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Previous Lectures

Previous Lecture Series:

  • Fall 2007
  • Spring 2007
  • Fall 2006
  • Spring 2006
  • Spring 2005
  • Fall 2004
  • Spring 2004
  • Fall 2003
  • Queer Mirrors

    WGS 301 Fall 2007 (pdf)

    August 28: Pregnancy, Pregnancy Loss, Transition to Parenthood: Overlooked Issues
    Alissa Hirshfeld-Flores, MFT, is the Bereavement Services Manager at Hospice By The Bay. She has been a hospice worker for twelve years, specializing in issues of grief and loss, including pregnancy and neonatal loss. She also has a private practice in Santa Rosa, where she specializes in issues related to pregnancy and new parenthood. Ms. Hirshfeld-Flores is also a trained doula (birth companion). She will discuss the emotional processes women and their partners may encounter as they move through pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood as well as neonatal loss.

    September 4: Risky Business: STI's, HIV, and the Vulnerability of Women
    Join us for a discussion of the biological and social factors contributing to women's vulnerability to sexually transmitted infections. Learn why women are one of the fastest-growing groups of new HIV infections in the United States, and discuss strategies for empowerment, protection, and the enhancement of sexual health. Presented by Nicole Cushman, Bilingual Health Educator at Planned Parenthood: Shasta-Diablo. Ms. Cushman has taught comprehensive sex education throughout Napa County and worked as an HIV Test Counselor at Stanford University. She presented at NARAL Pro-Choice California's Napa and Sonoma Valleys Roe v. Wade Action Summit in 2007 and is a member of the Association of Planned Parenthood Leaders in Education's HPV Curriculum Development Team.
    September 11: Five Ways to Keep Your Spirit Healthy
    Sarah Dole will present practical ways to enhance your spiritual vitality as well as your physical health. These suggestions are drawn from almost forty years of spiritual practice that include meditation, law of attraction and shamanic empowerment tools. Ms. Dole is a shamanic practitioner and spiritual life mentor with a practice in Sebastopol. She is a minister of The Circle of the Sacred Earth and has studied extensively with the Foundation for Shamanic Studies.

    September 18: Societal Influences on Women’s Bodies: Abortion Rights and Choices
    Shannen Farrell-Fraley, MA, MFT Intern, will discuss the current status of American sexuality. What are the influences on our sexual rights, respect and responsibility? Does our highly sexualized media empower or oppress women? Ms. Farrell-Fraley has been employed by the Sonoma County Public Health Department for thirteen years and works in the STD and Family Planning Clinic. She is also an instructor of Human Sexuality at Santa Rosa Junior College.

    October 2: You First: The Art and Science of Eating
    Najine Shariat, Clinical Dietitian/Nutritionist
    , has an unparalleled approach to nutrition and the "art of living" which links nutrition to how we live, to helping prevent and treat major diseases, and making eating a pleasure. Ms. Shariat graduated from McGill University School of Nutrition/Dietetics in Canada. In October 2005, Najine traveled to Paris to finish her training in bringing the latest (and oldest) ideas from Europe to her patients! Ms. Shariat is also the founder of IT'S YOU! Nutrition clinic which is located in Santa Rosa and has recently opened a second establishment in San Diego.

    October 9: The Effects of Sexual Assault: Prevention, Intervention, and Counseling Options
    Sexual violence affects women, children, and men of all ages and cultural groups. In 2006 there were 139 counts of adult forcible rape reported to law enforcement in Sonoma County; however approximately 84% of rapes go unreported. Join Rebecca Plachte-Zuieback to examine the history of violence against women, the definitions of sexual assault, common myths and facts, and how to help a survivor. We will examine the effects of sexual assault, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and find avenues and techniques for healing. Ms. Plachte-Zuieback has a BA in Cultural Anthropology from University of California Santa Cruz, and is a California State Certified Rape Crisis Counselor. She has been working as the Sexual Assault Prevention Education Coordinator since 2006, educating thousands of Sonoma County youth, professionals, and community members.

    October 16: From a Holistic Gynecologist: Women’s Health during Three Major Life Stages
    Andrea Bialek, M.D. outlines important health issues of the three major life stages of adult women: menarche/late teens, the reproductive years, and the perimenopause/menopause transition. She will discuss basic female hormonal functioning and her holistic approach to women’s preventive health. Dr. Bialek has been a board-certified Gynecologist for 18 years, and has a private solo practice in Santa Rosa. She specializes in holistic women’s health and menopause counseling.

