From March 3rd to 9th Women’s Week was celebrated at the college. This year the Gender and Sexuality group arranged a series of activities designed to raise consciousness in our community about sexism issues in the world today. The week was introduced by posting, around campus, thought-provoking posters of sexist publicity and humour. An anonymous survey was also conducted and later presented in public as to the gender-related ideas, conceptions and prejudices of the students and staff at our school, the results of which were later made public and discussed in a well-attended workshop. Also, on Thursday evening, Eve Ensler’s Vagina Monologues were performed in the Høegh Centre.
The main event, however, was the Global Concerns, which replaced classes on Friday and was centered around the question: “Have We Reached Equality?”. The happening started at 8:00 a.m. in the Auditorium, with a gripping performance by the Sterk Theatre Group. The students then attended two hour-long workshops of their choice. These sessions were prepared and led in their totality by GAS students and included, among other things, a role-play of a court case dealing with a rape, a discussion on world religions and their statements about women, and a pannel and discussion on conceptions and misconceptions of feminism.
Later in the morning, everybody returned to the Auditorium for an informative presentation on family violence and its incidence in Norway, from our guest speaker Kari Witzøe, head of the Sogn og Fjordane Krisesenteret in Florø. This was followed by another theater performance by the Sterk Group.
After lunch, discussion of the main question started, and the topics touched upon included the definition of equality, women in the work place, how to go about curving discrimination, how sexism is negative for both men and women, and a long unfinished etcetera that had to be left hanging when the session ended. Nevertheless, people were so passionate about these issues that the World Today that evening was very well attended, and discussion continued in an equally animated, but very positive fashion.
Throughout the week we also showed movies dealing with subjects such as discrimination, rape, abortion, prostitution and human trafficking. Among them were The Colour Purple (1985), Cider House Rules (1999) and Trade (2007).
Thank you, everybody, for another amazing week!
After many late night rehearsals, much cooking and sending invitations to host families, members of the surrounding community and Haugland clients, “Las Américas” Day took place on Saturday, March 29th.
they exhibited images, traditions, food, clothing and music from their respective countries.
