Women’s History Month

Changing the Narrative

This Women’s History Month, we are centering the voices and history of LGBTQ+ women. Throughout different movements, women have held significant roles in creating effective change. At a time where you could be arrested for your sexuality and gender identity, trans women were leading the fight for equality in moments such as Compton’s Cafeteria riot of 1966 and Stonewall in 1969 which eventually lead to the Gay Liberation Movement. Activists such as Sylvia Rivera, Marsha P. Johnson and Miss Major were leading efforts ahead of their time at the intersections of women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights. Trans women like singer and actress, Christine Jorgensen alongside professional tennis player, Renée Richards advanced trans visibility and representation in the fight for for equality. These are just a few of the many that created effective change for the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights.

LGBTQ+ women continue to shape movements and break barriers. For example, many LGBTQ+ women have made history in politics:

• Sharice Davids, first openly LGBTQ+ Indigenous person elected to Congress
• Danica Roem, first openly transgender lawmaker in the U.S.
• Tammy Baldwin, first openly LGBTQ+ senator
• Sarah McBride, first openly transgender state senator
• Andrea Jenkins, first openly transgender Black woman elected to office
• Kyrsten Sinema, first openly bisexual senator
• Angie Craig, first non-incumbent LGBTQ+ parent elected to Congress
• Rachel Levin, first openly transgender person to hold office that requires Senate confirmation (Assistant Secretary of Health) and first openly transgender four-star office in the nation’s eight uniformed services

Many of our cultural influences are also a direct result of LGBTQ+ trailblazers in areas such as the arts. Works from Frida Kahlo, Bell Hooks, Bessie Smith, Audre Lorde, Laverne Cox and so many more have shaped our society. Each have changed how LGBTQ+ people are represented in areas such as literature, music, television and film, and art. Too often, the recorded history does not include LGBTQ+ women; when our history does not represent queer and trans women, it erases their achievements and contributions to our lives.

Menstrual Kits on Campus

Nearly 1 in 4 students experience period poverty, the inadequate access to menstrual products having an effect on education and mental health. With rising costs of menstrual products, we are seeing a decrease in accessibility to items such as pads, liners, tampons, menstrual cups, pain medication, underwear and more. The Pride Center believes that providing free access to menstrual products is a necessity on college campuses. Although, our campus offers menstrual products in some of the restrooms across campus, it is still limiting to many students, especially gender diverse students who may not feel comfortable in binary gender restrooms; not all gender inclusive restrooms are stocked with menstrual products.

The Pride Center provides access to menstrual kits but we need help in replenishing our supply. In partnership with The F-Word, the Pride Center is collecting donations of menstrual products. This includes various tampons, pads, and liners as each kit is designed to provide a variety of options for those in need. Donations can be dropped off now until March 23 at Memorial Union 201C (Dr. Jeff Maliskey’ s office).

Upcoming Events

• March 2- Women’s History Month Forum
• March 6 – The Exclusionary Campus: Impacts on LGBTQ+ Student Retention
• March 9 – LGBTQ+ Ally Workshop
• March 23 – Period Party
• March 31 – Transgender Day of Visibility