Gloria Steinem to speak at BGSU event

BOWLING GREEN, O.—Bowling Green State University will host a special celebration Sept. 24 -25 to recognize the work of the Women’s Equity Action League (WEAL) and its founding president Elizabeth “Betty” Boyer.

The celebration includes a gala dinner featuring legendary feminist, scholar and activist Gloria Steinem, a brunch with Steinem and a Title IX panel discussion with Dr. Bernice Sandler, “godmother of Title IX.”

The focus of the activities is to celebrate over 40 years of accomplishments by the Women’s Equity Action League, which rallied for equal educational and extracurricular opportunities for women in schools, equal job opportunities and training for women in the workforce, child support laws and their enforcement and the passage of the still un-ratified Equal Rights Amendment. 

BGSU has close ties to the organization, which has ceased operations this year. Betty Boyer, a 1937 BGSU alumna, was the founding president of WEAL.

The celebration starts at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 24, with a panel discussion, “WEAL’s Legacy: The History and Future of Title IX.”  In addition to Sandler, the panel will include a high school athletic director, a high school tennis coach and several BGSU representatives, including coaches, administrators and a female athlete.  The two-hour panel discussion, which is free and open to the public with no registration required, will be in 308 Bowen-Thompson Student Union.

The evening gala to celebrate WEAL starts at 6 p.m. in the Lenhart Grand Ballroom, Bowen-Thompson Student Union. Steinem will be the keynote speaker for the event and WEAL’s accomplishments will be highlighted. Cost of the dinner is $50 per person.  A VIP reception with Steinem will be held prior to the gala for individuals who have donated $1,000. 

BGSU President Mary Ellen Mazey will host a special brunch with Gloria Steinem on Tuesday, Sept. 25, at the University House. The brunch, open to the first 50 people who register, costs $250.  

Proceeds from the celebration events will support a special fund named after Boyer. The Elizabeth M. Boyer Fund for Student Mothers provides financial assistance to BGSU undergraduate female students who have primary custodial responsibility for one or more children.

For more information about the events, contact the BGSU Women’s Center at 419-372-7227 or womencenter@bgsu.edu.  To register online for any of the activities call 419-372-8181.

The Toledo Blade is a media sponsor of the event.

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(Posted September 06, 2012 )