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Women's History Month Poster Image
Women's History Month Poster Image

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News Release

Contact: Jolene Skinner, Women’s Studies Program
(815) 753-1044

February 23, 2005

25 events highlight Women’s History Month

DeKalb, Ill. —Northern Illinois University will celebrate Women’s History Month in March with 25 events highlighting the 2005 theme of "Body Waves."

"The theme captures the growing debate among feminists about the role of body display in our society and the differing feminist perspectives over the importance of appearance," said Amy Levin, a professor of English who serves as director of the NIU Women’s Studies Program.

A number of speakers and activities planned for Women’s History Month will focus on issues related to body image. Among the events on tap:

Tuesday, March 1

Professor Sherrie Inness of Miami University of Ohio will present a lecture titled, "Beyond Charlie’s Angels: The New World of the Action Heroine," at 7 p.m. in the Heritage Room of Holmes Student Center. Inness will demonstrate how women in the media are challenging traditional female roles.

Wednesday, March 2

Professor Inness will give an informal seminar titled, "The Enchantment of Mixing-Spoons: Cookbooks for Girls and Boys," at 10 a.m. in the staff lounge on the lower level of Founders Memorial Library. Inness argues that juvenile cookbooks do more than teach how to grill a steak or bake a cake; they also demonstrate to boys and girls the attitudes society expects them to adopt toward cooking.

An opening reception for the Women’s History Month Art Show will be held from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the DeKalb Area Women’s Center, 1021 State St. The exhibit features artwork by women faculty and graduate students in the NIU School of Art. Call (815) 758-1351 for gallery hours. The show will run through March 30.

Thursday, March 3

Barbara Cole Peters, a private collector of women’s fashions from the 20th century, will showcase several evening dresses at 4:30 p.m. at the President’s Residence in DeKalb. The event, titled "100 Years of Evening Dresses: A 20th Century Journey of Body Adornment and Body Display," will demonstrate how the dresses provide an insight into the last century’s concepts of beauty, style and self-expression while illustrating major changes in social attitudes and tastes. Reservations are required, and space is limited. Call (815) 753-1038.

Tuesday, March 8

"I, Doll," a satirical documentary about the Barbie doll, will be shown at 12:15 p.m. in Room 211 of Reavis Hall. Lois Self, chair of the Department of Communication, will lead a discussion following the documentary showing. Participants are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch.

Wednesday, March 23

Professor Natalie Guice Adams of the University of Alabama will present a lecture titled, "Trying Out For Womanhood: The Cheerleader as the Embodiment of the Ideal Girl," at 4:30 p.m. in the Heritage Room of Holmes Student Center. Adams will discuss how cheerleaders are both vilified and glorified, how cheerleading enacts both wholesome and erotic facets of American femininity, and how cheerleading reflects our shifting beliefs about sports and gender.

Thursday, March 24

Professor Adams will give an informal lecture titled, "Cheerleaders, Tomboys, and Girlie Girls: Athleticism and Girlhood in the 21st Century," at 11 a.m. in the Heritage Room of Holmes Student Center. The lecture will examine how young women must negotiate the expectations of being both assertive and athletic tomboys as well as attractive and slim girlie girls.

Wednesday, March 30

An informal reading of Eve Ensler’s new play, "The Good Body," will be performed at 6 p.m. in the Diversions Lounge of Holmes Student Center. Following the performance, Alexandra Bennett, an NIU professor of English, will lead the discussion.

Additional programs are scheduled to coincide with Women’s History Month. For a complete schedule, visit http://womenshistorymonth.niu.edu/. The events are open to the public and, unless otherwise noted, are free. Sign language interpreters are available upon request, with one-week advance notice preferred. Call (815) 753-6515.

Event sponsors include the NIU Women’s Studies Program, the Women’ s Resource Center, the Women’s Alliance, the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women, the Graduate Colloquium Committee, Office of the President, University Bookstore, the Student Association, the Department of Teaching and Learning, University Libraries, Human Resources, the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures, the Center for Latino and Latin American Studies, the Department of Communication, the Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, Counseling and Student Development and the DeKalb Area Women’s Center.

For more information, contact the Women’s Studies Program at (815) 753-1044.

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