    October 23: Process of Change: Implementation of Smoking Cessation Program
    Cheryle Stanley, an alumna of SSU’s Sociology Department, has worked in the fields of mental health and substance abuse for more than twenty-five years as an Administrator and Executive Director. Since 1995 she has been the Director of Women’s Recovery Services (WRS), Sonoma County’s only State-licensed residential perinatal substance abuse program. The capacity of the program is twenty women and twelve young children and annually treats approximately eighty women and sixty children. In 1999, after seeing the damages that tobacco addiction causes for mothers and their children, she developed a Smoking Cessation Program for both clients and staff and integrated it into substance abuse treatment. Ms. Stanley was instrumental in WRS receiving a $10,000 Espiritu Award for the Protection of Women from the Isabel Allende Foundation in Marin County. Join us to learn more about Ms. Stanley's work and leadership to bring the first smoking cessation program to an alcohol and drug recovery center for women.

    October 30: Beyond the Wicked Witch: Re-visioning the Older Woman
    Susan Stewart is a Professor of Psychology at SSU, where she teaches a variety of classes from “Life Span Development” to the “Psychology of Yoga” to “Myths, Dreams and Symbols.” Through a series of synchronistic events a few years ago she became fascinated by the grandmother/crone as a figure in world myth and folklore, as a dimension of the sacred feminine, and as a latent archetype of wholeness within each woman. Dr. Stewart will address the personal, collective and sacred dimensions of the old woman drawing from poetry, narrative, image, and story, as well as recent cross-cultural research in gerontology, medicine and other fields that likewise highlight the potential gifts of age.

    November 13: A Guide to Building Healthy Relationships
    Relationships take time, energy and care to make them healthy. Unhealthy relationships may have negative consequences on one’s physical and mental health. Learn how to create and maintain healthy dating and intimate relationships, and explore the dynamics and warning signs of intimate partner violence. Presented by Yuka Kamiishi, SSU alumna and Domestic Violence Victim Advocate from the YWCA of Sonoma County.

    November 27: Understanding Our Bodies: A Self-Help Approach
    Lisa DeMartini of the Women's Health Specialists (WHS) will explain the self-help approach to women's gynecological care and how this movement radically changed the direction of women’s health care as we know it today. WHS was founded in 1975 in Chico by nine laywomen dedicated to helping other women obtain services that were otherwise unavailable to them. The agency understands women's current and ever-changing health care needs, the obstacles that prevent women from getting care, and provides support to women in accessing necessary treatment. Ms. DeMartini has been with WHS for nearly five years and spent two of those years working with clients learning hands on care and advocacy. Today she is the Santa Rosa Clinic Manager. Ms. DeMartini and the Women's Health Specialists are dedicated to serving women, vowing to inspire and empower all those whom they encounter in their work.

    December 4: The Real Truth About Having Babies: A Doula’s Perspective
    Danielle Ronshausen, doula, childbirth educator in training, and SSU alumna speaks on the subject of childbirth and how doulas offer a helping hand to mothers through pregnancy and delivery. In an open-question forum, Ms. Ronshausen will discuss what really happens as a woman approaches labor, the childbirth process and finally, what women can expect after delivery. The audience will also have the opportunity to see an actual birth on video.


    February 6
    Steven Cozza: "Become the Change You Want to See in the World"
    When he was 12 years old, Steven Cozza took a stand against the discrimination of gay youth and adults in the Boy Scouts of America. He and his father, Scott Cozza, founded an organization "Scouting for All." Scouting for All is now an educational and advocacy organization, reaching out to GLBT youth in its attempt to get the BSA to stop its bigoted policies. Steven Cozza will discuss his continued activism in Scouting for All. Steven Cozza is a youth activist and a founder of Scouting for All.

    February 13
    Susan Stryker "Christine and the Cutting Room: Transsexual Celebrity Christine Jorgensen's Cinematic Sense of Self"
    In 1952, news of American ex-GI Christine Jorgensen's sex-change surgery in Denmark made headlines around the world. Jorgensen spent the next twenty years in the limelight as the first international transsexual celebrity. Her relationship with the camera was complex, however, because Jorgensen had dreamed of becoming a filmmaker and had worked in an editorial "cutting room." Her cinematic sensibility, as much as her surgeon's scalpel, shaped the image that she presented to the world. Drawing on rare archival clips of Jorgensen's own film work, home movies, and commercial media appearances, this lecture recounts how Jorgensen moved from one sort of "cutting room" to another.
    Susan Stryker, Ph.D., is an Emmy Award-winning documentary filmmaker and independent scholar

    February 20
    Daisy Hernández: "Queer and Colored"
    ColorLines, the national newsmagazine on race and politics, regularly features stories on issues from queer communities of color. This presentation looks at the reporting, writing and editing behind the stories. Learn about reporting on a story or two queer teens of color who were brutally murdered and the activism that's grown in New York City as queer people of color fight to keep public space.
    Daisy Hernández is an editor at ColorLines Magazine and the author of Colonize This!

