Women's Week

2:00 PM, First Ladies of Ball State Panel, Bracken House

This panel discussion will feature notable stories about some of the most fascinating women in Ball State University history—the presidents’ wives. Learn the stories of women who made history in their own right and their contributions to the University, to Muncie, and beyond. The program will include historic photographs of some of the behind-the-scenes lives of the presidential families. Contact wgs@bsu.edu to reserve a seat.

Brought to you by the Delaware County Historical Society.

7:00 PM, The Watermelon Woman film screening and panel discussion, Pruis Hall

The Watermelon Woman is a 1996 American romantic comedy-drama film written, directed, and edited by Cheryl Dunye. The first feature film directed by a black lesbian,[3][4] it stars Dunye as Cheryl, a young black lesbian working a day job in a video store while trying to make a film about Fae Richards, a black actress from the 1930s known for playing the stereotypical "mammy" roles relegated to black actresses during the period.

Brought to you by the BSU English Department.

2:30 PM, Nothing About Us Without Us: The History of Disability Legislation's Connection to Feminism, Student Center Forum Room

From reproduction and parenting to workplace harassment and pay equity, the intersection of disability and gender in legislation is clear. Join Dr. Courtney Jarrett and Betsy Kiel from the Office of Disability Services as they walk through the tangled history of disability and feminism in politics.

Brought to you by the Office of Disability Services.

4:30 PM, Lavender Bingo,  Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room

Play Bingo, learn about LGBTQ+ sex education, and win prizes! 

Brought to you by BSU Health Promotion and Advocacy 

7:30 PM, Keynote Address by Loretta Ross: Calling In the Calling Out Culture, Pruis Hall

Activist, public intellectual, scholar and author Loretta Ross will speak about how to build a unified and strategic human rights movement that weaves together our strengths, calling people in rather than calling them out, and uses our differences as a platform for modeling a positive future built on justice and the politics of love, as part of Women’s Week.

Ross started her career in activism and social change in the 1970s. Her work emphasizes the intersectionality of social justice issues and how intersectionality can fuel transformation. She will discuss “Calling In The Calling Out Culture” at 7:30 p.m. March 26 in Pruis Hall. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Ross is recipient of the MacArthur Foundation “Genius” award and an Associate Professor at Smith College. Throughout her 50-year career, she has co-written three books on reproductive justice, worked with the National Organization for Women (NOW), the National Black Women’s Health Project, the Center for Democratic Renewal (National Anti-Klan Network), the National Center for Human Rights Education, and was a co-founder and the National Coordinator of the SisterSong Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective.

In 2012, Ross retired as an organizer to teach and follow her passion to educate. In 1996, she founded the first center in the U.S. to innovate creative human rights education for all students transforming social justice issues to be more collaborative and less divisive. In her work Calling In the Calling Out Culture, she transforms how people can overcome political differences to use empathy and respect to guide difficult conversations.

Brought to you by BSU Excellence in Leadership and the Department of Women’s, Gender and African-American Studies.

10:00 AM, Workshop with Loretta Ross, Student Center Cardinal Hall

Come to this morning-after workshop with our keynote speaker Loretta Ross. Bring your questions about her work, activism and life to this free-form Q&A session. Limited seating. Contact wgs@bsu.edu to reserve a seat.

Brought to you by BSU Excellence in Leadership and the Department of Women’s, Gender and African-American Studies.

1:00 PM, ACLU of Indiana Presents: Difficult Conversations, Student Center Forum Room

Join the ACLU of Indiana for a crash course on how to have difficult conversations about civil liberties with your friends and family. We’ll teach you how to discuss reproductive freedom, LGBTQ+ issues, classroom censorship, and more! The session will include information on each topic, tips & tricks for approaching these conversations, and some practical exercises.

Brought to you by The ACLU of Indiana

3:00 PM, A Woman's Only Right: To Vote, Student Center Forum Room

The reversal of Roe v. Wade has reminded us that rights can be removed outside of the voting process. This means that the right to vote is our most significant right, and it protects all of the other rights we currently enjoy.  But we have to use this right for it to have an impact.  The panel will discuss the importance of voting in the current context and review the history and renewed interest in the ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA).  What will the next ten years look like for women's rights in the US? Join the discussion.

