Lafayette Celebrates Women’s History Month

Lafayette will celebrate Women’s History Month in March with lectures, discussion forums, film screenings, a trivia contest, and a reading by U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey.

U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey, photo by Joel Smith

Now in her second term as the 19th Poet Laureate of the United States, Trethewey will present the 2014 John L Hatfield ’67 Lecture hosted by the Friends of Skillman Library 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 12, in Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104. She is the author of four collections of poetry, Domestic Work (2000); Bellocq’s Ophelia (2002); Native Guard (2006), for which she won a Pulitzer Prize; and most recently, Thrall (2012).

Author Susan Katz Miller will host the discussion “Interfaith Dating Relationships: Can We Make it Work?” noon Thursday in Hogg Hall, and a lecture on her new book, Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family, 7 p.m. Thursday in Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104. An award-winning journalist, Miller is an interfaith child, an interfaith parent, and board co-chair of the Interfaith Families Project of Greater Washington D.C. She has written for Newsweek, The New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, New Scientist, and Huffington Post Religion.

There is also a women’s history trivia contest. Check out the profiles of historical women around campus for hints to the contest answers. Those who get all 10 questions correct will be entered into a raffle for one of two $50 gift cards to Target.

The month’s events are sponsored by the Offices of Gender and Sexuality Programs, Intercultural Development, Student Leadership and Involvement, and Religious and Spiritual Life; the Africana Studies and Women’s & Gender Studies Programs; Alpha Gamma Delta, Alpha Phi, and Delta Delta Delta sororities; and Association of Lafayette Feminists, Lafayette Activities Forum, NIA, Hillel, Interfaith Council, Friends of Skillman Library, and Newman Association. For more information, contact Gender and Sexuality Programs at (610) 330-5819.

Women’s History Month Schedule

• March 5, noon, Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 – “Disney Princesses: A Critical Analysis” with Daniel Bahner, assistant director of residence life, and Gene Kelly, associate dean of intercultural development and director of gender and sexuality programs
• March 6, noon, Interfaith Chapel of Hogg Hall – “Interfaith Dating Relationships: Can We Make it Work?” brown bag with author and journalist Susan Katz Miller
• March 6, 7 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 – Being Both: Embracing Two Religions in One Interfaith Family book discussion with Susan Katz Miller
• March 6, 9 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 – Film: Frozen
• March 7, 4:15 p.m., Oechsle Hall room 224 – Lecture by Tracey Brooks
• March 10, noon, Keefe Commons – Masculinities on Mondays: “STEM Fields and Gender Expectations” discussion hosted by Ben Cohen, assistant professor of engineering studies. Only open to men.
• March 12, noon, Interfaith Chapel of Hogg Hall – Women’s Issues Wednesdays discussion. Only open to women.
• March 12, 4:30 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 – John L. Hatfield ’67 Lecture: Poetry Reading by U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey
• March 13, Noon, Interfaith Chapel of Hogg Hall – “Worldwide Population Growth and Control” brown bag
• March 25, Noon, Portlock Black Cultural Center – “White”washing Feminism brown bag
• March 26, 6 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights Lobby – Reception with Lafayette Professional Women
• March 26, 7 p.m., Kirby Hall of Civil Rights room 104 – Film: 20 Feet From Stardom