    February 27
    Frederick Hertz
    : ”California's Domestic Partnership Law, Or, Are We Ready for Same-Sex Marriage?"
    The political fight for same-sex marriage often obscures the important legal issues that face lesbian and gay couples trying to organize their lives amidst extraordinary social and legal changes. This lecture will summarize the background of marital “status” law, as compared to the “contract” law previously controlling the lives of unmarried couples. From this background the lecture will explain the emergence of marriage-like systems for gay couples, especially California’s domestic partnership law. In addition to reviewing the legal implications of the new statutes, the lecture will also explore the social consequences of grafting a heterosexual marriage model on to LGBT families.
    Frederick Hertz is an attorney and the author of Legal Affairs: Essential Advice for Same-Sex Couples

    March 6
    Jewelle Gomez
    : ”Vampires, Feminism and Our Future"
    Fantasy fiction has long been relegated to literature lite, just as television is dismissed as popular culture. But how does culture shape our politics? What do we say with mass entertainment about the LGBT community and social justice? In the creation of any cultural piece, whether a vampire novel or the sculpture of Venus de Milo, the creator is informed by the sociopolitical context – poverty, conservatism, privilege, war, Puritanism, capitalism, or tradition. Most of us have knowledge of these contexts and the inequities that threaten the fabric of society; but we rarely see ourselves as activists for social change in our everyday lives. But we can be and still have fun.
    Jewelle Gomez is an activists, award-winning novelist, and the author of The Gilda Stories

    March 13
    Michelle Tea: ”Queer Memoir and Autobiography"
    Michelle Tea is the co-founder of the Sister Spit spoken word tour, Her books, mostly memoirs, are known for their views into the riot grrrl and queercore communities. She has toured with the Sex Worker's Art Show and is a contributor to The Believer magazine. She is also the co-writer for the weekly astrology column, Double Team Psychic Dream, in San Francisco's Bay Guardian newspaper. In this presentation, Michelle Tea will read from one of her memoirs and speak about the relationship between queer memoir and autobiography.
    Michelle Tea is a writer, poet, performer, and the award-winning author of Valencia..

    March 27
    Johnny Symons
    : "Daddy & Papa: Gay Fathers and the Changing Landscape of the American Family”
    Since its release five years ago, the Emmy-nominated film Daddy & Papa has given millions of viewers a glimpse of something most have never seen: the inner working of families headed by gay men. Director/Producer Johnny Symons will discuss the making and distribution of the film, the ways in which gay families navigate through schools, neighborhoods, and extended families, and his own experience as a gay parent.
    Johnny Symons is the director and producer of Daddy & Papa

    April 3
    Marcia Gallo
    : "Lifting the Mask: The Daughters of Bilitis, "the Ladder," and the Conscious Normalization of Lesbian Images in 1950s and 1960s America"
    The notion of invisibility, of "wearing the mask," was much more prevalent than "being in the closet" for the lesbians who first organized Daughters of Bilitis (DOB) meetings in U.S. cities in the 1950s and 1960s. They knew that the popular image of "the Lesbian" was distorted and unreal, and they set about to reshape it by using whatever cultural forms they could find or create. This talk will focus on the ways the leaders of the DOB consciously reconstructed media images of lesbians in order to normalize them. "Lifting the mask" was a vital part of their strategy for securing lesbian rights.
    Marcia Gallo is the author of Different Daughters: A History of the Daughters of Bilitis and the Rise of the Lesbian Rights Movement.

    April 17
    Cedric Brown
    : ”The Hard Evidence of Existence: Creating Black Gay Arts in Down Low Times"
    This presentation will discuss the challenges of creating work that reflects the experiences of Black gay men during an era when a public identity as a gay man of color is too often shunned. Cedric Brown will present a brief retrospective of his influences and the rich artistic history of Black gay art and performance born in the Bay Area. He will also talk about his creative process and future projects, and how Black gay men's stories epitomize the deeply-examined human condition.
    Cedric Brown is a performer, writer, and the founder of B/GLAM..

