The “Happening” on March 19 was sponsored by the Women’s and Gender Studies program in honor of Women’s History Month.  Informative and interactive booths created by a variety of organizations and departments from campus presented challenges for the attendees.

Anyone not able to attend missed food, live      music and a chance to dispel any stereotypes they might hold for “feminists.”

Men were well represented as booth operators and audience members.

One of the most popular booths was a game, “Match the Quote,” presented and staffed by the College Democrats.  The “rape” quote by Richard Mourdock during the senatorial debate held on the IUS campus was the most often correctly identified.

“Democrats have always emphasized equality for all people, regardless of gender or race,” Bradley Cooper, advertising junior, said.  “The right pushes traditional, patriarchal values and we don’t want to go backwards; we’ve been there already.”

The English Club, best known for its “Lit at Lunch” series held in The Commons, provided poetry reading.  The poem “Pretty” written by Katy Makkai was read by Justin LeVesque, psychology senior, was especially moving and relevant for modern times.

“Anyone who thinks the issues feminists fight for are no longer true is wrong,” LeVesque said.  The overall theme of the event highlighted issues that are current to women’s fight for equality and need to be freed from the constant threat of violence.

1.         Gendercide: Where are the estimated 1.63 million missing women?

2.         Violence: At least 1 in 4 women in the world have been raped.

3.         Education: 61 percent of illiterate people in the world are girls.

Were the biggest issues touched on at the event.

The departments of Criminology and Criminal Justice and many others presented as well.

By SONDRA MORRIS

Contributing Writer

sobmorri@imail.iu.edu