Womyn’s Commission
Introduction
The UCSB A.S. Womyn’s Commission is an educator about 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 A.S. Womyn’s Commission is working toward becoming a diverse group of members reflecting the different voices of the campus and community.
Human Rights Week
Throughout this year’s Human Rights Week, Womyn’s Commission members expressed activism through art. Everyone was welcome to participate and express their creativity throughout the week in locations including the Arbor, SRB Lawn, and in front of the UCEN.
Sandra Fluke Speaks
In partnership with the UCSB Departments of Sociology and Feminist Studies,Take Back the Night, External Vice President, Local Affairs, and Community Affairs Board, Womyn’s Commission, co-sponsored a talk by women’s rights activist Sandra Fluke. The The daughter of a conservative Christian pastor, Sandra Fluke, 31, became a women’s-rights activist in college and continued her advocacy as a law student at Georgetown. In February 2012, after being denied a chance to testify at a Republican-run House hearing on insurance coverage for birth control, Rush Limbaugh called Fluke a “slut.” Democrats and many Republicans reacted with outrage, and the left made Limbaugh’s slur Exhibit A in what they called a GOP “war on women.” Fluke, meanwhile, weathered the attention with poise and maturity and emerged as a political celebrity. In 2012, Democrats turned the national spotlight on Fluke again by giving her a national-convention speaking slot as part of their push to make reproductive rights a central issue in the presidential campaign.
Sandra Fluke joined the Women, Gender, and Sexual Equity Department and the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee for a presentation on February 28th at 7:30 pm at Campbell Hall to discuss what’s next in the political war on women and how women of all ages can stay energized and active now that the election is over. The lecture was open to students, faculty, staff and community members.
Annual Womyn Unite Banquet
The annual Womyn Unite Banquet is a Winter Quarter event in which campus womyn came together to celebrate the womyn in their communities and in their lives. The banquet, which was held in Corwin Pavilion, included a buffet style, sit down dinner, as well as several performances by various groups on campus. The Commission also proudly presented this year’s guest speaker, spoken word artist, Natasha T. Miller. The event was a night of friends, community, and empowerment open and free to all!
Womyn of Color Conference
Womyn’s Commission proudly presented its First Annual Womyn of Color Conference during Spring Quarter. The conference was entitled “Womyn of Resilience: Remembering Our Ancestors, Reclaiming the Margins, Redefining Progress.”
The one day conference provided a safe space and a voice to discuss the many issues and obstacles that womyn of color face on our campus, in our communities, and in society. The keynote speaker was Cecelia Fire Thunder. Guest speakers included UCSB Professors, Kum-Kum Bhavnani and Grace Chang. The event also included student performances and food was provided.
The Annual Runaway show, “I am Beautiful”
Leading up to the Womyn of Color Conference, Womyn’s Commission hosted their annual “I Am Beautiful” Runway Show. The show was held in Corwin Pavilion to question media hyped notions of beauty and let women and men be chill with their bodies.