Panel on Boundary Breaking Women to Celebrate Women’s Rights
The Boundary Breaking Women's panel will take place from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 12 on the fifth floor of Cashion.
Media Contact: Terry_Goodrich, 254-710-3321
Follow Baylor Media Communications on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia
WACO, Texas (Sept. 8, 2017) - This year marks the 100th anniversary of the famous Silent Sentinels protest for women’s suffrage in front of the White House. To celebrate the anniversary, Baylor's Women's and Gender Studies program will host its annual Boundary Breaking Women’s panel from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 12, on the fifth floor of the Cashion Academic Center.
Lisa Shaver, Ph.D., associate professor of English, said the program originally organized the panel so Baylor’s campus could participate in the debate about placing a woman on U.S. currency. Since then, it has grown to bring the public’s attention to some of the women who played crucial roles in the advancement of women’s rights but are not usually recognized.
“The response to the panel was so positive, we decided to continue using it as a way for our campus to learn and celebrate the accomplishments of women,” Shaver said.
This year’s panel theme is "A Call to Action," with 10 Baylor faculty members highlighting 10 women in history in honor of those who endured cold, rain, verbal and physical attacks, and even incarceration, to gain the constitutional right to vote. Shaver said the bravery and initiative of these women should inspire modern women to remember their sacrifices as they face the struggles women deal with today.
“Think about them when you try to convince yourself that your vote doesn’t matter or you cannot be bothered to exercise that fundamental right,” Shaver said.
Shaver said the stories of these women are relevant to today because it is important for women to choose their own paths in the midst of a society that desperately needs more female CEO’s, senators, scientists, entrepreneurs and college presidents.
“Around the world, millions of women are still fighting for basic rights, and in our own country, too many women lack maternity leave, affordable childcare, equal pay, opportunities for advancement, access to healthcare, etc. We are all called to action, but women especially,” Shaver said.
Faculty from different schools and colleges will speak on these women:
• Beth Barr, History: Eleanor of Aquitaine, queen consort of France and England (1122-1204)
• Lauren Barron, Medical Humanities: Helen Taussig, American cardiologist (1898-1986)
• Brooke Blevins, Education: Maria Montessori, Italian physician and educator (1870-1952)
• Elise Edwards, Religion: Jarena Lee, American preacher and writer (1783-1864)
• Rebecca Flavin, Political Science: Alice Paul, American women’s rights activist (1885-1977)
• Ginger Hanchey, English: Gwendolyn Brooks, American poet (1917-2000)
• Jennifer Good, MLC: Maria Sybilla Merian, German-born scientific illustrator (1647-1717)
• Alden Smith, Classics: Properzia de’ Rossi, Italian sculptor (1490-1530)
• DeAnna Toten Beard, Theatre Arts: Minnie Maddern Fiske, American actress (1865-1932)
• Sarah Walden, Baylor Interdisciplinary Core (BIC): Patty Jenkins, American film director and screenwriter (1971-)
by Joy Moton , student newswriter, (254) 710-6805
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.
ABOUT BAYLOR COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES
The College of Arts & Sciences is Baylor University’s oldest and largest academic division, consisting of 26 academic departments and 13 academic centers and institutes. The more than 5,000 courses taught in the College span topics from art and theatre to religion, philosophy, sociology and the natural sciences. Faculty conduct research around the world, and research on the undergraduate and graduate level is prevalent throughout all disciplines. Visit www.baylor.edu/artsandsciences.