    April 24
    ”In My Shoes: Stories of Youth with LGBT Parents"
    Join a panel of young adults who have LGBT parents for a screening and discussion of "In My Shoes: Stories of Youth with LGBT Parents." This 30-minute film was produced by COLAGE Youth Leadership and Action Program during a 10-month activism training program in San Francisco, CA. The film debuted at the 2005 Frameline Film Festival, where it earned the Audience Award for Best Short. The film depicts five young people who give you a chance to walk in their shoes – to hear their own views on marriage, making change, and what it means to be a family.
    COLAGE is a support and advocacy program for children of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender parents.

    May 1
    Dean Spade
    : ”Consolidating the Gendered Citizen: Trans Survival, Bureaucratic Power, and the War on Terror"
    This presentation discusses the impact of the War on Terror on transgender rights, the bureaucratization of trans identities, and models of non-profit governance in social movements. It invites questions about whether and where the state should use gender as a category of identity, and what consequences might result from a reduced reliance on gender in state programs and processes. It will include a discussion of how these issues are increasingly emerging under War on Terror policies and practices of the administrative state that seek to rigidify national identity surveillance.
    Dean Spade is a UCLA Law Teaching Fellow and the founder of the Sylvia Rivera Law Project.


    May 8
    Daniel Winunwe Rivers
    : ”From Parents in Hiding to the Lesbian Baby Boom: A History of Lesbian Motherhood 1945-1980"
    This lecture will cover the changing social, political, and legal realities of lesbian motherhood from the Second World War to the beginning of the 1980s. Topics covered will include: the experiences of lesbians raising children in butch/fem working-class communities in the 1950s, custody cases fought by lesbian mothers in the 1970s, the emergence of a lesbian mother activist movement in reaction to the homophobia faced by a generation of lesbian mothers fighting for their right to be parents, and changes in lesbian parenthood in the 1980s, brought about by increased availability of insemination technologies and changes in custody and adoption law.
    Daniel Winunwe Rivers is a Ph.D. candidate and Feminist Studies Instructor at Stanford University.


    *There is still plenty of enrollment space available for this class. Come listen to fantastic speakers and increase your knowledge. Sign up today!

     

    • WGS 301 Fall 2006 (pdf)

      Aug. 29: Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Women’s Health Care During the Last 50 Years. Jeanette Koshar, RN, NP, Ph.D., SSU Nursing Department, examines social and health care events that have impacted women’s health in the U.S. over the past 50 years. Jeanette has been a Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner for over 27 years, beginning her career as a Labor and Delivery room nurse and completing research projects on domestic violence and high risk adolescent behavior.

      Sept. 5: Addressing the Physical and Mental Needs of Incarcerated Women. Join Dr. Barbara Bloom as she provides in-depth information about the critical gaps in the essential health care services provided to incarcerated women and explains the need for a community-based continuum of services for women offenders. Dr. Bloom is an Associate Professor in the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at SSU. She is the Co-Director of the Center for Gender and Justice and her research and policy interests include women and girls under criminal justice supervision and gender-responsive interventions and services.

      Sept. 12: The Cultural Influences on Women’s Bodies: Abortion Rights and Choices. Shannen Farrell Fraley, MA, discusses the current status of American Sexuality. What are the influences of our sexual rights, respect, and responsibility? Does our highly sexualized media empower or oppress women? Ms. Fraley has been employed by Sonoma County Public Health Department for twelve years and works in the STD and Family Planning Clinic. She is also an instructor of Human Sexuality at Santa Rosa Junior College.

      Sept. 19: Women and Heart Health. Dr. Richard McCarthy, Chief of Neurology, Kaiser Permanente San Rafael and Kaiser Permanente San Francisco, speaks on the topic of women and heart health. Dr. McCarthy is on the Board of Directors for the American Heart Association where he works to increase stroke awareness and prevention. Dr. McCarthy also trains neurology residents at UCSF Medical Center.

      Sept. 26: Seven Steps to Intuitive Eating and Natural Weight. How do women learn to eat healthfully? Barbara Birsinger’s presentation will be a practical guide to knowing what, when and how much to eat for your individual needs, and to decoding the symbolic meanings in eating, food cravings, and body language. Barbara is a Registered Dietitian with a Master's Degree in Public Health Nutrition from UC Berkeley with over 25 years of experience in the psychology of eating and weight issues, intuitive nutrition and health promotion.

