About Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity

Great For Students Who ...
- are woman-identified and/or Trans*/Gender Non-Conforming (and comfortably using women-identified bathrooms) seeking a vibrant community experience
- are interested in gender equity, women’s empowerment, and social justice
- are seeking a unique and friendly community – winner of the PACURH 2014 Community of the Year award!
Program + Learning Outcomes
By participating in Harstad Women’s Empowerment and Gender Equity, students will:
- Explore gender as a social identity and how it intersects with other social, biological, and cultural categories such as, but not limited to, race, class, ability, sexual orientation, religion, age, size, and nationality.
- Be able to articulate what women’s empowerment and gender equity means to them in intersection with their other identities.
- Empower themselves (and others) to advocate for gender equity and social justice.
- Identify the ways in which patriarchal oppression affects all genders.
Linked Course(s)
YES (for new First-Year Students)
All first-year students have the option to enroll (on a first-come, first-served basis) in a linked First Year Experience Program (FYEP) course on the topic of gender equity. Examples of linked courses from fall 2021 include:
- Literature & Medicine | Nancy Simpson-Younger | FYEP 101 Section 16
Linked Residence Hall(s)
Example Programs
Below are a few examples of Women’s Empowerment & Gender Equity programs that have occurred in past! If you have an idea for an LC program, contact your Resident Assistant or Community Advocate to see about planning it!
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- Social Justice Sleepover | A workshop and documentary series addressing various social justice topics in combination with crafts
- International Womxn’s Open Mic
- Microaggressions Workshop
- Fight the Fear | Collaboration with RHC and Gender Equity Center | Self defense and partner based violence
- Coming Into Your Own Voice | A dialogue about navigating challenging conversations and examining one’s beliefs
- Womxn’s March Debrief | A discussion about the pros and cons of the Womxn’s March along with how to engage in activism
- Healthy Relationships Movie Night | A movie screening of Beauty and the Beast and a critical discussion about gender roles and healthy relationships
- We Need New Names Discussion | A conversation about the common reading book and how it connects to the current political and social climate.
- J-term Game Month & Lip Sync Battle
- Harry Potter Movie Marathon and Hall Decorating Competition
- All Hall Retreat- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them | A movie theater was rented for the hall to watch the movie together
- Halloween Trick or Treating with the Parkland Community
- Love Your Body Photo Shoot | A photo shoot about body image and self love
- The Purity Myth | Movie screening and discussion about the different ways society is viewing Planned Parenthood, contraception, and the meaning of rape within the context of a larger political effort to roll back women’s rights.
- Playdate | Annual all-campus event coordinated by Residence Hall Council
Contacts
For more information about this Learning Community option contact:
Jessica Cotton, Community Director for Harstad Hall | jcotton@plu.edu
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