With Women’s History Month coming to a close, students in Ruth Chananie-Hill’s feminist theories in the social sciences class have planned and implemented a variety a campus programs throughout the month, including films and a reenactment of the 1913 women’s suffrage march.

On Wednesday, March 27, four of Chananie-Hill’s students held a modern parenthood panel, which related to this year’s theme, “Feminism and the Modern Family.”
“We brainstormed people around campus who had interesting stories that could really bring a different perspective both to the panel and the audience,” said Chase Aunspach, one of the organizers of the event.

Aunspach, senior communication studies and sociology major, and the other organizers were pleased with the diverse backgrounds of the panelists, as well as the amount of chemistry they had in the discussion.

“It seemed like every panelist had a lot of different experiences and backgrounds, and yet some similarities too,” said organizer Ayli Kennon, senior marketing major.

Jennifer Waldron, professor in health, physical education and leisure services, shared her experience of raising a son in a same-sex family and dealing with the concern from others about the lack of a father in the child’s life.

Educational psychology and foundations professor Michelle Tichy raised her daughter in a gender-neutral household and was surprised to hear that she suddenly wanted to wear pink once she reached preschool.

“Now she climbs trees and is happy to wear dresses when she wants to,” she said.

This aspect of choice was reoccurring throughout the discussion. Mike Klassen, marketing professor, talked about the importance of this, explaining that at times it may be difficult and go against whatever the parents have worked so hard to instill.

“I wanted my children to have a strong sense of themselves,” he said.

Another major theme of the discussion was the impact of society, media and culture in this generation, with several of the panelists hesitant about the presence of television in their households.

Students in the audience seemed to relate.

“I agreed with how society has a strong influence,” said Morgan Beitz, junior psychology major. “It was interesting how they chose to raise their kids with that influence everywhere.”

Aunspach, Kennon and the other two organizers, Christa Cortesio and Brock Muhlbauer, were thrilled with the outcome of the event.

“They really taught us how important it is to really instill a lens in your children that says, ‘Hey, I’m important. I have self-worth. I am who I am, and that’s okay’,” said Aunspach.