      Oct. 3: Standing in Front of a Run-Away Train: One Woman's Work to Influence Medical Practice Related to Dying Newborns. Dr. Anita Catlin, Nursing Department, SSU and Ethics Consultant. Dr. Catlin will discuss her twelve-year journey to influence the care of dying newborns, including the technological imperative in the United States which has demanded that all newborns be resuscitated and the significant effect that this has had on nurses, physicians, families, public health, education, and society.

      Oct. 10: Healing Through Story, Listening, and Legacy. Linda Blachman, MPH, MA, shares her book, Another Morning: Voices of Truth and Hope from Mothers with Cancer (Seal Press, 2006) which addresses the plight of ill mothers in an unsupportive culture and presents their hard-won wisdom for living with courage and hope in the face of uncertainty. Linda Blachman is a personal historian, life coach, and consultant in private practice, specializing in the mental health of women, mothers, and communities. In 1995 she founded the Mothers’ Living Stories (MLS), a nonprofit project that helps mothers with cancer record life stories and legacies for their children.

      Oct. 17: Class Discussion: Another Morning. Come and discuss Linda Blachman’s book and lecture. Breast cancer affects women of all ages, including those with young children. What are the cultural barriers mothers with cancer are challenged with? What changes could be made in services for mother’s facing cancer?

      Oct. 24: Choices in Childbirth. Constance Sinclair, MSN, CNM, Chief Nurse-Midwife, Kaiser Permanente Santa Rosa will discuss the current options available to women giving birth and recent trends in the childbirth services in medical and home settings. Ms. Sinclair began her career as a midwife in 1985 and has also worked in public health, emergency care, labor and delivery and as a clinical nursing instructor. She is also the author of The Midwife’s Handbook, among many publications.

      Oct. 31: What You Need to Know About Sexually Transmitted Infections. Join us to learn more about sexually transmitted infections and also learn about the controversial new vaccination for HPV. Presented by Nichole Cushman of Planned Parenthood. Nichole is a Bilingual Health Educator at Planned Parenthood, Shasta-Diablo. Nichole has taught abroad in Spain and was also given the opportunity to speak at the 2006 Stanford Women’s Leadership Program.

      Nov. 7: Positive Aging for Women. This lecture will deal with some of the latest research in the field of gerontology that addresses who ages well and why. What can women do now to prepare for their senior years and make the most out of them? Shirlee Zane, M.A., MFCC, is the Executive Director for the Sonoma County Council on Aging. Ms. Zane recently received a Leadership Award from the Sonoma County Medical Association (2005) and the Reverend Coffee Human Rights Award in December 2005.

      Nov. 14: Human Trafficking in California. Human trafficking is becoming an increasing problem in the state of California and many of the victims are women and children. Dr. Amanda Noble will discuss the Task Force that has been designed to discuss the problems of human trafficking; report on survey data; and emphasize the physical and mental health consequences of the victims. Dr. Noble has a Ph.D. in Sociology from UC Davis and is a researcher for the Attorney General’s Crime and Violence Prevention Center, where she specializes in domestic violence and human trafficking in California.

      Nov. 21: Women Serving Women: Doulas Helping Teen Mothers. Danielle Moreno, doula, childbirth educator in training, and WGS student at Sonoma State speaks on the subject of doulas and how doulas offer teen mothers a helping hand through pregnancy and childbirth. The documentary, A Doula Story, will be shown after a discussion on doulas.

      Nov. 28: TBA

      Dec. 5: The Education of Shelby Knox: A Film Viewing. Shelby Knox, of Lubbock, TX, is a devout Christian who makes a vow to remain celibate until marriage, but becomes an unlikely advocate for comprehensive-sex education, in a town where abstinence-only sex education is highly praised.


      WGS 301 Spring 2006 (pdf)


      February 7
      Carolyn Laub: "How to Start a Gay-Straight Alliance"
      GSA Network was founded in 1998 to empower youth activists to start Gay-Straight Alliance clubs and fight homophobia and transphobia in schools. GSA Network began working with 40 GSA clubs in the Bay Area during the 1998-99 school year, but the organization quickly expanded and by 2001 GSA Network became a statewide organization. In this talk, Carolyn Laub discusses the history and future of the GSA Network.
      Carolyn Laub is the Executive Director of the Gay-Straight Alliance Network.

