Women’s Center lectures highlight #MeToo, sexual violence in Native America
Returning to the Montana State University campus for a new season, the MSU Women’s Center will present Sack Lunch Seminar #MeToo: The Challenge of Speaking Out on Wednesday, September 26th from noon–1pm in SUB 168.
In the era of #metoo and #timesup, the stories of sexual violence abound in the media. For decades, interpersonal violence has been a taboo subject, often only spoken about behind closed doors. While there can be great power and freedom in speaking out about these issues, several challenges for survivors also accompany the movement. Join Amber King, Prevention Education Specialist for the MSU VOICE Center for this exploration of the spectrum of experiences surrounding #metoo, including a discussion of which voices are being heard and which are still missing.
Originally set for early April, the 2018 Shannon Weatherly Memorial Lecture will take place Monday, October 8th. Prominent feminist author, professor and activist Sarah Deer will present “Sovereignty of the Soul: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America” beginning at 7pm in SUB Ballroom A. This lecture will give the audience an opportunity to learn about the crisis of sexual violence in Native America. Free and open to the public, doors open at 6:45pm.
Deer [Muscogee (Creek) Nation] has worked to end violence against women for over 25 years and was named a MacArthur Fellow in 2014. Her scholarship focuses on the intersection of federal Indian law and victims’ rights. Deer has co-authored of four textbooks on tribal law. Her latest book is The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America, which has received several awards. Her work on violence against Native women has received national recognition from the American Bar Association and the Department of Justice. She currently teaches at the University of Kansas. Deer is also the Chief Justice for the Prairie Island Indian Community Court of Appeals.
This event is brought to you by the Shannon Weatherly Memorial Lecture Fund, as well as the following Montana State University entities: The Women’s Center, VOICE Center, Society of American Indian Graduate Students, Women’s Faculty Caucus, Diversity and Inclusion Student Commons, President’s Commission on the Status of University Women, and the Honors College.
Following Wednesday, October 10th, Sack Lunch Seminar Who are you Calling Queer? will take place from noon–1pm in SUB 168.
In honor of National Coming Out Day, a panel of QSA members, MSU’s Queer/Straight Alliance student organization, will discuss the continued need for recognizing and celebrating Coming Out Day, the reality of being queer at MSU, ways to join the group, and some great events they have in the works for the Fall semester!
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. •