By Erica Aldridge
Since 1987, March has been the month to celebrate women’s history. Although the college has planned events for women’s history month in the past, nothing is scheduled for this year.
In 2011, the college hosted multiple information sessions and guest speakers to talk about various women’s issues. The topics ranged from issues with women all across the world to personal body image. Student Rebekah Mayer said there are many other topics to discuss.
“I think body issue is a big thing, but it kind of only scratches the surface,” Mayer said. “I think it would be cool to talk about women and our roles in society.”
Professor Toby Klinger said there are several subjects that she would like to see discussed in the future.
“We really should be considering doing something in terms of domestic abuse,” Klinger said. “And do something much more collaboratively with the community.”
This year, the selected theme of Women’s History Month is women’s education. Although Women’s History Month is important to consider every year, this year’s theme is one that has an impact on every female student here at the college.
It was not until 1972 that gender discrimination by federally funded institutions was prohibited, according to the national women’s history project website (www.nwhp. org). The passing of Title IX of the Higher Education Act Amendments made this possible. Before it was enacted, any tools that were offered by colleges and universities could have been made exclusive to one gender and not the other.
Student Jamie Veeder said women should be aware of events like this in history.
“I think it’s important to appreciate where [women] are now, and where we are going,” Veeder said. “It’s important to think about what it means for us to be full members of society, because it wasn’t that long ago that we weren’t.”
The college does not have any specific events planned for this year’s women’s history month. But students can visit the national women’s history project website to learn more about influential women in history and to find events that are going on in other areas of the nation.
Contact Erica Aldridge, copy editor, at ealdridg@jccc.edu.