      February 14
      Jim Van Buskirk: "Reversing Vandalism: Community Responses to a Hate Crime"
      In 2001 over 600 vandalized books—on gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender topics, women’s issues, and HIV/AIDS—were found hidden throughout the San Francisco Public Library. Deemed beyond repair and withdrawn from the library’s collection, they were distributed to interested artists and community members. The wide variety of responses resulted in an exhibition of over 200 original works of art displayed in the main library
      Jim Van Buskirk is the Program Manager for the James T. Hormel Gay & Lesbian Center at San Francisco Public Library.

      February 21
      Ann Bannon: "From 'Sleaze' to Classics: The Beebo Brinker Chronicles"
      The Beebo Brinker Chronicles take their title from the most famous of Ann Bannon's characters, the legendary swashbuckling butch, Beebo Brinker. Bannon’s novels, part of the infamous lesbian “pulp fiction” genre, reveal the intensity and courage of gay love in a world that was then unrelentingly hostile. Even today, the books continue to exert a pull on the heart with their universal themes and beguiling characters.
      Ann Bannon, Ph.D., is the author of several novels including the classic Odd Girl Out.

      February 28
      Horacio N. Roque Ramirez:
      “Gay Latino Histories/Dying to Be Done”
      This lecture will address the state of gay Latino history in the U.S., the teaching of this history, and the underused strategies and lack of research projects to document and archive this multigender social, cultural, and political history.
      Horacio N. Roque Ramirez, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at UC Santa Barbara.

      March 7
      Cathy Cade:
      “The San Francisco Dyke March: Radical Politics and Our Community Event”
      What is the San Francisco Dyke March? For thirteen years this annual march has occurred without a permit and has become an important part of San Francisco’s gay pride events. Along with a 15 minute documentary video of the San Francisco Dyke March, Cathy Cade will talk about the progressive political origins of the event.
      Cathy Cade, Ph.D.,is a photographer and documentary filmmaker.

      March 14
      James Dean:
      “Racial Heterosexual Identities: Black and White Heterosexualities”
      Based on 60 in-depth interviews with heterosexual Black and White men and women, this lecture will examine the ways in which gay visibility is shaping the lives of Black and White heterosexuals to both bring attention to the dominant status of their heterosexual identities as well as how dominant racial codings mark homosexuality as White and heterosexuality as Black.
      James Dean, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Sociology at SSU.


      March 28
      Dora Dome: “Jennifer’s Complaint: Homophobia and Sports”Last December, the National Center for Lesbian Rights filed suit on behalf of Penn State basketball star Jennifer Harris against her former coach because of homophobic harassment. In this presentation, attorney Dora Dome will discuss this case as well as her own experiences in the competitive world of women’s college basketball.
      Dora Dome is an attorney and a Board Member of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

      April 4
      LeiLani Nishime:
      “Queer Theory, Racial Outing, and Keanu Reeves”
      This presentation will analyze the publicity and gossip surrounding the star persona of Reeves. The furor over Reeves’ sexual orientation serves to obscure and suppress Reeves’ racial background. On the other hand, Reeves race refuses to remain hidden and forgotten, surfacing through the language and rhetoric of “queer" culture. Ultimately, Reeves provides a prime example of the intersection of race and sexuality.
      LeiLani Nishime, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of American Multicultural Studies at SSU.

      April 11
      Loren Cameron:
      “Transwork – The Photography of Loren Cameron” Loren Cameron’s photographs and self-portraits have become beautiful icons of a burgeoning transgender movement. Heralded as groundbreaking and stunning, his book Body Alchemy: Transsexual Portraits has been critically acclaimed worldwide, receiving numerous awards, including two Lambda Literary awards. Loren Cameron is the author of multiple photography books about transgender identity.

      April 25
      Joshua Gamson:
      “Be Fabulous: Some Lessons From the Life of Sylvester, Queen of Disco”
      Like very few before him, and quite a few after, Sylvester rode his marginality right into the mainstream: a star not despite the boundaries of race, gender, and sexuality he eagerly crossed but because of them. He embodied a cultural impulse and a simple set of diva-driven inspirational imperatives; be free; be fabulous; be real.
      Joshua Gamson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Sociology at the University of San Francisco.

      May 2
      Ada Jaarsma:
      “Religious Faith and Perversity: When Kierkegaard meets Freud”
      It is commonplace in queer studies to reject religious questions as either irrelevant or irredeemably prejudiced towards heterosexist fundamentalism. Within the current U.S. American climate, this rejection is understandable and perhaps inevitable. This lecture will argue for the political and existential importance of reclaiming religious faith in the name of queer ethics.
      Ada Jaarsma, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Philosophy at SSU.

