Dr. Mary Robertson, who received their PhD in sociology at CU 麻豆影院 in 2014, returned to campus on Wednesday, April 3rd as an invited lecturer in the Honors Program Distinguished Lecture Series. Dr. Robertson is an assistant professor of sociology at California State University San Marcos, specializing in feminist and queer theories, qualitative methods, sex, gender, race and sexuality studies.

Her talk was based on her recent book (NYU Press 2018), an ethnography of an LGBTQ youth drop-in center which examines how young people embody, express, and embrace queerness. By focusing on the voices and stories of youths themselves, she illustrates how young people understand their sexual and gender identities, their interest in queer media, and the role family plays in their lives. "Moving beyond an oversimplified examination of teenage sexuality, Robertson鈥檚 work illuminates the exciting yet complicated terrain of queer adolescence." The event was held at the British & Irish Studies Room in Norlin Library, and co-sponsored by the Department of Women and Gender Studies.

Dr. Robertson also spoke with students in the Introduction to LGBTQ Studies course, taught by Dr. Emmanuel David. She discussed her personal journey into academia, from her undergraduate work in women's studies at Metro State University, to the encouragement that led her to a PhD program at CU 麻豆影院. The students, who had read Growing Up Queer for their class, were prepared with many thoughtful questions for Dr. Robertson, who was both engaging and captivating in her responses.

Off

Dr. Jessica Ordaz, Assistant Professor
Department of Ethnic Studies

An historian specializing in both the United States and Latin America, Jessica Ordaz is a recent addition to CU 麻豆影院 and to our associate faculty in Women and Gender Studies. Ordaz attended UC Santa Barbara as a first generation college student, graduating with a triple major in history, global studies and women鈥檚 studies. She then continued on to Cal State Fullerton where she received a master's in American studies, earned her PhD in American history from the University of California, Davis, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington. Ordaz joined the Department of Ethnic Studies in 2018 as an assistant professor, and her current research centers on issues of immigration and detention at the US/Mexico border, social movements, and Latinx history.

Ordaz is the author of several journal articles and book chapters covering subjects from femicide in Mexico to the history of forced sterilization in California. Her most recent work, 鈥淧rotesting Conditions Inside El Corralon: Immigration Detention, State Repression and Transnational Migrant Politics in El Centro, California,鈥� was published in the Journal of American Ethnic History鈥檚 special issue on immigration control and resistance (Winter 2019). This article examines the events surrounding a 1985 labor and hunger strike by detainees in protest of the unsanitary and abusive conditions inside the migrant detention center, and the brutal response to their activism.

June 17, 1954: In Southern California, Mexican migrants enter El Centro border patrol compound prior to deportation. (Larry Sharkey / Los Angeles Times Archive / UCLA)

Her current book project expounds on the history of this facility, the function detention centers play in American society, and the roots of state violence propagated therein. Ordaz focuses on the experiences and stories of migrants, as well as their personal activism, within the larger institutional history of immigration and criminal justice. Similarly, she explains our country鈥檚 long history of immigration abuses in light of our current administration鈥檚 controversial family separation policy in a recent article in CU 麻豆影院鈥檚 A&S Magazine.

This semester, Ordaz is teaching an introductory course examining race, ethnicity and gender in the U.S., as well as the upper-division People of Color and Social Movements, which analyzes the ways activism has called for and achieved increases in rights, freedoms and better living conditions through an intersectional and comparative lens. "I have really enjoyed getting to know the undergraduate students at CU 麻豆影院," added Dr. Ordaz, remarking that it has been a highlight of her time here thus far.

Off

Internships in Women and Gender Studies encourage both scholarship and community involvement by working in local, national and international communities with a concurrent analysis of that experience. The internship affords students unique opportunities far beyond the walls of the classroom, giving them concrete work experience and a chance to "try out" different industries on a short-term basis. Previous WGST internships have included serving as a caucus director for a successful Congressional race, working as a court advocate for victims of domestic and sexual violence, and have included organizations such as Planned Parenthood, the SafeHouse Progressive Alliance for Nonviolence (SPAN), the former CU Women's Resource Center, the Factory Farming Coalition of America, and the National Trans LifeLine.

James is currently interning with , working as an executive assistant for this local organization which plays a crucial role in the LGBTQ community in our area by serving as an advocate in schools, local government, and other institutions.

