This exhibit uses the Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Vision statement for its design inspiration. That vision emphasizes the interdisciplinary community of people who connect through collaborative and innovative scholarship, teaching, learning, and service that promotes alternative expressions of knowledge and socially responsible activism. Community drives participants' commitments to engaging with a transformative analysis of gender as it intersects with class/caste, sexuality, race, ethnicity, ability, age, coloniality, and transnationality.
The typed-script memos and course listings from the 1970s tell an important story of scholars listening to students who craved courses taught through interdisciplinary and multicultural lenses. We see the development of those courses and the many ways in which WGSS scholars linked with community partners to bring activist and leadership opportunities to students. And students have embraced these opportunities. Organizations, governmental agencies, educational institutions, companies large and small, from the local to international have benefited from the skills and commitment to human rights that our alumni bring to their positions.
The Program name changes—Women's Studies to Women's and Gender Studies a generation later to its current Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies—shows its expansion and dedication to inclusivity. The Program includes an undergraduate minor in WGSS, a Queer Studies certificate, a graduate certificate in WGSS, and a Social Work emphasis in WGSS. Its annual Symposium of Student Research, Queer Talks series, Rachel Cooper Student Art Exhibition space, internships in community organizations, sponsorship of lota, lota, lota (Triota) Honor Society, and F.L.A.M.E (Feminist Led Activist Movement to Empower) offer students diverse and often life-changing experiences.
As the WGSS Program celebrates its 50th year on the ISU Campus, this exhibit showcases photos, objects, and documents from Milner Library's Dr. Jo Ann Rayfield Archives to illustrate how the program engaged the American political and cultural landscape between 1974-2024.
Digital timeline of events over the past 50 years.
View the timeline
Digital pop-up library of books on WGSS subjects, including many authored by affiliated faculty at ISU and keynote speakers at the annual research symposium.
Browse the pop-up library
A collection of WGSS event posters from the last 50 years on Milner's Digital Library platform.
View the collection
