director of the LGBTQ Resource Center
Ashley Lamers, UW Oshkosh Alum
