Documentary
By ANNELIESE WOOLFORD
Saint Mary's Editor
The Third Wave Feminism Symposium continued Monday night with Krista Longtin's documentary "Gloria Steinem, the Spice Girls and Me: Defining the Third Wave of Feminism."
Longtin, a communication studies professor at Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis, made the documentary as part of her master's thesis at Purdue.
The documentary focused on women professors, authors, journalists and students' perception of feminism and how its popular connotation is revealed in today's media.
"I think the Third Wave of feminism is still being defined," Longtin said. "There's a very organic way of how the Third Wave works so that its boundaries are almost permeable."
Women from activist Gloria Steinem to the Spice Girls were portrayed as key figures and role models, defining the Third Wave in their own unique way.
The screening was followed by a group discussion, much of which focused on the word "feminism." "When it comes down to it, many of the media portrayals are really helping to define a movement that isn't theirs," Longtin said. "We don't see the ideas being talked about. Instead, we're being talked to about the ideas.
"In reality things are getting done ... in a space like this," she said.
Longtin's audience Monday included students from both Saint Mary's and Notre Dame, faculty, staff and members from the Michiana community.
"I thought she was very willing to share things and I think that was a reflection of her approachableness," said Notre Dame sophomore Matt Patricoski.
All News Stories for Tuesday, March 25, 2003