      May 9
      Shannon Minter:
      “Transgender Rights: Past, Present & Future” A look at the evolving relationship of transgender people to the larger gay rights movement and the emergence of transgender law, including disagreements about who is transgender, how to define transgender, and how best to advocate for transgender people. For example, should our goal be to enable transgender people to fit into existing gender categories or to challenge the categories themselves?
      Shannon Minter is an attorney and the Legal Director for the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

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      WGS 301 Spring 2005

     

    Queer Lecture Series schedule for Spring 2004:
    Thursdays, 12-12:50 in Carson 20

    Date Topic and Speaker
    Feb 5 The Emergence of Representational Politics in the Golden Age of the Lesbian Paperback, 1955-1965. The sexual politics of representation emerged in a very specific historical context, the 1950s, and coincided with the two important developments, the birth of the lesbian paperback novel and the founding of the first lesbian organization. Dr. Meeker's presentation explores the key personalities and published works through which the representational politics of sexuality first were articulated. Martin Meeker, Ph.D., is a historian who currently works at UC Berkeley in the Oral History Program at the Bancroft Library.
    Feb 12 "The Pull": Successfully Managing the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity, Gender, and Sexual Orientation People with multiple aspects of identity often feel a "pull"-am I more this than that? Experiential and didactic in nature, this workshop will focus on identity issues for LGBT of color and focus on identity management strategies, validating the whole person. Richard A. Rodriguez, Ph.D., is Director of Counseling & Psychological Services at SSU.
    Feb 19 Having the Last Laugh: Humor in Lesbian Fiction Examination of the uses of humor in lesbian novels and short stories, will demonstrate the ways in which irony, satire, parody, and hyperbole serve as alternative means of persuasion.Julie Allen, Ph.D., is Professor of English at Sonoma State University. She is currently teaching Humor in Lesbian Fiction.
    March 5 The Gay Vote and Gay Issues in U.S. Politics The public's views on gay issues have become more and more tied to whether they are Democrats or Republicans. More than ever, gay voters identify with the Democratic party, and the Democratic Party with gay rights. This talk will conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for the gay rights movement in the United States. Patrick Egan is a Ph.D. candidate in political science at the University of California, Berkeley.
    March 11 Transforming the Nation: Black History, Queer Politics, and Movement Building A discussion of the history of conflicts and alliances between the African American and LGBT movements for justice highlighting LGBT African American activists in the Civil Rights Movement and their role in fighting the scapegoating, wedge politics of the Right in the post-civil rights era. N'Tanya Lee Director of Youth Policy at Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth and Project Director of Coleman's youth organizing project, Youth Making Change.
    March 18 TRANSformative Power: Transitioning from the Personal to the Political Drawing from his undergraduate thesis on Judith Butler's theory of gender performativity and his favorite essays by Susan Stryker, KC will facilitate an exploration of the links between passing and what it means to BE a gender. Bly is a San Francisco native and recent graduate of UC Santa Cruz, where he also worked as the country's the country's first Transgender Programs Coordinator.
    March 25 Ending Shame, Secrecy, & Unwanted Genital Surgeries for Children Born with Intersex Conditions Discussing the origins and history of the Intersexed Movement, Chase outlines some of the issues associated with supporting intersexed people. Cheryl Chase is the Executive Director of the Intersex Society of North America.
    April 15 The Bradfords Tour America In The Bradfords Tour America, the filmmakers become Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bradford, a seemingly nice Christian married couple ... they set out on a cross-country motor home sojourn, conducting research into what God-fearing, conservative-minded churchgoers think and say about homosexuals. The unexpurgated bile of those on the far right is laid out for all to see. Jann Nunn, co-Writer and Director of The Bradfords Tour America, and SSU Assistant Professor of Studio Art (Sculpture).
    April 22 Gay Men's Culture's of the 1970s: Memories, Regrets and Meanings How did gay men of various races, classes, and locations form identity and community during the period of 1973-1984? What role did sex and sex cultures play in the lives of gay men during this era? How did gay men relate to issues of health, safety, and care during the decade before the onset of AIDS? Eric Rofes, Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor of Education at Humboldt State University.

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    Women's Health Lecture Series Fall 2003
    Class Schedule & Schedule of Weekly Lectures

    Wednesdays, Noon - 12:50 p.m, Rachel Carson 20.

    Sept. 9 Dynamics of Domestic Violence. Domestic Violence is a persistent and significant problem. What is the cycle of violence and how does it revolve around issues of power and control? How can women recognize and flee abusive relationships? Yuka Kamiishi is a Domestic Violence Family Advocate for YWCA stationed at the Sonoma Police Department. She is an alumnus of the Women's and Gender Studies Department at SSU.