Out 麻豆影院 County also facilitates social and support groups, and hosts events including Pride festivals in both 麻豆影院 and Longmont, and "The GAYLA", a formal black-tie benefit held at the St. Julien Hotel. Their longest-running program, "Speaking Out," is a volunteer speaker's bureau, allowing community members to share their stories with students in middle and high schools, offering them a safe place to ask questions and highlighting the diversity of LGBTQ individuals. "麻豆影院 has an amazing LGBTQ history, but it needs more visibility," notes James.

In his time so far as an intern, James has already had the opportunity to meet several local leaders, including former county clerk Clela Rorex, Governor Jared Polis, and Congressman Joe Neguse. "I look forward to working on a new project to archive historical media coverage of Out 麻豆影院 County and the LGBTQ community in 麻豆影院," shares James.

Off

1. What is The 鈥楻ed Zone鈥�?

This is the period of time in which students are most vulnerable to sexual assault and rape, which is often referred to as the 鈥淩ed Zone鈥�. This is typically defined as the period from when a student first steps foot on campus to Thanksgiving break. Students鈥� unfamiliarity with the campus and lack of social support networks contribute to students鈥� vulnerability during this period. Even after reaching the end of the 鈥淩ed Zone,鈥� though, freshmen and sophomores continue to experience disproportionate rates of sexual violence; at CU, nearly 90% of sexual assaults occur during students freshman and sophomore years. Students can nevertheless experience sexual violence at any point in their college careers.

2. What Are The Statistics?

Over 1 in 4 female CU students (28%) and 1 in 18 males (6%) experience rape or sexual assault as undergraduates on campus. Twenty-one percent of LGBTQ college students have been sexually assaulted, and face increased levels of harassment compared to non-LGBTQ members. The majority of college sexual assaults occur during the fall semester, with 90% of assaults being committed by someone the victim knows. Yet, an estimated 54% of assaults go unreported, mostly because survivors are too scared to tell, or they do not believe that the assault was serious enough. It is important to highlight how violence and sexual harassment do not just take place on college campuses, but can affect us all at any point in our lives. Any form of harassment or assault is serious.

3. How Often Are False Reports Made?

False reports make up just 2 to 8 percent of all sexual assault reports. This means that between 92 and 98 percent of the time, the person who reports sexual assault or rape is telling the truth. Questions of clothing and alcohol consumption should not matter. If the victim is intoxicated or unconscious, or simply states 鈥楴o鈥�, then this is not consent. We must therefore endeavour to change society鈥檚 attitude towards survivors of sexual assault, starting by telling survivors that we Believe Them.

4. What Are My Rights?

Every student has equal rights and opportunities to obtain the same quality of education. These rights are reinforced through federal law, such as Title IX. Title IX mandates any educational institution receiving federal financial assistance to provide equal benefits on the basis of sex. The federal law has been used to hold schools responsible for any discrimination in all aspects of education, including sexual harassment and assault.

5. What Resources Are Available?

There are many useful resources to turn to in regards of sexual assault. Organizations are there to make you feel comfortable and at ease. It is always a good idea to know your options, even if you have never encountered sexual violence or harassment it is important to be able to support friends.

University of Colorado resources on campus:

• 麻豆影院 Police Department - Emergency: 911, Non-Emergency: 303-492-6666
• CAPS: Counselling and Psychiatric Services /counseling/
• OVA: Office of Victim Assistance /ova/
• OIEC: Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance /oiec/

Outside Resources:

• RAINN: The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network is a telephone hotline that is completely confidential. When you call this hotline, only the first six numbers of your phone number are viewed on the call. (800-656-4673)
• MESA: Moving to End Sexual Assault. Located in 麻豆影院 with a 24-hour hotline as well as in-person support, victim advocacy, and specialized support groups. (1-844-493-8255)
• NSVRC: National Sexual Violence Resource Center. Their services can provide you with support contacts, as well as putting you in contact with your local rape crisis centers
• SARA: Sexual Assault Response Advocates. They have a hotline number. This is a center for rape crisis and a child advocacy center. (970-867-2121)
• SAVA: Sexual Assault Victim Advocate Center. Located in Fort Collins Colorado. Their goal is to provide crisis intervention to survivors and offer counseling to those affected by sexual assault.

With the #MeToo movement and other campaigns making significant progress in mainstream society, sexual assault and harassment is finally getting the attention it needs. We believe that change is coming. We Believe You.

This article was written by students in the course WGST 3702 - Speak Up, Speak Out in Fall 2018.
*Data specific to 麻豆影院 comes from the 2015 Sexual Misconduct Survey carried out by CU鈥檚 Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance.

Off