Though women have made substantial progress in equality, many believe the fight is ongoing.
Ferris is hosting many events around campus throughout March in honor of Women’s History Month. Women’s History Month is an annual national celebration honoring women’s contributions to our society.
“Why do we only have to talk about it this one month a year?” Ferris history professor Tracy Busch said. “I have a love/hate relationship with Women’s History Month. Mostly it’s love, but sometimes I wish that we didn’t have to consign our conversation about gender for just that one month.”
Busch is also the lead faculty for the Ferris Museum of Sexist Objects (MOSO). Busch said that this Women’s History Month, the museum is focusing on rape culture, body image and gender binary, or the classification of gender into two distinct and opposite forms of masculine and feminine.
Women’s History Month gained its origins when “Women’s History Week” became nationally recognized in 1982. The first nationally-recognized Women’s History Month didn’t come until five years later, in 1987, according to womenshistorymonth.gov.
“Representation matters,” Ferris graphic design freshman Zenise Triplett said. “Give younger women a role model. Anything that’s big that people look up to: president, vice president, leading roles in movies, anything.”
Triplett said in the future, she hopes to see more women in powerful positions.
“With strong men in positions, there’s always a strong woman in his corner, whether it’s a parent, wife or sister,” Triplett said.
Many organizations on campus came together to coordinate and plan events for Ferris students, according to Ferris Assistant Director of the Office of Multicultural Services (OMSS) Michael Wade.
Wade said the events put on by Ferris are not just for women; the events scheduled are for all students to come and learn about all that women have done.
“It’s women’s history, so it’s a part of our country’s history.” Wade said. “For some people, it will be a reminder. For other people, it will be an enlightening moment. We just try to create the platform and opportunity where cultural awareness can happen.”
Wade said OMSS’s role is to bring organizations and individuals together to help promote events.
“We reach out to departments, student organizations and individual student leaders who have a passion about doing events to celebrate the contributions that women have made and continue to make in society,” Wade said. “Often times, those contributions get overlooked.”
Ferris students also helped contribute to a Women’s History Month 2019 playlist. OMSS invited women of the community to share their motivational and inspiring song suggestions, which were then put into a YouTube playlist.
The playlist, along with additional information regarding Women’s History Month at Ferris, can be found at ferris.edu/whm.
“It’s just important to know how far we’ve come and where we’re going,” Ferris pre-optometry sophomore Kara Blue said.
Women’s History Month events at Ferris:
Gallery Feature: An Army of Women
March 1 – April 6
University Center 205, the Fine Art Gallery
A Family-Friendly Community: Strategies to Promote College Success
Tuesday, March 19
11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Arts & Sciences Commons 1015
Women’s Meet Up
Lesbian Bi Queer Ace/Aro Trans Questioning
Tuesday, March 19
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
University Center 120C, LGBTQ+ Resource Center
YBBW Critical Conversation Series
Wednesday, March 20
6 p.m. – 8 p.m.
FLITE 133
Ferris Museum of Sexist Objects Tours*
Monday, March 25, and Wednesday, March 27
Tour Times: noon – 1 p.m. / 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Starr 314
*classes or large groups please RSVP to moso@nullferris.edu
Fridays at Ferris
Movie – On the basis of Sex: Ruth Bader Ginsburg
Friday, March 29
Screening Times: 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
University Center Ballroom 202
YBBW Women’s Conference
Sunday, March 31
10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
University Center Ballroom 202A and 202B