The 4th Annual Women's Health Lecture Series at Sonoma State University offers weekly speakers on such topics as eating disorders, osteoporosis, media images of women and feminism's effect on women's health. Lectures are Mondays, Sept. 11-Dec. 4, 7-8:30 p.m., in Stevenson 2006 (unless otherwise noted). The series is free and open to the public.
One highlight in the series is a talk by activist Ann Simonton's on Sept. 18. Simonton, a former high fashion model who has become a nationally known activist, speaks about how media images promote violence against women. As part of her activism, she has protested outside Miss America pageants wearing a meat dress (a skirt of skirt steaks, a necklace of cocktail weenies).
On Oct. 16, a talk by young feminists Amy Richards and Janet Baumgardner come straight from their Herbst Theater talk with Gloria Steinem. The two young feminist authors will speak about the future of feminism among the Third Wave generation. Their new book, "Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future," is available in September.
The lecture series is sponsored by the Women's and Gender Studies Program and the Women's Resource Center. For more information, contact the Women's Resource Center, (707) 664-2845, or visit www.sonoma.edu/campuslife/wrc/.
A parking fee of $1.50 (six quarters) is required in all general lots, Monday through Thursday until 10 p.m., Friday until 5 p.m. Reserve parking during these times by special permit only.
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Speakers
Women's Health Lecture Series
Aug. 28 Issues in Women's Health, Kris Montgomery
Introduction to the class and ideas about how gender affects women's health and health care.
Sept. 4 No Class; Labor Day
Sept. 11 Fighting Female Genital Mutilation, Mimi Ramsey
The Director of Forward USA and FGM survivor will speak on her work to and this traditional practice that affects millions of women and girls in 28 African countries, the Middle East and Asia and immigrants around the globe. For more information, see www.forwardusa.org.
Sept. 18 Sex, Power & the Media, Ann Simonton
Do the media inspire and promote violence against women? That's just one of the questions discussed in this multimedia presentation by the director of MediaWatch. A former top model, this activist has been jailed 11 times for her often humorous (we're talking meat dresses) protests about the serious issue of media images of women. For more information, see www.mediawatch.com. THIS CLASS MEETS IN THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM, STUDENT UNION.
Sept. 25 Herbs for Women's Health, Lucy Jackson, nurse practitioner, California Institute of Integrative Medicine; Gail Julian, who trains herbalists; and Beth Reidel, nutritionist
Long part of the European medical mainstream, Americans now no longer view herbal treatments as "alternative." Three local herbalists talk about integrating the use of herbs with traditional Western medicine. They'll discuss treatments for several specific conditions, including menstrual concerns, ovarian cysts, fibrocystic breasts and PMS.
Oct. 2 When Eating Becomes An Illness, Dr. Connie Kellogg
Eating disorders are serious emotional problems that can have medical, even life threatening, consequences. Five-10 million adolescent girls and women struggle with these conditions. The acceptance of diverse body types is hindered by media images. Most fashion models, for example, are thinner than 98% of American women. Who says you have to be a "Perfect 10"?
Oct. 9 Domestic Violence: The Health Impact on Victims and Children, Dr. Connie Mitchell
Battered women account for 22-35% of all women seeking emergency medical services, according to the AMA. The Director of the California Medical Training Center will talk about domestic violence detection and intervention in the health care setting. For more information, see web.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/medtrng.
Oct. 16 Feminism and Women's Health, Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner
The authors of Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism and the Future address the personal and the political issues we all need to know about women's health. Baumgardner is an activist and writer who has worked as the health editor of Ms. magazine. She has written on women's health and feminism for publications including The Nation, Jane, Glamour, Z, Out and Marie Claire. Richards hosts Ask Amy at feminist.com, and is a contributing editor at Ms. and a freelance writer, while working with the young women's activist group, Third Wave. THIS CLASS WILL BE IN THE MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM, STUDENT UNION.
Oct. 23 Information Overload: What's Healthy on the Web?, Paula Hammett
An SSU librarian takes us through the webby world of women's health sites and recommends some favorites. She'll also give us pointers on how, with all those "experts" out there, to know whose advice to trust. THIS CLASS WILL BE IN DARWIN 16, THE BASEMENT COMPUTER LAB.
Oct. 30 How the 19th Century Changed Birth Chairs, Midwives and Medicine, Amanda Banks
During the 1800s, the professionalization of medicine changed not only attitudes about childbirth and midwives, but also the design of birth chairs, devices that had helped women through childbirth for thousands of years. The author of Birth Chairs, Midwives and Medicine will tell us, Was this shift positive for childbearing women?
Nov. 6 Blind Eye to Justice: HIV+ Incarcerated Women, Cynthia Chandler
The video, Blind Eye to Justice, narrated by Angela Davis, focuses on the fight for care and dignity by HIV-positive women in California prisons. Discussion follows with the film's producer, who directs the Women's Positive Legal Action Network, which provides free legal services to these women. For more information, see www.bayswan.org/blindeye.html.
Nov. 13 Helping Rape Survivors, Eileen Merberg and Noni Verbiscar-Brown
What happens to a rape survivor? Join this discussion about the emotional aftermath of sexual assault with SSU's director of sexual assault prevention and a Sonoma County nurse who does the medical/legal exam that provides physical care and gathers evidence for a crime report.
Nov. 20 Targeted for Addiction: Women, Smoking and Alcohol, Dr. Susan Marantz and Tammy Cotter
In the '40s, cocktails and a cigarette symbolized sophistication. Since then, we've come a long way, baby. We know tobacco and alcohol use is highly addictive and can cause serious health problems. A Pulmonary Critical Care Specialist from Kaiser Permanente and SSU's Alcohol and Drug Education Program Coordinator focus on medical concerns for women and how, despite the risks, cigarette and alcohol advertising still tries to tell women that consumption is "cool."
Nov. 27 Leading the Movement for Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered Women's Health Care, Prof. Suzanne Dibble, R.N. UC San Francisco's Center for Lesbian Health
Research is one of the first of its kind in the world. The Center's Co-director will describe pioneering research that examines the specific health care needs for lesbian, bisexual and transgendered women and how to erase the barriers they often face in seeking medical treatment.
Dec. 4 Healthy Bones for a Lifetime: Women and Osteoporosis, Amy Shaw, M.D.
Osteoporosis is more common than it should be. Prevention starts in childhood, with good nutrition and exercise. Even with prevention, who is at risk? What can we do now to keep ourselves healthy into old age? Should we all get bone density tests? Let's hear from the Medical Director of The Women's Health Resource Center, Sutter Medical Center of Santa Rosa.
