Q. What is gender equity?

A. Gender equity in an educational setting means equal opportunities for involvement and learning for women and men, with open options for participation and to learn subjects and prepare for future education, jobs and careers without expectations based on gender. Equal encouragement for all to participate, develop, achieve and learn is essential equitable treatment and is required by law. Gender equity principles and equal opportunity also apply in the workplace and other arenas in society.

Q. Are men allowed in the Women’s Center?

A. Yes, everyone is welcome in the Women’s Center. Men, as well as women, may utilize our resources and services, attend our programs, participate in group activities and meetings, and support our efforts. We have several men identified staff members and volunteers, and we have a outreach program for men  identified students who support and advocate the Women’s Center mission.

Q. Why do we need a Women’s Center?

Because, women’s issues are everyone’s issues! Women’s Centers historically have served as a focal point of women’s issues and concerns. Since the early 1970s, women’s centers have been established throughout the country–most frequently on college campuses by women students–in response to historical inequities experienced by women. They provide women with the resources and support they need to realize their potential as individuals and members of society.

Although many assumptions about women and their capabilities have been challenged and changed, and great strides have been made toward gender equity in education, business, politics and other arenas in the past three decades, we still have a long way to go. Because of one’s culture, gender, ethnicity, ability, color of their skin they are part of specific stereotypes cast by a society that rarely appreciates the richness of diversity. The Women’s Center works toward combating issues from a racialized history and marginalization towards oppressed subgroups.

Because diversity cannot just be tolerated, the Women’s Center seeks a continual celebration of all aspects of diversity.