    Sept. 16 A Feminist Perspective on Women and Disability. "Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved." (Helen Keller) During this open discussion, we'll talk about what it means to be a women with a disability and discuss the opportunities and challenges. We'll also talk about how we can empower ourselves to be an advocate, and find strength and courage within. Terilynn Miller-Pennisi is a long-time activist and former board member of Marin NOW, and is the Employee Relations Representative and ADA Coordinator for SSU. She is also a Board Member for the Sonoma County Mayors' Committee for the Employment of Persons with Disabilities.

    Sept. 23 Positive Aging for Women. In less than 15 years the number of seniors will double in the State of California. How can women grow older, stay healthy, vital and connected to life? This lecture will deal with some of the latest research in the field of gerontology that addresses who ages well and why. What can women do now to prepare for their senior years and make the most out of them? Shirlee Zane, M.A., MFCC, is the Executive Director for the Sonoma County Council on Aging. Ms. Zane was awarded the Community Service Award in Education from the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Sonoma County for her work in the Latino community.

    Sept. 30 Birth Control Options, 2003. What alternatives are available in birth control and how can we evaluate which ones are best for each woman? SSU Health Center staff will discuss the variety of birth control options available at the health center as well as others.Toni Boracchia, RN and Cyndie Renfrew, FNP of the SSU Health Center.

    Oct. 7 Positively Speaking: Getting real about HIV. What are the key issues in HIV/AIDS for women? This presentation will provide up-to-date information regarding HIV and AIDS prevention and treatment, as well as some personal connections. Eric Acuna, Health Information Specialist, County of Sonoma Department of Health Services.

    Oct. 14 and 21 Seven Steps to Intuitive Eating and Natural Weight. How do women learn to eat healthfully? This two week presentation will be a practical guide to knowing what, when and how much to eat for your individual needs, and to decoding the symbolic meanings in eating, food cravings, and body language. Barbara Birsinger is a Registered Dietitian with a Master's Degree in Public Health Nutrition from UC Berkeley with over 24 years of experience in the psychology of eating and weight issues, intuitive nutrition and health promotion.

    Oct. 28 Sour Sugar: Diabetes among Dine (Navajo) Women. This presentation will explore how shifts in domestic roles --specifically, who does the majority of the cooking -- may afford a beneficial effect for Dine (Navajo) women living with type II diabetes. The talk will include both first-person accounts as well as survey findings.Carolyn Epple is an Assistant Professor in the Anthropology Department at SSU.

    Nov. 4 Breaking the Intimidation Game: Self Defense and Survival. Like the Sword of Damocles, the fear of rape hangs over women's heads their entire lifetime. A group of women leaving a gathering at night going to their cars is reminiscent of a flock of scared chickens. Why are women so fearful? Because they have internalized their fear and do not know how to protect themselves from violence-they lack power and control over their own lives. Breaking the intimidation game gives women a very powerful gift-the gift of personal power and freedom.Judith Fein, Ph.D., black belt in T'ae k'won do and author of three books on self-defense has conducted self-defense programs since 1975. Dr. Fein is the founder of The EVOLVE Institute for Violence Prevention and conducts classes in self-defense at Sonoma State University.

    Nov. 11 Women, Alcohol and Drugs. Women may have unique phsyiological responses to alcohol and drugs. This lecture will describe how societal pressures influence the choices women make. Tammy Cotter is Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Specialist at SSU.

    Nov. 18 The Five Components of Successful Cancer Recovery. This lecture will address utilizing a support network, traditional and non-traditional treatments, attitude, faith based healing in community and goal setting for optimal recovery. Deborah Corner Newell, MA, MFT, was diagnosed with metastatic melanoma five years ago. During her third hospitalization she decided to realize a dream and began granting wishes as "Glinda the Good Witch" as a way to express gratitude for recovery. Glinda lectures widely on the topic of cancer recovery in full costume and grants wishes as part of her presentation.

    Nov. 25 To Be Announced

    Dec. 2 Choices in Childbirth. What are the possibilities for a safe and meaningful childbirth experience? Two doulas will discuss emotional, physical and informational support during pregnancy and childbirth, as well as advocacy as needed with hospital staff.Humm Berreyesa and Melanie Campbell are childbirth educators, certified doulas and birth advocates in Sonoma County.

    Dec. 9 Last Class. Discussion and Evaluation.

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