Women’s History Month offers ‘chance to learn and reflect’
Women’s History Month at The University of Texas at Arlington offers an opportunity to study and celebrate the vital contributions of women in history, society and academia.
“Women’s History Month offers both a time to consider the contributions of women in history and also to bring awareness to the oppression and unique obstacles women still face throughout the world,” said Dustin Harp, associate professor and director of UTA’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program. “The events planned on campus throughout the month give our community the chance to learn and reflect about themselves and women around the globe.”
UTA’s Women’s History Month will feature a variety of events, both informative and entertaining, including the following:
- The Women’s History Month Kickoff Panel takes place at 5 p.m. on March 1 in the E.H. Hereford University Center’s Red River Room. A panel conversation on “Women’s Health and Women’s Bodies” will feature experts in wellness, relationship violence and sexual assault prevention, social work, advocacy, and family planning sharing their experiences and answering questions.
- The Maverick Theatre Company presents 9 to 5 The Musical from March 2-6 in the Fine Arts Building’s Mainstage Theatre. The production highlights issues of sexism in the workplace and the movement for women's rights within a comedic setting. “With this production, we pay homage to the movie while representing our UTA students and how they intersect with these characters,” said Austin Eyer, assistant professor and head of UTA’s Bachelor of Fine Arts program in musical theatre. “The design team, crew and cast have worked very hard to make sure that 9 to 5 still shines and all of the exciting performance elements are still there for the community to enjoy.”
- On International Women’s Day, Tuesday March 8, visit the UTA Multicultural Affairs Women’s History Month display with staff and students to learn more about the holiday and different activists and their efforts for rights around the globe. The booth will be on display in the University Center by the cafeteria entrance starting at 11 a.m.
- Also on March 8, UTA's College of Science welcomes Mary Gray for a talk titled "Statistics and Human Rights" for its Distinguished Women in Science Speaker Series. A statistician and lawyer, Gray’s areas of research include applications of statistics to human rights, economic equity, legal issues and education. Join the College of Science in SEIR 198 for a reception at 3 p.m., prior to Gray's talk at 3:30 p.m.
- At 11:30 a.m. on March 30, women’s rights activist Roshan Mashal, a Texas International Education Consortium fellow at UTA, participates in a Q&A session and serve as a keynote speaker representing UTA’s Women’s and Gender Studies Program.
The month-long celebration of women in history began in 1980 when President Jimmy Carter declared the week of March 8 National Women’s History Week. The week-long event expanded in 1987 when Congress passed a resolution designating March as Women’s History Month.