Celebrating Womanhood: Stories of Women Paving the Way at WSU

The daily challenges that women face have become much more apparent to me as I grew into an adult. But what also became more apparent to me was the impact that so many women have in the world — and specifically in my life — and how these women are the ones who have helped so many include me through difficulties.

My idea of womanhood has been shaped by the many women in my life who have shown me every day what kind of courage and love women have the potential to hold. In raising me, they have taught me how to someday be a compassionate mother, aunt, and grandmother.

For example, my sister helped me find my voice. The way she carries herself has taught me how to be an independent woman who stands up for herself.

My friends who are women have shown me the many unique and different examples of how women can act, which has given me the confidence to be completely true to myself.

My female professors, such as Kay Hannahan, have not only taught me all I know, but have helped me form goals for my career. Seeing their passion and commitment to their work is exactly the type of woman I aspire to be.

As Women’s History Month comes to a close, I want to take a moment to recognize all these women who have shaped who I am and who I am becoming. These women and so many more have paved the way for me to become the best version of myself.

Many women are paving the way for others right at Winona State University. Check out their stories and learn how these strong figures are making a difference in the WSU community. The personal stories have been lightly edited for clarity.

Not only is journalism a male-dominated field, but it is a very white field as well. As a young, first-generation Asian American who identifies as a woman, I have no illusions surrounding the prejudices and conscious or unconscious biases I have and will encounter in the media field. However, I know I am just as capable as anyone else.

I have a bit of a “smart mouth” as my family has told me, and I fully intend to use it to get me into every space I should be in and every space that systems of power may not want a journalist in, let alone a female, POC journalist.

My gender is the least interesting thing about me–about anyone, really–but that doesn’t mean I don’t absolutely love being a woman. For me, being a woman is incredibly empowering. Owning the space I take up and loudly doing so, brings me great joy.

As a feminine person, I am who I am, I look how I do, and I act how I do, first and foremost for myself.

I spent much of my adolescent years caring so much about what other people thought of me, worrying I  would be noticed, worrying I wouldn’t be noticed… it’s exhausting the kinds of pressure women typically put on themselves, let alone the expectations of others.

I have found freedom in learning to love who I am, and who I will become. To be a woman is to be fierce and soft, firm and empathetic, intelligent, empowering, unpredictable, as well as everything all at once, too much and never enough at the same time.

I love being a woman.

Most recently, I am a student equity consultant for Equity 2030, a research project centered around understanding the experiences of BIPOC students at WSU to create a more inclusive campus.

I have always looked up to my mother from a young age. She did the bravest thing and immigrated to the U.S. from Guatemala to work and make money to pay for cancer treatment for her mother back in Guatemala. That story has always been something I have admired because my mom’s bravery has influenced and shaped me as a woman, sister, and individual. I hope to be as brave and strong as her one day.

I identify as a cisgender woman, and I know that there is privilege with being cisgender. With that being said, to me being a woman is about being myself and being a good role model to my younger sisters and other women – like my mom was for me. It has made me stronger as an individual and it has boosted my confidence in myself.

I have experienced my fair share of discriminatory experiences for being a Latina woman, which has made me want to change this for myself and others through advocacy.

In the midst of that discrimination, I am proud to be a woman of color and I am proud for the advocacy work that I have done so far. I am proud that I have made my younger sisters proud and have helped them grow into the wonderful young women that they are today.

I know I will continue to advocate for women, as well as other marginalized groups and individuals, for the rest of my life.

We think it is important for WSU to see that three women can lead the Student Senate just as effectively as any previous Executive Board.

We are all very passionate about our work, and we don’t take no for an answer. We are all strong advocators for our peers, we have different things that we are passionate about, and we all support one another to get our projects done.

Being a woman means being ourselves, even if others tell us differently. It’s about being seen as a human, not as the stereotypes put on to women throughout history. We can speak up for ourselves and others

We are so grateful to be able to serve WSU students in the way that we do every day. It is so rewarding to see projects being carried out either by ourselves or within Senate and be able to say we lead this amazing group.

Making history at Winona State is something that will always stay with us.

Faculty Spotlight

Through building the Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program at WSU, professors Dr. Tamara Berg and Dr. Colette Hyman bridged classroom theories with community activism to ensure all voices are heard.

These programs create places where women, non-binary individuals, and the LGBTQ+ community feel safe and welcomed. It’s where they see themselves in content and material in ways they don’t in other curriculum.

The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies program that we built provides an essential opportunity for putting issues of gender and sexuality and experiences of women at center of teaching and learning.

The experience of being a woman is all very socially constructed. It’s nurture as opposed to nature. And it’s important for all of us to understand that our gender identity is only part of our identity. There are a lot of people who identify as women who aren’t always recognized as women. To create a safer environment for all individuals, we have to bring this into the curriculum.

Women’s, gender, and sexuality is an invaluable program to our community in so many different ways. I hope that it can continue to work on its behalf and ensure its strength.

The Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Program and the way that it has evolved is such a crucial component of the university.

It brings three fields of inquiry into conversation in order to engage critical analyses ranging from the personal to the global at the intersections of sex, gender, sexuality, race, class, ethnicity, and ability. WGSS is always evolving.

It is important for us to stand up and acknowledge that these are crucial topics for a university.