Brought to you by the Muncie Branch of the American Association of University Women and the League of Women Voters of Muncie-Delaware County

6:00 PM, WGS 499 Capstone Poster Session, Pruis Hall Lobby

Hosted by the WGS 299 Spring 2024 Class

7:00 PM, Periodical film screening and panel discussion, Pruis Hall

In our era of social media-empowered feminism, after centuries of societal-enforced stigma, menstruation has finally begun to bleed out into the mainstream. We’re finally using red liquid instead of blue in period product ads, seeing beauty influencers use their period blood for facials on social media, and even the most daring period scenes are being depicted on tv — but we still know alarmingly little when it comes to menstruation. And we still have even further to go in the battle to acknowledge and accept periods for exactly what they are: Bloody. Beautiful. Normal. "Periodical," a new feature documentary from XTR and MSNBC Films, tells the unexpected story of the human body by exploring the marvel and mystery of the menstrual cycle, from first period to last. But this is not your middle school sex-ed class. Bringing you stories from soccer champion Megan Rapinoe who reveals how members of the U.S. Soccer team track their cycles when training for the Women’s World Cup (which they won), to scientists who are discovering the power and possibilities of stem cells found in period blood, to young activists flipping the bill on period tax one state at a time, we uncover the shocking truths, challenge taboos, and celebrate the untapped potential of this special nutrient-dense blood. Through innovative mixed media storytelling, "Periodical" is for everyone who wants to know more about the menstrual cycle, and especially for those who don’t. A panel discussion follows the film.

Brought to you by the BSU College of Communication, Information, and Media.

1:00 PM,  A Woman’s Place: Mapping Ball State Women’s History, Bracken Library Room 104

Take a virtual walking tour around campus to learn about some of the sites that are filled with stories related to landmark women’s history. Discover places connected to women learning, teaching, playing, healing, singing, serving, protesting, sometimes misbehaving, and even saving lives. The program will include lots of historic maps, photographs, newspaper stories, and advertisements.

Brought to you by the Delaware County Historical Society.

3:00 PM, Introduction to Transgender Identities and Issues, SC Cardinal Room A

Join local activist Addison Smith in an exploration of what it means to be transgender. What are the factors that may lead to a transgender identity? What social, cultural, and political obstacles do transgender people face? Participants will learn about the neurological and biological aspects of trans people that may be the basis of transgender identity, the way trans people are often discriminated against in our culture, and the laws and policies that target trans people.

Presented by Addison’s Agenda.

5:00 PM, Women in Finance: Breaking Barriers with Megan Martin, Apella Wealth Director of Operations, Whitinger Business Building, Room 144

Join us for an engaging discussion with Meghan Martin, COO of Apella Wealth. Ms. Martin will share her unique experience within the culture, workplace, and environment at Apella and within the realm of operations. Ms. Martin will share her personal and professional experience, uncover the numerous career opportunities available within the finance industry, and discuss the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion.

In conjunction with the Miller School of Business

4:00 PM, Strength in Solidarity: Pizza & Purpose at the YWCA, YWCA, 310 E Charles St

Come to the YWCA for an evening of purpose and delicious pizza! Join us for an evening of engaging discussions and networking opportunities with Ball State and Muncie community members. With every bite of pizza, you'll be fueling your mind and soul with inspiration and motivation to make a positive impact on the world.

5:30 PM, #TellYourFullStory Rally on the quad at the David Owsley Museum of Art porch.

6:00 PM, #TellYourFullStory March March on McKinley Avenue.

#TellYourFullStory is a campaign honoring the struggles and contributions of women, people of color, persons with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, survivors, incarcerated people, and all Americans in forming our communities, our country, and our future. Sexism, racism, transphobia, poverty, domestic violence, and reproductive abuse are just a few of the battles that women face in our stories. Celebrating our stories makes us all feel proud of our common ancestry, motivates us to forge a better union, and positions us as advocates for future generations. All backgrounds are welcome to participate in the intersectional social movement and to #TellYourFullStory, where participants share their stories and educate one another on mutual impact.