Women's Studies Update

VOL. VIII, NO. 4 Dec. 2001

coordinator's corner

It's almost the end of another semester and year. We hope that you are planning to celebrate the holiday season with Women's Studies on Friday, December 7 between 12:00 and 2:00 in SS115. It will be an open house, so come for a few minutes or for the whole time, whatever you can. We will be having pizza and other holiday treats (bring some of your specialty if you like). This is a wonderful time to visit with old friends or make new ones. Please bring anyone with you who might be interested in Women's Studies.

I have been thinking of the things that we have to be grateful for. A few weeks ago I got a phone call from Brenda Cooper, who is the coordinator of Women's Studies at Utah State University. They have a new president and also a new dean of the college which houses Women's Studies, and they are being required to justify the existence of their program and every penny spent on it. I am so grateful for the support that we have from our administration. Of course, we would like more money to support more courses and programs, but compared to Utah State's current budget, we have a great deal of financial support. (She was really jealous of our Phoenix scholarship fund as well, which was privately endowed by a wonderful benefactor.)

The call from Brenda reinforced the idea that we cannot rest on our laurels. We have to continue to produce an outstanding program that we can defend against any and all challenges. We have some wonderful people who have worked to produce a program that not only benefits our minors, but the wider university community. We have sponsored cross-listed classes that touch the lives of many other students besides our minors with the values of feminism. We also provide a community for women and men on campus to come together for social and activist purposes. We need to tell everyone about the contributions of Women's Studies (especially those who might decide to minor in it).

in recognition

Congratulations and best wishes to Women's Studies' graduating minor Shelly Babbit. We wish her the best of luck as she leaves WSU and sets out to begin the rest of her life. Watch the newsletter for more on Shelly next semester.

gift ideas

Giver dolls:

See article below.

FUN Cookbooks

Some of you may remember the FUN Hungry Souls cookbooks created about a year and a half ago. Well, we still have plenty of copies and we've reduced the price to just $2.50 each or less if bought in quantity. The cookbooks are full of vegetarian soups, breads, entrees, and desserts, as well as thought-provoking poetry and pictures. Available in the Women's Studies office, Social Sciences room 382.

Consider donating old cell phones to women's shelters:

See article below.

donate your old cell phones

Did you know that your old cell phones can be reprogrammed and used to dial 9-1-1 even without a service provider? Single Hearts United, a singles group which focuses on community service projects as a way for singles to build relationships, is collecting old cell phones to donate to women's domestic violence shelters, domestic violence victim advocates offices and to elderly organizations in Utah. The cell phones are then distributed to people who are at risk of finding themselves in dangerous situations.

The campaign has had terrific success with the collection of over 600 cell phones so far. If you would like to donate your old cell phones, you can drop them off at the Women's Studies office (Social Sciences bldg. Room 382), or at Hancock Insurance Agency(Allstate, 4421 Harrison Blvd., Suite A9, M-Th:9-6; F:9-5). Many thanks to Women's Studies secretary Gracia Roemer and Women's Studies graduate Christina Babkirk for arranging these drop-off points.

Giver Dolls

"Givers emerge from cliffs, deserts, and seas bearing unique treasures.

They know the secrets of time and the elements.

They believe in abundance.

They keep on giving."

Linda Sillitoe, versatile writer of fiction, history and poetry, accomplished journalist, once a teacher of writing and currently Coordinator of Friends of the Stewart Library, had just finished writing a book about child sexual abuse and was feeling particularly drained and depleted when she took a break from work to think about possible antidotes for total exhaustion when an image came to her: "little female people coming out of the sea and the earth, the cliffs and the forests and everywhere...carrying things in their hands."

Linda then turned to her own hands and to her daughter's modeling clay, and from her emotional depletion and "word-poor" mind sprang the Givers, the Finders, and more recently the Riders of the storm. She started out with very simple, very round Givers, and then of course she had to paint them, "It just kept going...They were like magic." So then she had to find the shells, rocks, flowers, and the Givers evolved. Now there are Givers fROm the darkness holding candles in seashells, Givers from the mist holding crystals for clarity, Givers form the cliffs holding arrowheads for protection, and Givers from the meadows holding grasses and flowers — and that's not all— the Finders play the role of the "little people" who are found in most traditions, the Riders of the storm ride seashells that may rock but never tip over, and Linda is now working with a new doll using polished stones, "The fun of it is making it up."

Nearly all of the Giver dolls are old women of various shades of brown; most come alone, some come in pairs. The Givers evoke images of a "giving earth" and "women as life givers." Linda says there is a female archetype at work in the Givers, and being elderly, the Givers reflect a missing aspect of patriarchal society, "Unless you look at nature, its really hard to find the female symbols." Linda sees that women usually live longer, poorer, and less empowered lives than men, "and yet that's where a lot of the wisdom and nourishment and the sustenance of any culture comes from." Further, Linda describes the appeal of the Givers as "a real hunger for that kind of female archetype... there's some kind of intrinsic power that maybe we don't really understand, but we're attracted to."

Linda has generously donated a collection of Givers to the Women's Studies program which is selling the dolls to help the program continue to spread images of that female archetype. Please come by the Women's Studies office (M-F, 9-2 p.m.) to pick out some dolls —they'll make excellent Christmas gifts. The Givers will also be at the Women's Studies Holiday Open House on Dec. 7 (see calendar). Many thanks to Linda for her wonderfully creative contribution not just to Women's Studies, but to the world, "there's a real kick in sending out little female archetype infiltrators."

FUN notes

1The FUN feminist poetry slam was a big success again. Thanks to everyone who came and shared their favorite feminist poems with us.

2Happy Holidays to everyone! Have a FUN break from school and come back ready for more FUN!

calendar

All Month YCC's "Spirit of Giving" program is looking for individuals or organizations to sponsor a needy child's wish this Christmas. Also, volunteers are needed to help package the gifts (Dec. 17-19) and distribute the gifts (Dec. 20). Call Holli Crosby for more information, 394-9456.

Dec. 5, noon, Wisdom on Wednesdays: Reducing stress during finals with Carol Merrill, Union Bldg, 338.

Dec. 7, 12-2 p.m., Women's Studies Holiday Open House: pizza, desserts and drinks; giver dolls and cookbooks for sale, Social Sciences bldg, 115.

Dec. 8, 7:30 p.m., Cherish the Ladies, a Celtic Christmas celebration with music and dance, Peery's Egyptian Theater, tickets $18, $15 for students. 395-3227 for info.

Dec. 15, 7:30 p.m., Rosalie Sorrels and Utah Phillips, singers/songwriters/storytellers/trailblazers, Peery's Egyptian Theater, tickets $15, $12 for students.

Sandra Powell, Coordinator; Gracia Roemer, Secretary; Jason Hurd, Guest Newsletter Editor

Women's Studies Program, Weber State University, 1217 University Circle, Ogden UT 84408-1217