Womyn’s Commission is an educator and an advocate for womyn’s rights, with a commitment to representing and improving the status of womyn on campus and in the community. The Commission is working toward becoming a diverse group of members reflecting the different voices of the campus and community.

This year Womyn’s Commission worked with the A.S. Human Rights Board and various other campus organizations, including the Global Awareness Club, World Healer, American Students for Israel, Women’s Center, Environmental Affairs Board, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Japanese Students Association, UCSB Model United Nations, Global Access Media, and the EVPLA’s office to host the Human Rights Week, which is dedicated to raising awareness regarding human right issues around the world.

The week featured several discussions and film screenings. It also included a Skype dialogue with Rwandan genocide victims. Womyn’s Commission sponsored a discussion “Hey I ain’t Sleeping Beauty!” The discussion dissected the myth of the Disney princess and focused on how the Disney corporate machine perpetuates racism, classism, sexism, and homophobia specifically targeting youth through beloved childhood characters that embed stereotypes and further oppressive cultural norms.

Another film screened at the Multicultural Center during the week was Mrs. Gundo’s Daughter, which addresses the practice of female genital mutilation, which is common in some parts of Africa, Asia, and the Middle East.

Womyn’s Comission Co-chair Sophia Armen told the Daily Nexus, “It’s always an amazing collaborative process to have so many different groups come together. It’s a week that focuses on humanity—the common element within us all.”