Experience of ‘coming out,’ human trafficking & historical midwifery on topic w/ Women’s Center lectures

The Montana State University Women’s Center, in conjunction with MSU’s Queer Straight Alliance and the Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons, will present “The Meaning and Experiences of ‘Coming Out’: A Tribute to the Memory of Matthew Shepard” on Wednesday, October 17th. Beginning at 6:30pm, this presentation will be held at MSU’s Procrastinator Theater in celebration of National LGBTQ History Month and in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of Shepard’s tragic murder.
This dialogue will highlight the realities and experiences of coming out. Also featured will be a screening of Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine, a film which chronicles Shepard’s life and tragic murder in Wyoming 20 years ago. This event is free and open to the public – join in!
Sack Lunch Seminar “Human Trafficking in our Daily Lives” follows on Wednesday, October 24th from noon–1pm in SUB 168.
Join The HEART Initiative student organization to learn how human trafficking touches our lives on a daily basis. From the presence of labor trafficking in supply chains to trafficking right here in Bozeman, we can all learn how to be modern-day abolitionists by consuming ethically and learning the signs of trafficking. This presentation will cover how trafficking relates to topics such as the fishing industry, coffee, clothes, porn, technology, tourism, and the hospitality industry in the context of Bozeman. Learn what you can do and how to get involved with The HEART Initiative and the newly-formed Gallatin County Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force to take a stand against exploitation and support survivors.
Another Sack Lunch Seminar, “Mary Kassmeier, Midwife on the Upper Missouri” with Stacey Haugland and Jennifer Hill, is set for Wednesday, October 31st from noon–1pm in SUB 168.
Mary Kassmeier, a Montana midwife in the early 1900s, delivered babies at home and in the hospital, working independently and also with local physicians. This presentation will explore her practice and the collaborative relationships between healthcare providers common at the time. Historian Jennifer Hill and midwife Stacey Haugland are working to record the forgotten histories of women like Kassmeier by collecting and preserving stories of ordinary women – from grandmothers and knowledgeable neighbors to professional midwives, nurses, and doctors – who cared for pregnant women and young mothers.
The MSU Women’s Center is a department in the division of Student Success and was created to promote greater responsiveness to the needs of university women. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9am–4pm during the academic year, when classes are in session. Lectures are FREE and open to the public. For more information about these and other events, visit www.montana.edu/women.